Student wants Social Security to refer denied disability applicants to job services

The Honorable U.S. Representative Rodney Davis

Springfield District Office

2833 S Grand Ave. East 

Springfield, IL 62703

Dear Mr. Davis, 

I am writing to you to advocate for the bill Promoting Opportunity for Disability Benefit Applicants Act (H.R. 3310).  It amends titles II of OASDI and XVI of SSI of the Social Security Act to allow the Social Security Administration to provide information on appropriate public or private places that provide employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services to individuals who are denied OASDI or SSI benefits based on an adverse determination of disability. 

This bill needs to be passed to help those who are living in (or at risk of falling into) poverty after they suffer an injury or illness that causes disability. Perhaps their disability is not so severe that they qualify for disability benefits, or perhaps there are technical reasons why they do not qualify for SSI or Disability Insurance (perhaps they have too many assets to qualify for SSI).  If people who are denied disability benefits can find a job suitable for their abilities, they will be able to support themselves. But, if they are denied Disability Insurance or SSI and they cannot find a job that will match their abilities, what can they do? 

Those who are denied Disability Insurance benefits or SSI will either need help finding a job or else they will need other forms of benefits to prevent their becoming homeless or malnourished. Surely it will be better to help such persons find work, if work can be found. If the Promoting Opportunity for Disability Benefit Applicants Act is passed, the Social Security Administration would direct the many (over 60% of persons who apply for disability benefits) who are are denied  the benefits they seek to services that could help them find appropriate jobs matching their situations. These referrals should lead to many persons finding appropriate employment. For these successful job seekers, they will not need to utilize the as many welfare programs because they will have full time work. They will be able to get insurance through their work instead of being on Medicaid. They will be able to have an income, so they will not need to rely on SNAP for all of their food. By passing this bill, the country will be saving money on welfare programs. There will not be as many homeless people on the streets or in shelters. People will be able to take care of themselves by having resources gained through jobs that they are able to do. They will be able to become more self-sufficient and independent. 

This bill will help people pay taxes because more people will get jobs and that happening will increase the taxes that come out of their checks, which makes the United States have more money. Our country needs money and this will lead to more people in the workforce.  Certainly, most people prefer to be self-reliant and employed if they can be. I hope you agree, and will support bills like H.R. 3310, and generally advocate for more services that help persons with disabilities find employment or opportunities, especially when they have sought services through Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income and had their claims denied. 

Between 2001 through 2010 the Americans seeking disability benefits and actually getting them from Social Security were only about 45 percent of people who applied. People that were denied disability benefits were 53 percent.  But, since that time, the rate of denials has increased, and fewer people who apply for benefits because of disabilities are getting anything.

If you look at this chart from the Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2016, you will see that more and more applications for Social Security Disability Insurance are being denied.

Let me quote from page 149 of the 2016 report on Disability Insurance:

Final outcome of disabled-worker applications, 2006–2015The final award rate for disabled-worker applicants has varied over time, averaging 34 percent for claims filed from 2006 through 2015. The percentage of applicants awarded benefits at the initial claims level averaged 23 percent over the same period and ranged from a high of 25 percent to a low of 20 percent. The percentage of applicants awarded at the reconsideration and hearing levels are averaging 2 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Denied disability claims have averaged 62 percent.

Please note that.  The Social Security Administration is denying 62 percent of claims for Disability Insurance. Does it seem to you plausible that 62% of those who apply for DI are actually not worthy of such benefits?  Surely Americans tend to be a hard-working and industrious people, and we have good work ethics, and I cannot believe that 62% of those who reach the desperation of applying for Disability Insurance do not deserve such benefits. Nevertheless, whether they deserve or do not deserve disability benefits, they clearly need help finding work, and H.R. 3310 would do just that.

According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, people that are denied disability are likely to become homeless. This is because after denial, they cannot find work, and if the Social Security Administration would help these people find work, vocational rehabilitation services, and support services, many people would not be homeless. Social Security denies so many people for disability because they think there are certain jobs that they can still do, but the person whose application has been denied may think there are no jobs they are capable of doing. Therefore, it is very helpful to give them resources to help them find those jobs that they will be able to do. For example, a person that got denied may be able to do a job that is not as high functioning as what they have tried in the past, and they can get help with this from the Social Security Administration. If you will support H.R. 3310 and help it get a hearing in committee and then eventually get to the House floor, I hope I can proudly tell my friends and neighbors about your support of this excellent legislation and your demonstrated commitment to helping people become self-sufficient.

  Your Obedient Servant and Constituent,

     [ Student in SWK-355 Policy and Services course ]