Otero County offices & Landfill will be CLOSED on December 24th & 25th, 2024 in observance of Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.

 
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State Aid to the Needy Disabled

Benefits

  • Colorado's Aid to the Needy Disabled (State AND) program provides cash payments to raise an eligible person's income from other sources to $175 a month. Medicaid is not part of the State AND program.
  • Low-income adults aged 18-59 years with work disabilities may be eligible for State AND.
  • If the primary diagnosis is alcoholism or controlled substance addiction, the maximum period of eligibility is 12 cumulative months.
  • State AND may also provide temporary financial assistance while eligibility for federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is pending
  • All State AND applications must also apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, the State AND applicant does not need to be found eligible for SSI to receive State AND benefits.

Note: If approved for SSI, the State AND individual will have to repay the State AND received during the SSI backdated eligibility period.

Colorado Application for Public Assistance

Solicitud de Asistencia Publica

How to Apply

To apply for AND, you must complete an application packet. Please call 719-383-3100 if you would like a packet mailed to you, or print one below. Applications cannot be processed until all forms within the packet are completed and returned to our office. You can expect the processing of a new application to take up to 60 days. You will need several documents to verify information and you may need to come in for a face-to-face interview. If you do not have all of your required paperwork in order before the interview, you can gather it after.

(See the "Required Documents" page for additional information!)

Colorado Application for Public Assistance

Solicitud de Asistencia Publica

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for State AND benefits, you must:

  • Be aged 18-59 years.
  • Have been, or expect to be, totally disabled for 6 months or more.
  • Have a gross monthly income below the established program income limits.*
  • Have resources below $2000 for an individual and $3000 for a couple.** 
  • Be a US citizen or eligible alien.
  • Be a resident of Colorado.
  • Cooperate with alcohol or controlled substance programs and remain substance-free if your disability's primary diagnosis is drug or alcohol addiction.

Notes:

  • *Income is anything which can be used to purchase food, clothing, or shelter. Some examples include wages, social security, pensions, child support, and unemployment benefits. Your spouse's income may affect your eligibility.
  • **Resources are any money which remains unspent from a prior month. Some examples include cash, checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, some insurance policies, and secondary property.
  • The home, a car, personal belongings, household goods, some burial policies, and some life insurance policies are exempt. They are not counted as part of your resources.