■■developing <strong>and</strong> submitting budget proposalsto SSA’s Office <strong>of</strong> Budget for disability programs,initiatives, <strong>and</strong> m<strong>and</strong>ates. This includesdeveloping budgets for DDS operations <strong>and</strong> automationactivities, based on DDS input;■■planning, coordinating, <strong>and</strong> managing systems-relatedactivities for DDS automationinitiatives including the development <strong>of</strong> userspecifications; <strong>and</strong>■■analyzing, planning, distributing, <strong>and</strong> monitoringall DDS funding on a State-by-State basis,<strong>and</strong> establishing <strong>and</strong> monitoring workload<strong>and</strong> productivity targets for each DDS.Office <strong>of</strong> Quality PerformanceThe Office <strong>of</strong> Quality Performance assessesperformance <strong>and</strong> program quality, working collaborativelywith other SSA staff componentsto improve it throughout the agency. The <strong>of</strong>ficeconducts quality reviews, studies, <strong>and</strong> statisticalanalyses <strong>of</strong> SSA’s programs (including the disabilityprogram), business processes, <strong>and</strong> servicedelivery.The Office <strong>of</strong> Quality Review evaluates <strong>and</strong>assesses the integrity <strong>and</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> theadministration <strong>of</strong> SSA’s programs. It performsa quality review <strong>of</strong> disability claims (bothdenials <strong>and</strong> allowances) at the initial <strong>and</strong>reconsideration levels. It also performs m<strong>and</strong>atedpre-effectuation reviews <strong>and</strong> specialstudies <strong>of</strong> disability cases.The Office <strong>of</strong> Quality <strong>Data</strong> Management servesas a clearinghouse for quality data managementactivities. It manages, updates, <strong>and</strong>designs selection models for workloads suchcontinuing disability reviews.Office <strong>of</strong> Retirement <strong>and</strong> <strong>Disability</strong> PolicyThe Office <strong>of</strong> Retirement <strong>and</strong> <strong>Disability</strong> Policyhas the primary responsibility at SSA for allmajor activities in the areas <strong>of</strong> strategic <strong>and</strong> disabilityprogram policy planning, disability policyresearch <strong>and</strong> evaluation, statistical programs, <strong>and</strong>overall disability policy development, analysis <strong>and</strong>implementation.The Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>Disability</strong> Programs plans,develops, evaluates <strong>and</strong> issues policies <strong>and</strong>procedures for SSA’s disability programs.This includes providing guidance to the medicalpersonnel working in SSA’s central <strong>and</strong>regional <strong>of</strong>fices <strong>and</strong> the DDSs. It carries out itsresponsibilities by:■■coordinating <strong>and</strong> providing policies, procedures,<strong>and</strong> process requirements in support <strong>of</strong>electronic disability processes,■■maintaining data <strong>and</strong> conducting data analyses,<strong>and</strong> developing studies to identify areaswhere policy clarification is needed,■■resolving conflicting opinions between adjudicators<strong>and</strong> quality reviewers regarding disabilitydeterminations through its programconsultation process, <strong>and</strong>■■developing training programs for disabilityadjudicators.The Office <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>and</strong> Vocational Expertiseprovides analytical support in the development,application <strong>and</strong> evaluation <strong>of</strong> disabilitypolicies <strong>and</strong> procedures. It also provides adjudicativeassistance to the DDSs. The <strong>of</strong>fice’sresponsibilities include:■■maintaining a cadre <strong>of</strong> medical <strong>and</strong> psychologicalspecialists that assists disability adjudicatorsin processing cases,■■performing timely <strong>and</strong> appropriate actionsneeded to evaluate <strong>and</strong> adjudicate disabilitycases, <strong>and</strong>■■identifying <strong>and</strong> analyzing disability issuesthrough case reviews that impact the operation,funding, <strong>and</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> the disability programs.The Office <strong>of</strong> Employment Support Programsdevelops <strong>and</strong> administers policies that aredesigned to promote the employment <strong>of</strong> beneficiarieswith disabilities. The <strong>of</strong>fice is alsoresponsible for implementing the Ticket toWork <strong>and</strong> Work Incentives Improvement Act.Responsibilities <strong>of</strong> the <strong>of</strong>fice include:■■providing operational advice, technical support,<strong>and</strong> direction to SSA’s central <strong>of</strong>fice, regional<strong>of</strong>fices, <strong>and</strong> field <strong>of</strong>fices in implementingthe agency’s employment support programs,<strong>and</strong>■■assisting with public educational activitiesabout disability program work incentives, rehabilitation,<strong>and</strong> other forms <strong>of</strong> employmentsupports.The Office <strong>of</strong> Income Security Programs develops,coordinates, <strong>and</strong> issues Retirement<strong>and</strong> Survivors Insurance <strong>and</strong> SupplementalSecurity Income policies <strong>and</strong> non-medicaladministrative policies that affect the adjudication<strong>of</strong> disability claims. It plays animportant role in the disability program inthat many individuals who file for retirement110 <strong>Aspects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Disability</strong> <strong>Decision</strong> <strong>Making</strong>: <strong>Data</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Materials</strong>
enefits also file for disability, <strong>and</strong> most individualswho apply for SSI concurrently file forDI benefits. <strong>Disability</strong> related responsibilitiesinclude:■■developing agreements with States <strong>and</strong> otheragencies that govern State supplements <strong>and</strong>Medicaid eligibility, <strong>and</strong>■■coordinating Medicare issues with the Centersfor Medicare <strong>and</strong> Medicaid Services.The Office <strong>of</strong> Program Development <strong>and</strong>Research provides program analysis <strong>and</strong> developmentin support <strong>of</strong> the disability programs.The <strong>of</strong>fice:■■directs studies <strong>of</strong> policy issues <strong>of</strong> disabilityprogram initiatives <strong>and</strong> legislative <strong>and</strong> policyproposals,■■identifies trends in the disability programs<strong>and</strong> compiles <strong>and</strong> analyzes data on aspects <strong>of</strong>the programs, <strong>and</strong>■■designs, implements, <strong>and</strong> evaluates disabilitydemonstration projects targeting specialpopulations <strong>and</strong> program issues.The Office <strong>of</strong> Research, Evaluation <strong>and</strong>Statistics provides statistical data on both theOld-Age, Survivors, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Disability</strong> Insuranceprogram <strong>and</strong> the Supplemental SecurityIncome program.<strong>Aspects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Disability</strong> <strong>Decision</strong> <strong>Making</strong>: <strong>Data</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Materials</strong> 111
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