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SSI Disability & Depression

The Social Security Administration (SSA) awards Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to low-income elderly and disabled individuals who have an insufficient work history to qualify for full Social Security disability benefits. Individuals with major depression may qualify if their depressive symptoms significantly impair their ability to maintain gainful employment.

  1. Definition of Disability

    • SSA defines disability as the inability to perform substantial gainful activity due to a condition that can be expected to result in death or last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. Gainful employment typically consists of working at least 20 hours per week with earnings exceeding $700 per month.

    Definition of Major Depression

    • Major depression is defined using the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. An individual must have at least one depressive episode, lasting for at least two weeks, consisting of depressed mood for most of the time on most days and at least four of the following symptoms: lack of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, recurrent thoughts of death, feelings of worthlessness, low motivation, sleep disturbances, poor appetite, lack of energy, poor concentration and psychomotor retardation. These symptoms must impair social, occupational and/or other areas of functioning.

    Functional Impairments

    • Functional impairments refer to specific activities that an individual has difficulty completing or is no longer able to complete as a result of an illness. Common functional impairments for individuals with major depression include lack of friends, poor hygiene, poor money management, poor apartment care, inability to obtain and maintain employment, failing grades at school and inability to maintain focus on tasks through completion. SSA focuses on how functional impairments related to major depression impair the applicant's ability to maintain employment.

    Ticket to Work

    • SSA offers the Ticket to Work program for disabled individuals who receive SSI or Social Security disability benefits. The Ticket to Work program pays for supported employment services through state Vocational Rehabilitation programs and employment networks. Individuals with major depression may receive coaching on how to manage their depressive symptoms while at work and improving independent living skills, such as keeping a schedule and personal hygiene, that will help the individual obtain and maintain employment.

    Mental Health Services

    • SSA assesses compliance with treatment services as a component of the disability review process. Individuals with major depression who are non-compliant with treatment risk denial or loss of benefits, since with treatment, the individual may be able to maintain gainful employment. Treatment for major depression may consist of psychiatric medication management, individual or group therapy, case management, partial hospitalization services, inpatient care, and/or treatment at a group home or other supervised residential facility.

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