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.

If you or a loved one has a physical or mental impairment that makes it difficult to find or keep a job, Tennessee'sVocational Rehabilitation program may be able to provide you with assistance. Vocational Rehabilitation is a program that is state and federally funded which provides services to individuals with disabilities to help them return or enter into employment. The program was designed to assist individuals with disabilities in competing successfully with others who are currently in the work force to earn a living.

To be eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation, individuals must meet specific guidelines related to a physical or mental disability that results in a substantial difficulty to obtain employment. Individuals will meet with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who determines eligibility with the help of medical examinations, psychological examinations, vocational evaluations, and other diagnostic information secured by the agency to determine the nature and extent of the disability. Applicants who receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) or SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) benefits based on disability or blindness are presumed to be eligible if they intend to go to work.

For more information about Vocational Rehabilitation Services please call (615) 313-4891 or click here to visit their website.

For more information on receiving SSI or SSDI please contact The Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers.

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.

Due to physical or mental limitations, many adults are unable to protect themselves from abuse by family and friends. There are many forms of abuse. In addition to the commonly known physical, emotional and sexual abuse, many limited adults are abused financially and often times neglected. Below are descriptions of various types of abuse:

Forms of Abuse:

Neglect occurs when the basic needs of a dependent adult are not met by a caregiver. Neglect may be unintentional, resulting from the caregiver's lack of ability to provide or arrange for the care or services the adult requires. Neglect also may be due to the intentional failure of the caregiver to meet the adult's needs.

Self-Neglect occurs when a dependent adult is unable to care for him/herself or to obtain needed care. The impairments result in significant danger to the adult and in some situations deterioration can occur to the point that the adult's life may be at risk.

Abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional) generally involves more extreme forms of harm to the adult, including the infliction of pain, injury, mental anguish, unreasonable confinement, or other cruel treatment.

Financial Exploitation occurs when a caregiver improperly uses funds intended for the care or use of the adult. These are funds paid to the adult or to the caregiver by a governmental agency.

If you know an adult who is being abused and are unable to protect themselves due to physical or mental limitations please contact the Tennessee's Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Adult Protective Services (APS). APS investigates reports and assesses the need for protective services of exploitation of adults who are unable to protect themselves due to physical or mental limitations. APS assists in securing shelter, transportation and counseling of those who are abused.

To report any form of abuse to adults with limitations please call the "Abuse and Neglect Hotline" at 1-888-APS-TENN (1-88-277-8366).

As the summer heat increases, the Tennessee Department of Human Services '(DHS) is also increasing its efforts to ensure the safety of Tennessee residents. During summer months many residents are hesitant to turn on their air conditioners in an attempt to keep their energy bills low. In a recent General Assembly, legislatures have come to the rescue by expanding the eligibility of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The change has expanded the eligibility guidelines from 125% to 200% of the federal poverty line. With the recent change, a family of four can now earn up to $44,100 a year and be eligible for LIHEAP benefits. LIHEAP is a government program that is designed to assist low income households with their home energy bills. Assistance does not directly go to eligible clients or applicants; however payments are directly made to the local utility company on the client's behalf. Although eligibility is determined by income guidelines, assistance is additionally determined on a priority point system to households with members who are elderly, disabled and/or under the age of six.

For a list of local LIHEAP agencies and to receive more information, visit: http://state.tn.us/humanserv/adfam/liheap/liheap-agencies.pdf

Do you or a family member have a disability that prevents you from adequately using basic telephone service? If so, I found a great program that may be of assistance to you.

The Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) has implemented the TDAP program. TDAP (Telecommunications Devices Access Program) is designed to provide individuals with the appropriate telecommunications devices that will successfully enable them to use basic telephone services despite their disability.

To be eligible for TDAP individuals must:

•Be permanent residents of the State of Tennessee;
•Have a disability that prevents the use of the telephone without the help of an assistive device (condition must be verified by a Tennessee licensed physician) and
•Be able to use the device or accept appropriate training prior to issue of a device.

