Disabled LGBTQI+ Youth and SSI
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: February 1, 2024
Roughly 2 million LGBTQI+ youth attend public and private high schools across the United States. About 15% of students today receive special education services – and 1/3 of those students have learning disabilities. Students who are both LGBTQI+ and have a disability often lack the resources necessary to perform well at school.
Tools to Succeed
Schools have different tools to create inclusive environments for LGBTQI+ students with disabilities and help them thrive and succeed. One example is the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students in public school, and the Instructional/Individual Service Plan (ISP) for those in private school.
Families, teachers, school psychologists, youth specialists, and school administrators work together to develop plans that are tailored to a given student. This includes outlining a legally binding agreement over any specialized services, accommodations, and curriculum modifications the student will receive.
As IEPs and ISPs are unique to each student, there are strategies that can be employed to ensure that they are inclusive. For example, as outlined in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Welcoming Schools resource guide on Advocating for LGBTQ Students with Disabilities, schools can accommodate a transgender student by using their chosen name and pronoun, and train members of their IEP team on LGBTQI+ cultural competency.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Social Security can help eligible students through the SSI program. SSI provides monthly payments to children who:
- Are under age 18 and have physical or mental condition(s) that seriously limits their daily activities for a period of 12 months or more or is expected to result in death.
- Live in a household with limited income and resources.
When you apply for SSI payments for your child based on a disability, Social Security will ask you for detailed information about:
- The child’s medical condition.
- How the child’s medical condition affects their ability to perform daily activities.
You’ll need to give permission to the doctors, teachers, therapists, and other professionals who have information about your child’s condition to share information to Social Security. Their Guide for School Professionals outlines how a child’s IEP and other evidence helps Social Security make disability determinations.
By providing the necessary support, we can help LGBTQI+ students with disabilities overcome the various challenges they face compared to their peers.
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Our posting of this blog does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any non-Social Security organization, author, or webpages.
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Jim P.
I understand the need to help children with disabilities but why do we need to have a special program for LGBTQI+ students with disabilities? Can’t they be helped by the same program for other students with disabilities? With the Social Security program careening towards fiscal default , the program should be focused on looking for efficiencies and ways to consolidate programs rather than implementing more programs with more bureaucracy. And shouldn’t this program be funded by the Department of Education rather than the program first implemented as a retirement program for senior citizens who they and their employers have paid into during their entire working career. Bureaucrats defend Social Security as a retirement program, not a welfare program. It’s very hard/impossible to see programs like this as a retirement program. Social Security has become a cash cow for far too many programs. By the time these kids and their contemporaries reach retirement age, there won’t be any retirement program there for them. I’m not opposed to the program on the face of it, just question why it’s being funded by Social Security; helping students with disabilities is a worthy endeavor. If it’s a worthy program, make the case for properly appropriating funds and stop raiding Social Security to pay for it.
Steve
Thanks. You saved me the trouble of writing the exact same thing.
D. R.
Social Security is not a cash cow for other programs. Social Security taxes that are collected are paid into two separate programs.
Social Security Retirement (SSR) and Social Security Disability (SSD) funds come from taxes paid into Social Security. To be eligible for SSD, you have to have a work history and have been paying into Social Security. Same with Social Security Retirement.
Supplemental Security Income is a separate pot of money and is for SSI only. Most minor children who are disabled receive SSI. This SSI money is not taken from Social Security funds.
The biggest reason the SS funds are depleting is for past 20 years people are making less money, resulting in SS collecting less in taxes.
Marie
I completely agree with both Steve and his affirmation of Steve. I have thought the same thing before I was even close to retirement ager! In addition, while congress is making their budgets for billions of dollars to go to foreign countries and other things unnecessary, they should be allocating money every year to pay back what the government “borrowed” from social security when it was put into the general fund.
tjoc
Agree 💯 with you. This economy is hard enough right now for us Seniors to live in, stop just giving the benefits away to any new group You decide is deserving of benefits worked for by us in the US
Marta G.
100% agree.
