The number of children collecting federal disability benefits doubled in four years, and mental impairments account for most of the increase, congressional investigators say.
A report released this week by the General Accounting Office tracks the rapid growth in the number of children on the rolls of Supplemental Security Income, a federal welfare program for the elderly and disabled, since late 1989.Future studies by Congress' watchdog agency will address allegations by lawmakers and educators that parents are encouraging their children to fake behavioral and learning disabilities so they can qualify for SSI.
The program pays children a maximum federal benefit of $446 a month, at an annual cost of $4.35 billion. These SSI payments are now so widespread in some areas of the country that they are known as "crazy checks."
GAO said the number of children on SSI has more than doubled in four years, from 296,300 in 1989 to 770,500 in 1993. Children are also a larger portion of the SSI disability rolls - from 11.5 percent in 1989 to 20 percent in 1993.
Rising numbers of children in poverty and outreach efforts by the Social Security Administration explain part of the growth, GAO said.
Also significant, said GAO, was the Supreme Court's Zebley decision in 1990 that required Social Security to make the disability criteria for children less restrictive.
Regulations issued by Social Security in 1990 to reflect advances in medical science also had an impact on the growth in children on the rolls, the study said.
Rep. Gerald D. Kleczka, D-Wis., requested Tuesday's report and said it supports his push to take a "long, hard look at the child SSI program."
"What we have here is a noble but rudderless program which may be squandering valuable taxpayer dollars," he said. "While truly deserving children on SSI should get our help, in light of this startling report, we must clarify the program's mission and reconsider how severe an impairment should be in order to qualify for benefits."
GAO said huge increases in the number of children awarded benefits because of mental impairments - including children with retardation or other disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder - account for two-thirds of the growth in children's cases.
Most awards to the mentally impaired go to children with mental retardation, GAO said.
Although growing, the portion of mental awards to children with behavior problems, such as per-sonality disorders and autism, is still relatively small. From February 1991 through 1993, children with behavior problems accounted for 22 percent of those who were awarded benefits due to a mental impairment.
Legislation signed into law by President Clinton last month establishes a commission on childhood disability that will examine many of the issues surrounding children on SSI.