Cole: Bureaucracy is crushing the people SSDI was meant to help
By Shaina Cole | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
When my mom applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the ‘90s, it was a grueling multi-year ordeal that left her feeling invisible. She was sick, unable to work, and the wait for help stretched across years, each one heavier than the last.
Now, a loved one who applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in August 2024 is still waiting for an initial decision, caught in the same slow grind. The SSDI system, meant to be a lifeline, feels like a treadmill you can’t step off—exhausting, endless, and indifferent to the people it’s supposed to lift up.
The numbers paint a stark picture.
On average, it takes about 7.5 months—roughly 225 days—to get a decision on an initial SSDI application, accord...