ind, and disabled. SSI was implemented nationally by the Social Security Administration on January 1, 1974. Prior to this date, these needy persons were served through state or state-locally administered federal categorical grant-in-aid programs.
SSI, along with Medicaid, food stamps, low-income energy assistance, and federally assisted housing are considered to form the bulk of the safety net provided for the poor in American society. In terms of people served and costs, Mills (1994) reports that, annually, the two Social Security disability programs, Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), together provide over six million people with a total of $33.75 billion in cash benefits and $30 billion in health care coverage.
The current status of the program remains relatively stable. For example, Clinton's fiscal year (FY) 1996 budget proposal, although including $144 billion in program cuts over a five year period, did not propose any reductio
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