The fifth event in a series of hearings on the Compassionate Allowances was hosted this week by SSA Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, as well as Philip Wang, M.D., Dr. P.H., National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, and other Social Security executives.
In October 2008, Social Security launched Compassionate Allowances to expedite the processing of disability claims for applicants with medical conditions so severe that their conditions by definition meet Social Security's standards. The hearings are part of a larger effort by the administration to network with the nation's leading experts on schizophrenia about possible methods of identifying and implementing Compassionate Allowances for young adults with schizophrenia.
"Schizophrenia is a devastating disease that affects more than two million Americans, primarily individuals in their teens and twenties," said Commissioner Astrue. "The onset of schizophrenia has life-changing consequences, which can include unemployment and homelessness...Our Compassionate Allowances and Quick Disability Determination processes are making a real difference by ensuring that Americans with devastating disabilities quickly receive the benefits they need. This fiscal year, we expect to fast-track about 150,000 cases and we plan to add more diseases and impairments to these expedited processes in the coming months."
To see a webcast of this week's hearing, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
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