Mindset: Turbo-charging SSDI and SSI in America

Here at XYZ, we believe our government should work well for everyone. Technology should be a powerful tool for building a safe, stable, and reliably functioning society that meets citizen needs.

When we met Darren Webb and Nate Arzu, co-founders of Mindset Care, we saw a thoughtful, urgent tool for better serving our fellow citizens in need. In this case, the need is expanded access to Social Security disability benefits, and Mindset is making it easier and faster for qualified recipients to get support than ever before. 

Today, the number of claimants eligible for disability benefits is at an all-time high. There are 17 million Americans with severe mental illnesses and 55 million with a disability that qualifies them for help. Yet only 10.9 million Americans currently receive disability benefits. The Mindset team dug into why this is and emerged with solvable observations. 

Put simply, the application process for claimants and caregivers is overwhelming. To get Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), patients have to navigate an arduous procession of forms and requirements that often take a month to complete, and are still unsuccessful most of the time.

It takes weeks for their representatives within Social Security to call back. They get a plethora of documents mailed to fill out manually and sign. They endlessly fax and refax this paperwork or take their chances with snail mail, yielding even longer time lags when missing information prompts instant rejection. Remember, the people impacted here are often in unimaginably tough situations – sick, injured, and unable to work. Missing even one call from the Social Security Administration can lead to getting pushed back into the queue.

When we think about problems tech could solve, this is clearly among the most painful. That’s why we’re so grateful to have met the team at Mindset. How are they solving this thorny, complex problem that impacts millions?

They are leveraging new capabilities unlocked by AI to “TurboTax” disability applications. This reduces that byzantine, excruciating process from 4 weeks to 45 minutes and in 4 straightforward steps. It automatically prequalifies claimants with fully digitized information collection and digital signatures, submits on their behalf, and follows up with submission confirmation and next steps. 

Mindset has embedded itself into communities working with jails and correctional facilities, mental illness non-profits, digital mental health services, homeless shelters, local and state departments for mental and behavioral health, and re-entry facilities across the U.S. The team is passionate about solving this problem so more Americans can get back on their feet.

Not all superheroes are born super, and Mindset is Batman's utility belt to help power SSI and SSDI to get assistance faster and at a higher rate than ever before. We are thrilled to participate in Mindset Care’s $13M round led by Science Inc. and with participation from Wellington Access Ventures, Enable Ventures, Tubbs Ventures, and LivEdge Capital.