NATIONAL

 

  • IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) is a federal law that requires schools to serve the educational needs of disabled students. Children with cerebral palsy are generally eligible for special education and treatment services provided by IDEA. Some of the benefits included under IDEA are Early intervention for children up to 36 months of age, transportation, and assistive technology to physical, occupational therapy and speech therapy, etc.

  • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides monthly income for adults that are unable to work due to their disability. SSDI does not require the applicant to have a certain income amount in order to receive benefits.

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is reserved for low-income families and comes in the form of monthly checks for children and adults with serious disabilities such as cerebral palsy.

  • A special needs trust (SNT), a legal arrangement, and a fiduciary relationship allow a physically or mentally disabled or chronically ill person to receive income without reducing their eligibility for the public assistance disability benefits provided by Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, or Medicaid.

  • The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health care coverage to children through both Medicaid and separate CHIP programs. CHIP gives low-cost healthcare coverage to families that exceed the income requirement for Medicaid. CHIP provides health insurance for free or at a low cost to children whose families fall in certain income brackets. Many families are considered mixed, which means that the children qualify for Medi-Cal or CHIP. Adults are insured through Covered California.

  • Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA), states may provide Medicaid coverage to children with severe disabilities younger than 19 who require a level of care that could be reasonably provided in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID), without using household income as an eligibility criterion.

  • Medicaid Waivers (MW) for people who have intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and autism.