Open Government News
Commissioner O’Malley’s First 100 Days
Accomplishments and New SecurityStat Website
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The Social Security Administration continues to act on the Open Government principle of transparency. In support of this continuing goal, we are excited to share a summary of the Agency’s recent accomplishments and our new SecurityStat website.
To accelerate customer service improvements, SecurityStat brings top executives and subject matter experts together every two weeks to identify problems and solutions and follow-through on necessary changes. The SecurityStat website offers a new and unprecedented level of transparency for the Agency’s stakeholders.
As a result of this collaborative effort, we are implementing changes to improve disability determination processing times, reduce National 800 Number wait times, and help resolve overpayment and underpayment injustices.
Visit our Agency Accomplishments webpage to learn about dozens of changes and initiatives implemented so far.
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) launches an Open Government Federal Advisory Committee
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The Social Security Administration is dedicated to the Open Government principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration. In support of this goal, we are excited to share that the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Open Government Secretariat is seeking nominations for a new Open Government Federal Advisory Committee.
The advisory committee’s primary function is to:
- Advise GSA in its efforts to increase public access to government data and records, to advance equity in open government efforts;
- Engage the public in the regulatory process; and
- Improve the delivery of government services and benefits through expert advice.
Members will serve one (1) to three (3) year terms, and there will be no more than 20 members on the committee. You can find information about how to apply here. The deadline for nominations is May 30, 2024.
GSA will host a virtual public Q and A session on May 10 for interested parties to learn more about the application process. If you would like to participate, please register online. This session will be recorded and available afterward on the GSA YouTube Channel’s Open Government Secretariat Playlist.
Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program (ICAP) Round 4 Applications – Now Open!
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) published a Request For Applications (RFA) for the fourth round of the Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program (ICAP) on Grants.gov.
This funding opportunity allows SSA to collaborate with non-federal groups and organizations who have the interest and ability to identify, operate, evaluate, and partially fund interventional research.
The research and interventions under this program will target:
- Increasing employment and self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, including people of color and other underserved communities.
- Coordinating planning between private and public human services agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and related programs.
- Assisting claimants in underserved communities to apply for or appeal decisions on claims for SSDI and SSI benefits.
- Conducting outreach to people with disabilities who are potentially eligible to receive SSI.
SSA expects to award two grants of up to $4.5 million each, totaling up to $9 million combined, with each awarded project having a period of up to 5 years for completion.
Applications for the fourth round of ICAP must be submitted by June 3, 2024 on Grants.gov.
SSA will host an Information Session for potential ICAP applicants on Thursday, April 25, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. If you would like to participate, please register for the information session by Monday, April 22, 2024.
Learn more on the ICAP main page.
Now Available: New Data on Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program
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Now in! SSA has released two new datasets about our SSI application receipts in underserved ZIP codes and SSI application receipts by age for federal fiscal years 2021-2023. The datasets were created as part of our agency priority goal to improve equity in our SSI program through increased outreach and improved service delivery.
Social Security collects data about our programs and strives to make the information accessible, while safeguarding the personal information entrusted to us. To access more of our datasets, please visit our Open Government Data page.
Learn About Working While Receiving Disability Benefits
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Are you interested in learning about how work will affect your Social Security benefits? If so, you can attend a free Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) online webinar to learn more about the Ticket to Work program or Work Incentives.
WISE webinars are online events held for people who are age 18-64 and receive Social Security disability benefits. You will learn about how the Ticket to Work can provide the support you need to transition to financial independence.
Wise Webinars are generally held on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Learn more at https://choosework.ssa.gov/wise or call the Ticket to Work helpline at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
Retirement and Disability Research Funding Opportunities at SSA
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The Social Security Administration invites organizations and graduate students to submit proposals for innovate research relevant to our disability and retirement programs. Social Security offers research opportunities for a variety of topics, including:
- Eliminating the structural barriers for people with disabilities in the labor market, particularly for people of color and other underserved communities.
- Increasing employment, economic security, and self-sufficiency of program applicants for people with disabilities and people in underserved communities.
- Getting rid of discrimination in hiring, pay, and promotion; specifically, employers being held accountable for discrimination and bias.
- Understanding the effects of occupational segregation and access to employer-based retirement plans, discussion about progress in the labor market, enough for people to feel comfortable about retirement.
- Coordinating planning between private and public human services agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and related programs.
- Conducting outreach to people with disabilities potentially eligible for SSI and addressing barriers to disability and SSI program participation.
- Understanding the public’s service and communication needs.
To learn more about opportunities and how you can participate, visit SSA’s disability and retirement research funding opportunity pages.
Register Now!
