Living with a disability is not easy, but it is far from impossible in the United States. The U.S. government offers considerable support to people with disabilities, including funding for research and support initiatives, employment support, educational support, medical-care facilities and cash-benefit programs.
Cash Benefits
Although people with disabilities have access to several government-funded programs that cover every major aspect of their lives, monthly cash benefit is typically a crucial need. This is especially true if you suffer from physical or mental disabilities that do not allow you to work, or allow for only partial employment. If you have a disability, the easiest cash benefit available is Social Security benefits. There also is a disability benefit for children, as well as several other government-funded benefit programs including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), unemployment insurance and nutrition assistance programs.
Health Care
Affordable health care is another extremely crucial need if you are disabled, and without support, it can be expensive. The federal government and your state government offer health-insurance programs for people with disabilities. This includes Medicare and Medicaid programs as well as children's health insurance plans.
Education and Employment
The federal government offers considerable educational and employment support to assist you as well. The Social Security Disability Insurance Work Incentives and Ticket to Work programs are good examples of employment support if you are disabled. As far as education is concerned, the government offers financial aid in the form of federal, state and local loans and scholarships for students with disabilities.
Housing and Other Support
The government assistance available in the housing sector includes rental and home-ownership assistance and various other government-funded programs, such as the Congregate Housing Services Program (CHSP), which offers grants for meals and other support services in federally subsidized housing. The government's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has a long list of research, funding and support programs dedicated to the complete welfare of disabled people. Its objective is to offer such services that will promote independent living of disabled people and their social integration with the rest of the community. Finally, the government has set up an extensive online resource--www.disability.gov--that offers local and national information to anyone living with a disability in the United States. This easily navigable site contains detailed information about virtually every government support service, as well as privately organized initiatives for disabled persons.
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