AND Navigator Program

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

In the El Paso County Department of Human Services AND Navigator Program, three DHS staff are dedicated to helping clients go through the application process for Aid to the Needy Disabled program (AND). Specifically, they assist applicants and recipients in completing the SSI application and/or appeals process by gaining protected filing dates and submitting completed application packets to Social Security Administration (SSA). These are clients who would struggle to navigate the process on their own because of their disabilities and life situations. The Navigator Program supports clients' immediate and long-term stability by connecting them to AND as they await a determination for Social Security benefits. Ideally, the program also results in an increase in the success rate of individuals making it through the Social Security appeals process. Transitioning clients from the State AND program to federal Social Security Benefits often ultimately leads to an increase in monthly income for these clients, reduces the reliance on local programs, and helps drive federal dollars back into our community.