When To Apply For SSI And RSDI

The county is responsible for and must ensure that children and non-minor dependents (NMDs) in Foster Care (FC) receive all federal benefits to which they are entitled while in care. This includes screening and applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Retirement, Survivor, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits.
If it is determined that a youth may be eligible for benefits, the Social Services Analyst (Analyst), the Social Worker (SW) or Probation Officer (PO) and the FC Eligibility Worker (EW) should discuss the case details to determine the impact of RSDI or SSI to the child’s eligibility for foster care.

When the individual is federally eligible and under the age of 16, an application for SSI should NOT be made UNLESS the child’s potential SSI benefits meet or exceed the placement cost. The assigned SW/PO must make the determination.
When a federally eligible FC youth receives SSI, the Analyst can request the Social Security Administration (SSA) to discontinue or suspend the SSI when it is in the youth's best interest.
Federal status cannot be relinquished to use state (non-federal) Foster Care to supplement SSI.
An application for SSI should be made if the child is under 18 and eligible for non-federal foster care. SSI payments can be supplemented by non-federal foster care payments. When the youth is 18 or older and in Extended Foster Care (EFC), the application must be completed with the assigned SW/PO and Analyst.
An application for SSI must be made for federally eligible FC youth turning 16, but no later than 17. The application is completed as part of the SSI screening process described in Screening of All FC Children and NMDs Before Exiting Foster Care.

When To Apply For SSI And RSDI

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