August 16, 2023 Community Discussion:
Improving Access to Government Data, Research, and Information
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The Social Security Administration is committed to transparency, public participation, and collaboration. We invite you to register for an Open Government public engagement session to be held on Wednesday, August 16th from 1-2 p.m. ET. During this session you will hear updates from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) about efforts to Improve Access to Government Data, Research, and Information. GSA will share their plans for improving public access to government-produced information and facilitate a community discussion on how to track progress on the commitments in the National Action Plan.
To register and submit questions for this session, please go here:
https://gsa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdO-sqzsoE_G_AP1spjsTo4BElLp9FTY
Register Now!
July 27, 2023 Community Discussion:
Redesigning U.S. Open Government Websites and Open Government Public Engagement Session
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The Social Security Administration is dedicated to the Open Government principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration. We invite you to you to register for an Open Government public engagement session to be held on Thursday, July 27th from 2-3 pm ET. During this session you will hear updates from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) on efforts to Transform Government Service Delivery. OMB and GSA will share progress on the redesign of the U.S. Open Government website and facilitate a community discussion on how to track progress on the commitments made by the National Action Plan.
Interactive workshops with the public will be facilitated via an online digital whiteboard. Interested parties can now visit it to ensure they will have full access during the workshops.
To register and submit questions for this session, please go here: https://gsa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscOyprT4sHVgaju_0fCO6_NrhPTp0DVo.
Funding Opportunity for Research Through the Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program
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We are accepting applications for the Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program (ICAP), an exciting research opportunity! Information about this funding opportunity is available here. The application is open through Monday, July 31, 2023.
ICAP allows us to enter into cooperative agreements with non-federal entities to conduct interventional research supporting our programs. The research and interventions funded by ICAP will target five priority research areas:
- Eliminating the structural barriers for people with disabilities in the labor market, particularly for people of color and other underserved communities, that increase the likelihood of people receiving or applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
- Increasing employment and self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, including people in underserved communities;
- Coordinating planning between private and public human services agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the SSDI, SSI, and related programs;
- Assisting claimants in underserved communities to apply for or appeal decisions on claims for SSDI and SSI benefits; and
- Conducting outreach to people with disabilities who are potentially eligible to receive SSI.
To learn more about the ICAP funding opportunity and how to apply, please attend an information session. Information sessions will be held on Friday, June 23, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET and on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. Please register to attend either session. You can also visit our ICAP webpage for additional information.
Newly Released Data about Telephone Interpreter Service Call Counts
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On May 12, 2023, Social Security released the Annual Data for Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) Call Counts. This dataset provides TIS call counts by language beginning with fiscal year 2019.
Social Security is committed to providing fair and equitable service to our customers with limited English proficiency. We offer the option to use our TIS free of charge.
To access more datasets on our programs and operations, please visit our Open Government Data Webpage.
HUD Announces Additional Communities Receiving Grants and Vouchers to Address Homelessness
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In administering the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, Social Security provides income stability for people with disabilities who have income and resources below specific financial limits. This includes people facing barriers, such as those facing or experiencing homelessness. This program, combined with other federal, state, and local programs, can help individuals transition from homelessness toward stable and permanent housing. To further address the need to assist communities provide stable housing for the homeless, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced $171.2 million in grants for 115 new projects in 29 Continuum of Care (CoC) communities, this is in addition to the first set of grants awards announced in February. This will bring the total value of grants to $486 million to 62 CoC communities. In addition, HUD is inviting 139 Public Housing Authorities who partnered with grantee communities to accept approximately 3,300 Stability Vouchers. Together, these grants and vouchers comprise a first-of-its-kind package of resources to help communities provide housing and supportive services to people in unsheltered settings and people experiencing homelessness in rural areas.
Visit here to learn more information on HUD’s work to address homelessness.
A full list of grant awards can be found here.
The 2023 OASDI Trustees Report
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The Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report on the financial status of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Funds. The 2023 Trustees Report is available at: 2023 OASDI Trustees Report.
National Work Incentives Seminar Event (WISE) Webinar:
Are you interested in learning about how work will affect your Social Security benefits?
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On March 22, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, Social Security will host a WISE webinar, “How Will Work Affect My Social Security Disability Benefits?” This webinar is helpful for people who are ages 18 through 64 and receiving Social Security disability benefits and who are interested in learning about the Ticket to Work program or Work Incentives.
For more information about this informative webinar and how to register, please visit: Webinar Selection - Ticket to Work - Social Security (ssa.gov).
To view past webinars on demand, please visit: WISE On Demand - Ticket to Work - Social Security (ssa.gov).
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program Grants
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On February 28, 2023, the DOL published a notice of grants funding for a Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program. This FOA provides information about the availability of approximately $25 million in grant funds, with a maximum for an individual award set at $500,000. The grant provides funds to qualified organizations with programs that provide homeless or incarcerated veterans with job training, counseling, placement, and related services to help them obtain and reach their full employment potential and achieve high-quality career outcomes.
Other SSA News and Updates
Open Government
SSA is committed to creating an open and transparent government through the following initiatives: