The federal shutdown has focused attention on the many important programs and services paid for by our taxpayer dollars’and how much more difficult life can become in their absence. District resident Brian Powell knows this in a slightly different way. Powell suffered a severe back injury that left him unable to work, and his doctor recommended he apply for federal disability assistance. His orthopedist even helped with the application, but Powell was initially denied. He then sought legal help, but the appeals process wasn’t quick. When Powell’s savings began to run out, he had few options. He became homeless.
The District government has a safety net for residents like Powell called Interim Disability Assistance (IDA), but the program has often been on the chopping block for funding leaving vulnerable residents on the streets. Here’s how it helped Powell: IDA provided $270 a month ‘ about $9 a day ‘ that allowed Powell to qualify for an affordable housing program in which residents need to have some income. And in addition to a stable place to live, IDA gave him just enough to pay for the bare necessities ‘ like toilet paper, bus fare, and medical copayments.
This is exactly what IDA is supposed to do: provide interim assistance to District residents awaiting approval of federal Supplemental Security Income or SSI. On a spreadsheet, IDA has been viewed with some skepticism by elected officials because not all SSI applicants get approved, and the District therefore doesn’t get reimbursed by the feds for all of the temporary assistance given. But Powell’s story gives insight into why that happens, and why IDA makes the difference between stability and destitution for some of DC’s most vulnerable residents.
The District should fund IDA appropriately, as well as set aside money for legal and other application assistance that boosts SSI application success rates. That was the message delivered loud and clear at a forum on the program held earlier this week.
Says Larry Tanenbaum, a lawyer at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP who has provided pro bono assistance to SSI applicants: “It is the right thing for the government to do this as people have to fight like hell for their [SSI] benefits, for what they’re entitled to.” Tanenbaum and Carolyn Perez, also a lawyer at Akin Gump, said that SSI regulations are far from clear and are often applied arbitrarily. As a result, it is “impossible to predict” who will be successful in obtaining SSI.
IDA is also a vital part of the District’s efforts to combat homelessness, said Christine Elwell, Director of Outreach at Pathways to Housing DC. Elwell said that assistance with SSI applications is critical, because the process is extremely complicated. Nationally, just one out of three SSI applicants are approved on the first try, but all but one of her clients were awarded SSI immediately with assistance. By investing in application assistance, the District could help more individuals secure SSI, and therefore get a much higher reimbursement rate.
IDA is an example of how investments can pay big dividends. By putting some money and resources into application assistance, the city keeps vulnerable residents who cannot work from being homeless and using emergency rooms to meet their medical needs. That saves money ‘ and lives.
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