Can You Get Disability Benefits for Mental Illness?

One in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. Some people with a mental illness may have a difficult working or earning a living. If you have a qualifying disability related to a mental illness, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits.

If you are eligible for disability insurance, make sure you’re getting the benefits you deserve. If you have questions about disability benefits, contact a Social Security disability lawyer.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Social Security Disability?

When you work for a living, you pay into the Social Security system through your payroll taxes. This money goes to your Social Security retirement account. Social Security contributions also support the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI pays you monthly benefits if you’re not able to work because of a physical or mental disability.

To qualify for SSDI benefits, you have to have enough work credits. You must also have a qualifying disability, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA has medical criteria for eligibility and a list of qualifying impairments. Qualifying for a disability requires an inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity because of a physical or mental impairment.

What Are Qualifying Mental Illnesses for Social Security?

Mental impairments include mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders. These conditions can range from no impairment to severe impairment. With a mental illness, you may have a serious functional impairment that limits your life activities or interferes with your daily life. A serious mental illness can be debilitating and disabling.

Many people with a mental illness can qualify for disability benefits. SSDI provides supplemental income to people who are unable to work because of their disability. The SSA categorizes mental disorders into 11 categories:

• Neurocognitive disorders
• Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
• Depressive and bipolar disorders
• Intellectual disorders
• Anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders
• Somatic symptoms and related disorders
• Personality and impulse-control disorders
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Eating disorders
• Trauma-related and stressor-related disorders

To qualify for Social Security disability for a mental illness, you must have medical evidence of your medical condition from a doctor. You must provide proof that your mental health condition makes it extremely difficult or impossible for you to work. Types of limitations include having difficulty with:

• Understanding, remembering, or applying information
• Interacting with others
• Concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace
• Adapting or managing your work
• Remembering

Do You Have To Get a Mental Health Evaluation for Disability Benefits?

If the evidence of your mental condition isn’t enough for the SSA to determine disability, the SSA can arrange for a consultive examination. The SSA will pay for the costs of a consultive examination. While it prefers to get a disability evaluation from your provider, the SSA can use an independent mental health examination.

Can You Get Mental Health Care if You’re on Social Security Disability?

If you qualify for SSDI benefits, you can generally qualify for Medicare. If you have Social Security disability benefits for at least 24 months, you can get Medicare benefits—even if you’re under the age of 65. Medicare covers most treatments and services. However, you may still have some out-of-pocket costs for care not covered by Medicare. Supplemental insurance plans can cover some of these costs.

Medicaid is another government program providing health coverage to people with disabilities and low incomes. Low-income Medicaid eligibility is based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI).

Can You Get Supplemental Security Income for a Mental Illness?

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a monthly benefit based on people with disabilities and limited income. SSI benefits aren’t based on your work record. You can get SSI benefits even if you never worked. Benefits depend on your income and assets. You can’t have assets over $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a married couple.

Are There State Benefits for Mental Illnesses?

Some states have other benefits for people with a disability claim or limited income. This includes housing benefits, food stamps, and low-cost childcare. Contact your state government office to find out if you qualify for disability benefits for a mental illness.

Can You Appeal a Denied Mental Health Disability Claim?

Many people with a mental health condition have their first disability application denied. This doesn’t mean you don’t qualify for SSDI benefits. There may have been a problem with the application process. If your claim is denied, talk to a Social Security disability lawyer for help. Your lawyer can review your application and identify what was wrong with the application.

Your lawyer can appeal the SSDI claim denial and help you gather evidence to support your disability claim. For more information about filing an SSDI appeal, talk to a Social Security disability attorney.