MeeYah
I have twin grandsons, 4-year old toddlers, both diagnosed with autism. They need speech, occupational and physical therapy. My son is a single parent, works FT and has sole legal physical custody of his toddler sons. It has taken him 2 years to get SSI benefits for my grandsons because he did not know the process or the fact that they may be eligible. I think a one stop office like this should be in every district in our county to include services for the homeless and mentally ill. My concern is not with one’s identity but to help those children and parents that help themselves. Our school system does NOT have the resources to support children with autism. So yes, I would support a satellite office for those who DON’T KNOW THAT THEY MAY BE QUALIFIED SSI BENEFITS. Those benefits can help FUND speech, physical, and occupational therapy.
Marie
Mee Yah…..I empathize with you. The question is where should this money come from? There should be a separate fund to help children such as your grandchildren. It shouldn’t come from the Social Security fund. Since Autism includes learning disabilities, extra money should be allocated to the school system to cover all learning disabilities. I too, have a great granddaughter with mild Autism.
Paul’s D.
37 years ago I met Paul at church.
On the way home Janine asked may I adopt him. As I look back over the years of traveling the path of caring for a child confirmed at birth as belonging to the Down’s syndrome group the issue addressed here did not exist in my experience supporting Paul. In birth to 5 early intervention the focus was on helping him develop. 6 to 23 he was the education system’s of Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Michigan. We had to have independent professional evaluation confirm that Paul was intellectually disabled and met the criteria for Federal and State services. From 18 to 37 Paul aged out of the State education system of support and into the adult Medicare/Medicaid system. In all of his physiological profiles the issue did not arise. The focus was on his intellectual challenges and physical abilities. The Michigan 2024 IPOS does not address this issue. If the political issue catches up with the IPOS we will have to confirm Paul’s LGBTQ preferences. Over the last 83 years I have become friends with a number of Gay individuals. They do not identify as intellectually disabled.
In conclusion I feel that the issue is a personal matter that should be addressed on an individual basis without legislation.
bruce s.
lgbtq is not normal its like two men can never birth a baby but some man and some woman can and do and a man can never be a woman or animal
Jim G.
This is the most hideous post I’ve ever seen on the direction this country is taking towards the lame brained weak minded liberal twits who suppost this garbage. Our tax dollars should NOT be used in this manner towards weak minded people who struggle to breathe with dignity.
Linda b.
From reading this, I don’t think THERE are extra programs or beniefits. Just a target marketing spin for perceived extras, Any disabled child or adult can apply for SS benefits Ditto SSI for ANY low income person on MEDICARE
Angela
I agree!!!
Marie
Jim G…………..You are correct. Children have no idea of gender or sex until some adult puts the idea in their heads. Any mental help they might need should be paid for by those adults and not the country’s tax payers.
Marta G.
Well said.
MarkM
I think the percentages of problems cited highlights the spiritual struggle many LGBTQs face because they are going against the course of their given identity as a male or female at birth. We should be helping them to accept the identity they are physiologically born with
Rick A.
SSI is for those with qualifying disabilities. Gender dysphoria is not and never should be considered a qualifying disability in an of itself…
Kevin H.
At what point do we run out of letters used to describe homosexuals? We started with just “gay” but, then decided to add “lesbian” although a lesbian is nothing more than a female who is gay. We have now thrown a box of Alpha-Bits cereal into the air-then grab up 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 random letters-and proceed to ascribe some sort of sexual deviant stew to it. It’s bad enough, but could we just go back to “homosexuals”?
Nydia D.
Read the comments and I can feel the negativity, dislike, and possibly hate.
Why?
Please let me know how I may assist a student. I am also disabled.
Common s.
You can help them by reassuring them that they were born the correct gender and they should be willing to learn to accept their gender. Gender confusion is not a disability to claim benefits
Deborah M.
Right on.
Dd d.
They all need professional Christian mental health counseling to overcome the evil lgbtq+++ hold on their minds and lives by the teaching of the Bible and Jesus Christ. Nothing else will help these people and they will continue the downward spiral until they give themselves to God.
