Disability Terms and Definitions

Mental disorder In DSM-III, a mental disorder is conceptualized as a clinically significant behavioral or psychologic syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that typically is associated with either a painful symptom (distress) or impairment in one or more important areas of functioning (disability). DWB Disabled Widows (Widowers) Benefits. Title II benefit category for widows or widowers based on a deceased spouse's social security payments. Disability A general term used for the problems a person with a health condition (such as cerebral palsy or deafness) has because of barriers in his or her environment. Outcome Payment System The system providing a payments under the Ticket to Work program to an employment network for each month, up to a total of 60 months, during which Social Security disability benefits and Federal SSI cash benefits are not payable to a beneficiary because of the performance of substantial gainful activity (SGA) or by reason of earnings from work. Unincurred Business Expenses Self-employment business support given to you by someone else without cost. If you are self-employed, we deduct unincurred business expenses from earnings when we determine SGA. Augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) device An electronic device that talks for a person who cannot speak. The device usually has a recorded or electronic voice and can say words or sentences the user chooses. Optional Supplementation The payments made by States to help persons meet needs not fully covered by Federal SSI benefits. The State determines whether it will make a payment, to whom, and in what amount. CDB Childhood Disability Benefits. Title II benefit category for disabled adult children of deceased, retired or disabled parents. Disability must have begun prior to age 22. Cost-of-living adjustments Each January, your benefits will increase automatically if the cost of living has gone up. For example, if the cost of living has increased by 2 percent, your benefits also will increase by 2 percent. Elimination Period This is the period of time between the date the disability commences and the beginning of the benefit payment period. It is the period during which an employee must be disabled before payment of benefits begins. It is sometimes referred to as the Qualifying Period.

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	Did You Know?
	EPSDT stands for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program A program mandated by law as part of the Medicaid program. The law requires that all states have in effect a program for eligible children under age 21 to ascretain their physical or mental defects and to provide such health care treatments and other measures to correct or ameliorate defects and chronic conditions discovered. The state programs also have active outreach components to inform eligible persons of the benefits available to them, to provide screening, and if necessary, to assist in obtaining appropriate treatment.