Question about SSI

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My brother is under 18 but will be an adult very soon. He has Aspergers.

The family was thinking of applying for SSI, but we were told it was "very hard" and gave us the impression that we should not bother applying.

He still needs therapy and is currently on medicaid but wont be eligible for it after a couple of months.

We are not sure if we should pursue it or not. He has medical records of it but we are not sure how to document his condition appropriately.

Are you sure it's medicaid (state) which is allocated for those whom are at or below the poverty level and disabled and not medicare (federal) for those whom are disabled?

Your best bet, whenever having to deal with Social Security, is to hire an attorney, even when starting the application process. Before you scream we can't afford an attorney, most attorneys dealing with SSDI and SSI work on a contingency fee basis, meaning if they don't win, they don't get paid. When they win, SSA pays the attorney 25% of the back pay awarded up to a maximum of $6,000. The attorney may also chard copying fees for records, up to $25.00 per request for records from doctors and mental health professionals. These fees are limited to those amounts by SSA.

However, some attorneys will not accept clients under the age of 18. You best bet is to contact your local legal aid society for a list of attorneys that will service clients under 18. Otherwise, I would contact you local disability rights network for a list of attornys servicing children under the age of 18.

I got it on my first try, probably because I went into excruciating detail about every last symptom and problem. That made it sound a lot worse than I actually perceive it on a daily basis, but all of it was the truth.

It would sort of depend on how he functions somewhat, I mean some people with aspergers can hold jobs and wouldn't qualify but some don't, so it somewhat depends on if it prevents him from working or not and if medical records support that. Also the whole family doesn't apply just the person who needs it, though family can certainly help.

Yes you are correct. It is for the poverty/medicaid.

I guess we will see some legal counsel. He cannot talk or look at people properly among other things that gives him a hard time....