Devices are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. However, if individuals meet the eligibility requirements they may be able to receive devices on a priority basis. TDAP will only award one assistive device per household. However, if more than one individual within a household is in need of an assistive device the program coordinator may make the determination of whether two or more devices are needed.

For more information or to receive an application call the TDAP at (615) 741-3939 or 1-800-342-8359, ext. 179 or 206

I found two discount programs that were established by the Tennessee Regulatory Authority to ensure that telephone services remain available and affordable to consumers.

The Link-up program offers to pay half of the installation fees that are required for new telephone services. The maximum amount of financial assistance for this program is $30. You will not be required to pay a deposit if you request a "Local Service Only" and "Long distance block" when connecting telephone services through Link-up.

Through the Lifeline program you can save up to $13.50/per month on the local service portion of your telephone bill. However, this program will not assist with long distance charges or special features such as Caller ID or Call Waiting.

To qualify for this program you must be enrolled in at least one of the following public assistance programs:

• Supplemental Security Income
• SNAP (Food Stamps)
• TANF
• LIHEAP
• National School Lunch
• Live in Section 8 Housing

To apply for the Link-up or Lifeline program contact your local telephone service provider and they will provide you with a Link-up and Lifeline application.

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.

Here's another service that may be useful while waiting on your Social Security disability benefits to be processed:

Are you in need of health care services but don't have access to adequate health care services? If so, there is a homeless health care van waiting to care for you!

The Baptist Operation Outreach van is a mobile healthcare unit that provides acute and primary care, information on disease prevention and guidance to Memphis citizens without permanent housing. All services are free and provided with respect and confidentiality. Operation Outreach patients have direct and immediate access to medical examinations, health information, illness prevention, medications and referral services. Services are provided by a certified nurse practitioner and include:

* Screenings for common health problems
* Health and developmental assessments for children
* Immunizations and other preventive care
* Diagnosis of medical problems and health needs
* Treatment and management of specific disease problems
* Treatment of minor injuries

The Operation Outreach van operates two days a week:
- Mondays: Memphis Union Mission (901.526.8403)
- Tuesdays: Catholic Charities' Dozier House (901.728.6171)

For more information on the Operation Outreach van contact Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation:
350 N. Humphreys Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38120
1-800-4-BAPTIST

For more information on disability benefits contact the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers.

Are you in need of emergency housing or emergency financial assistance for housing?

The City of Memphis and Shelby County Emergency Housing has established a partnership that is designed for individuals who are experiencing or facing homelessness due to financial hardships. Services offered are:

o 24 hour hotline for families seeking emergency shelter

o Central assessment and intake to connect families to the most appropriate house resource

o Financial assistance and access to housing stabilization service to prevent eviction or rapidly re-house families

o And mediation services and access to mainstream benefits

Those applying for shelter or financial assistance need to call the Hotline at 901-260-HOME (4663). The Hotline is operated Monday -Friday, excluding holidays, from 7:00AM - 7:00PM. After speaking with the Hotline and being determined homeless or imminently homeless, a face-to-face interview will be conducted. Applicants should be prepared to provide proof of identity, proof of pending eviction within Shelby County or verification of homelessness and proof of income/resources (i.e. - Food Stamps letter, Child Support, Bank Statement, Pay Stubs, and Social Security Benefit Statement).
For more information, contact the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association.

Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association
910 Vance Avenue, Memphis, TN 38126
(901) 527-0208 or (901) 527-0200
Email: hprpmemphis@bellsouth.net

The Salvation Army in Memphis has an Emergency Assistance program for local residents. The Emergency Assistance program consists of 2 components:

Utility Assistance: assists people on the verge of homelessness by providing utility assistance for the last $100 of an overdue utility bill, as funds are available. Payments are made directly to MLGW after requests are verified by the Utility Coordinator.

Food Pantry: provides one week's worth of emergency food per family and operates at The Salvation Army's Ben Lear South Citadel location.

To learn more about the Salvations Army Emergency Assistance program, contact The Salvation Army at 901-543-8586.

