Having a child or teenager diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder can put an emotional and financial strain on your family. People with antisocial personality disorder have trouble relating to others, often struggle in social situations, and can find it difficult to thrive at school or work. They often engage in deceptive or manipulative tactics to get their way and they tend to challenge authority and conventional rules.
If a doctor diagnosed your child or teenager with antisocial personality disorder, you might be eligible for disability benefits on your child’s behalf. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits if your child’s diagnosis includes certain criteria and you meet certain income requirements.
A disability attorney from the Disability Advantage Group, can help you with your case. We understand Social Security law and can put our experience and resources to work for you. Call our office today at 865-566-0800 for help getting disability benefits for antisocial personality disorder in a child or teenager.
What type of benefits can I get for my child?
Disability benefits come from two programs—Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
SSDIÂ is for people who have an established work history and subsequently become disabled, which reduces their earning power. Because SSDI funding comes from the payroll taxes of workers, only those who have worked and paid into the system qualify to receive it.
Since children have no work history and have not paid into the system, you cannot receive SSDI on their behalf. However, the SSA offers a separate benefit program for families struggling to make ends meet due to a child’s disability, and that is SSI.
To qualify for SSI, not only does your child’s condition have to meet strict standards, but you must qualify based on income, as well. The maximum income your family can earn depends on the number of children and adults in your household.
One of our attorneys can sit down with you and examine your child’s medical records and your family income. From this information, we can determine if you might qualify to receive SSI for your child. From there, we can start building the strongest case on your behalf.
Does my child’s antisocial personality disorder qualify for SSI?
Getting SSI for a child or teenager with antisocial personality disorder can be a challenge. Many doctors are hesitant to label a child with antisocial personality disorder until they are 18 or older, so it might be difficult to present a medical diagnosis of your child’s condition. Furthermore, the SSA does not specifically list antisocial personality disorder as a qualifying medical condition.
The SSA does, however, list other related diagnoses—such as borderline personality disorder or intermittent explosive disorder—that qualify for SSI. If your child show signs of one of these disorders, he may qualify for benefits.
To receive SSI for any personality disorder, your child’s condition must exhibit at least one of the following symptoms:
- Abnormal thoughts, communication, or behavior;
- Extreme sensitivity to negative criticism;
- Abnormal perfectionism or rigidity;
- Difficulty with decision-making;
- Distrust or hostility toward others;
- Ongoing emotional problems or mood disorders;
- Reclusive behavior; and
- Volatile behavior toward others;
Your child must not only exhibit at least one of these symptoms, but we have to show that these symptoms have negatively affected his or her development or functioning in certain ways. The SSA requires your child to demonstrate marked impairment in at least two of the following areas:
- Cognitive or communicative function;
- Social interaction;
- Self-care; and
- Focus, persistence, or pace.
What if my child does not meet these criteria?
Even if your child does not meet the above criteria as defined, we can still work to win SSI benefits his or her behalf. To do so, we must demonstrate to the SSA that the child’s condition results in an impairment that is functionally equivalent to the above criteria. We do this by proving marked limitations in two of the following areas or an extreme limitation in one area:
- Ability to obtain and use information;
- Ability to focus on and complete tasks;
- Ability to relate to others;
- Ability to perform personal care;
- Ability to perform physical tasks; and
- Ability to maintain optimal health and well-being.
We can gather evidence to show that your child’s personality disorder causes limitations in one or more of the above categories.
For instance, imagine antisocial personality disorder prevents your child from relating to others or conforming to what his or her class is doing at school. We can produce evidence from teachers and school psychiatrists documenting your child’s inability to relate to others and complete school work. By showing that your child has marked limitations in both categories, we can demonstrate that his or her condition qualifies your family for SSI benefits.
What are the income requirements for the SSI program?
Regardless of your child’s condition, you have to meet certain income requirements to qualify for SSI. The income limit depends on how many adults and ineligible children—those who do not have disabilities that qualify for SSI—live in your household. For example, in 2017, a family with one ineligible child and two adults would need to have an earned income under $4,169 per month to qualify.
When calculating your income for SSI purposes, we can leave out income from certain sources and deduct certain expenses. Our attorneys can help you make the most of these exemptions and deductions to give you and your child the best chance of qualifying for SSI benefits.
The Disability Advantage Group, can help you apply for SSI benefits.
Working with one of our experienced disability attorneys can improve your chance of getting disability benefits for your child. The attorneys at the Disability Advantage Group, have won disability benefits for many clients and we know the intricacies of the process.
We can take the burden off your shoulders and handle your case from beginning to end. We analyze the details of your claim, determine the best way to present it to the SSA, and then gather all the evidence we need to build a compelling argument. The consultation is free, so call 865-566-0800 today to set up a time to talk to us.