Jack is a 25-year-old man living with anxiety, depression, a sleep disorder, and a learning disability with associated mental limitations. He is also a cancer survivor—diagnosed with leukemia at just four years old, which took years of treatment before he went into remission. Jack has been on disability benefits since 2015 and, with no work experience, depends on these benefits to survive.
Like many people living with lifelong mental health challenges and trauma, Jack struggled with substance abuse for a time as a way to cope with his conditions. In recent years, he has made significant strides by moving out of a substance abuse center and working hard to maintain his sobriety. However, when the Social Security Administration (SSA) sent him a notice terminating his Supplemental Security Income (SSI), his fragile stability was at risk. To make matters worse, his mother and older brother—who had always helped him handle his SSI paperwork—had both passed away.
“I was appalled and scared that I would owe money back to someone who was supposed to be helping me,” Jack said.
With nowhere else to turn, Jack reached out to Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) and to his only surviving relative, his Uncle William, who became his sole support system during the case.
Despite Jack’s well-documented mental health and learning challenges—alongside a history of cannabis and alcohol use disorders—the SSA argued that his substance abuse disqualified him from disability status and concluded he was “normal, with above-average intelligence” and no longer eligible for benefits. William and Jack’s reality was far different.
LSLA’s Public Benefits Unit accepted Jack’s case, and Staff Attorney Channing Guidry took the lead. Guidry quickly discovered that no one had returned Jack’s benefits paperwork because, after his family’s passing, he had no one to advocate for him. She gathered Jack’s medical records while Jack continued his treatment and medication compliance to strengthen the case.
At the first Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing, the judge reviewed Jack’s file and ordered a consultative exam to assess his abilities. Unfortunately, the judge remained skeptical due to Jack’s substance abuse history, young age, and lack of work attempts, recommending that Jack complete his GED and seek employment instead of continuing to receive benefits.
“The consultative exam left more questions than answers regarding my client’s functioning abilities. We could not risk receiving an unfavorable decision; therefore, we requested a supplemental hearing promptly with the belief we would be able to cross-examine the doctor who performed the exam,” Guidry said.
In preparation for the next hearing, Jack contacted the Harris County Center for Mental Health, which arranged an IQ evaluation to confirm Jack’s intellectual disability and his eligibility for Medicaid Waiver program services. Timing was tight. Although they requested a hearing delay to await the test results, the judge denied it. Fortunately, the evaluator rushed the report, and the results arrived just in time.
The stress of the proceedings overwhelmed Jack. One day, he suffered a mental breakdown, ran away wearing only a T-shirt and shorts in near-freezing temperatures, and was declared missing.
“I know in person, Jack can seem like he is more than capable of doing things for himself, but he has a long history of episodes that, to the casual observer, he may seem capable of taking care of himself, but this is just not the case. Jack needs professional help, and with the current weather situations, living on the streets without proper clothing is a possible life or death situation,” William said.
Jack later described how, during his disappearance, he found refuge in a church and prayed for a positive outcome. He was eventually found and taken to a shelter, safe but shaken.
The second hearing moved forward. Since the SSA didn’t bring the doctor to testify, Guidry sent written questions instead. Along with the new evidence, this helped win Jack’s case.
After months of fighting, the ALJ issued a favorable decision. Jack was indeed disabled; SSA reinstated his SSI benefits, and he owed no repayment.
“Everything was back to the way it was. My life was better again, and there was a weight lifted off my shoulders. I was filled with joy and felt relieved,” Jack said.
Guidry reflected on the experience, “I was able to stay positive after the first hearing because there was hope that the judge could still issue a decision in the client’s favor, despite his very apparent bias towards my client. I maintained a positive attitude during the process due to my client’s confidence in my representation and my experience with similar cases. As they say, it’s not over ’til it’s over.”
She added, “The most rewarding aspect of working with my client was him—who he is as a person. His calm, kind, and gracious demeanor throughout my representation made him a joy to work with. He was understandably anxious about the process and outcome; however, he was always polite, understanding, and communicative. I really enjoyed working with him from start to finish. The most impactful moment in this case, or any case I work on, other than achieving a successful outcome, is always the genuine connection you make with your client when you work with them for an extended period. You’re both truly invested in the case. It’s the clients you remember by name, and the clients that remember you.”
Jack was equally grateful, sharing, “Channing was the best attorney I have ever worked with. She was respectful, thorough in the way she spoke, and I just have tremendous respect for her, I really appreciate her, and she is just a blessing.”
Today, with his benefits secured and his trust in the future restored, Jack is working on finding a job and says his mental health has dramatically improved thanks to LSLA.