Helping Hands: A Social Security Disability Attorney Blog

MAINTAIN is an assistance program through Pfizer for individuals who are currently unemployed, uninsured and in need of medications. Eligible applicants will be able to receive free Pfizer medicines delivered directly to their door for a year or until they become insured again, whichever occurs first.

To eligible for the MAINTAIN program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Became unemployed on or after January 1, 2009


• Has been prescribed and taken a Pfizer medicine for at least 3 months prior to becoming unemployed and enrolling in the program


• Have no prescription coverage


• Can confirm that you are experiencing a financial hardship


• Live within the United States

If you believe that you are eligible for the program please act quickly!!! Applications for enrollment in MAINTAIN will only be accepted through December 31, 2010. To apply for Maintain, call 1-866-706-2400 to request an application or click here to download an application from their website. Once the application is completed, mail it to MAINTAIN along with proof of your unemployment.

Travelers Aid International has launched a new website that will assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining information and access resources to help them prepare and enjoy a better travel experience. The website is www.USTRavAbility.org and according to Travelers Aid, consists of five sections: Transportation Resources; Airports; Tourism Resources; Disability Organizations and State Resources. There is also a section for visitors to share their various travel experiences.

The objective of the website is to provide a substantive resource to travelers with disabilities that will help take the worry out of their journeys and provide a better travel experience. The website's goal is to also help promote travel by persons who are elderly as well as those with disabilities and to improve the understanding of the travel industry related to persons with disabilities and thus ensure greater ease of travel in the future.

Travelers Aid International is the national association for Travelers Aid agencies across the country. The mission of Travelers Aid is to advance and support a network of human service provider organizations committed to assisting individuals and families who are in transition or crisis and are disconnected from their support systems.

For more information about Travelers Aid call 202-546-1127 or click here to visit their website.

Over 20,000 businesses statewide are offering Ohio senior citizens discounts which have provided approximately two billion dollars in savings since 1976. Individuals who are over the ago of 60 as well as those ages 18-59 that have a disability (as defined by the Social Security Administration) are eligible to receive a Golden Buckeye card.

To prove eligibility due to a disability, one of the following documents is required:

• Medicare (not Medicaid) card
• SSDI acceptance documentation
• A copy of a document certifying permanent and total disability issued by any state department, Ohio public employee retirement system (STRS, PERS, etc.), or any federal retirement system

Most participating merchants display the Golden Buckeye logo on their door, window or at checkout. If you don't see it at your place of choice, ask if the business offers a discount for older customers. The purpose of the card is to thank older Ohioans for their patronage. The participating businesses do not receive compensation from the state.

The Golden Buckeye card also includes Ohio's Best Rx prescription drug discount program. Savings on prescriptions average 30 to 40 percent on prescriptions at more than 2,300 participating pharmacies are available to qualified individuals.

Ohio residents who have a current state driver license or State ID cards automatically receive a Golden Buckeye card during the month of their 60th birthday. Those who have a disability and are under the age of 60 are able to apply for a card at most public libraries and senior centers.

4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit organization that trains and provides service dogs for those with disabilities. Severity of the disability or age does not matter to 4 Paws. Dogs are trained according to their recipient and are able to assist with those who are autistic, need mobility assistance, have hearing issues, need seizure assistance, emotional support or other issues. Since 1998, 4 Paws has placed over 500 dogs with those who have disabilities. The only eligibility requirement for this program is that the individual requesting a service dog has a disability that is defined by the American's with Disabilities Act of 1990.

4 Paws is known across America and throughout the world for their work with children. It uses a three-unit team (parent/caregiver, dog and child) with the adult being in charge of the dog in all public places. This organization is also known for its highly trained Autism Assistance Dogs, which is one of the very few that offer such service.

Although 4 Paws doesn't give aid dogs to individuals freely, each family that needs a dog is asked to help raise at least $13,000. Generally the fundraising takes three to nine months. It costs an average of $22,000 to train one dog so the minimum fundraising requirement isn't that high to get an assistance dog. Families engage in fundraising activities with the organization since volunteers for 4 Paws qualify for a "free" service dog.

