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Supplemental Security Income: State Trends in Applications, Allowances, and Benefit Receipts for Children with Mental Impairments (GAO-12-498SP, June 2012), an E-supplement to GAO-12-497

GAO-12-498SP Published: Jun 26, 2012. Publicly Released: Jun 26, 2012.
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Highlights

What GAO Found

This document is an E-supplement to GAO-12-497. This e-supplement provides information on state trends in applications, medical allowances, and benefit Supplemental Security Income (SSI) receipts for children with mental impairments from 2000 to 2011. It contains two interactive maps, which can be accessed using the links below. The first map presents state data on SSI applications and allowances for children with mental impairments. Data represented as "applications" reflect SSI benefit claims where a disability determination services (DDS) examiner made an initial disability determination decision. Some applications may have been submitted prior to the year when a determination was made. In addition, some applications could have more than one determination if the claim is selected for a quality review or if the disability claim is updated during the same year. Data on allowances and allowance rates refers to initial level allowances, not final allowances, which include appeals decisions. The second map presents state data on benefit receipts for children with mental impairments, as well as for children with the primary impairments most frequently medically allowed for SSI benefits—attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech and language delay, and autistic disorder and other pervasive development disorders (autism). (Children with attention deficit disorder are also included in the ADHD category.) To account for variations in state size, applications (determinations) and receipts data are presented as a share of the state child population for each year. To navigate between years and impairments, click on the hyperlinked tabs across the top of maps. Roll your mouse over a state to view state data for the selected year and impairment.

Supplemental Material

Background Information

This e-supplement provides information on state trends in applications, medical allowances, and benefit Supplemental Security Income (SSI) receipts for children with mental impairments from 2000 to 2011. It contains two interactive maps, which can be accessed using the links below. The first map presents state data on SSI applications and allowances for children with mental impairments. Data represented as "applications" reflect SSI benefit claims where a disability determination services (DDS) examiner made an initial disability determination decision. Some applications may have been submitted prior to the year when a determination was made. In addition, some applications could have more than one determination if the claim is selected for a quality review or if the disability claim is updated during the same year. Data on allowances and allowance rates refers to initial level allowances, not final allowances, which include appeals decisions. The second map presents state data on benefit receipts for children with mental impairments, as well as for children with the primary impairments most frequently medically allowed for SSI benefits—attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech and language delay, and autistic disorder and other pervasive development disorders (autism). (Children with attention deficit disorder are also included in the ADHD category.) To account for variations in state size, applications (determinations) and receipts data are presented as a share of the state child population for each year. To navigate between years and impairments, click on the hyperlinked tabs across the top of maps. Roll your mouse over a state to view state data for the selected year and impairment.

Additional information on trends in the rate of children receiving SSI benefits due to mental impairments over the past decade is available in our report "Supplemental Security Income: Better Management Oversight Needed for Children's Benefits," GAO-12-497 (Washington, D.C.: June 26, 2012).

We conducted our work in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. A more detailed discussion of our scope and methodology and agency comments on the draft report and e-supplement are contained in our report.

 

Contents

Page Name Links
SSI Applications and Initial Level Allowances for Children with Mental Impairments, Fiscal Years 2000 through 2011 View
SSI Benefit Receipts for Children with Mental Impairments, and for Children with ADHD, Speech and Language Delay, and Autism, December 2000 through December 2011 View
Data for Downloading: State Trends in Applications, Initial Level Allowances, and Benefit Receipts for Children with Mental Impairments (accessible text) View

 

Copyright

This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. The published product may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately.

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Topics

ChildrenSupplemental security incomeAllowancesAttention deficit disordersPhysical disabilitiesAutismDisability claimsCopyright