Being eligible for Social Security Disability benefits in Cleveland, OH, means you substantiate a claim for complete disability with the Social Security Administration. Under the SSD guidelines with the SSA, you must have been totally unable to work for a year or longer because of a long-term or permanently disabling condition.
The application process for Cleveland disability benefits is complex and may take several months to a year or more to complete. Most applicants (about 54%) are initially denied benefits and must request a second assessment of their application and eventually an appeal. The second assessment is completed by the SSA, and an appeal is heard by an Administrative Law Judge. The average wait between filing an initial application for Cleveland disability benefits and the final appeal determination is about 14 months.
There are several ways to apply for SSD benefits in Cleveland. You can phone the SSA, at (800) 772-1213, schedule an appointment with your nearest SSA office, or complete your application independently online with the SSA’s website. For help finding your local SSA office, call the number above or visit the SSA Office Locator webpage.
Cleveland Health Resources
The Cleveland SSA office to which you submit your application will review your file for completeness and then send it to the Cleveland Disability Determination Services (DDS) office. The DDS reviews all medical documentation in your file to determine eligibility for SSD under SSA guidelines. To receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income, you must document ongoing and regular medical care for your disability. Paying for such healthcare with limited finances can be hard though. Here are a few Cleveland disability resources for low cost and free medical services which may help.
Care Alliance Health Center
1530 Saint Clair Ave. NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 781-6228
Care Alliance Health Center
6001 Woodland Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44104
(216) 923-5000
Riverview Towers Clinic
1795 W 25th St.
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 619-5571
Tremont Health Center
2358 Professor Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 334-2800
Norwood Health Center
1468 E. 55th St.
Cleveland, OH 44103
(216) 881-2000
Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services
8300 Hough Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44103
(216) 231-7700 x1112
Cleveland Mental Health Resources
You may be applying for SSD based on a mental or psychological disability. Or perhaps a there is a psychological, mental or psychiatric component to your physical disability. Either way, you’ll need to document receiving ongoing treatment from a mental health or behavioral health services provider. Here are a few Cleveland disability resources for free and low-cost mental healthcare providers.
Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland
12201 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 721-1667
Neighborhood Health Care, Inc.
3569 Ridge Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 281-0872
For additional resources, contact the Ohio Department of Mental Health at (614) 466-2596, or visit their website.
Cleveland Supplemental Security Benefits
Individuals found eligible for SSD in Cleveland may also be able to receive Supplemental Security Income, as well as Medicare and Medicaid. SSI helps pay for daily needs included residential care or assisted living, while Medicare and Medicaid cover medical costs and related expenses. To learn more about applying for SSI, contact the Cleveland SSA District office at:
Social Security Administration
1240 E 9th St. # 793
Cleveland, OH 44199
(216) 357-5400
To learn more about Medicaid and Medicare, contact:
Ohio Department of Employment and Family Services Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services Virgil E. Brown Center
1641 Payne Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 987-7000
Your Cleveland Social Security Disability Claim
While there’s no sure fire way to guarantee approval for Cleveland disability benefits, even with very detailed medical records in your application, a Cleveland Social Security attorney can increase your chances of being found eligible for SSD. As a disabled person, you have limited income, and may be worried about how you’ll pay for a Cleveland Social Security attorney’s services. It’s important to realize that no fees are charged by Cleveland SSD lawyers unless you actually receive benefits, at which time the attorney would get 25% (to a max of $6,000) of any retroactive SSD payments you get.
For a free SSD case review and evaluation contact a Cleveland Social Security attorney.
