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How We're Organized

Organization of the Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is headed by a Commissioner and has a staff of approximately 62,000 employees. SSA's central office is in Baltimore, Maryland.

The 15 central office components are organized along functional lines. The field organization is decentralized to provide services at the local level, and includes 10 regional offices, 6 processing centers, and approximately 1300 field offices.
 

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Office of the Actuary

Makes estimates of financial status including future benefit costs and future tax collections.

Works with policymakers in developing changes to improve benefits and the program's financial status.

Monitors and evaluates the cost impact of the many proposals to change the Social Security programs.
 

 
Office of the Chief Information Officer Develops the Information Resource Management Plan and defines the information technology vision and strategy for the Social Security Administration.
 
 
Office of the Chief Strategic Officer

Directs the administration of SSA's comprehensive management programs including Agency-level planning and performance monitoring.
 

 

Office of the General Counsel

Promotes, advocates, and protects all legal interests of the Social Security Administration.
 

 

Office of the Inspector General

Improves and protects Social Security programs and operations against fraud, waste, and abuse by conducting independent and objective audits, investigations, and evaluations.
 

 

Office of Quality Performance

Directs the development of innovative changes to the current Agency quality management program, including the program’s initiatives and mechanisms when they are not clearly delineated by statutory authority.
 

 

Budget, Finance and Management

Provides financial accounting, travel, systems security, library, historical, budget, acquisition and contracting, supply, facilities management, employer reporting and ethics counseling services for the Agency.
 

 

Communications

Conducts the Agency’s national public information and public affairs programs.

Manages the Agency’s Internet and Intranet websites.

Responds to inquiries relating to the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs.

Prepares press releases and arranges press conferences for the national press corps.
 

 

Disability Adjudication and Review

  • Office of Appellate Operations
  • Office of Management
  • Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge
  • Office of the Federal Reviewing Official
  • National Hearing Office

Provides a way for individuals and organizations to appeal a decision when they are dissatisfied with determinations affecting their rights to benefits, the amount of their benefits or their participation in programs administered by the Social Security Administration. 
 

 

Disability and Income Security Programs

Directs and manages the planning, development, issuance and evaluation of operational regulations, standards and instructions for the Retirement and Survivors Insurance (RSI), Disability Insurance (DI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and international SSA programs.
 

 

Human Resources

  • Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity
  • Office of Labor-Management and Employee Relations
  • Office of Personnel
  • Office of Training

Provides human resource leadership and services to SSA employees.

 

Legislation and Congressional Affairs

Serves as the focal point for all legislative activity in SSA.

 

Operations

  • Office of Automation Support
  • Office of Central Operations
  • Office of Disability Determinations
  • Office of Electronic Services
  • Office of Public Service and Operations Support
  • Office of Telephone Services
   
  • Regional Offices:

Manage administration of Social Security programs in local offices across the U.S. that are the primary contacts between the public and SSA. These regions cover the following States and U.S. Territories:

 
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee  
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont  
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin  
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas  
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming  
Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri  
New Jersey, New York, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands  
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia  
Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Guam, Saipan  
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
 
 

Policy

  • Office of Disability and Income Assistance Policy
  • Office of Retirement Policy
  • Office of Research, Evaluation and Statistics

Serves as the Agency's focal point for policy development, policy analysis and research, evaluation, and statistics, available to the public through a quarterly journal and numerous statistical publications, in print and on the Internet.
 

 

Systems

  • Office of Applications and Supplemental Security Income Systems
  • Office of Disability Systems
  • Office of Earnings, Enumeration and Administrative Systems
  • Office of Enterprise Support Architecture and Engineering
  • Office of Retirement and Survivors Insurance Systems
  • Office of Systems Electronic Services
  • Office of Telecommunications and Systems Operations

Conducts systems and operational integration and strategic planning, and implements a comprehensive systems configuration management, data base management and data administration program. Acquires software and hardware acquisition for SSA.  Oversees software and hardware acquisition procedures, policies and activities. Directs the development of operational and programmatic specifications for new and modified systems, and oversees the development, validation and implementation of those systems. 

 
   
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Last reviewed or modified Monday Apr 14, 2008
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