Trends in Supplemental Security Income Payments to Adults With Autism.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Public Health
• Disability Studies

Background:

• The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program aims to alleviate poverty for eligible individuals with disabilities.
• Understanding trends in disability program participation is crucial for public policy and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze population-level trends in SSI participation and payments for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• To compare SSI trends among adults with ASD to those with intellectual disability and other mental disorders.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Social Security Administration program data from 2005 to 2015.
• Examined variables including caseload size, new awardees, total payments, and average payments per disability group.

Main Results:

• Adults with ASD comprised a growing percentage of new adult SSI awards for mental disorders, rising from 1.3% in 2005 to 5.0% in 2015.
• In 2015, 158,105 adults with ASD received SSI, a 326.8% increase since 2005, with federal payments totaling approximately $1.0 billion.
• The average annual SSI payment for adults with ASD was $6,527.40 in 2015.

Conclusions:

• A substantial and increasing number of adults with autism are receiving SSI benefits.
• These findings emphasize the critical need for further research into the economic security of adults on the autism spectrum.