COVID-19, Disability, People Facing Barriers

Outreach to Vulnerable Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

April 2, 2021 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: April 2, 2021

A photo headshot of SSA Commissioner Andrew SaulLast week, over 1,500 people joined me on a national conference call to learn how their organizations can help the Social Security Administration assist our most vulnerable populations during COVID-19. Participants included representatives of the non-profit community, health care organizations, private industry, Federal, State, and local government, and Congress. The response was nothing short of extraordinary and serves as an example of the public service spirit that unites us all.

Now, more than ever, it is vital that we join together to serve our most vulnerable populations. People who struggle with low-income, limited English proficiency, homelessness, or with mental illness, have historically relied on meeting with us in person at our local offices to get the help they need. With our offices currently unable to accept walk-in visitors to protect both our beneficiaries and our work force during the pandemic, it is essential that we continue to engage with the public online, on the telephone, and by appointment for limited, critical situations.

To address the challenge of continuing to serve those who need us most, we’ve joined with external partners to launch a new national outreach campaign. The goal of the campaign is to connect eligible individuals to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The SSI and SSDI programs provide critical financial assistance, including life-saving access to healthcare and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in many cases.

Key components of our outreach campaign include:

  • Working with community-based groups that can assist with taking applications for SSI and SSDI.
  • Launching a national advertising campaign on TV, radio, and social media, with emphasis on children with disabilities.
  • Adding a number of new online tools and informational pages, including:

I want to thank the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for working with us and sharing our website and products with their national network of faith and community leaders.

I also want to thank members of the claimant advocacy community for their collaboration on this campaign. We will feature their perspectives on serving vulnerable populations on this blog site over the coming weeks.

Please be sure to subscribe to this blog so that you receive alerts whenever we publish new articles from our partners. We will also share the latest information about our national outreach campaign here.

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About the Author

Andrew Saul, Commissioner, Social Security Administration

Commissioner of Social Security Administration (June 17, 2019 - July 9, 2021)

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Comments

  1. s c.

    Lynn. at least someone was decent enough to give you a call back or talk to you at best , all I got when talking to DDS was my file has been sent back to the local SSA office and that I would receive a letter in 2 weeks. I understand your pain I understand it because I go through it everyday and though our situations may have come about differently both situations has has a DEADLY Financial PANDEMIC placed upon top of the DEADLY COVID 19 PANDEMIC.

  2. s c.

    The response I received from Batemen DDS MS was that my file has been sent back to Jackson MS local SSA office and that I should receive a letter in 2 weeks. My situations started back in Sept,2020 after receiving notice informing me that my benefits had stopped, the reason given for this actions is because I did not respond to a notice sent in April 2020 , ” April 2020 notice which I never received” ,therefore could not respond in a timely manor. After explaining verbally and in a written statement explaining why I never received the notice which had to do with Covid 19, lack of ssa staff and a cease in mail delivery possibly a conbination of all 3 , SSA agreed my reason was valid and allowing me to start the 60 day appeal , during this time I ask for a hearing day and as well for reinstatement of benefits sadly only 6 mo of provisional payments are allowed under SSA rules, since then my benefits has stopped again while my file is being review to see if I may still qualify to continue receiving disability . I am a person with chronic mental & physical medical conditions that can be life threatening still trying to be a productive member of society that can only engage in part time employment with all of my disabling conditions . Ask How and Why this happen and what SSA will do to correct this issues placed upon truly disable people during a deadly COVID 19 pandemic

  3. s c.

    Gina .I received a notice dated sept.2020 informing me that my benefits had stopped, the reason given for this actions is because I did not respond to a notice sent in April 2020 , and a notice which I never received ,therefore could not respond in a timely manor. After trying to explain verbally and in a written statement explaining why SSA agreed my reason was valid and still allow me to start the 60day appeal , during this time I ask for a hearing day and as well for reinstatement of benefits sadly only 6 mo of provisional payments are allowed under SSA rules, since then my benefits has stopped again while my file is being review to see if I may still qualify to continue receiving disability. I have life threatening health problems as conditions that limits me from engaging is SGA, therefore I would count myself as lucky if in your shoes still having an incoming coming. And now for disable persons such as myself having to fight/navigate through a complex system by no fault of our own and because we can’t most afford legal representation our own pretty mush leaves us in a river as sitting ducks that’s infested by crocodiles

