
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 21, 1994                   TAG: 9405230173
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

FEW KIDS FAKE DISABILITIES, AGENCY SAYS

Contrary to the claims of some educators and lawmakers, the Social Security Administration says it has found little evidence that parents are coaching their children to misbehave in school to qualify for federal disability benefits.

The agency's investigation, released Friday, also found that a small number of children with mild impairments are being declared ``disabled'' and wrongly allowed to collect a monthly cash benefit from Supplemental Security Income.

The study appears to contradict reports from educators and members of Congress that parents are encouraging their children to feign behavioral and learning disorders so that they can receive SSI. The program pays low-income children a maximum of $446 a month.

Social Security's study is far from the last word on the issue of coaching. The General Accounting Office, the congressional watchdog agency, and the inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services are conducting separate investigations.

SSI serves 771,000 children at an annual cost of more than $4 billion. The payments are now are so widespread in some parts of the country, such as rural Arkansas, that they are known as ``crazy checks.''

Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., said late Friday that a more thorough review is necessary.

``This program is leaking money at a fast and unsustainable rate,'' Kohl said. ``We need to clarify the purposes of the program - to help truly needy children - while making sure we're not breaking the bank or encouraging people to try and get something for nothing.''

Social Security's study was based on a review of 617 claims for benefits from children with behavioral, emotional and learning disorders. The cases include 325 children who were approved for benefits and 292 who were turned down.

Social Security said possible coaching or malingering was an issue in 13 of the 617 cases. Only three were approved for SSI.

The agency also found that 28 children were receiving benefits when they should have been denied.

Of the 292 children who were denied benefits, the study said four should have been approved. They were granted benefits after appealing.

by CNB