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Entering The Community After Incarceration--How We Can HelpSSA Publication No. 05-10504, May 2007, ICN 382004 [View .pdf] |
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Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are suspended when individuals are confined to jail or prison.
Individuals need funds to cover living expenses when they are released from prison. To help them make a successful transition back into the community, benefits need to be started as soon as possible. |
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How soon can benefits be started after release?The amount of time it takes to start benefits depends on the individual’s particular situation.
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Is there a way to expedite benefit payments?By following a special procedure before release, we can pay benefits much sooner. We refer to this as the prerelease procedure. |
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How does the prerelease procedure work?When an institution has a prerelease agreement with Social Security, we can:
When notified by the institution, Social Security will follow this procedure if the inmate is likely to be eligible for benefits within 30 days of his or her scheduled release date. |
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How can institutions establish a prerelease agreement?Either the local Social Security office or the institution may initiate a discussion about setting up a prerelease agreement. The prerelease agreement:
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What are the responsibilities of each party?Social Security’s responsibilities In a typical prerelease agreement, the Social Security office will:
Institution’s responsibilities The institution would agree to:
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What are the advantages of a prerelease agreement?A prerelease agreement:
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Contacting Social SecurityOur website is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security’s programs. There are a number of things you can do online. In addition to using our website, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. We can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. We can provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. (You can use our automated response system to tell us a new address or request a replacement Medicare card.) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. We treat all calls confidentially. We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls. |
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