PLATTSBURGH -- When most people think about the Social Security crisis, they're wondering if the federally sponsored program will have funds available to pay benefits upon their retirement.

But another crisis is greeting people who are attempting to access the Social Security Disability Insurance program -- a tremendous nationwide backlog of cases that is preventing applicants from receiving benefits for nearly two years.

"When a person applies for SSDI, they should hear (from Social Security) within five to six months," said Sandra Soper, Community Work Incentives coordinator for the North Country Center for Independence.

However, according to national statistics on claims processing, the average wait for people applying for Disability Insurance is more than 500 days or well over a year and half.

"Basically, it's a problem that's been growing for some time," said Dan Allsup, director of communications for Allsup Inc., an independent company that offers professional support services to people applying for Disability Insurance.

"Right now, we're at a crisis point," he added. "People are dying while waiting for a decision on Disability Insurance, and that just isn't right."

The problem is two-fold, Allsup noted. The Social Security Administration has gone through several cuts in the number of employees it has to handle insurance claims, while a rapidly increasing number of baby boomers have been applying.

"SSDI insurance is nothing more than a government-mandated insurance program," Allsup said. "It's no different than if you have automobile insurance and are in an accident. You expect to be paid in a reasonable amount of time.

"We're not blaming the Social Security staff," he added. "Over the past 20 years, the number of people drawing from or applying for disability has doubled, and the field staff is 30 percent smaller. They're doing what they can without the manpower they need."

Companies like Allsup and independent financial attorneys can help people with the complicated process of applying for disability insurance at a fee that is usually a percentage of what the claimant receives.

"We consider ourselves very similar to H&R Block," Allsup said. "Most people need professional help with their taxes, but unfortunately they're unaware that professionals are also available to help them file for SSDI."

Companies like Allsup can help to cut down on the number of fraudulent claims Social Security receives, he said, saving the administration a lot of time it puts in simply to deny claims.

"We get paid only if a benefit is accepted. Allsup and other companies have built-in filters that will help reduce the number of denied cases. When we accept a case, it's a gol-darn good bet that the claim will qualify."

In her position, Soper is not legally allowed to help people apply for Disability Insurance but works as an advocate to help people understand and utilize claims once they have been accepted. She has 126 open cases spanning the past two years.

"A lot of people want to supplement their benefit by working, and I'm there to help them understand what they can and can't do."