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Expanding Opportunities for Workers with Disabilities

Chart: Employment Rate of Individuals on Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that gives cash support to very poor people with severe disabilities. In 2009, there were 33,135 individuals receiving SSI in Maine; of these, 1,934 (6 percent) were working.

The number of SSI beneficiaries in Maine rose steadily over the past eight years, from 27,000 in 2000 to more than 33,000 in 2009. The number of SSI beneficiaries who worked has remained between 2,100 and 2,350 for most of this period, but dropped below 2,000 in 2009. The proportion of SSI recipients who work fell from 8.6 percent in 2000 down to 6.0 percent in 2009.

Work incentives are special rules that make it possible for SSI beneficiaries to work and still receive monthly payments. Very few SSI beneficiaries in Maine use the available work incentives. Of all the blind or disabled SSI recipients statewide, only 44 had a “Plan for Achieving Self-Support” and only 14 took advantage of the “Impairment-related Work Expenses” income exclusion.

Source: Social Security Administration

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