A common misconception about a disability preventing a person from working and earning the money needed to support themselves is that it’s a physical impairment. Mental health impairments can be just as disabling, so they are included in conditions covered by federal disability programs.
The Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs provide mental health disability benefits to people diagnosed with mental health conditions that prevent them from doing work activities. The data compiled by the federal government reveals that more than 30% percent of adults in the United States experience symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.
If you or a loved one struggles with a mental health condition, the disability lawyers at Gallo Cazort & Co. Law Firm want you to know about the disability benefits for mental health conditions available to you. This blog explains the SSDI and SSI programs, focusing on how they work and the benefit payments you can receive if you qualify.
How To Qualify For Mental Health Disability Benefits
SSDI and SSI each pay disability benefits for mental health conditions provided you meet the eligibility guidelines that include financial and medical criteria. The financial criteria for SSDI eligibility depend on your work history.
To be eligible for SSDI, you must have worked at jobs with earnings subject to payment of Social Security taxes. The work history must be of long enough and recent enough duration to allow you to be insured and covered by the SSDI program.
SSI is a needs-based program that does not require a work history, but it limits the value of resources or assets that applicants may own and their income. For example, total resources cannot exceed $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.
You must be disabled to qualify for disability benefits through SSI and SSDI. However, older individuals at least 65 and meet the financial guidelines may qualify for benefits without being blind or disabled.
The Social Security Administration evaluates applications for SSI and SSDI mental health disability benefits using a definition of “disability” that requires medical evidence proving all of the following:
- Presence of a medically determinable physical or mental health impairment.
- The impairment must prevent a claimant from doing substantial gainful activity.
- The impairment or a combination of impairments must last or be expected to last for at least one year or be expected to result in the claimant’s death.
Federal regulations define “substantial gainful activity” as significant physical and mental work activities for which you receive payment. If you are working, Social Security determines whether you are engaging in substantial gainful activity by your earnings. Earning $1,550 or more monthly means your activities are substantial and gainful.
A different definition of “disability” applies to applications for SSI benefits filed on behalf of a child. A child must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment causing marked and severe functional limitations. The impairment must last or be expected to last for at least 12 months or be expected to result in the death of the child.
What Conditions Qualify For Mental Health Disability Benefits?
The Social Security Administration maintains a listing of impairments it recognizes as meeting the disability definition. The listing, also called the “Blue Book,” includes the following mental health conditions:
- Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Depressive disorders
- Intellectual disorders
- Trauma- and stressor-related disorders
- Neurodevelopment disorders
- Neurocognitive disorders
- Eating disorder
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Personality and impulse-control disorders
- Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
An applicant must match or be functionally equivalent to the criteria for a listed condition to be eligible for Social Security disability for mental illness based on a listing.
How Much Does Mental Health Disability Pay Through SSDI And SSI?
The maximum monthly federal SSI disability benefits for mental health conditions payable to individuals in 2024. Couples can receive as much as $1,415. You could receive less if you have income from sources other than SSI, or you could receive more if you live in a state that supplements the federal benefit.
The monthly mental health disability amount paid through SSDI is based on your average lifetime earnings record at work subject to payment of Social Security payroll taxes. The maximum monthly SSDI benefit in 2024 is $3,822, but most injured workers receive far less.
Social Security reports the average monthly SSDI benefit payment as $1,593 as of the close of the third quarter of 2024. The severity of your disability does not affect the mental health disability payment amount.
Contact GCC Disability For Assistance With Mental Health Disability Claims
Whether you need help filling out an initial application for Social Security disability for mental illness or need outstanding legal representation from an experienced disability lawyer to appeal a denial of benefits, the Gallo Cazort & Co. Law Firm can help. Contact us today for a free initial consultation. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.