More information about this organization can be found on its website as well as an application for the program.

4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit organization that trains and provides service dogs for those with disabilities. Severity of the disability or age does not matter to 4 Paws. Dogs are trained according to their recipient and are able to assist with those who are autistic, need mobility assistance, have hearing issues, need seizure assistance, emotional support or other issues. Since 1998, 4 Paws has placed over 500 dogs with those who have disabilities. The only eligibility requirement for this program is that the individual requesting a service dog has a disability that is defined by the American's with Disabilities Act of 1990.

4 Paws is known across America and throughout the world for their work with children. It uses a three-unit team (parent/caregiver, dog and child) with the adult being in charge of the dog in all public places. This organization is also known for its highly trained Autism Assistance Dogs, which is one of the very few that offer such service.

Although 4 Paws doesn't give aid dogs to individuals freely, each family that needs a dog is asked to help raise at least $13,000. Generally the fundraising takes three to nine months. It costs an average of $22,000 to train one dog so the minimum fundraising requirement isn't that high to get an assistance dog. Families engage in fundraising activities with the organization since volunteers for 4 Paws qualify for a "free" service dog.

More information about this organization can be found on its website as well as an application for the program.

I found a great program in southwestern Ohio that helps senior citizens each day. It's called the Council on Aging (COA) which is part of the national aging services network. It has been operating for over 40 years and specializes in providing services that help older adults remain independent at home, plan for needs in their future and promote health, security and well-being.

Taking a closer look at the different programs the council has, I learned that they offer assisted living, which is a long-term care option for low-income adults who prefer to live independently but who need care giving. COA offers access to affordable and reliable transportation for seniors. Financial assistance for low-income older persons with disabilities that allows them to live in a community based group home environment is also available.

Another great aspect of COA is that they provide more than 2 million meals to 10,000 homebound older adults in southwestern Ohio. The organization's website provides "Aging Topics A-Z" . Some highlights are:

• Clinics
• Food Stamps
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
• Homeless Shelters
• Home-care Services
• Medicaid
• Prescription Discount Cards
• Tax Credits
• Utility Payment Assistance

Cuyahoga County is offering children ages zero to 19 a program that provides free health insurance for low to moderate income families. Eligibility is determined by the number of people living in one household and its total income. Children with mental and/or physical disabilities are eligible for the service. Healthy Start can be used by those who are insured, uninsured or underinsured. If you have medical bills, Healthy Start will pay for them for three months after you were initially billed.

Health care under this program is provided at some of the area's top hospitals and doctor office's. Those who qualify will be able to receive a number of heath care services including:

• Regular checkups


• Immunizations


• Dental care


• Eye care


• Prescriptions


• Hospitalization


• Emergency care


• Prenatal and/or postnatal services

If you don't live in Cuyahoga County, don't worry! Healthy Start is part of the State Insurance Children Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). You can call your local county Human Services agency and ask about the free health insurance program.

There are several Cuyahoga County food pantries available for those who need assistance. Some have restrictions however most will severe anyone in need at least once. None of the pantries listed below require a referral but some require proof of income. You can find a more extensive list of area food pantries at http://cleveland.about.com. If you are interested in pantries that require a referral, call the Empowerment Center at 216-432-4770. You may receive a referral every 60 days.

All Faiths Pantry
• Offers a large selection of non-perishable food, fresh produce, meat and bread when available.
• Open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

3209 Saratoga Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 496-4329

Brother Hubbard Cupboard
• Open on the last two Tuesdays and Thursdays of the month from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
• Food is given based on family size.

