Both the SSI program and your state's OVR program are Federally Funded (The state can provide additional funding but most states south of the Mason Dixon line do no).
Now the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is federally funded, but it is funded to help people who need training to perform work in the national economy (Notice the difference in definition as to what is "Disability" it is possible for someone to be on SSI do to "an inability to perform work in the National Economy", the Social Security Test for disability AND to be able "to be able to be trained to do work" (The OVR definition of Disability). My point you can not only apply for both programs, you can be eligible for BOTH PROGRAMS.
Now in my home state of Pennsylvania, OVR does an excellent job of retraining people and placing people in jobs the exist and people with limitations can do. The first thing OVR does is do an evaluation of you, including a mental evaluation to determine what jobs you can do. For example you suffer for depression thus you can NOT do high stress jobs (Like working at a local fast food restaurant) but may be able to do low stress jobs with little interaction with the public. OVR will then give you a list of jobs that your physical and mental restrictions permit you to do. You get the option of picking one you think you can do and are trained in that occupation.
Overall OVR does a good jobs placing their graduates, thus I recommend that you contact them and see what they can do for you.
More on OVR in Georgia:
http://www.vocrehabga.org/lev2a.htmlOVR location by City in Georgia:
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/find_voc_rehab_offices.htmSSI is for people who can NOT work and do NOT have a long enough work history to get Social Security Disability. The test for SSI (Which stands for Supplemental Security Income) and Social Security Disability is the same from a disability point of view, the only difference is eligible (Social Security Disability is based on your work history, SSI is not). One of the side affects of applying for SSI is Social Security will pay for mental evaluation from a work related point of view.
Side note: If you apply for SSI and are denied, file the appeal. 60% of the people on SSI is on SSI do to Mental disability (Your history of Depression may be enough). The reason for this high percentage is most people with physical disability worked prior to being physically disabled, people with mental disorders tend to be fired time after time and thus have no real work history. One of the affect is at the first level of applying for SSI, the record is NOT complete as to what jobs a person with your restrictions do to your mental limitations, but at a Hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) a Vocational Expert (VE) will be present at the hearing to testify what a person with limitations imposed on you by your mental problems can and can not do. It is then up to the ALJ to decide if the restrictions imposed on you actually exists, and if they do then you are disabled do to the fact you can NOT work.
If you apply for SSI and are denied, file the appeal (do not wait to see an attorney, just go down to the Social Security Office and ask to file an appeal, fill out the one page form and give it back. There is only a limited time to file the appeal so do so as soon after you receive the denial as possible). Then contact your local Federal funded Legal Services agency. Most Legal Services Agencies will represent people applying for SSI free.