Filing for Social Security Disability in Wyoming

Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are federal programs, but some aspects of the program differ between the states. For instance, Wyoming differs from other states in the following areas:

• the state agency that makes the initial disability decision
• the approval rates for the initial application and the first two levels of appeal
• the amount of SSI a person can receive, and
• how long a claim takes to be decided.

Where Do I Apply for Disability in Wyoming?

You apply for disability benefits online or through a local Social Security field office (there are six in Wyoming). At the field office, a claims representative will review your application to make sure that you've met all of the technical requirements for benefits (such as income or work history requirements).

If you're technically eligible for SSDI or SSI benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send your application to the Wyoming Disability Determination Services (DDS), a state agency in Cheyenne, for a medical decision to be made on your medical records.

If you disagree with DDS's decision, you can request that DDS reconsider your claim by filing a reconsideration request (this is the first level of appeal). If the Wyoming DDS denies your claim and your reconsideration, you can appeal a second time, by filing a request for a hearing by an administrative law judge. The DDS will then send your claim to the Office of Hearings Operations, where a judge will decide your case at a disability hearing.

Caspar no longer has its own hearings office, so hearings for Wyoming residents are held in the Salt Lake City, Utah hearing office and the Billings, Montana hearing office (contact information is below).

How Much SSI Will I Receive in Wyoming?

The maximum amount of SSI that the federal government pays is $914 (in 2023). For a couple, the federal government pays a maximum of $1,371.

But Wyoming adds on a small state supplementary payment to SSI for disabled people living alone or with someone else, if SSI is their only source of income. Children are also eligible for the supplement. The amount of the supplement is $20 per month, according the Eligibility Online Manual of the Wyoming Department of Health.

You don't need to apply for the supplement because Wyoming uses information provided by the SSA to determine who is eligible for it. The payment will be directly deposited into the same about as your SSI check. If you use Direct Express or receive paper checks, the payment will be sent to you in a check separately from the Wyoming Department of Health.

What Are My Chances for Disability Approval in Wyoming?

Claims examiners at the Wyoming DDS approve 45% of disability claims at the initial application level and another 12% of claims at the reconsideration level, so you have a slightly better chance of getting approved for disability in Wyoming than in other states.

As to approvals after the appeal hearing, Social Security doesn't release this statistic for Wyoming, because Wyoming disability claims are heard by ALJs from the Salt Lake City hearing office and the Billings hearing office.

While it's not possible to determine exactly the approval rate for Wyoming applicants, here are the statistics for the Salt Lake City and Billings hearing offices, combined, to give you an idea of the approval rates and wait times in the area.

Stage of Application	Wyoming	Nationally
Initial Application Approval	45%	38%
Reconsideration Approval	12%	15%
Hearing Approval	51%	57%
Hearing Wait Time	14 months	15 months

Source: ALJ Disposition Data Fiscal Year 2023 and Average Wait Time Until Hearing, June 2023 (Social Security).

Contact Information for Wyoming's DDS

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (DWS) is the parent agency of its DDS. The contact information for Wyoming's DDS office is:

Wyoming Disability Determination Services
5221 Yellowstone Road
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Phone: 307-777-7341

Here is their website for further information: https://dws.wyo.gov/dws-division/disability-determination/.

Hearing Locations in Wyoming

Hearings for Wyoming applicants are currently being heard in the following offices:

Salt Lake City Hearing Office
125 South State Street
Suite 3102
Salt Lake City, UT 84138
Telephone: (877) 628-6579
This office serves applicants who applied at the Casper, Cheyenne, Riverton, and Rock Springs field offices.

Billings Hearing Office
2900 Fourth Avenue North
Suite 500
Billings, MT 59101-1266
Telephone: (877) 545-5512
This office serves applicants who applied at the Cody and Sheridan field offices.

Before your hearing, you may want to check for address and phone number changes with Social Security's hearing office locator.

Where Can I Apply for Benefits in Wyoming?

There are six Social Security field offices in Wyoming where you can apply for benefits.

Casper Office
150 East B Street
Room 1008
Casper, WY 82602
Phone: 866-964-3972

Cheyenne Office
Suite 140
3001 E Pershing Boulevard
Cheyenne, WY 82001
Phone: 866-336-7580

Cody Office
1285 Sheridan Avenue
Suite 265
Cody, WY 82414
Phone: 844-345-3522

Riverton Office
215 Big Bend Ave
Riverton, WY 82501
Phone: 866-331-2198

Rock Springs Office
79 Winston Drive
Suite 131
Rock Springs, WY 82901
Phone: 855-881-0211

Sheridan Office
2268 N Main St
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: 866-530-7798

You can check for phone number or address changes with Social Security's field office locator.

Are There Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Wyoming?

If you are trying to go back to work despite your disability, you might be interested in vocational training. Wyoming offers vocational rehabilitation services through DWS for physically impaired or mentally impaired residents who enroll in the program.

Services include transportation to and from educational facilities, job training, and interpretation for hearing-impaired or speech-impaired people. For more information, visit the DWS website.

_{Updated July 15, 2023}