4120 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44103
216-391-7231

Manna House Recovery and Resource Center
• Open on the third Saturday of the month at 1:00 PM.
• Home delivery is available if you are sick or shut-in
• Provides generous four to five day supply of non-perishable foods, produce, meat and bread
• Only residents of the Fairfax area are eligible to receive aid from this pantry
• Also provides support services for personal growth, recovery and renewal

8019 Cedar Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44103
216-432-2598

Parma Heights Food Pantry
• Open Mondays 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Wednesdays 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and Thursdays 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
• Household supplies are also distributed

6285 Pearl Road
Cleveland, OH 44103
440-842-6491

United Hearts Life Mission Center
• Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
• Those living in the following zip codes are eligible for assistance once month: 44102, 44109, 44111, 44113, 44114, 44115, 44127 and 44144.
• Three to five days worth of non-perishable food will be distributed per family.
• Individuals with disabilities may send someone on their behalf to pick up food.
• Other free services at this organization include pregnancy tests, clothing support (including maternity) and referrals for pre-natal medical care and social services

3339 Broadview Road
Cleveland, OH 44109
216-459-9839

United Labor Agency
• Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM by appointment.
• Those needing assistance will be referred to a hunger center in the client's neighborhood

3328 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
216-391-0900

Finding it difficult to meet your doctor's appointments? Having a hard time getting into a car because of your wheelchair?

If so, call Provide-A-Ride!!!

Provide-a-Ride offers transportation services to medical appointments, school or workplace and community events for senior citizens, individuals with disabilities and/or parents and children with special needs. Their vehicles provide various seating capacity and are wheelchair accessible. Each wheelchair accessible van meets the ADA Act requirements and are custom-designed for easy access, comfort and safety. Each van is also driven by professional drivers who not only drop and pick passengers up but also offers "door through door" services.

Service areas include the greater Cleveland and Akron Ohio areas, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark, Trumbull and Mahoning counties.
For more information please contact them at:

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is federally funded to provide food supplement and nutrition education. It serves pregnant and breast feeding women and children from zero to five years old who are at risk of receiving inadequate nutrition. This Cuyahoga County program operates at 22 sites. Over 35,000 individuals participate in the program.

WIC has been known to improve pregnancy outcomes by providing or referring to support services during pregnancies. It also reduces infant mortality by reducing the occurrence of low birth weight infants. This program is important because babies born below 5.2 pounds are at a greater risk to have breathing problems, brain injuries and physical abnormalities.

In addition to being pregnant, recently pregnant or a child under the age of five, individuals must be at 185% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines and reside in or receive medical care in Cuyahoga County to be eligible for WIC. The WIC Program Administrative Offices are located at:

For more information about WIC, you can visit its website.

I found a free clinic in the Greater Cleveland area that someone might be able to benefit from. When applying for Social Security Benefits, receiving health care while you wait for approval can be hard. That's why I wanted to point out what a Cleveland area clinic might be able to do for you.

The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland offers programs to help meet the chronic and even smaller health care needs of individuals. At the facility there is an Acute Care Clinic, Dental Clinic, Teen Clinic, Adult Primary Clinic and Women's Clinic. All tests and medications at the clinic are free of charge.

There are also specialty clinics such as adolescent, cardiology, HIV early prevention, dermatology, neurology, podiatry, nephrology (treatment for kidney issues), physical therapy, pulmonology (treatment for the lungs), rheumatology (treatment for joints and tissue), specialty GYN and ophthalmology.

The Free Clinic also offers numerous treatment options including counseling and psychiatrics services for mild to moderate conditions. More severe conditions are addressed on a case by case basis and referrals are offered when treatment cannot be offered to an individual. All adult and adolescent services are assessed through its intake department and appointments can be scheduled by calling 216-721-4010 and requesting the mental health intake line.

One of the last things that this organization offers is case management for those who are in need in the community. Case managers are available to give referrals in the areas of housing, transportation, emergency food assistance and many more to those in need.
The Free Clinic is located at 12201 Euclid Avenue. It opens its doors at different hours during the week to help benefit interested individuals.

The Free Clinic is one of the oldest free clinics in the United States and the largest in Ohio so don't hesitate to contact them!

