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Can You Get Social Security Disability for Autism in Ohio?

How People on the Autism Spectrum Can Qualify for Economic Assistance

If having autism spectrum disorder makes it impossible for you—or someone close to you—to hold a job, financial relief is available in the form of Social Security Disability benefits.

Benefits include monthly income support to pay for your essentials and let you maintain independence.

But getting approved isn’t automatic. You must prove, using medical evidence and other facts, that you meet three rules:

  • You are nearly completely unable to work.
  • Health problems are the reason you can’t work.
  • Your health limitations and inability to work are severe enough to last at least 12 months.

It sounds simple, but it’s complicated to absolutely prove these points, and not just say them.

Of course, many people with autism can and do work. They wouldn’t be able to get disability benefits. Autism spectrum disorder includes people in an incredible range of situations.

Social Security Disability lawyers are professionals who can focus on your particular case and help you through this process. In Ohio, people call the disability attorneys at Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal.

They’ve helped thousands of people for over 40 years.

Only people living with autism spectrum disorder truly understand what it’s like. It’s nearly impossible to explain to others. And that’s partly why it can be challenging to get Social Security to see why you need benefits.

People easily get denied for all kinds of reasons.

But the Ohio disability lawyers at HNB have experience with cases like yours. They listen, and care. Talk to us about your needs.

It’s just what we do: “Helping me, that’s HNB.”

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    Types of Disability Benefits for People with Autism

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs two disability benefit programs that serve people in different circumstances.
    Because autism begins in childhood, many people are familiar from a young age with one of the disability programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

    Children with disabilities get SSI disability benefits when their families meet certain financial requirements.

    When they reach adulthood, those benefits recipients may be able to continue receiving SSI as adults. Or if they enter the workforce for a time, they may later qualify for the other kind of disability benefits run by the SSA: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

    How can you tell which program to apply for?

    • SSI: If you haven’t had jobs before, or it’s been a long time since you were employed, and your autism stops you from working now, SSI could be the right benefits program for you. You also must show that any other income or economic assets you have fall below certain levels.
    • SSDI: If you worked a substantial amount for a long enough time, paying taxes into Social Security—plus you can’t work anymore due to physical or mental impairments including autism—you may qualify for SSDI. SSDI doesn’t have any limits on investment income, property or other financial resources you may have.

    SSDI generally pays more per month than SSI, in part because it’s based on your past income while SSI is an amount pre-set by the government.

    With SSDI benefits, you also get eligibility or Medicare health coverage, which you normally would have to wait until retirement age. SSI qualifies you for Medicaid health coverage.

    You can get an HNB disability lawyer to help you decide which type of disability benefits to seek with autism. Your introductory conversation with our disability law firm is free.

    And if you work with us on your disability claim for autism, you still won’t pay any attorney fee until you win benefits.

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    How to Prove Your Autism Qualifies for Social Security Disability

    Whether you seek SSDI or SSI benefits, you must prove that your impairments make working impossible.

    Social Security has guidelines or proving this with autism. You must show:

    • You have difficulties with verbal communication, non-verbal communication and interacting socially.
    • You have restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests and activities.

    You also need to show an extreme limitation in one of these areas, or a notable limitation in two of them:

    • Learning, recalling and using information
    • Working and cooperating with other people, including supervisors, co-workers and the public
    • Saying focused, sticking with tasks, completing tasks on time
    • Managing yourself as you navigate your day

    How do you show these things?

    Social Security says you must provide evidence from medical sources. That can mean doctors, psychologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, social workers and counselors.

    You’ll send in reports from these health care providers, results of examinations they conduct, psychological testing results, other medical tests, details of your therapy course, dosage of your medications, side effects of medications and more.

    You can also send non-medical reports about how your autism affects you from people who personally know you: friends, family, neighbors, clergy, teachers, bosses and more.

    Your Social Security Disability lawyer can help with all of this, so you can be confident knowing someone capable is taking care of your disability claim.

    Work with a lawyer who understands the needs of a person with autism spectrum disorder and passionately helps you achieve a more secure life.

    Call HNB Now