Q: Another parent told me to have my son “SMRTed” so he can receive disability services. I do not know what this means or how to get started. Can you help me?
A: Thank you for reaching out to us. Some services funded by Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s Medicaid program) may require a person to be “certified as disabled”. A person can be certified by either the State Medical Review Team (SMRT) or the Social Security Administration (SSA). SMRT and SSA use the same criteria for disability determinations, but SMRT disability certifications do not establish eligibility for federal Social Security benefits. If applicants have already been certified disabled by SSA, they do not need to go through the SMRT process.
Every situation is different. We recommend looking at our healthcare website to find information on Medical Assistance and when your son might need to have his disability certified. At the bottom of the webpage you’ll find Arc Guides. Review the one on SMRT and then contact The Arc via phone at 952.920.0855 or toll-free at 833.450.1494. Ask for a healthcare advocate to give you more specific guidance, such has if your son needs to have his disability certified and how. We look forward to hearing from you!