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 Rhode Island
Rhode Island programs that fit what happened. Each agency decides who qualifies.
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
Medical Assistance
Rhode Island Medicaid provides health coverage to eligible residents.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
HealthSource RI
HealthSource RI Marketplace Coverage
In Rhode Island, the health insurance marketplace is called HealthSource RI.
HealthSource RI is Rhode Island's marketplace for comparing and enrolling in health coverage.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhonePaperIn person
Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services
Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Vocational Rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhonePaperIn person
Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals
Developmental Disabilities Services
The Division of Developmental Disabilities reviews applications for state-funded developmental disability services.
Ways to apply:PhonePaper
Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals
Behavioral Health Services
BHDDH oversees providers offering mental health and substance use services in Rhode Island.
Ways to apply:PhoneIn person
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
SSI State Supplemental Payment Program
The state supplemental payment adds cash assistance for eligible Rhode Islanders receiving Supplemental Security Income.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
Temporary Caregiver Insurance
TCI provides partial wage replacement when eligible workers take leave to care for a seriously ill family member or bond with a child.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaper
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP helps eligible households pay for food.
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
- United Way of Rhode Island 211
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