Dear Colleague,
The DAC flyer, which was developed several years ago by the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), has just been revised, and it is posted on the Division's website.www.nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/assets/documents/individuals/dac-flyer.pdf.
The term "DAC" is an acronym for Disabled Adult Child, and the Social Security Administration has a very specific definition of a Disabled Adult Child (DAC), which is explained in the flyer.
The newly revised DAC flyer contains important information for families and staff (including support coordinators) to keep in mind, when individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The DAC flyer explains the process to be followed when a parent is planning to retire and collect Social Security; or if a parent becomes disabled; or a parent passes away.
Background information:
When individuals with IDD are approved to receive SSI, they receive Medicaid automatically, without a separate Medicaid application. However, upon the retirement, disability or death of a parent, the usual Social Security process is for the son/daughter with IDD to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), calculated on the parent's work record. In most cases, the SSDI benefit is higher than the SSI amount, and, therefore, SSI stops. Because SSI and Medicaid began simultaneously, when SSI is scheduled to end, the Medicaid that began with SSI will end too (usually four months later). The DAC flyer describes the process to be utilized in these situations, so that the individual with IDD will start to receive Medicaid from the County Board of Social Services, without any disruption of the Medicaid managed care services that they have been receiving. The process described in the DAC flyer requires completion of a new application (which is called a Request for Information or RFI), and the DAC flyer describes that process. PLEASE NOTE: During the COVID pandemic, no one should receive a Medicaid termination notice. However, it is important to follow-through without delay on the RFI process, when that is applicable.
Please share this email with others who may also be interested.
Thank you,
Bev
Beverly Roberts
Director, Mainstreaming Medical Care
The Arc of New Jersey
985 Livingston Avenue
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
