Next Steps

To learn more about the programs discussed in this article, read DB101’s sections on:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Income-based NC Medicaid
• Disability-based NC Medicaid
• Health Coverage for Workers with Disabilities (HCWD)
• Employer-sponsored health coverage
• HealthCare.gov and private health insurance subsidies
• ABLE accounts
• Tax credits and tools

You can also learn more about Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and learn more about Work First on the North Carolina website.

• You can apply for SSI, SSDI, Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB), and Child’s Benefits at your local Social Security Office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 ( TTY).
• You can apply for NC Medicaid, Health Coverage for Workers with Disabilities (HCWD), Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), and Work First:
  • Online using North Carolina ePASS. Note: On the ePASS website, NC Medicaid is called "Medical Assistance."
  • In person at your local Department of Social Services (DSS) office. You can also call them to apply over the phone.
  • By downloading the application you need from the ePASS website and mailing, faxing, or bringing it in person to your local Department of Social Services (DSS) office.
• HealthCare.gov is the best place to look for an individual health insurance plan and see if you may qualify for government subsidies.

North Carolina's Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD), formerly called the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS or VR), helps people with disabilities prepare for and find work. Whether you're looking to enter the workforce for the first time, return to work, or enter a new line of work, a counselor can work with you to figure out which services you need and develop a plan to help you reach your work goals.

Call or visit the Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD) office near you.

Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program helps people with disabilities who get Social Security benefits re-enter the workforce and become more independent. The Ticket to Work Program offers free access to employment-related services, such as training, transportation, and vocational rehabilitation. You can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

A trained Benefits Planner can help you understand your benefits programs. Exactly who you need to contact depends on your situation and the benefits you get.

View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.