The state of Ohio has developed several government funded programs to help those who may be disabled, elderly or have a low income. Assistance is available for both gas and electric bills in the programs that I'm about to mention. These programs range from reducing heating bills and/or a set amount based on income which is to be paid each month. Usually eligibility for these programs is based on household income. Here's some quick information that can help you or a loved one warm up or cool down during the appropriate seasons.

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
This program is designed to help eligible Ohioans with low income meet the high costs of home heating. It pays for one bill for most PUCO regulated utility customers. Individuals who wish to apply must be at or below 175 percent of the 2009-2010 federal poverty guidelines.

Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
PIPP allows eligible individuals to make affordable energy payments. There are several programs within PIPP, which include:
• Standard PIPP Program
• PIPP Balanced Payment Plan
• Three Percent PIPP
• Arrearage Crediting Program

To learn more about these programs you can visit the Ohio Utility Bill Assistance website.

Winter and Summer Crisis Programs
These programs are special components of HEAP that provides heating and/or cooling assistance once or twice a season. Those wanting to apply for the Winter Program must not have heat, are threatened with disconnection or have less than a ten day supply of bulk fuel. The summer crisis program is low-income elderly households and for Ohioans with qualifying medical conditions or disabilities. For more information about these programs, please contact your local community action agency.

Here's another program to assist you while you while you wait on your Social Security benefits to process:

I heard of a really great program that helps save money on prescriptions.

FamilyWize, a program aimed at reducing the cost of medicine for children, families and individuals, have created a free prescription discount card. The program does not discriminate against anyone and can be used by everyone in your family. The card can be used as often as needed for any prescription. You can save up to 30% or more on up to 8 prescriptions. Simply present your card and prescription to a participating pharmacy to obtain the discounted price.

For more information you can contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or simply visit the FamilyWize website at www.familywize.com.

If you need assistance in applying for Social Security disability benefits, call the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers at 1-800-THE-FIRM.

The minds of individuals with disabilities and senior citizens can be at ease once they know that their transportation needs are taken care by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Qualified individuals will be able to receive discounted fares or bus passes once they register for the service. All bus routes run regularly and are wheelchair accessible.

Seniors must be 65 or older to ride at a discounted rate. All seniors or individuals with disabilities must provide valid RTA senior or disabled ID or a Medicaid card and driver's license or other official ID. If an individual decides to purchase a monthly bus pass, it will only cost him or her $38.00. Although $38.00 may seem expensive, that price is offered to qualified riders at almost a 70 percent discount when compared to other passes offered by Cleveland's RTA. This monthly pass includes unlimited rides too! If passes are bought on a daily basis, it will only cost the rider $1.00. All day passes are available for purchase on all RTA vehicles at fare boxes and retail agents.

There are several ways to plan a trip with Cleveland's RTA. A copy of a systems map to locate a route number closest to starting and ending points is offered online. Timetables or schedule specifics can also be viewed to find what time a bus will reach a pick-up point.

For more information about how to plan your trip with RTA, call the RTAnswerline at
216-621-9500 Monday through Friday between the hours of 6:30 AM and 6:30 PM. The line is also open on Saturday's 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM where a RTA representative can answer any questions you might have. To apply for your discount card, call
216-566-5285. You can visit our website to learn more about what services Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers can provide to either you or a loved one.

The City of Cleveland's Department of Aging is offering a short-term program directed to elderly individuals who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless or live in condemned properties.

Individuals must be over the age of 60 to be eligible for the Homeless Prevention Program; however, if the individual has a disability, he or she can be eligible at age 50. Cleveland's elderly or individuals with disabilities may also be eligible if their income meets certain guidelines defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Homeless Prevention Programwill initially assess an individuals' current situation to determine his or her level of need. After an individual is determined to be eligible for the program, he or she can receive limited financial assistance, case management to help coordinate needed services and help to achieve a sustainable living arrangement.

If you or a loved one has a disability and would like for one of our case specialist to help you, visit our website so that we can start helping you today!