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Benefits for Disabled Persons in Washington

Washington State's Department of Social and Health Services offers a variety of different benefits for people with disabilities. Benefits are given to those who qualify as disabled. These benefits help improve quality of life and also allow the disabled person to live his life as independently as possible.

  1. Supplemental Security Income

    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a set amount of money that a person receives on a monthly basis to assist him in covering living costs including rent and other expenses. The amount given is set as a means to provide cash for basic needs such as shelter, food and clothing. The federal government designed the SSI program to help blind and disabled citizens who are unemployed or have a low annual income. SSI is funded by the federal government and generated through consumer taxes. At the time of publication, SSI is set at $675 to $1,100 per month in the state of Washington.

    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

    • When a person qualifies as a disabled person by the state of Washington, he is qualified for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This program gives the recipient a pre-qualified amount of money each month for food purchases. The money given is put in an account, under the recipient's name and the recipient is given a debit card for this account.

    Medicaid

    • Medicaid is a type of health card given to people who qualify as a disabled person. Because health care is privatized in the United States, this card helps cover health care expenses for the disabled. As of 2011, more than 800,000 people in Washington state are enrolled in the Medicaid program.

    Social Services

    • The state of Washington offers a variety of different social services for qualified disabled citizens. Some services include a homemaker service, meal service and local transportation. Adult family homes and alternative living arrangements are funded by the state to help the disabled person. Adult family homes are supervised homes where the disabled person is provided with laundry service, meal service, room clean up, health checks and assistance when needed. Alternative living arrangements are living spaces where the disabled person lives in a community that caters to their disability or health condition.

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