Cerebral Palsy Financial Assistance

Fact Checked

Cerebral palsy financial assistance is crucial for many families because this is a lifelong condition with significant expenses. The government offers numerous forms of aid that can help your child get care and assistive devices. Some families can also take legal action to seek compensation or benefit from community and charitable groups.

How to Get Financial Assistance for a Child with Cerebral Palsy

Many children with cerebral palsy need lifetime treatment and care. The costs of living with cerebral palsy include medical care, therapy, assistive devices, home modifications, and more.

Parents may struggle to cover these costs, but help is available. These resources are a great place to start and include government benefits, charitable groups, and legal actions, like lawsuits to recover damages.

Government Benefits Programs

Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a form of financial assistance for people with disabilities and limited income.[1] It is provided by the government. SSI is different from other types of government financial aid in that the United States Treasury funds it. This allows recipients to receive SSI funds without the work credit requirement.

There are also drawbacks to SSI. For instance, although recipients aren’t required to have work credits, the amount of compensation allowed each month tends to be lower than other forms of government financial assistance.

To qualify for SSI, you must be a legal resident of the United States, and you must demonstrate your child’s disabilities, whether mental, physical, or both. Furthermore, you must also provide medical documentation regarding your child’s cerebral palsy, and you must have only a limited amount of assets and funds.

For an application to SSI, contact your local Social Security office. If you would rather have the form mailed, call the Social Security office directly at 800-772-1213.

Social Security Disability Insurance

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a disability payment for people unable to work because of physical or mental limitations. Unlike SSI, SSDI is funded by payroll taxes of people who work in the nation.

SSDI can be a monthly benefit or a permanent one. Although cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition, it doesn’t always mean that SSDI will be permanent because many children with cerebral palsy will grow up and eventually find employment.

To qualify for SSDI, the applicant must show proof of mental or physical disability that has lasted at least one year and show that the parent or parents (if applying for a child) paid Social Security taxes for the required period of time.[2] The applicant must also prove that there are no current training programs (for adult applicants) for which they qualify.

To apply for SSDI, visit your local Social Security office or call 800-772-1213 to have an application mailed to you. Keep in mind that you’ll need to show proof of residency, your child’s birth certificate, past medical bills, and the names or numbers of any physicians who can help prove your child’s disability.

Children’s Health Insurance Program

CHIP is part of Medicaid and offers health coverage to eligible children. It is administered through states according to federal government requirements. Nearly 10 million children are enrolled in and benefit from CHIP.

Contact Medicaid and CHIP to find out if your child qualifies and to apply for enrollment. Criteria for enrollment vary by state.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a grant program that provides temporary compensation for families in need. Although a child with cerebral palsy isn’t a requirement to qualify, TANF can help families with children with disabilities as long as specific guidelines are met, including:

• Unemployed but seeking employment
• Participation in job training
• Actively seek employment
• Meet income guidelines

Each state has its own set of requirements that must be satisfied before granting TANF.[3] The guidelines above, as well as additional ones, may be required.

The amount of assistance you and your family may be entitled to and for how long will also vary from state to state. For example, some states only allow recipients to receive TANF for a few years, whereas other states may allow four or more years. Further, the amount you are entitled to in one state may differ from the amount you are entitled to in another state.

You can apply for TANF at your city’s health department or the Department of Social Services, known as the Department of Family and Children’s Services or the Department of Human Services.

Aging and Disability Resource Assistance

While the Aging and Disability Resources Centers (ADRC) will not help your child until they are an adult, it’s an excellent organization for elderly adults and people over 18 who live with cerebral palsy.[4]

ADRC assists people with disabilities in finding services:

• Financial planning and assistance
• Legal representation
• Job training and job search assistance
• Housing assistance
• Transportation
• Medical and dental assistants
• Prescription medication coverage
• Mental health counseling services
• Home care assistance and more

Each state has its own assistance options when helping adults with cerebral palsy. For more information, use the ADRC state locator tool to be taken to your state’s organization.

How Lawsuits Can Provide Financial Assistance

If the negligence of medical professionals caused your child’s cerebral palsy, you have the legal right to file for damages against the responsible party.

Medical negligence can occur in many different ways, but the most common reasons that medical mistakes lead to a child developing cerebral palsy include:

• Failure to schedule and carry out an emergency C-section in time
• Improper use of birth-assisting tools during delivery, such as forceps or a vacuum extraction tool
• Failure to detect, diagnose, and treat infant jaundice
• Failure to detect, diagnose, and treat low blood sugar
• Failure to detect, diagnose, and treat maternal preeclampsia
• Administering too much medication or the wrong kind of medication during delivery
• Failure to monitor fetal distress and infant heart rate

If medical negligence is proven, parents or guardians of the child with cerebral palsy can receive financial compensation to help care for the child’s medical needs, including past expenses, as well as the expected cost of future costs.

Some states also allow punitive damages if your cerebral palsy lawsuit is successful. Punitive damages award the plaintiff compensation in addition to the actual costs to pay for physical pain and suffering, emotional stress, and more. Contact an experienced cerebral palsy lawyer for more information.

Charitable Organizations for Cerebral Palsy Assistance

Some charities provide resources for children with disabilities and their families. Some help navigate aid applications or legal actions. Others provide access to grants, adaptive and assistive equipment, or educational opportunities.

• United Cerebral Palsy has locations all over the U.S. offering therapy, day programs, vocational training, and more.
• The Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association offers access to resources like scholarships and support groups.
• UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is an organization that offers funding for health services not covered by a family’s health insurance plan. Families can also apply for grants of up to $10,000.
• Variety, the Children’s Charity, provides individuals in need with wheelchairs, service animals, adaptive bicycles, vehicle modifications, and other equipment that improve mobility and inclusion for children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
• Oracle Health Foundation provides grants to help children in need get treatments, surgeries, and other types of healthcare. Families can access funds for travel or adaptive equipment.

If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, resources are available. Reach out to organizations and government groups that provide access to funds and other resources.