How to Apply for Temporary Disability in Maryland: TDAP Steps

To apply for temporary disability in Maryland, file an application for the Temporary Disability Assistance Program (TDAP) with your local Department of Social Services, submit a completed Medical Report Form 500 from your provider along with proof of identity, residency, and finances, and attend the interview the case manager schedules. The state has 30 days from your filing date to decide.¹

TDAP is a state-funded cash benefit for low-income Maryland adults who cannot work because of a medical condition. The current monthly payment is $339.²

Check That You Qualify Before You File

TDAP has a narrow eligibility window. Before you spend time assembling paperwork, confirm that all of these apply to you:

You live in Maryland and inside the service area of the local Department of Social Services where you apply.
You are a U.S. citizen or a legally admitted qualified alien.
You do not have a minor child in your care as a caretaker relative. Households with children typically apply for Temporary Cash Assistance instead.
You are not working. TDAP does not supplement earned income.
A licensed medical provider will verify that a medical impairment prevents you from working for at least three months.
Your countable resources are $1,500 or less, and your countable income falls below the program’s threshold.
You are not receiving unemployment insurance, SSI, or other federal cash assistance. A pending SSDI or SSI claim is fine.

Benefits are capped at nine months in any 36-month period. The one exception: if a licensed provider has certified your disability on the state’s form and you have a pending SSI application that has not been withdrawn or finally denied, TDAP can continue past the nine-month cap while the federal process runs.³

People living in public institutions, private facilities for tuberculosis or mental illness, and recipients of Adult Foster Care payments are excluded.

Gather Your Documents

Medical Report Form 500

Form 500 is the piece your application turns on. Your doctor or other licensed medical provider fills it out, describing your diagnosis, explaining how your condition limits your ability to work, and estimating a recovery timeline.⁴ Ask your provider to complete every section. Incomplete medical forms are one of the most common reasons applications stall or get denied.

You can download Form 500 from the Maryland Department of Human Services website or pick one up at your local Department of Social Services office. Some providers charge a fee for disability paperwork, so ask about cost before you leave the appointment.

Identity, Residency, and Financial Records

Along with Form 500, plan to bring:

A government-issued photo ID and your Social Security number.
Proof of Maryland address, such as a utility bill or a lease.
Recent bank statements showing countable resources at or below $1,500.
Documentation of any income, including recent pay stubs or benefits statements.

⁵

Submit the Application

The Department of Human Services accepts TDAP applications four ways:

Online through the Maryland Benefits portal at MarylandBenefits.gov, where you can upload scans or clear photos of your documents.
In person at your local Department of Social Services office.
By mail to your local office.
By fax to your local office. Someone else can also drop off the application on your behalf.

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Keep a record of your filing date whichever route you take. Save the online confirmation number, get a date-stamped receipt in person, or hold on to your fax confirmation. If you are approved, that filing date can affect when your benefits start.

The Interview and the 30-Day Decision

Once your application is in, a case manager will schedule an interview by phone or in person.⁶ Expect questions about your living situation, income, and the nature of your disability, and expect the case manager to press on any gaps in your paperwork. Missing the interview without rescheduling will result in a denial, so treat it as mandatory.

State policy requires a decision within 30 days of the date you filed your signed application.¹ Missing documents or a missed interview will push that out. A complete packet from the start gives you the best chance at a quick decision.

If Your Disability May Last 12 Months or Longer

If your provider indicates your disability is expected to last a year or more, you will be required to apply for federal Supplemental Security Income as a condition of continuing TDAP. Refusing to apply, or failing to cooperate with the Social Security Administration, ends your TDAP eligibility.³

You will also be asked to sign an interim payment reimbursement authorization. That form tells the Social Security Administration to send your initial retroactive SSI payment to the state. Maryland deducts the TDAP it paid you during the waiting period and forwards any remaining balance within 10 working days. Refusing to sign the authorization can result in a TDAP denial.⁷ In practical terms, TDAP acts as an advance against your eventual SSI back pay when your condition turns out to be long-term.

Other Conditions You Agree to By Applying

Applicants must agree to pursue any other benefits they may qualify for and to participate in any rehabilitation the state requires. Maryland also screens TDAP applicants for substance use, and a positive screen can lead to a treatment referral; participating in that treatment becomes a condition of continued eligibility.³

One note for non-citizens who are legally admitted qualified aliens: federal immigration officers weigh past receipt of state cash benefits as one factor in public charge determinations, looking at amount, duration, and recency. Small amounts received for a limited period are unlikely to trigger an adverse finding on their own, but immigration attorneys routinely advise clients to weigh the question before accepting state cash benefits.⁸

If You Are Denied

You have 90 days from the notice of action to appeal a denial, reduction, or termination. Appeals go to the Office of Administrative Hearings, which is independent of the Department of Social Services. You can file by mailing a written request to the Office of Administrative Hearings at 11101 Gilroy Road, Hunt Valley, MD 21031, by calling the Department of Human Services at 1-800-332-6347, or by submitting an appeal form at your local DSS office.

If you already receive TDAP and file the appeal within 10 days of a notice cutting or ending your benefits, you can ask that benefits continue during the appeal. If you lose the hearing, you may have to repay those continued benefits. File after the 10-day window and the reduction or termination takes effect while you wait.

1
Maryland Department of Human Services. TDAP Policy Manual – Normal Processing Standards Section 200
2
Maryland Department of Human Services. Information Memo 25-12 TCA TDAP RCA Benefit Increase
3
Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.05.04 – Technical Eligibility
4
Maryland Department of Human Services. Family Investment Administration Medical Report Form 500
5
Maryland Department of Human Services. Temporary Disability Assistance
6
Maryland Department of Human Services. TDAP Policy Manual – Application and Interview Section 201
7
Library of Maryland. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.05.06 – Interim Assistance Reimbursement
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Consideration of Current and/or Past Receipt of Public Cash Assistance for Income Maintenance or Long-term Institutionalization at Government Expense