The Employment and Training Branch administers the Supplemental Security Income Advocacy (SSIA) program, which assists Social Service program participants experiencing significant mental and physical disabilities, who cannot work for 12 months or more due to their impairment, or whose disability is expected to end in death, receive aid through SSI.
The SSI Advocacy Program includes the following services:
- Screening to determine if individual meets the medical and documentation criteria for SSI
- If so, they may meet the criteria for expedited processing
- If not, provide guidance on next steps
- Assisting with standard filing of SSI claims
- Gathering necessary documentation from various sources to support the SSI claim
- Helping with appeals (2nd stage of SSI claim) if standard claim is denied
- If appeal is denied, link clients to attorneys for hearings (3rd stage of SSI claim)
