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Social Worker’s Guide to Public Benefits Programs NASW approved.

Learning Objectives

After completing the course, you will be able to:

Chapter 1: Historical Development
  1. Provide a historical overview of various public benefits programs.
Chapter 2: Survivors Benefits
  1. Describe the insurance benefits paid to the survivor of a worker.
  2. Define “widow(er)” and “surviving divorced spouse” for Social Security purposes.
  3. Describe the effect of remarriage of a widower or surviving divorced spouse of the widow(er)’s on the insurance benefits.
Chapter 3: Cash Disability Benefits and Related Disability Protection
  1. Discuss the seven types of disability protection included under Social Security.
Chapter 4: Supplemental Security Income
  1. Describe the purpose and basic principles of SSI.
  2. Describe the three categories of eligibility for SSI benefits.
  3. List items that are not income for SSI purposes.
  4. Define “countable income”.
  5. Discuss how resources can affect eligibility for SSI benefits.
Chapter 5: Disability Benefits Under Social Security
  1. Discuss disability benefits paid under Social Security.
  2. Describe the earnings requirements to get disability benefits.
  3. Explain the five-step process that Social Security uses to determine if an applicant is disabled.
  4. Define various terms used in the determination of disability and blindness.
  5. Describe the evidentiary requirements under title II and title XVI programs for the determination of disability.
Chapter 6: The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA)
  1. Provide an overview and highlights of the PRWORA.
  2. List four major goals of PRWORA.
  3. Describe how the new law combats out-of-wedlock births and promotes paternity establishment.
  4. Discuss provisions under the new law to ensure that prisoners and other criminals do not receive SSI benefits.
  5. Explain the restrictions imposed by the new law on welfare and public benefits for noncitizens.
Chapter 7: Medicaid: A Brief Summary
  1. Discuss eligibility standards for Medicaid.
  2. List seven factors that are responsible for the very rapid growth in Medicaid expenditures.
  3. Discuss the treatment of trusts for purposes of determining eligibility for Medicaid.
  4. Discuss the resource and income eligibility standards under spousal impoverishment.
  5. Discuss immigrant eligibility rules for Medicaid and SCHIP.
Chapter 8: Major Federal Food Programs
  1. List the categories of people who are eligible to receive food stamp benefits.
  2. Explain eligibility rules for food stamp program.
  3. Answer frequently asked questions about the food stamp program.
  4. List some characteristics of food stamp households.
  5. Describe the eligibility standards for WIC.
  6. Describe how the School Breakfast Program works.
  7. Describe how the Special Milk Program works.
  8. Describe the Summer Food Service Program.

Table of Contents

  1. Historical Development ………………………………………………………………………….. 1
  2. Survivors Benefits …………………………………………………………………………………. 7
  3. Cash Disability Benefits and Related Disability Protection ……………………………. 33
  4. Supplemental Security Income ………………………………………………………………. 45
  5. Disability Benefits Under Social Security ………………………………………………….. 85
    • * Part I-Program Description………………………………………………………………….. 86
    • * Part II – Evidentiary Requirements ………………………………………………………. 103
    • * Title II and XVI: Basic Disability Evaluation Guides ………………………………… 109
    • * What You Need For Your Disability Interview ………………………………………. 117
    • * What You Should Know When You Apply for SSI Disability Benefits for
    • Your Child …………………………………………………………………………………………. 119
    • * Advocates, Attorneys & Third Party Representatives ……………………………….. 123
  6. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
    • 1996 (PRWORA) ………………………………………………………………………………… 125
    • * Historical Background and Need for Reform……………………………………………. 126
    • * Title I: Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy
    • Families (TANF)…………………………………………………………………………………… 131
    • * Title II: Supplemental Security Income…………………………………………………….. 142
    • * Title IV: Restricting Welfare and Public Benefits for Noncitizens …………………… 146
  7. Medicaid: A Brief Summary ……………………………………………………………………. 153
    • * Overview of Medicaid ………………………………………………………………………….. 153
    • * Transfers of Assets ………………………………………………………………………………. 167
    • * Spousal Impoverishment ……………………………………………………………………….. 170
    • * Immigrant Eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP ……………………………………………. 173
  8. Major Federal Food Programs …………………………………………………………………. 187
    • * Food Stamp Program ……………………………………………………………………………. 187
    • * Women, Infants, and Children …………………………………………………………………. 212
    • * School Breakfast Program………………………………………………………………………. 225
    • * Special Milk Program…………………………………………………………………………….. 228
    • * National School Lunch Program……………………………………………………………….. 231
    • * Summer Food Program…………………………………………………………………………… 235
    • * Homeless Shelter…………………………………………………………………………………… 239
  9. Appendix
    • * Forms …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 247
  10. Index…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 301