Summary of Findings
High costs associated with raising a child with disabilities can strain the family budget and lead to trade-offs between basic needs. Children’s HealthWatch research demonstrated that families of children with SHCN who receive SSI were more likely to be food insecure compared with families of children with SHCN not receiving SSI.
Recommended Policy Solutions:
• Sustaining SSI benefit levels to ensure that children with SHCN continue to receive adequate support for medically complex needs
• Lifting asset limits for SSI
• Coordinating benefit program rules & discounting SSI income for SNAP eligibility
• Systematically informing families of children with SHCN of their potential eligibility for medical expense deduction in calculating net income for determining SNAP benefits.