Opportunities, issues highlight financial landscape of life with disabilities

It’s no secret that financial issues affect everyone. Among the uninitiated, it is less well-known how they impact those of us who live with disabilities. Living these realities every day involves navigating a crowded, complicated, under-publicized, under-explained, and ever-changing environment of the known and unknown.

Money—how to find it, what you’re allowed to buy with it, how to earn it, how much of it you’re allowed to earn, how much of it employers do or don’t have to pay you; and the information jungle you have to hack your way through to find out about it. It is a topic and a necessity that needs illumination.

A discussion of income naturally leads to a discussion of employment. People capable of being trained for competitive employment may go to Vocational Rehabilitation or private agencies for help with gainful employment.

Lowcountry Jobs Now on the Hilton Head Island Bluffton Chamber of Commerce website features Diverse Abilities, a page for job applicants with disabilities. The Job Accommodation Network and SC Works also provide employment-related resources.

While getting a job can reduce some government financial assistance, the approach to such aid and the resulting rules have evolved to allow work while receiving benefits through programs connected to Medicaid and Social Security Disability Income.

The Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, Ticket to Work and programs such as trial work periods with uninterrupted benefits have created change, but there are still conversations in advocacy circles about being careful not to earn too much money. Even so, the trend toward increased competitive employment continues.

The South Carolina Employment First Act of 2022, in accordance with the national Employment First systems-change framework, promotes Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE).

Another major change that was announced last year is the end of subminimum wage, an exception in the Fair Labor Standards Act that allowed employers to pay employees with disabilities less than minimum wage.

Advocacy groups, including Able SC, Disability Rights South Carolina, and Walton Options for Independent Living applauded the change because it will raise wages and because they believe it will ultimately improve employment and competitiveness of people with disabilities. Some opposed the change based largely on concerns it would lead to the closing of sheltered workshops employing people with more severe disabilities.

To assist with managing and growing savings, South Carolina has established the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program and offers ABLE savings accounts and STABLE accounts, according to the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program website. The program features tax-free savings for disability related expenses and the ability to save without losing benefits.

In addition to the government resources, there are private foundation grants available to people with disabilities and listed on grant websites. There are also private and public funds available for cars and their accessibility modifications as well as for other assistive technology. BraunAbility sells wheelchair accessible vehicles and provides referral information on funding sources. Bank of America advertises its Accessible and Disability Vehicle access loan program with flexible financing.

More locally, the assistive technology program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Center for Disability Resources partners with other organizations to provide individuals access to assistive technology funding.

For more information on disability resources, view the Resource Guide link on the disAbilities Coalition website, www.disabilitiescoalition.com.

Channing Heiss is a freelance writer and a member of the Beaufort County disAbilities Coalition.