  4. Lynne B.

    I lost my house, lost my job of 24 years when it was off-shored and company downsized. I’m homeless at 54 with incurable cancer that is on the “compassionate allowance” list yet every person at SSA dropped the ball as far as flagging my claim until I actually reached a kind human on the phone yesterday. Now JUST today I get a call from the contact person at the determination services saying that, “My boss wants to put your case on hold until after I have my mastectomy.” My condition, easily verified by a one minute Google search shows that neoadjuvant therapy and radiation happens before breast surgery is even possible. I would be THRILLED if surgery was an option. Chemo for at least six months then daily radiation. Where is the oversight? What good is a list of compassionate allowances if they are ignored? Sorry, I really need to vent and every link posted for a place to send feedback is a broken link.

    • A.C.

      Hi, Lynne. We are sorry to hear about your condition and experience. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific concerns. You can contact your local Social Security office. You can ask to speak to a supervisor on your next call. You can also submit feedback by visiting our Contact Social Security page. Once there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email A Question to our Support Team” form, where you can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. We hope this helps.

  5. jounes

    I hope that the research will be successful and that we will get rid of COVID-19 faster

  6. Paulo Y.

    A great many individuals were debilitated from different sicknesses before Coronavirus and no one gave it a second thought, since it was certifiably not a pandemic for them or their life yet just for the person that conveys the infection. Philadelphia Home Care is the most Reliable provider of senior care services in Philadelphia.

  7. Paulo Y.

    A great many individuals were debilitated from different sicknesses before Coronavirus and no one gave it a second thought, since it was certifiably not a pandemic for them or their life yet just for the person that conveys the infection. Philadelphia Home Care is the most Reliable provider of senior care services in Philadelphia.

  8. Emma

    The current situation in the world cannot but cause concern. But you need to understand how to deal with it. A remedy like this https://area52.com/delta-8-products/ can calm you down

  9. Crossfitblog

    Blessings! Wold like to see everyone safe in the pandemic. Some useful resource https://crossfitblog.net/best-vegan-baking-cookbooks/

  10. Gina R.

    Millions of people were sick from other diseases before covid and nobody cared, because it wasn’t a pandemic for them or their life but only for the individual that carries the disease. I don’t think it’s right that social security is based on how much you made specially if you’re forced to retire 20 years early due to a disability that you didn’t choose. Now I have a house but I can’t afford a new roof or new windows or a decent furnace why should I have to go to another organization for that? Why should I qualify for food stamps why isn’t the social security administration paying me enough not to get food stamps? I didn’t choose to be disabled I don’t want to live on just a little over $1,000 a month? I didn’t choose to be genetically related to The McCoys of the hatfields and McCoys. Hollywood’s making money off of them I get nothing, zero. I have a illness that will never be fixed. There’s no vacations there’s no overtime there’s no more dreams I can barely afford Christmas gifts or birthday gifts for my kids. It’s not fair and it’s not right while the politicians live high off the hog and I did not decide or choose to be disabled but I’m treated like a third class citizen in my own country based on the income I live on.

    • jess

      At least you have a house

      • Jeanne H.

        And food and medicine. I have neither and creditors from several years ago are trying to take my stimulus. I looked forward to food and medicine with my stimulus.

    • Gregory G.

      Just go sell one of your squirrel guns or a couple of your metal tooth bear traps .
      Sell your family pictures of the shoot outs you had every Saturday nights.
      I’d buy some pictures
      Ps we have a lemon ferry my state bought you can tell all your friends it’s called McCoy #2 shoot hope your last name isn’t Hatfields

      • Gregory M.

        I forgot to say I went to 1/2 of what I got paid and I struggle big time. I’ve cut anything extra and I’m broke like 10 days before pay day and it’s like every day gas goes up. I like how we get a cost of living raise then I get Medicare and it costs as much as the raise I got .
        Go figure lol !

    • Mirland

      Don’t believe them!

      i think so, they don’t care Gina

      https://mirland.ir/

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