My son who has downs syndrome will soon be 18 and will be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). We live in Maryland and want to know what size his SSI check will be. Can anyone help? Also, are there additional funds available for rent? We have been advised to request this.

Thanks

Would it be SSI ? Or SSDI ?

I don't think SSA covers rent......Are you thinking of Section 8 housing ?

For SSI amounts for a Maryland resident:

From http://www.workworld.org/wwwebhelp/s...t_maryland.htm

Payment Levels

State Supplementation
Combined Federal/State
Living Arrangement
Individual


Care Home: [b]

I. Minimal supervision
$66.00
---
$703.00
---

II. Moderate supervision
175.00
---
812.00
---

III. Extensive supervision
463.00
---
1,100.00
---

IV. Specialized and intensive supervision
666.00
---
1,303.00
---

Assisted Living [b]
184.00
---
821.00
---


Rehabilitative Residence
184.00

821.00

Hi,

Thank you for the response and the Maryland link. It is very useful. The link shows several care home supplements depending on the severity of supervision needed. My son should fall into a care home with minimal supervision or with moderate supervision. It is our intent to have him live with us until he can better care for himself. We were advised several years ago to charge him rent after he turns 18. How do we qualify to be his care home?

Thanks

I have no idea

SSI is a federal benefit, many states add a supplement to it.....that chart shows what Maryland 'adds' to the federal benefit. You should check with your state government for the specifics about how to get your home approved. Is your son in a program now ? Fellow parents or staff there shoukd be able to point you in the right direction for help.

There are more knowledgable posters here who work(ed) in the system, but I'm not sure how much they would know about Maryland's specific benefits either.

Best of luck to you !

Hello Finz,

Thanks again for the information. We are just getting started and my son is not in the system. I will make inquires w/the state and some of the parents who have children w/handicaps (although I don't know if any of them are in the system as they are younger then my son).

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Oh, for some reason I assumed that you had 'a source' pointing you in the right direction (I hope that doesn't sound snarky)......maybe it was a general impression because you specifically asked about SSI.

Are you sure he would be on SSI (for the disabled and low income) ? Or should it be SSDI (permanently disabled before age 18, collect under a parent's work record) ?

I don't know the answer on that.......I'm just a disabled person collecting SSDI, not one of our resident experts.......but I would have thought he would be on SSDI for now......and then maybe eligible for section 8 housing or SSI (if his SSDI was low enough) once he moved out.

Have you called SSA's 1 800 # yet ?