The Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews the disability of children receiving SSI using the adult disability criteria when they attain age 18. This is called an age-18 redetermination. Age-18 redeterminations result in about 33-40 percent of youth losing SSI eligibility (and the accompanying Medicaid access). Transition-age SSI youth (ages 14-17) often have gaps in awareness and use of services available to them. For example, transition-age youth may not be aware that while they are participating in a program of vocational training or similar services (for example, individualized education program (IEP) for an individual age 18 through 21), their benefits may continue until participation in the program ends, even though benefits would have otherwise have ceased based on the age-18 redetermination.

SSA has identified this difficult transition into adulthood and the return of many youth to the program in early adulthood. SSA conducted the Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) as seen in Fraker et al.2014, which provided employment support to transition-age youth. The results from the YTD demonstrate that employment-focused services can assist youth as they enter in the labor market. There are many opportunities to close the service gap and promote successful transitions for SSI youth outside the research arena, too. The Office of Retirement and Disability Policy’s Office of Research, Demonstration, and Employment Support operates a yearly informational campaign designed to inform families of SSI youth ages 14 through 17 about resources that can help them prepare for adulthood.

This publication provides information about:

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  SSA's work incentives (such as the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) in SI 00820.510 and Section 301 in DI 14505.000) available to transition-age youth; and

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  Programs and services offered by other agencies and organizations (such as vocational rehabilitation and the Department of Education’s Parent Centers)that may help with a successful transition into adulthood.

Every August, SSA will send all SSI recipients ages 14-17 a notice and an updated publication as part of an informational campaign designed to inform SSI youth recipients about resources that can help them prepare for a successful transition to adulthood. For a sample notice, which introduces the publication “What You Need to Know About Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) When You Turn 18”, see DI 11070.006C in this section.

The field office can use the exhibits below to see the current version of the youth transitioning notice and publication.

1. 1. 

   The most current version of the “Child transitioning to adulthood” notice is linked below as PDF files in English and in Spanish.

   This is the "Child transitioning to adulthood" as a PDF file - in English.

   View In PDF

   This is the "Child transitioning to adulthood" as a PDF file - in Spanish.

   View In PDF

2. 2. 

   To see the most current version of the publication “What You Need to Know About Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) When You Turn 18,” click here: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11005.pdf.