Programs that provide assistance for prospective or current public financial assistance recipients who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits to which they are entitled by law under various income support entitlement programs. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, how much they can work without affecting their benefits (for some programs), the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with public assistance benefits staff; and/or represent them in administrative hearings or judicial litigation. Included are welfare rights organizations that offer a range of advocacy services as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance. Entitlement programs include (but are not limited to) General Relief (GR), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps/SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Programs that place people who need work and are having difficulty competing on the open job market in organizations that can use their skills and subsidize the position by paying their salary, generally minimum wage. Some programs target public assistance recipients and place them in subsidized positions in nonprofit organizations.

A federal income maintenance program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides basic financial assistance in the form of monthly checks for people who are age 65 and older, blind or have a disability and who have little or no income and resources. Some states supplement SSI checks for certain categories of recipients. If the state's supplemental payment is federally administered, individuals are automatically assessed for SSP eligibility when they apply for SSI and the supplemental payment is included in their SSI check. If a state administers its own supplemental payments, individuals must apply separately at the state agency.

A federal program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides monthly cash benefits for disabled workers who are fully insured under the program, who are not capable of substantial gainful work and who have completed a five month waiting period.

Programs that provide benefits screening services which help individuals determine whether they are eligible for benefits through any of a wide variety of public and private federal, state and local programs. In addition to identifying the programs that a person may be eligible to receive, the service generally also provides a detailed description of the programs, local contacts for additional information (typically the addresses and phone numbers of where to apply for the programs), and materials to help successfully apply for each program. Included are programs that provide this service online and those that do benefits screening via the telephone or in-person. Some benefits screening programs may focus on specific populations such as older adults and people with disabilities; or specific aspects of benefits eligibility such as the impact that working will have on their benefits as an aid to helping people make informed decisions regarding whether to work. Also included are programs that help people complete the benefits screening form.

Previously employed individuals who have lost their earnings due to a physical or mental impairment severe enough to prevent them from working and who are receiving monthly cash benefits from a public or private source during the period of disability.

Individuals who are receiving cash grants through the Supplemental Security Income program, a federal income maintenance program with supplemental state funds which is administered by the Social Security Administration for people who are age 65 and older, are blind or have a disability, and have little or no income and assets.

Students who have physical, sensory, developmental, cognitive, mental or emotional limitations which may affect their educational performance, their mobility or their ability to communicate.