LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
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Conducted a top-to-bottom
review of changes made to the SSI childhood disability program under
welfare reform, resulting in 35,000 fewer children losing eligibility
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The Agency supported efforts
to facilitate national dialogue on the long-term future of the Social
Security program, including over 10,000 public events capped by
December 1998 White House Conference on Social Security
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The Agency began mailing the Social Security Statement
to 125 million working Americans. The Statement provides
estimates of retirement, disability and survivors’ benefits and
increases understanding of Social Security
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The Agency supported passage of the historic “Ticket to
Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999.” The Ticket
legislation will help SSA increase the number of beneficiaries who
return to work and the Agency established a new component, the Office
of Employment Support Programs to provide a focal point for the
Agency in this area
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Developed a vision for service
delivery in the year 2010, including an estimate of the anticipated
workloads, the anticipated shortfall in Agency capability without
changes in how we handle our work and a course of action that envisions
increased use of technology to help bridge that gap
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In one of the most comprehensive
studies of government management ever conducted, the Maxwell School
of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University gave SSA
the highest marks among the Federal agencies surveyed.
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Developed a comprehensive
disability program management plan to improve the decision-making
process, increase return-to-work opportunities for disabled beneficiaries,
safeguard the integrity of the disability program and develop the
Agency’s research capabilities to provide increased understanding
of needed changes
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Recognized by Ways and Means
Committee as one of the top Federal Agencies for FY 2000 Performance
Plan
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Worked with OMB to draft proposals
that eventually restored SSI benefits to thousands of disabled legal
immigrants who lost eligibility under the 1996 welfare reform legislation
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Pursued an ongoing policy
to have zero-tolerance for fraud, resulting in increased detection,
prevention and prosecution initiatives
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The Agency worked with the
nation’s correctional facilities to identify prisoners who should
not be receiving Social Security or SSI benefits
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Increased the earnings limit
for beneficiaries with disabilities (SGA) from $500 to $700 a month,
reflecting SSA’s commitment to encouraging Social Security beneficiaries
to return to work
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The Agency provided improved,
cost-effective, service to disability applicants, including the
testing of prototypes of a redesigned disability determination process
in ten States
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Created a Disability Research
Institute to help provide policy makers with improved information
and data in the disability policy area including ways to strengthen
return-to-work policies
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Announced a 5-year, $10 million
demonstration project that would provide prescription drugs and
other treatment for up to 1,000 disability beneficiaries with affective
disorders
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Issued a plan (Hearings Process Improvement Plan (HPI))
to make our hearings process more timely, efficient and customer-focused
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Developed a comprehensive
SSI program management plan to improve overall payment accuracy,
increase continuing disability reviews, expand anti-fraud efforts,
and improve debt collection
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Announced changes in the Agency’s
administrative procedures to make it easier for victims of domestic
violence to get new Social Security numbers
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Launched an initiative to
have SSA executives and staff work with women’s groups to increase
their knowledge of the Social Security programs
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Entered into cooperative agreements
with Boston College and University of Michigan to establish a Retirement
Research Consortium
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Established a Public Understanding
Measurement System (PUMS) in order to be able to measure the level
of understanding of the Agency’s programs and effectively work to
increase that level
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Implemented a $6 million demonstration project to test three
models of enrolling beneficiaries in the Medicare Part B State buy-in
programs: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, Specified Low Income Beneficiary,
and Qualifying Individual
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Issued the first Government
Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report in its FY
1999 Accountability Report
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Received the 1998 Advancing
Government Accountability Award for excellence in accounting reporting
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Received the Association of Government Accountants’ Certificate
of Excellence in Accounting Reporting for 1999 Accountability
Report
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Helped implement the Digital
Divide Initiative by donating over 40,000 surplus computers and
related equipment to public schools around the country
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Successfully handled the Y2K problem. SSA recognized
the potential problem in 1989 and served as a resource for other
Federal agencies
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Signed international social
security totalization agreements with South Korea and Chile
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Implemented the Elimination
of the Retirement Earnings Test for beneficiaries over normal retirement
age
CUSTOMER SERVICE
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The Agency received an 82 rating in the American Customer
Satisfaction Index Survey. That is one of the highest earned
by participating Federal agencies and 10 percent higher than comparable
private sector index
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Obtained an permanent injunction barring the Federal Record
Service Corporation from mailing deceptive Social Security-related
solicitations. The FRSC was soliciting funds for performing
tasks that the Social Security Administration does for free
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Improved access time for calls
to the Agency’s 800 number from 83 percent in FY 1996 to 96 percent
in FY 1999, while handling 60 million calls
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Established an Electronic
Service Delivery Project to make use of emerging and existing technologies
to provide more convenient, cost-effective, secure and user-friendly
service options for our customers
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Initiated online application for Social Security retirement
benefits on the Agency’s website. Additionally, certain callers
to our 800 number can now file directly over the phone.
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Initiated service allowing for the online application for
the replacement of Medicare cards--CMMS processes the applications
and releases the new cards
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Established e:news,
a consumer-oriented electronic newsletter about the Social Security
program and Social Security issues
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Inaugurated an online Social
Security “Retirement Planner” which allows people of any age to
compute estimates of their future Social Security retirement benefits
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Sponsored a national conference
for Agency officials and representatives of American Indian groups
as part of ongoing outreach efforts to underserved communities
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Directed efforts to increase
service to the non-English speaking, including a hiring emphasis
to increase the number of bilingual employees to 6,000; adding Spanish
prompts on the Agency’s 800 number automated service; publishing
most of SSA’s public information materials in Spanish and working
to provide other non-English versions
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Received two Emmy Awards for
Public Service Announcements on the Future of Social Security
INVESTMENT IN EMPLOYEES
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Sponsored Agency-wide Diversity Conference in Atlanta, Georgia
reaffirming the need for a diverse workforce in serving an increasingly
diverse population. Since 1998, the Agency’s new hires of
Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, African-Americans,
and Hispanics reflect percentages above the national civilian workforce.
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Received the 1998 John Sturdivant
National Partnership Award, which recognized the Agency’s commitment
to the goals of management-union partnership
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Created an “Employees as Ambassadors
Program” to train all 65,000 Agency employees about critical national
issues facing Social Security
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Received SAP America/Stevie
Wonder Vision Awards Program’s Siemens Award for Excellence for
technology infrastructure to support visually impaired employees
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Received 2000 League of United
Latin American Citizens’ Federal Agency of the Year Award for achievement
in hiring and promoting Hispanic Americans
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