"Disabled" for SDA Purposes

A person is considered "disabled" for SDA purposes if he/she:

• receives certain other disability-related benefits (such as Medicaid based on disability or blindness, or SSI, etc.), or
• resides in a special facility (such as a licensed Adult Foster Care Home, or a Substance Abuse Treatment Center), or
• is certified by DHS medical consultants as unable to work due to a mental or physical disability for at least 90 days.

SDA Residency Requirements

A person must be a Michigan resident and intend to remain in Michigan and not be receiving cash assistance from another state.

Citizenship Requirements

A person must be a U.S. citizen or have an acceptable alien status to qualify for SDA.

Asset Limits

Assets are cash or any other personal or real property you own. The asset limit for SDA is $3,000. Only cash assets are counted, such as:

• Cash on hand
• Bank and credit union accounts
• Investments
• Retirement plans
• Trusts

Assets such as your home, vehicles and personal belongings are not counted.

Countable Income

Most types of earned and unearned income are counted. Countable income is considered when determining the amount of SDA you are eligible to receive. Some examples of countable income are:

• Wages
• Self-employment earnings
• Rental Income
• Social Security Benefits
• Veterans benefits

Potential Benefits

SDA clients must apply for any other benefits they may be able to receive, such as:

• Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Worker's Compensation Benefits
• Veteran's Administration Benefits
• Railroad Retirement Benefits
• Other types of benefits (e.g., Black Lung benefits, Railroad unemployment benefits, Pension payments, Disability or retirement benefits, Earned but unpaid wages, Strike pay, Vacation pay or Supplemental unemployment benefit)

SDA clients must also be willing to sign an agreement to repay SDA benefits, when required, if lump sums or retroactive payments are expected.

There are other eligibility requirements you must meet to receive SDA that are not outlined here.

Only an Eligibility Specialist at DHS can accurately determine your family's eligibility for SDA. Ask for details when turning in a completed application at your local DHS County Office.