11/28/2025
“My parents told me I could do better on SSI than going to college or working.”
I sometimes hear this from adolescents when asking about their hopes and aspirations and each time, it gives me pause.
As physicians, caregivers, educators, and mentors, our instinct to protect our children can push us toward thinking benefits like SSI are the safest or most stable path. And yes — SSI is a vital program designed to support people with real disabilities or serious chronic illnesses.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
But when long-term disability becomes framed as a primary goal, rather than a safety net, the message we send can unintentionally limit a young person’s sense of potential. Here’s what data shows — and why that matters:
What the Data on SSI Tells Us
As of 2025, there are about 7.4 million people receiving SSI in the U.S.
Among those, about 1 million are children or youth under age 18.
Roughly 71% of SSI beneficiaries are children or working-age adults with disabilities or limited income — highlighting that the majority are younger individuals relying on the program for support.
Importantly — evidence shows that many young people who received SSI in childhood or young adulthood go on to work. Studies indicate that modest employment can result not only in increased income, but also eligibility for long-term disability insurance under SSDI, which often provides a more stable, long-term benefit than SSI.
This data shows that while SSI provides essential support during hardship, it was not intended to become a long-term identity or default life path for most children and youth. Its original purpose is as a safety net — not a substitute for opportunity, growth, and potential.
Why It Matters?
Adolescence is a critical time for identity formation including how young people see their abilities, their future, and their worth.
When a parent or clinician frames SSI as “the best you can do,” it risks reinforcing a narrative of low expectation — especially for kids facing disability or chronic illness.
This can discourage pursuit of education, personal development, adaptive work, or treatment that supports growth even when possible.
Conversely, encouragement toward education, vocational training, employment (adapted if needed), or therapeutic supports can preserve hope, dignity, and long-term opportunity.
What I Think Families & Clinicians Should Keep in Mind
Recognize SSI as what it is: a safety net, not a default life plan.
Where possible, encourage youths to explore their strengths, ambitions, and potential, even if “traditional” paths (college, full-time work) seem challenging.
