Notice2021-20158
Request for Information on Potential Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Demonstrations
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 17, 2021
Issuing agencies
Social Security Administration
Abstract
We administer the Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs to provide income support to people with disabilities. The Commissioner of Social Security is authorized to test new program rules to promote attachment to the labor force and increase the employment and self-sufficiency of individuals receiving or applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and youth; and to coordinate planning between private and public welfare agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI, SSI, and related programs. This request for information (RFI) seeks public input on potential services, supports, or DI and SSI policy changes that could achieve these goals. The input we receive will inform our deliberations about possible future demonstrations and tests. We will also use the responses as reference material as we provide Congress technical advice regarding any potential renewal of the section 234 authorization.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 178 (Friday, September 17, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 178 (Friday, September 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51951-51952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20158]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No. SSA-2021-0025]
Request for Information on Potential Disability Insurance and
Supplemental Security Income Demonstrations
AGENCY: Social Security Administration.
ACTION: Notice; request for information.
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SUMMARY: We administer the Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) programs to provide income support to people with
disabilities. The Commissioner of Social Security is authorized to test
new program rules to promote attachment to the labor force and increase
the employment and self-sufficiency of individuals receiving or
applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and youth; and to
coordinate planning between private and public welfare agencies to
improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI, SSI, and
related programs. This request for information (RFI) seeks public input
on potential services, supports, or DI and SSI policy changes that
could achieve these goals. The input we receive will inform our
deliberations about possible future demonstrations and tests. We will
also use the responses as reference material as we provide Congress
technical advice regarding any potential renewal of the section 234
authorization.
DATES: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive
them no later than November 16, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of three methods--
internet, fax, or mail. Do not submit the same comments multiple times
or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you choose,
please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2021-0025 so
that we may associate your comments with the correct Federal Register
notice.
Caution: You should be careful to include in your comments only
information that you wish to make publicly available. We strongly urge
you not to include in your comments any personal information, such as
Social Security numbers or medical information.
1. Internet: We strongly recommend that you submit your comments
via the internet. Please visit the Federal eRulemaking portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Use the Search function to find docket number
SSA-2021-0025 and then submit your comments. The system will issue you
a tracking number to confirm your submission. You will not be able to
view your comments immediately because we must post each submission
manually. It may take up to a week for your comments to be viewable.
2. Fax: Fax comments to (410) 966-2830.
3. Mail: Mail your comments to the Office of Regulations and
Reports Clearance, Social Security Administration, 3100 West High Rise
Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21235-6401.
Comments are available for public viewing on the Federal
eRulemaking portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> or in person, during
regular business hours, by arranging with the contact person identified
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Hemmeter, Acting Deputy
Associate Commissioner for Research, Demonstration, and Employment
Support, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security
Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401,
(410) 597-1815, for information about this notice. For information on
eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national toll-free number,
1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or visit our internet site,
Social Security Online, at <a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov">http://www.socialsecurity.gov</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose
Social Security pays benefits to more than 12 million adults ages
18 to 64 who are unable to work due to a disability \1\ and to more
than 1 million children with limited income and assets who have marked
and severe functional limitations.\2\ The Commissioner of Social
Security is authorized to test new program rules to promote the labor
force and increase the employment and self-sufficiency of individuals
receiving or applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and
youth, and to coordinate planning between private and public welfare
agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI,
SSI, and related programs. This RFI offers interested parties,
including States, community-based and other non-profit organizations,
philanthropic organizations, researchers, and members of the public,
the opportunity to provide information and recommendations on effective
approaches for achieving these goals.
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\1\ <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2019/sect03.html">https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2019/sect03.html</a>.
\2\ <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2019/sect04.html#table17">https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2019/sect04.html#table17</a>.
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Background
We conduct demonstration projects under two authorities. Section
234 of the Social Security Act (Act) allows the Commissioner to test
changes to the DI program designed to promote attachment to the labor
force.\3\ Section 234(d)(2) of the Act provides that the authority to
initiate projects under section 234 terminates on December 31, 2021,
and the authority to carry out such projects terminates on December 31,
2022, Second, Section 1110(a) of the Act allows us to enter into
contracts, grants, and agreements to study a variety of topics related
to reducing dependency on SSI, coordinating of social services, or
improving the administration of our programs, while section 1110(b) of
the Act allows us to waive SSI program rules to carry out such
demonstrations in the course of conducting projects that are likely to
assist in promoting the objectives or facilitate the administration of
title XVI of the Act.\4\ Participants in demonstrations conducted under
section 234 or section 1110(b) must be volunteers who provide informed
written consent and are capable of withdrawing their agreement to
participate at any time.\5\ In addition, SSI demonstrations cannot
result in a substantial reduction in any individual's income because he
or she participated in a demonstration. These authorities also include
additional reporting and scope restrictions. We produce an annual
report to Congress on current and recently completed demonstrations \6\
and maintain public web pages with demonstration reports.<SUP>7 8</SUP>
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\3\ Section 234 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 434. <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0234.htm">https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0234.htm</a>.
\4\ Section 1110(a) and (b) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 1310(a) and
(b). <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title11/1110.htm">https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title11/1110.htm</a>.
\5\ Section 234(e)(1) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 434(e)(1).
\6\ <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/Section%20234%20Report%202020.pdf">https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/Section%20234%20Report%202020.pdf</a>.
\7\ <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/demos.htm">https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/demos.htm</a>.
\8\ <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/projects.htm">https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/projects.htm</a>.
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[[Page 51952]]
Request for Information
Through this notice, we are soliciting suggestions for potential
policy changes and services related to supporting DI beneficiaries, SSI
recipients, and disability program applicants in their efforts to
return to, remaining in, or enter the labor force. We are also
soliciting suggestions for other potential demonstrations. Responses to
this request may inform our decisions about future demonstrations and
how to design such projects. This notice is for our internal planning
purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an
obligation on our part or on the part of any participating Federal
agencies. For each proposed idea, please be as clear as possible about:
1. The specific policy goal (e.g., increased labor force
participation);
2. The target population (e.g., youth, denied applicants, potential
applicants, new beneficiaries, older applicants);
3. The specific statute, regulation, or other policy being
suggested for change, if any;
4. The proposed service;
5. The specific reason why the policy change or service is expected
to achieve the policy goal for the target population (if available,
logic models, theories of change, or other aids and evidence supporting
the proposed policy change or service should be included);
6. The specific partnerships (e.g., Department of Labor, State
Departments of Education, private employers, legal aid agencies), if
any, we should consider to implement the demonstration; and
7. Any changes to our demonstration authorities that would be
necessary to test the policy change or service.
Guidance for Submitting Documents
We ask that each respondent include the name and address of his or
her institution or affiliation, if any, and the name, title, mailing
and email addresses, and telephone number of a contact person for his
or her institution or affiliation, if applicable.
Rights to Materials Submitted
By submitting material in response to this notice, you agree to
grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable,
nonexclusive license to use the material and to post it publicly.
Further, you agree that you own, have a valid license, or are otherwise
authorized to provide the material to us. In your response to this
notice, you should not provide personally identifiable information or
any material you consider confidential or proprietary. We will not
provide any compensation for material submitted in response to this
notice.
The Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Kilolo Kijakazi, having
reviewed and approved this document, has delegated the authority to
electronically sign this document to Faye I. Lipsky, who is the primary
Federal Register Liaison for SSA, for purposes of publication in the
Federal Register.
Faye I. Lipsky,
Federal Register Liaison, Office of Legislation and Congressional
Affairs, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-20158 Filed 9-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 17, 2021.
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