Almost all children with Autism need a Special Needs Trust because they will need to be eligible for SSI and Medi-Cal either as a child or an adult. SSI is a federal needs-based program that is based on income. Once a special needs person qualifies for SSI, they automatically qualify for Medi-Cal (the California version of Medicaid). Qualification for Medi-Cal is critical, because income from SSI will usually not meet an individual's minimum needs, and is currently at 2/3 poverty level. However, Medi-Cal could pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars in a special needs child's medical expenses before and after the parents' deaths that could otherwise drain significant assets from the child's family.