A Consultative Examination (CE) is a physical or mental examination performed by a treating source or another medical source including pediatrician, when additional information is needed (e.g., clinical findings, laboratory tests, diagnosis, and prognosis) to make a disability determination. The CE Baseline study will analyze and document the quality of current consultative exams (CEs) used in the determination of disability; assess if CEs are being requested in compliance with SSA regulations; determine the methodology of a functional data collection system; establish a baseline for CE quality; and determine those initiatives that will improve the quality of future CEs. We received an interim report in December 2006, and the final report is expected February 29, 2008.

State Partnership Initiative Evaluation

SSA partnered with the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to fund eighteen State demonstrations 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 the dependence on benefits, including SSDI and SSI. The projects began in May of 2001 and ended in September of 2004.

For more information, continue to the SPI Evaluation page.

Ticket to Work Evaluation

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Act of 1999, P.L. 106-170, requires the Commissioner of Social Security to provide for independent evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the Ticket to Work program, and to submit a report to Congress with recommendations for a method or methods to adjust payment rates to ensure adequate incentives for the provision of services by employment networks.

For more information, continue to the Ticket to Work Evaluation page.

The National Survey of SSI Children and Families (NSCF)

The NSCF collected data on the health status and functional limitations, health care utilization, health insurance coverage, receipt of services, SSI experience, the socioeconomic status of children’s households and housing characteristics f over 3000 children who were receiving, had received or were applying for, SSI. The study was limited to the non-institutionalized population in the continental United States (residents of Alaska, Hawaii and the territories were not included in the survey). Data collection began July 2001 and concluded July 2002.

For more information, continue to the NSCF page.

Vocational Expert Study Panel

On January 11, 2006, SSA awarded a contract to SSDC Corporation to convene an expert panel of vocational and occupational medical experts and disability policy and program experts to study SSA’s use of vocational and occupational medical expertise throughout the disability determination process, what changes can be made to improve case adjudication, and what qualifications we should require.

SSA selected 21 vocational and occupational medical experts to serve on this panel including individuals with expertise in occupational medicine, psychiatry, psychology, social work, rehabilitation, occupational and physical therapy, nursing, case management, individuals with disabilities, and the disability community. In addition, SSA included disability determination services administrators and administrative law judges. After several discussions and the reviews of distributed background materials, this expert panel met in July 2006 to prepare a report including recommendations for the Commissioner.

We received the Final Core Report from SSDC, "Use of Functional/Vocational Expertise", on March 27, 2007.


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