Filing for Disability in Utah

If you are a Utah resident who is unable to work, you can apply for federal Social Security and SSI disability benefits. Although the application process is the same throughout the country for these disability benefits, there are differences between the states as far as approval rates, state supplement payments, available vocational rehabilitation services, and local offices. The differences in Utah are discussed below.

Disability Approval and Denial Statistics for Utah

In Utah, the success rate for being approved for disability benefits depends on where you are in the application/appeals process. At the initial application stage, 38% of those from Utah are approved for benefits, which is higher than the national average of 35%. At the reconsideration stage (the first level of appeal), the chances of being approved for benefits is about 10% in Utah.

At the hearing stage of appeal, you have a greater chance of being approved for benefits compared to the national average; 53% of applicants are approved for benefits in Utah while only 45% are approved nationally. The wait period for a Social Security hearing in Utah is 16 months on average, compared to 18 months nationally.

Utah SSI Supplement

Utah pays a tiny monthly supplement to Utah residents who receive SSI benefits and live in a Medicaid-paid nursing home or other facility. This monthly supplement is paid in addition to the monthly payment by the federal government. The federal government pays $771 per month to individuals and $1,157 per month to couples (though this amount may be decreased if you have additional income). The state supplment is $15 per month.

Contact Information for Utah Disability Offices

In each state, there are local offices that handle the Social Security disability application and appeal process. The Division of Disability Determination Services (DDS) in Utah is the state agency that makes the initial decision as to whether or not you are disabled based on your medical record. There is one DDS office in Utah to serve all of the residents of the state. The contact information for that office is:

P. O. Box 144032, 84114-4032
210 West Harris Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Phone: (801) 321-6500/(800) 221-3493

The Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), which was formerly called the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR), is the Social Security office that processes all appeals. In Utah, there is one hearing office that provides services to all individuals in Utah, from the field offices of Ogden, Provo, Salt Lake City, and South Jordan. The contact information for that office is:

OHO
125 South State Street, Suite 3102
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
Phone: (877) 628-6579

In addition, there is a regional office that oversees the hearing office. The contact information for the regional OHO office is:

1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 600
Denver, Colorado 80204-3584
Phone: (888) 397-9803

Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Utah

There are services available from the State of Utah if you are having difficulty keeping a job or returning to work due to your disability. In Utah, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), through the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), under the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR), provides specialized services to help with job evaluation, training, and placement. To apply for services, you should fill out an application and either mail or bring it to your local office. Below is the contact information for the district offices for USOR.

DIVISION OF REHABILITATION SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
250 East 500 South
PO Box 144200
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
Phone: (801) 538-7530/(800) 473-7530

NORTHERN UTAH DISTRICT
115 W. Golf Course Road, Suite D
Logan, Utah 84321
Phone: (435) 787-3480/(800) 560-9766

OGDEN DISTRICT
950 East 25th Street, #200
Ogden, Utah 84401
Phone: (801) 395-7020

DAVIS DISTRICT
2984 North 400 West, Suite A
Layton, Utah 84041
Phone: (801) 776-5951

SALT LAKE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT
50 West Broadway, #800
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Phone: (801) 238-4560

VALLEY WEST DISTRICT
5522 South 3200
West Taylorsville, Utah 84129
Phone: (801) 957-8200

SOUTH VALLEY DISTRICT
926 West Baxter Drive (10600 South)
South Jordan, Utah 84095
Phone: (801) 446-2560 /(800) 625-7519

PROVO DISTRICT
150 East Center, Suite 3300
Provo, Utah 84606
Phone: (801) 374-7724/(800) 662-6539

CENTRAL UTAH DISTRICT
910 East 100 North, #215
Payson, UT 84651
Phone: (801) 465-8384/(877) 509-8384

EASTERN UTAH DISTRIC
320 North Aggie Blvd. #105
Vernal, Utah 84078
Phone: (435) 789-0273/(800) 286-0273

SOUTHERN UTAH DISTRICT
965 East 700 South, #202
St. George, Utah 84790
Phone: (435) 673-5091/(800) 281-5091

Contacting a Disability Lawyer in Utah

If you've been denied disability benefits, you may want to hire a lawyer to represent you at your appeal hearing. To find a local lawyer, use our lawyer locator below.