State Partnership Initiative (SPI)

The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) funded a combined total of eighteen demonstration States in 1998. SSA provided five-year funding to twelve States to develop innovative projects to assist individuals with disabilities in their efforts to reenter the workforce. These awards helped States develop State-wide programs of services and support for their residents with disabilities that increased job opportunities for them and decreased their dependence on benefits, including SSDI and SSI. California, Vermont, New York and Wisconsin implemented SSI waivers to test alternative rules.

The twelve States listed below conducted SPI projects:

SPI was designed to help Project States in the development of programs of employment support services for their residents with disabilities that would (1) increase job opportunities; (2) decrease dependence on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits; and (3) foster the development of community resources. Virginia Commonwealth University provided technical assistance to the States.

The SPI Projects fostered collaboration between SSA, its funding partners, as well as other Federal and State agencies. The new approaches developed by the States under this program created and enhanced Federal-State partnerships and served as models for other States.

The State Partnership Initiative Evaluation, published in May 2006, is now available. Read the summary or the full report.

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Return to Project Summary.
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