t depends on how old YOU are? What your work history is and if you have a disability.

If you are under 18 your mother is responsible for you. (Unless your father has legal custody.) By the same token, you and the baby's father are responsible for the child.

SSI is welfare for disabled Americans. (Supplemental Income)

SSDI is one of the deductions on every working persons paycheck. (It's what you actually paid in. Like any insurance, it's there when you qualify for it as YOU paid the premiums.) It stands for Social Security Disability Insurance. You have to have worked a certain amount of time to collect SSDI. AND you have to have a disability that is expected to last one year (or longer) or will likely result in death. Both SSI and SSDI are handled by SSA, the Social Security Administration, found at www.ssa.gov.

However, SSI and SSDI have completely different criteria to obtain it and to continue to receive a regular monthly check, so you need to learn something about it. (www.ssa.gov)

If you don't have a disability and you don't have a job you are more likely eligible for "TANF", "Temporary Aid to Needy Families". Apply online or in person at your local DHS (Department of Human Services) office. You can find your local agency by doing an online search of something like....."TANF in Iowa" or "Department of Human Services in Arkansas"

A word about the SSI that your mother is receiving (if she is legally responsible for you because you are under the age of 18) she needs to ad you to her "household" at her local Social Security office. (This also may be able to be done online, but she will have to provide proof that she is your legal guardian.) If you ARE under the age of 18 your mother MAY be eligible for more income.

Welfare is a thing of the past. TEMPORARY AID is exactly what it is called, temporary. So if you don't have a job or a husband that has a job, be prepared to get a job.

The "good" news is that you seem to be very low-income and most states have excellent educational programs to train you for a career. You will have to apply for student loans and other educational sources but if you complete your education you could have a very nice career to support yourself and your child. Again, you can complete all the applications online. Apply at www.fafsa.ed.gov

So set your sights to a higher goal than SSI or TANF. These incomes will put you in a class known as "abject poverty", a serious plight for a young single mother. Getting an education and a career will give you the sense of satisfaction that being able to provide for yourself and your offspring brings you.

Finally, the father of the child will be held responsible for the child's welfare. Both SSA and DHS will require to know his name, whereabouts and, if available, his social security number. Any monies the state provides for the child may be taken directly out of his paycheck. (Let's say he doesn't comply with court ordered child support payments.) If he gives you any money, like say so you can buy diapers, he needs to keep an account of it so that he can prove it in court.


Good luck to you. Many, many women are single parents and they are able to raise their children without aid from the government (which is increasingly hard to obtain) and they and their children are able to not only SURVIVE but THRIVE in todays economy. (I'm actually glad that there has been some changes to our welfare system...Handouts are detrimental to a person, A HAND UP is a much better solution for our government to employ with the truly needy American.)

Peace Out, Peace ALWAYS.
Yes, I know I answered my own question but I spent a lot of time on the answer and the question was deleted, I wanted a copy of it.

Also, if there are other resources to the disabled, especially in OHIO, I'd like to know.

Thanks.