What gov. resources are available to us?

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A friend suggested I look into this for my own sake.

Are their federal resources available to those of us who are adults?

How about state level in California?

There are resources (few), like SSI, for disabled.
At the federal Govt level and State level.
California is relatively liberal in granting disability to other states, if look at the numbers/percentages.
Which I have.

Sad truth is that even if you get Federal and State SSI benefits you'll still be living at WAY below the poverty line.
And living in poverty is hard on anyone. Not to mention bad for your health, if you can help it.
I don't even know if they grant free healthcare access to those on disability.
I haven't looked into that.

Me myself, I'm trying to go the capitalist route (not that I agree with capitalism, because I don't) , but if successful it'll pay out WAY more than the socialist route (disability, etc.) . And when successful (hopefully) I'll enjoy the feeling of earning my own money, and making it on my own. It's a feeling of deserving what you have. Unlike when you get stuff for free, or on disability, you can't socialize and be accepted by peers as readily (if at all) when you go the socialist route.

Not saying you're a bad person if you go the socialist route,
not all autistics are high-functioning enough to make business for themselves.
I understand that. And my heart goes out to them. Really.

Also, nobody in life "made it" as a wage slave, that is getting minimum or next to minimum wages from a business or corporation. That's why, at least in the USA, you almost always have to make your own business, be an entrepreneur. There's a learning curve there, of probably several years, but I'm sure if you learn it, and stick with it, eventually you'll get the hang of it. It does involve a modicum (if not more) of self-interestedness (aka selfishness), I'm forced to see it now as just making your way in the world. I try to do it without hurting people, or at least as much as you can not hurt people. Because people always get offended over "something". You can't help that. I heard doing what you love is the sure-fire way to succeed when practicing capitalism. Sounds reasonable to me. As long as you meet or create consumer demand for what you got, whether you're selling stuff, or doing teaching, or fixing stuff, whatever.

Anyway, to answer your question: Yes, there are Govt resources.
But remember you'll always be living below the poverty line.
Don't forget the Govt will keep a close eye on you, and "review" you (interrogate you) every few years to see whether they should keep giving you disability benefits. I myself find that level of scrutiny rather hard. And it being from a mostly faceless and unaccountable non-transparent govt, makes it even harder (for me at least).

If a person gets SSI they can be automatically approved for Medicaid, at least in NY state.

(source - http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11146.pdf )

edited to add: I'm just reading through that pdf now. It says to be approved for SSI you must own less than $2000 worth of stuff (excluding your home and sometimes excluding your vehicle - it's bumped up to $3000 worth of stuff if you're married). That's about impossible for a married woman, because she will have wedding and engagement rings that are worth $2000 probably...

How the heck am I supposed to qualify this way?? For heaven's sake! And I mean obviously I'm typing on a computer, so I'm sure they'd value that at at least $500. And the house DOES have a refrigerator and a stove, which I'm sure are worth a grand all by themselves. This is ridiculous.

(double post)

I'm a tad miffed that autism is listed under mental disorders instead of neurological disorders.

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professio ... -Adult.htm

and even more miffed because they have criteria for autistic disorders, and for pervasive developmental disorders, but not for asperger's. But with PDD separated out from the autism section, one would expect asperger's to be as well. They should either all be included or all be separate. Should I presume that asperger's does not count?

This is all new to me but I really need help, I'm 42 and have never managed to hold down a job except work study in school and fast food when I was a teen... (for a month or so at a time before burning out and needing months to recover).

About Autism being under mental illness in the SSI Blue Book, instead of Neurological Disorders.

What doctors deal with the bulk of Autism issues? Psychiatrist/psychologist/social workers etc. The bulk of the issues have with Autism are all social skill related.

The most of the treatments to tamp down Autism symptoms are 1) psychotropic drugs or various types of talk/behavioral therapy. The average Joe Blow neurologist has no clue on any of that. They are trained to deal with seizures, nerve isues, strokes, diagnosis what part of the brain was damaged during a trauma, or organic brain disease. They get zip back ground on Autism other than what most medical students get.

While Autism is considered "a brain being miswired", neurology has nothing to offer these patients. Neurologists do not diagnosis Autism, psychologists and psychiatrists do. It makes no sense listing it under neurology with most of your main care will be with mental health.

I get you being torqued. My husband ask his neurologist rule out Autism, and this big deal neurologist told him that was out of his clinical specialty, and he doesn't handle those cases.

My friend with a brain injury on sees the neurologist for her nerve issues. For all the other stuff it's physical rehab doctor or the psychiatrist. Her psychiatrist was the main doctor to get her SSDI, even thought she was shot in the head.

ah ok yeah that does make really good sense actually, thanks for taking the time to type all that out.