E
So if you don’t want to be what you’re born (male, female), you automatically receive SSI. Yet, those who have knee back and heart surgery can’t even STOP working and claim what they have rightfully earned, no they must work til they die. I don’t know how long this system will survive! Let’s not forget all the illegals who are automatically put on SSI, yet children in USA live in Warzones and are not afforded the same rights and are Natural citizens. Feed the neighbors children and let your own starve!!
Lewis F.
Where’s it written that we must put other nations people above our own to feed educate free healthcare and provide shelter when we have homeless veterans those with mental illness and starving children in this country that can’t even find a safe place tho sleep in or get a good meal we as a nation should be ashamed of ourselves and the leadership of this nation when we they start looking out for we the people and not themselves
MajJohn
No, members of the LGBQTI and so on communities are not automatically put on SSI and neither are illegals. There are citizenship and medical requirements. Poverty and mental illness are serious problems. So is the societal upheaval caused by liberals with their catch and release attitudes.
Ken
Agree with you, Not with my social security money. Maybe you tell social security that they need to quit catering to the alphabet cult and start paying attention to the senior citizens that they should be.
Kenneth
I,Respect all,people disability regardless of race ,Creed,or gender lets thrive to help those of all differences Im past celeb and dealt with all walks of life.
Eleanora
I am an adult. Now but Throughout my school years I was in special education classes could I get help with learning and find employment
Sue
Hi, Eleanora. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. You may want to contact your state Vocational Rehabilitation agency for assistance. You can search here for the VR agency in your state. Social Security pays disability benefits to adults who are unable to work because of a physical or mental condition that is expected to last at least 12 months or end in death. Our Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program makes payments to people with disabilities who have limited income and resources. For more information or to apply, please visit Apply for Social Security Benefits. We hope this helps.
Kell-O
Totally agree Dd d.
Antonia R.
Hi have a son that have adhd and he has 17 yes old what could I do for the social security
Kell-O
Nothing Antonia R. That alone does not get you on disabilit, especially @ that age. It’s very hard to get a young person on it unless their conditions are extreme & overtly obvious.
Sue
Hi, Antonia. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program that provides payments to children and adults with disabilities who have limited income and resources. To be eligible for SSI, your son must have a condition that very seriously limits his activities, and the condition(s) must have lasted, or be expected to last, at least one year or result in death. To learn more about SSI for children and how to apply, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Common S.
How does being gender confused make them disabled? If they are disabled it makes no sense to even try to also include their gender confusion in the article.
Charlene
You say you have different departments for different needs and all that’s great. However there really needs to be special workers in those special departments working with the public. Sorry to say but the system and people who work in it really need to be reminded why they chose there profession. They fully lack understanding, compassion, reasoning and patience when dealing with the community. They way I’ve had to deal with workers and system with having a disability mentally I’ve gotten so close to harming myself after speaking to workers or end up needing to go in hospital afterwards. Something needs to be done in regards to that situation. I cant handle follow ups or even calling in regards to any of my needs due to how badly it effects me and stresses me out so badly. All government officials really need to have more compassion with regards of helping people and how we are treated. I get you don’t want everyone living off government money and have certain rules to go by. I get that part but honestly people with disabilities need a alot more understanding when working with. Like my son he’s 26 trying to get help with his taxes and I was having to assist him in answering and the lady was utterly rude and only got me to yell at person saying what part of 5150 do you not get and hung up. No one knows who’s on the other end of the phone there mental state maybe worse then mine. So just think about it the next time someone is out of there mind already struggling to try to get help if they get treated like that then I understand why some go on shooting sprees. Not saying I ever would but I do understand if there trying to get help and it’s aweful experience like I have had.
Marie
Charlene:
I’m sure you also have difficulty even getting in touch with Social Security or any of the programs available. The way of the world today is computers answering calls. Half the time they are closed or don’t return calls. When you feel like it is all not worth while or that you want to harm someone. Please call a suicide help line. Someone will answer you there and are trained to help you through a crisis or immediately direct you to someone who can. God Bless you