Benefits at 18: Resources
The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition has excellent resources for students, advocates, and policy makers, including a site called Youthhood.org that was designed for and by young people.

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability has information on employment and youth with disabilities.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Benefits Assistance Resource Center has a number of excellent publications on Youth related issues. Most of them are geared towards benefits planners. They have Briefing Papers on a number of issues, including Social Security Disability Benefit Issues Affecting Transition Aged Youth and Parent-to-Child Deeming. They also have a number of Fact Sheets and brief “Highlights” on a number of Youth issues.

The Social Security Administration also has information related to youth and disability, including publications on Benefits for Children with Disabilities and Understanding SSI for Children. They also have a site for Youth with Disabilities that has resources and other information.

The U.S. Department of Education publishes a useful Guide to Federal Student Aid, and has a website dedicated to federal student aid. The George Washington University HEATH Resource Center has information specific to postsecondary education and disability. This site has a number of excellent publications, including a revised Guide on Financial aid for Individuals with Disabilities.

Kids As Self Advocates (KASA) is a group of kids and young adult leaders interested in increasing their communities' knowledge of living with a disability, special health care needs, and other topics.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) JAN provides free consulting services designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities. JAN does this by (1) providing individualized work accommodations solutions, (2) providing technical assistance regarding the ADA and other disability related legislation, and (3) educating callers about self-employment options. JAN also has information on accommodations and tools for solving problems at work or school, and the ADA and employment.

Finding a Benefits Planner
The federal government pays benefits planners in communities around the country to help people think ahead about benefits issues. Social Security's Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program provides counseling to people who are planning for work and receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

To find a benefits planner near you, use DB101's Benefits Planners Directory.

Community Based Organizations
Various community-based organizations provide staff to work with people concerning a range of options on state, federal, public, and private health and income programs. Counseling about benefits, as a community service, is an emerging field of expertise with different levels of services available. Some organizations may work with specific populations while others work with individuals with any type of disability.

Goodwill Industries services range from personal evaluation and office skills training to career counseling, childcare, and transportation. Some of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity.

Goodwill IndustriesFind locations at http://www.goodwill.org, or by calling (voice) 1-800-664-6577.

California Foundation for Independent Living Centers logoThe California Foundation for Independent Living Centers lists 29 centers serving individuals with all disabilities. Many of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity. Most independent living centers can refer callers to local benefit program information if they do not have these services.

Find the list of independent living centers at http://www.cfilc.org, or by calling (voice) 916-325-1690 or (TTY) 916-325-1695.

The AIDS Hotline database contains 1,300 organizations providing HIV/AIDS services throughout California. Some of these organizations offer case management, benefits planning, and benefits counseling services that can include assistance with public and private benefits programs.

Find the list of AIDS organizations at http://www.aidshotline.org, or by calling (voice) 1-800-367-AIDS (2437) or (TTY) 1-888-225-AIDS (2437).

Disability Rights California provides representation for consumers of public programs who are disabled. Website publications include topics on health care, benefit programs, and In Home Supportive Services.