June 15, 2026 - ITASCA, IL--Supplemental Security Income is a critical lifeline for children with disabilities, providing monthly financial support and, in most states, automatic access to Medicaid for families already living in or near poverty. The American Academy of Pediatrics has published a policy statement, “Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults With Disabilities and the Role of the Pediatrician,” that calls for improvements to the system.
The policy statement, published in the July 2026 Pediatrics (published online June 15), provides updated information about SSI medical and financial eligibility criteria and the disability determination process. Children who receive federal support typically have more complex medical disorders, more severe functional limitations, and require more services than other children on Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and their families face greater financial strain and lost work.
The AAP believes the program is underutilized and encourages pediatricians to alert families to the possibility of supplemental security income by connecting them with resources to assist in the application process. Nearly one million children in the U.S. rely on Supplementary Security Income, and about half qualify because of mental health-related concerns — underscoring how central the program is for children with emotional and behavioral disorders.
The AAP also calls for improvements to the system that include simpler applications, fewer inequities, higher asset limits, appropriate use of medical evidence, and fair compensation for pediatricians who are required to provide detailed documentation for families applying for the support.
Policy statements created by AAP are written by medical experts, reflect the latest evidence in the field, and go through several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP Board of Directors and published in Pediatrics.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics