Supplemental Security Income and Incarceration

People are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) while they are incarcerated for a calendar month or longer. Upon exit from incarceration, people may interact with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to restart SSI benefits, apply for SSI for the first time, or obtain a replacement Social Security card. Successful engagement with SSA can help people during the challenging and vulnerable experience of reentry from incarceration.

This report describes SSA's policies and procedures about SSI and incarceration. It includes recommendations to SSA and Congress to improve the experience for people leaving incarceration, SSA staff, and employees of correctional facilities. The report is informed by the Board's September 2024 roundtable on SSI and Incarceration.