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Job and financial assistance

• More information on job and financial assistance

People with disabilities are eligible for a wide variety of assistance programs, such as:

• Financial aid
• Help paying medical bills
• Job training and job referral services
• Help starting a business

To find out about benefits that you might be able to receive, a good place to start is GovBenefits.gov. By filling out a short questionnaire, you can obtain the most accurate list of benefit programs for which you may be eligible.

To find out about programs to help you get a job or start your own business, a good place to start is the Employment section of Disability.gov. And be sure to check out the Ticket to Work Program. This program allows you to keep getting financial aid and help in paying medical bills as you learn new job skills and look for a job.

If you look for a job, you will also want to know about the questions that your potential employer can ask you during the job interview. In general, the interview should focus on your job skills and how well you will be able to perform the main tasks involved in the job. An interviewer is not allowed to ask you questions about your disability that are not relevant to your ability to do the job. But you should tell your potential employer about any reasonable accommodations that you may need to perform the job. These could include installing a ramp or modifying your workspace if you have a wheelchair. To learn more, see Your rights.

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More information on job and financial assistance

Explore other publications and websites

• Business Resources for Disabled People — This website features links to information about starting a business, financing, and tax issues for individuals with disabilities.
  http://www.sba.gov/content/people-with-disabilities
• CDR Guide to Disability Rights (and Dealing With the System) (Copyright © Council for Disability Rights) — This website offers advice and referrals on the following subjects: employment, free medication, Social Security benefits, special education, tax benefits for families, and finding other helpful resources.
  http://www.disabilityrights.org/faq.htm
• Guide to Disability Income Insurance (Copyright © America's Health Insurance Plans) — This booklet explains the various sources of disability income, what disability income insurance is, and what it covers. It includes a worksheet you can use to evaluate personal sources of disability income, as well as a checklist of policy features you can use to compare disability income-insurance policies.
  http://www.ahip.org/content/default.aspx?bc=41|329|352
• Social Security: Disability Benefits — This publication offers information on disability benefits including who is eligible, how to apply, and how disability is determined.
  http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10029.html
• What You Need to Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits — This booklet explains some of your rights and responsibilities when you receive disability benefits from Social Security. It provides information on reporting changes that could affect your benefits, reviewing your medical condition, and returning to work.
  http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10153.html
• Your Ticket To Work — This publication explains how the Ticket to Work program can help you find employment and use an employment network. It also provides toll-free numbers to help you find more information.
  http://www.yourtickettowork.com/

Connect with other organizations

• ABLEDATA, NIDDR, ED
  http://www.abledata.com
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS
  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/default.asp?
• Disability.gov
  http://www.disability.gov/
• Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
  http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/
• National Foundation of Transplants
  http://www.transplants.org/
• National Patient Travel Center
  http://www.patienttravel.org/
• National Transplant Assistance Fund & Catastrophic Injury Program
  http://www.transplantfund.org/
• Partnership for Prescription Assistance
  https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  http://www.rwjf.org/
• The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
  http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  http://www.va.gov/
• U.S. Social Security Administration
  http://www.ssa.gov/

Content last updated September 22, 2009.

Resources last updated September 22, 2009.

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