Filing for Social Security Disability in Mississippi

Disability benefits in Mississippi are provided through a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), but there are differences in each state, including approval and denial rates, monthly payments for those receiving benefits through Supplemental Security Income (SSI), limits on charges for medical records, contact information for the local offices that administer disability benefits in your state, and vocational rehabilitation services. Below is an overview of the information specific to Mississippi.

The average Social Security disability payment in Mississippi is $869 per month, while the average SSI payment is just $506 per month (more on this below).

Disability Determination Services

Mississippi Disability Determination Services (DDS) is the office that makes decisions on whether or not a Mississippian is disabled based on his or her medical record. After Social Security reviews applications to make sure the applicants are technically eligible to receive benefits (by meeting income or work history requirements), they are sent to the DDS office in Madison. If you have questions about your application after it is filed, you should contact DDS. Below is the contact information.

MS DDS
1281 Highway 51 North
Madison, MS 39110
Telephone: 800-962-2230

Disability Benefit Statistics in Mississippi

In Mississippi, when DDS reviews your initial application, you have a lower chance of being approved for benefits compared to the national average, though many of these denials are reversed at the appeal hearing. Below is a chart comparing Mississippi to the national averages.

Mississippi Limits on Medical Record Charges

In Mississippi, health care providers may charge you to make you a copy of your medical records to submit with your disability application or appeal, but the state limits how much a provider is allowed to charge you.

In addition to the charge per page, health care providers may charge you 10% of the total cost of copied pages for postage and handling. They may also charge you $15 if they have to get your records from an off-site location.

SSI State Supplement

Mississippi does not offer any state supplementary payment for SSI recipients. The monthly payments from the federal government are $771 for an individual or $1,157 for a couple, but these amounts are usually reduced because SSI recipients often have earned or unearned income.

Hearing Office Locations

The Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) is the office that handles all disability appeals. When you have a hearing, you will go to one of the four hearing offices that handles the disability appeals for Mississippi. Below is the contact information for the three hearing offices in Mississippi and one in Memphis, which is currently hearing appeals for claimants from the Olive Branch field office.

Vocational Rehabilitation in Mississippi

Individuals who are disabled often face difficulties going back to work, if they can at all. The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS) is available to help those with disabilities find and keep a job. Specifically, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is the office that provides services including job counseling, job training, assistance finding a job, and help at your job, as needed. To apply for services, you should contact your local office or call 800-443-1000. To find the office closest to you, visit the OVR website.

Mississippi Disability Lawyers

Approval rates for disability applicants in Mississippi are significantly higher for those who are represented by lawyers than those who are not. To contact a lawyer for a free consultation, see our Mississippi lawyer locator tool below.

_{Updated August 30, 2019}