I still just cant get past the fact that you can't own items of combined value over $2000 if you're single, or $3000 if you're married. My in-laws paid for the house and my husband works to pay them back. They also bought me the used vehicle I drive. And those are exempt from the valuation usually, it says.

But what about my wedding ring and engagement ring? I've been married for 22+ years now, I hope owning those wouldn't count towards that amount. What about my clothing? I never throw anything away if I can help it and most of it was thrift store or walmart or target to begin with, but there's gotta be hundreds of dollars worth of clothes if you add in winter coat and boots and snowpants and whatnot, too.

Does anyone know how they go about assessing the value of posessions?

When my mom died my siblings and I decided I Would keep her stuff at my house because none of them are married or have the space. So do her dishes technically belong to me now? Her china is old. It's got to be worth something as well.

So do I not qualify for SSI because these are technically in my possession right now?

*sigh* this is more confusing than ever!

edited to add - I found this list that says my rings wouldn't count but my husband's vehicles would! Not sure how they help ME any, they're not mine. I guess it's easier to qualify for cash assistance via welfare than SSI. Of course last I knew there was a five year lifetime cap on public assistance and/or foodstamps, can't recall which. But maybe that's changed. blargh.

Here's the list - http://www.disabilityadvisor.com/applyi ... ability-2/

I've researched this, and the options in my own city are thus:

- Income below $2000/month (disabled or not): food assistance, plus access to free job search resources
- Income below $1500/month (disabled): Medicaid, which is very low-cost health care
- Income below $700/month (disabled): SSI, which will bring your total income up to $700/month

SSI Disability Guidelines:
- below $2000 in assets. (Some things are excluded, including house, car, wedding ring, personal effects. Basically they're talking about bank accounts here.)
- unable to work a full-time job (including physical labor or office work)

The SSI process is hellish, and in the case of mental disability typically gets denied 2-3 times, and takes months. But if you truly can't manage any kind of work, and can get a doctor and/or psychiatrist to verify the severity of your symptoms, typically it will get approved within a year of your application.

I hope to not need any of these services, but there's a chance I might one day, so I wanted to understand it!

I'm homeless and on ABD (Aged, Blind & Disabled) right now. Soon I'll be applying for DDA (Developmental Disabilities Administration) help. I guess that's what available here in Washington if your Asperger's symptoms rises to the level of a substantial limitation.

LivingInParentheses

I undertand what you have gone through,
I've had many jobs as a teen but very few as an "adult"'.
There's definitely an age preference that most of us can't get through.

55yo employer scoffed at me when I was 35yo even tho he hired me at 28yo.
He was an old fogey, yet, I guess due to his capitalist leanings felt the need to
objectify my in that way for being 35yo.

Imagine if no one would hire him at 55yo.
It'd be a balls out fiasco.
Yet he's content on hiring only those below 30yo.
This was a skilled trades job.
Which I did very well, except I was autistic.

So I've heard there are "few" resources available.

What are they?

Hello-

In California, you might want to look at Regional Center and also the Department of Rehabilitation.

Regional center can assist people with various aspects of adult living. Although Regional Center is usually thought of as an agency that supports people with significant needs, higher functioning people may be eligible as well. It may take a couple of tries to be found eligible.

The Department of Rehabilitation can help with job training and also support for education that will support a particular vocation.

I hope this helps, if I think of any others I know about I will post here.

Deborah

Hello-

I thought of other sources of support.

Project Independence. I am not sure if this group is limited to people in Southern California or not. However, one assistance they offer is help with preparing Social Security income statements within the Ticket to Work Program it is called the WIPA program at Project Independence. If you want to work and you receive social security benefits, the WIPA program is free and can help you navigate the process of reporting income to social security correctly. The link can be found below.

http://www.proindependence.org/programs.php

Another source of assistance is One-Stop, Workforce Investment Act Partners. Essentially this is a place a person can go to get help with many aspects of finding a job.

http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/EmploymentFirst.htm

Here is the link for Regional Centers in California. This link is for the general California Regional Center information.

http://www.dds.ca.gov/rc/

Here is the link for the Department of Rehabilitation.

http://www.dor.ca.gov

If you tried the Department of Rehabilitation in previous years and were dissatisfied, I recommend that you try again. Funding for this program has improved and it appears that their supports have also improved.

A federal initiative has passed, Employment First, which I think is driving some of the additional sources of support. Information can be found at the link below.

http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/EmploymentFirst.htm

Hope this helps

Oops, wrong link to Onestop - Workforce Investment Act Partners.

The correct link is below.

http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/onestop/partners.cfm