Newly disabled? Start here

Two federal programs use plain names that are easy to mix up. Social Security Disability Insurance, often called SSDI, can pay people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes and now have a disability that stops or limits work. Supplemental Security Income, often called SSI, can pay people with disabilities, and some older adults, who have little income and few resources.

Social Security says to apply as soon as you become disabled. The same page explains when payments can start. Read it there. We do not tell you if you will be approved.

These two programs are only for California. They are not the same as Social Security.

State Disability Insurance, from the Employment Development Department, is short-term pay for eligible workers who need time off because they cannot work. The department decides claims.

In-Home Supportive Services, from the Department of Social Services, can help some people who are older, blind, or disabled stay safely at home. You apply with your county, not on this site.

HealthCare.gov is the federal health insurance marketplace. When we checked, it was telling people to get ready for open enrollment on November 1.

If you live in California, start with Medi-Cal or with Covered California. Medi-Cal is the state Medicaid program. Covered California is the state marketplace. Neither this guide nor those sites can be replaced by a guess about what you qualify for.

Equipment means tools that help you communicate, read, hear, see, or get through the day. This is not a store, and it is not a prescription.

The Administration for Community Living funds an assistive technology program in every state and in Washington, D.C. It points people to a directory of those programs.

Rides in your town are usually run by a local agency. A national page cannot sign you up for them. It can point you to people who explain accessible transportation.

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is funded by Easterseals, USAging, and the Federal Transit Administration. If you need to fly, the Transportation Security Administration has a passenger support line. In California, the DMV explains disabled person parking placards and plates.

Help at home in California is In-Home Supportive Services, in step 2. You do not need a second application on this site.

For work, the California Department of Rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for a job, find one, and keep it. When we checked, its online application was not available. Ask a local office for the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Application, form DR 222.

Anywhere in the country, a Center for Independent Living is a local nonprofit, often led by people with disabilities. It can help with daily life. It does not decide your benefits.

Peer support means talking with people who know disability from the inside. It is not treatment, and it is not a crisis line.

The National Council on Independent Living keeps a finder for centers. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, can help you find a local group, and it has a HelpLine. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 first.