Assisting clients of community mental health centers to secure SSI benefits: a controlled evaluation

The entire caseloads of three Community Mental Health Centers were screened on variables normally assessed in the SSI application process. These data were then used to classify each individual as Possibly Eligible for SSI benefits, or as Probably Not Eligible. The Possibly Eligible subjects were randomly assigned to either the Experimental condition, in which subjects were helped to apply for SSI, or the Control condition, in which no intervention was provided. Results showed that the Experimental subjects were almost twice as likely to secure SSI benefits as the Control subjects. The usefulness of the screening form was supported in that control subjects were almost five times more likely to be awarded SSI, compared with subjects who had been classified as Probably Not Eligible.