ADC Program

• ADC was a federal program with voluntary state participation that assisted low-income children with a mother who lacked a breadwinner. Additionally, the program required that the children be in a "suitable home." The determination of whether a home was suitable was left up to state caseworkers. The program paid out an average of $420 a month to each recipient in 1994, though the average need at the time was estimated to be $688 per month. In the 1960s the program incorporated a work component to encourage single mothers to enter the workforce.
  
  

ADC History

• Congress created the ADC program as part of the 1935 Social Security Act, and it was later renamed Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). States administered the program and had differing definitions of what constituted a "suitable home." Several states faced a series of challenges to their restrictions in the Supreme Court. For example, in 1968 the Supreme Court decided against Alabama in the case of King v. Smith. In this case, the court ruled that Alabama's rule denying benefits to women who cohabitate was not allowed. The entire program was repealed in 1996.
  
  

SSI Eligibility

• Low-income individuals older than 65, blind or disabled are eligible for SSI benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs the program and examines applicants' income and resources for a demonstrated need. Children are eligible provided they are blind or disabled. SSA considers children disabled if their condition results in significant functional limitations and is expected to either result in death or last at least 12 months. Adults are considered disabled if their impairment limits their ability to engage in gainful activity and is expected to result in death or to last at least 12 months.
  
  

SSI Benefits

• SSI provides a monthly cash benefit, which is updated most years to keep up with inflation. The maximum federal benefit as of 2011 is $674 for an individual and $1,011 for a couple. Forty-four states also pay supplemental benefits. Apply for benefits either online at the SSA website or at your local social services office.