BEN LEAR SOUTH CITADEL:
877 Blythe St.
Memphis, TN 38104
Lt. Jason and Bethany Burns
Phone: 901-543-5136
Fax: 901-543-8386

Are you in need of groceries, clothes, a hot meal or job training? If so, call C.A.N.S!!!

Caring and Noble Services (C.A.N.S) provides thousands of emergency bags of groceries each month to residents in the Mid-South area. Along with the delivery of emergency groceries, C.A.N.S also has a food pantry which is open to families and individuals in need of an extra bag of groceries for the month. In order to receive groceries from C.A.N.S you must go during the hours that the food pantry is open, have a photo id, proof of government assistance and your social security card.

C.A.N.S can also assist in providing clothing and job training. If you or a loved one needs help, contact C.A.N.S today!

For more information:

Caring and Noble Services
1435 Wells Station Rd.
Memphis, TN
(901) 452-7993

Food Pantry Hours Are:
6:00pm- 8:00pm every Third (3rd) Tuesday of the month

C.A.N.S is a ministry of the Memphis International Church

Are you in need of a home phone but worried about the cost of a monthly phone bill? CenturyLink Telephone Company offers their customers two discounted services to help those on a limited income. You can save money on the Lifeline and Link-Up services. Both federal programs can financially help you get a home phone while saving about $6 to $10 monthly.

Lifeline + Link-Up Services include:

• Lifeline provides certain discounts on monthly service for qualified subscribers
• Link-Up helps customers pay the initial cost of obtaining phone service.

How to Qualify?

• To get the discounted benefit, you must participate in one of the following federal programs:
• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Food Stamps
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Income below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
• Medicaid
• National School Lunch's Free Lunch Program
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

You may also qualify if you are a resident on American Indian tribal lands and receive support from:

• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance


• Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance to Needy Families


• Head Start or National School Lunch Program

The Enhanced Tribal Lifeline Assistance program allows participants to obtain basic monthly telephone service, at their primary residence for as little as one dollar a month. Rates depend on current rate plan.

To take advantage of these two programs, please contact CenturyLink at 1-800-201-4099 to inquire about eligibility.

I found a program offered by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUDD) that provides rental assistance for homeless persons with disabilities. The Shelter Plus Care program is designed to provide housing and supportive services on a long-term basis for homeless persons with disabilities and their families who are living in places that are not suitable for habitation or in emergency shelters. Residents involved in the Shelter Plus Care program pays 30% of their income for rent and the program provides the rest.

S+C offers a variety of housing options and a range of supportive services. Their rental assistance payment program is broken down into four components:

1. Tenant-based Rental Assistance (TRA)- Residents choose the housing they would like to live in and receive funding for a 5 year term;

2. Sponsor-based Rental Assistance (SRA)- Residents live in housing that is owned or leased by a sponsoring agency. Funding is provided for 5 years by a contract between the grant applicant and the sponsoring agency;

3. Project-based Rental Assistance with (PRAW) or without rehabilitation (PRA) - Residents in this program live in a facility rented from the grant recipient. Recipients contract with owners of properties for 5 to 10 years; and

4. Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Dwellings- Residents live in efficiency units and typically share kitchen and bathroom areas. Grants can be issued for up to 10 years.

If you would like more information about the Shelter Plus Care program for you or your loved ones contact your local HUDD office at:

200 Jefferson
Suite 300
Memphis, TN 38103
Ph: (901) 544-3367

Their office hours are from 8:00AM to 4:30PM, Monday through Friday.

I was doing some research recently on benefit programs in the Memphis area and came across Angel Food Ministries. This seems like a wonderful program. Here's how it works. Angel Food Ministries purchases food in bulk and sells at a reduced rate to anyone in need. The box costs just $30 and contains $65 worth of food. I looked at this month's menu and it was great. Steaks, vegetables, chicken, and even dessert. There are 42 distribution locations listed on the website in the Memphis area. No one is excluded regardless of age, income status, or family size.

Check them out on their website
OR
Call: 888-819-3745