New Jersey residents who meet the basic requirements to get Supplemental Security Income receive a significant boost to their prospects as they seek to improve their health and get back on the right track to a rewarding and productive life. However, for some people, SSI-related benefits are not sufficient to make ends meet and get the medical care they need. That is when they might wonder if they can apply for and get benefits from other government and state programs.
A mistake many people might make is thinking that they cannot get these benefits simply because they are already getting SSI. But, there may be other programs available. Medicaid is a government program for people who have low or no income and it provides medical care. When a New Jersey resident is approved for SSI, they will also get Medicaid automatically. There will be a Medicaid card provided and a letter of acceptance into the program will be sent separately from the SSI approval letter.
Another program that SSI recipients might be able to take part in is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as “SNAP”. SNAP was previously referred to as food stamps. This will allow people to purchase food and they will not need to spend money. The Social Security Administration does not decide on SNAP. Only if all the people in the household are getting SSI can SNAP be applied for at a Social Security office. Apart from that, the application must be done elsewhere.
For those getting SSI, there are many other services and programs they can use, including: employment assistance; educational training; meals delivered to the home; housing services; money management assistance; special help for those who are blind or disabled; transportation, and more. SSI is for people who are 65 and older, are blind or disabled and meet the income and resource requirements. For many, the benefits they can get go beyond that which is provided by Supplemental Security Income.
