About the Office of Program Development & Research

• Maintains awareness of issues concerning the broad program policy environment including Congress, the private sector and other government agencies, and ensures the Agency’s policy and research agendas consider and reflect these points of view.
  
  
• Directs studies of program policy issues related to the development and evaluation of disability and the SSI program initiatives and legislative and policy proposals.
  
  
• Identifies trends in the SSI and the disability programs and compiles and analyzes data on various aspects of those programs.
  
  
• Designs, implements and evaluates demonstration projects to target special population and program issues.
  
  
• Formulates Agency policy regarding crosscutting programs or issues related to disability and/or income assistance programs and works with other agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, toward that end.
  
  
• Develops and implements policy and procedures on SSDI and SSI work incentives.
  
  
• Designs, implements, and evaluates computer-based statistical models to predict likelihood that people filing for disability benefits are disabled and that evidence is easily and quickly available to substantiate the medical condition.
  
  
• Directs all activities in the development of an Occupational Information System.