Are you raising your grandchild with Autism, or other disabilities? Are you having difficulties in financial areas, health insurance areas, or special education? Would you like to learn a few tips about these issues to help you in this journey? This article is filled with 5 tips to make your job easier so that you can enjoy your grandchild.Tip 1: If your grandchild’s disability qualifies they may be able to receive SSI, which would give you additional income every month. SSI takes into account a parents income when the child is below 18 years old, but exempts grandparent’s income from the consideration. What Social Security does count as income is Child Support for the child, any work of the child, and other public benefits. If you are not receiving any support for the child, and the child’s disability qualifies you may be able to receive SSI for the child. Your Social Security Office may decrease the child’s benefits due to the amount that you are giving the child based on room and board; be sure and check out whether your state does this.Tip 2: If the child is eligible for SSI they should be eligible for Medicaid to pay for medical costs, and other public benefits. Since many children with disabilities have medical issues this would help decrease your financial responsibility. Keep in mind though that Medicaid may not pay for everything the child needs (counseling, equipment etc), so you may have some expenses out of pocket. Each State may have different benefits under Medicaid, so be sure that you check your States benefits.Tip 3: If you are retired or on Disability and receiving Social Security your grandchild may be able to receive benefits, based on your lifetime earnings. I would only consider this if the child was found ineligible for SSI, because receiving SSI makes the child eligible for other public benefits.Tip 4: Check out various disability organizations in your area and see if they have any groups for grandparents raising grandchildren with disabilities. The support you receive could be very helpful, and this could be a way to make friends with other grandparents.Tip 5: Check out the information from the Children’s Defense Fund because they have a lot of information on grandparents raising grandchildren with disabilities. They can be found at: http://www.childrensdefense.org.Using these 5 tips will help you in your efforts to raise your grandchild that has disabilities. Good luck!