My office handles applications and appeals for Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cases. In some cases, children with special needs may qualify for SSI. The special need may or may not be autism, but that was the category we decided on for LIF.

I have 18 years of experience handling SSI and SSD cases. When I worked for the Social Security Administration, I was the Supervisory Staff Attorney for an office that was created specifically to address the backlog of children's cases that occurred in the mid and late 1990s, when a class action settlement called for several cases to be heard again and when asthma and ADD cases in New York City were at almost epidemic levels.

For a child to qualify for SSI, the household income has to fall within very specific guidelines. In general, the family income would have to be at or below the same levels that would qualify the family for public assistance (welfare).

Many people who call my office want to know why someone they know has a child who is on SSI but the family seems to have high earnings. I cannot address any situation except for that of the person inquiring. In many cases, the income may not be what it seems or someone is not reporting income.

Please call me if you think that your family might qualify to collect SSI for a disabled child.

Kerie Stone
(631) 471-7171