Findings Integrated Templates (FIT)

What is FIT?

The Findings Integrated Templates (FIT) is a Commissioner initiative designed to improve the quality and consistency of Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) decisions. The FIT approach integrates the findings of fact into the body of the decision.

In conjunction with the new electronic disability process, representatives may now submit proposed FIT draft decisions using the documents below. If an Administrative Law Judge agrees with your proposed decision, the hearing office staff will be able to easily convert the information and rationale contained in the document into a FIT favorable decision, assuming the document has been completed correctly.

The new FIT files are WORD documents created so that representatives can easily provide information for preparation of fully favorable initial adult and SSI child’s decisions.

If an ALJ approves the representative’s proposed draft decision document, Hearing Office staff will use the corresponding FIT template to convert the proposed draft decision into a fully favorable decision. To assist the Hearing Office staff in transferring the information into a fully favorable decision, please make sure that you have included all relevant data and sufficient analysis in the proposed draft decision document.

• Adult Fully Favorable  [MS WORD] [Version 7.0 May 2008]
• SSI Child Fully Favorable  [MS WORD] [Version 7.0 May 2008]

• Create a new Word document from one of the FIT Proposed Decision Documents by clicking one of the document links above.
  


• Enable the FIT macro.
  
  
  • In Word 2003 or earlier, click “Enable Macros” in the pop-up box that appears when you create the new document.
    
    
  • In Word 2007, click the Options button on the Security Warning bar, select “Enable this content,” and click the OK button.
  
  
  
• Type the appropriate text in each gray-shaded field. To place a check mark in a box, simply click once in the gray-shaded box. (To remove the check from the box, simply click the box again.)



• After completing all fields, run the built-in macro to check spelling and remove document restrictions:
  
  
  • In Word 2003 or earlier, click “COMPLETED” at the top of the menu bar.
    
    
  • In Word 2007, click Add-Ins on the Quick Access Toolbar and click “COMPLETED” in the Ribbon.
  
  
  
• When the macro asks “Do you want to run spell check now?” click “Yes. You must run the spell-check and conversion macro to complete the document.



• Save the template as a Word document to a CD or floppy disk using your client’s last name as the file name.



• If you are a registered user of the Electronic Records Express (ERE) (http://www.ssa.gov/ere/), you may submit the template electronically. Select “On the Record Request” (OTRQRST) as the document type, to ensure that the hearing office reviews your request promptly.



• If you do provide the document via ERE, submit the CD and a hard copy of the proposed draft decision document to the assigned ALJ by mail or direct delivery (no email). The Hearing Office will not return the CD to the representative. After the ALJ reviews the representative’s submission, the Hearing Office will destroy the CD containing the proposed decisional draft.



• Submit the CD and a hard copy of the proposed draft decision document to the assigned ALJ by mail or direct delivery (no email). The Hearing Office will not return the CD to the representative. After the ALJ reviews the representative’s submission, the Hearing Office will destroy the CD containing the proposed decisional draft.



• You can also save the blank FIT Proposed Decision Document to your computer and follow the directions above.