Those who read our blog know the importance that Social Security benefits and other supportive services offer to those with disabilities. This is especially true for those with developmental and intellectual disabilities. All states offer some particular services to those with these conditions, but not all states perform at the same level.
According to a recent report by United Cerebral Palsy, Michigan is not among the top-performing states when it comes to offering supportive services for the developmentally disabled, but neither is it among the worst-performing states. Arizona, reportedly, is the best place to be for those with developmental disabilities, while Mississippi is not. The report, produced annually, is based mostly on data from 2011, the most recent data available.
Most of the top performing states were concentrated in the Northwest and on the West Coast. Both large and small states, and those with both high and low tax burdens, are represented among the top performers. And among these states, the amount spent on community support services varies.
Two interesting points made in the report are that states are increasingly moving toward offering community support for the developmentally disabled within communities, and that, while some states clearly perform better than others, there is room for improvement nationwide.
Social Security Disability, of course, is a federal program offered to all those who qualify, regardless of what state they live in. The financial support offered by Social Security disability can be an important source of income for those with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Source: Disability Scoop, “States Get Ranked on Disability Services,” Michelle Diament, May 2, 2013.
Source: Source: Disability Scoop, “States Get Ranked on Disability Services,” Michelle Diament, May 2, 2013.