Nebraska Social Services for Aged & Disabled Adults

Program Description

The Social Services for Aged and Disabled Adults (SSAD) program offers two types of support services to Nebraska residents: support targeted at the individual in need of care and support targeted at their primary caregiver. SSAD’s goal is to help frail seniors continue to live as independently as possible, and as such, services are provided to beneficiaries in their homes and in the community, but not to persons residing in skilled nursing residences. The exception to this is when nursing home residency is temporary in nature and the individual will be returning to live in their home at some point in the near future. Services range from adult day care to meal delivery to chores, like shopping and cleaning. A complete list of services is available further down the page.

Eligibility Guidelines

SSAD has exceedingly complex eligibility requirements.  For the purposes of this article, the requirements have been simplified.  The complete legal regulation, though outdated, is available for download here.

To qualify for services one must be:

• A legal resident of the state of Nebraska. There is no length of residency requirement.
• 60 years of age, or blind and between the ages of 19 and 59, or determined disabled by a medical professional
• Physically or mentally impaired such that assistance is required for the activities of daily living (Examples include bathing, dressing, and eating)
• Living at home or temporarily residing in rehabilitation and intending to return home
• Under the income limit. At the time of this writing, the limit for an individual is $1,181 / month and for a married couple is $1,324 / month. Or, in annual terms, under $14,172 for an individual and under $15,888 for a married couple / 2 person household. These income limits remain in effect until September 30, 2020, and it is anticipated they will increase October 1, 2020. Please note that individuals with incomes over these thresholds may still qualify, as there are many exceptions to what is considered to be “countable” income. Currently, there are no asset limits.

Benefits and Services

Program beneficiaries are assessed when they enter the program and the services they will receive are determined at that time.  Possible services include:

• Adult Day Care
• Food Preparation
• Grocery Shopping
• Group Meals (in Senior Centers)
• Housecleaning
• Laundry
• Meal Delivery
• Non-Medical Transportation Assistance

How to Apply / Learn More

For additional information about the SSAD program, click here. To apply, individuals should contact their county Department of Health and Human Services office. Contact information is available here. One may also apply online here. Ongoing participation in the SSAD Program requires annual verification that beneficiaries’ incomes remain within the eligibility range.