A new diagnosis or disability
What to do first
- Make sure you have health coverage. Apply for Medicaid if money is tight.
- If you cannot work, apply for Social Security disability benefits soon. A decision can take months.
- Ask your job about leave and changes that help you keep working.
- Ask your state's vocational rehabilitation office about help getting back to work.
Talk it through
Tell us more about what happened. We answer first, then show the programs that fit, then ask a few questions to narrow it down.
Dates that matter
These windows are set by federal rules. Your state may have its own dates too, so ask the agency.
5 full months
Social Security disability (SSDI)
SSDI payments start after you have been disabled for five full months, so apply as soon as you can. People with ALS do not have to wait.
Source: SSA.gov24 months
Medicare with SSDI
People who get SSDI get Medicare on their own after 24 months of disability benefits. People with ALS get it as soon as their benefits start.
Source: SSA.gov
Help from the District of Columbia
District of Columbia programs that fit what happened. Each agency decides who qualifies.
Department of Health Care Finance
District of Columbia Medicaid
DC Medicaid pays for health care for eligible residents.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority
DC Health Link
In District of Columbia, the health insurance marketplace is called DC Health Link.
DC Health Link lets residents compare and enroll in private health insurance plans.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhoneIn person
Department on Disability Services
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Vocational rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for, find, or keep a job.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhoneIn person
Department on Disability Services
Developmental Disabilities Administration Services
DDA coordinates supports for eligible people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Ways to apply:PhonePaperIn person
Department of Behavioral Health
Public Behavioral Health Services
DBH oversees mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, and support services.
Ways to apply:PhoneIn person
Department of Employment Services
DC Paid Family Leave
Paid Family Leave provides eligible workers wage replacement during qualifying family, medical, or prenatal leave.
Ways to apply:Online
Department of Human Services
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP helps eligible residents buy food each month.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
Checked on October 8, 2026
Federal help
These work the same in every state. Each agency decides who qualifies.
DOL.gov
Unpaid leave that protects your job
The Family and Medical Leave Act lets many workers take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year and keep their job. Reasons include a new baby, your own serious health condition, and caring for a spouse, child or parent who is seriously ill.
Social Security Administration
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Monthly payments for people who worked and paid Social Security taxes and now cannot work because of a disability that will last a long time.
Apply online at SSA.gov or call Social Security. Have your medical records and work history ready.
Social Security Administration
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Monthly payments for people with little income and few resources who are 65 or older, blind, or have a disability, including children.
Apply online at SSA.gov or call Social Security to make an appointment. Bring proof of age, income and any medical records.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicare
Health insurance for people 65 or older and for some younger people with a disability or kidney failure.
Most people sign up through Social Security, online at SSA.gov or by phone. Medicare.gov compares plans.
Checked on October 9, 2026
Help near you
Find county and state offices near you, or call 211 to talk to someone about help in your area.
Talk to a person
- Answers, Please
Free help finding food, housing, bills and more near you.
Call 211 - 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 if you are in crisis or worried about someone. Any time.
Call 988Text 988