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7. Enhancing SSA's Research Capacity
Pages 140-147

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From page 140...
... Experts in the field addressed the committee during its meetings and also participated in two large workshops organized by the committee. The committee's recommendations in the preceding chapters and in its interim reports to SSA are intended to better inform public policy by developing a national data system for monitoring on a continuous basis the size and characteristics of the population eligible for Social Security disability benefits and enhancing research leading to improved assessment of work disability for the purpose of awarding benefits.
From page 141...
... Two recent reports of the Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB, 1997, 1998) also noted the very small number of staff positions and budget amounts devoted to research and recommended that SSA increase its intramural and extramural research activities.
From page 142...
... Oversight responsibility rests with the agency for careful evaluation of the work of external researchers to ensure the quality, adequacy, and appropriateness of the products, and for designing the approaches to testing and experimentation. In addition, SSA has research grant authority under Section 1110 of the Social Security Act.
From page 143...
... Recommendation 7-2: The committee recommends that the Social Security Administration (SSA) expand and diversify its extramural research program to include a balance of contracts, cooperative agreements, and investigator-initiated grants.
From page 144...
... Research contracts are effectively used to collect well-specified data using standard techniques. For example, contracts might be used to provide ongoing estimates of key statistics of interest to SSA, collect data on an ongoing basis, or providing ongoing statistical support services.
From page 145...
... The problems of Social Security's disability decision process are deep and fundamental. This is not adequately reflected in the agency's research agenda.
From page 146...
... 11~. The committee endorses the conclusions reached by SSA and the SSAB that underscored the need for fundamental change in the Social Security disability programs.
From page 147...
... ENHANCING SSA'S RESEARCH CAPACITY 147 made many modifications in response to its recommendations for improving the National Survey of Health and Activity. The committee believes that the blueprint for action it recommends for developing and implementing a disability monitoring system for Social Security programs, andfor needed research relating to the redesign of the disability decision process will contribute toward a significantly improved and efficient system of measuring and monitoring work disability that will better inform public policy and serve the public.


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