Organization Chart & Structure

The Office of Program Development and Research, under the leadership of the Associate Commissioner, is comprised of five separate offices. Choose the office name on the organization chart or from the list on the right for a description of each office and its respective functions.

Office of the Associate Commissioner Office of Data Analysis Office of Program Development Office of Program Evaluation Office of Program Research Office of Vocational Resources Development

The Office of the Associate Commissioner:

The Office of Program Development and Research (OPDR) provides broad program analysis and development in support of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. The Office:

1. 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.
   
   
2. Directs studies of program policy issues related to the development and evaluation of disability and the SSI program initiatives and legislative and policy proposals.
   
   
3. Identifies trends in the SSI and the disability programs and compiles and analyzes data on various aspects of those programs.
   
   
4. Designs, implements and evaluates demonstration projects to target special population and program issues.
   
   
5. 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.
   
   
6. Develops and implements policy and procedures on SSDI and SSI work incentives.
   
   

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The Office of Data Analysis:

1. Identifies trends in disability programs and emerging issues and policy implications.
   
   
2. Compiles and analyzes data on various aspects the disability and SSI programs, including such areas as SSI children, demonstration projects, denied applicants and work incentives.

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The Office of Program Development:

1. Develops and implements disability and SSI-related demonstration projects including projects that would encourage work and self-sufficiency.
   
   
2. Administers grants, interagency agreements, contracts, and unsolicited proposals in support of demonstration projects.
   
   
3. 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.
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4. 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 this end.

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The Office of Program Evaluation:

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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 this end.
   
   
3. Conducts analyses of international disability and income assistance programs.
   
   

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The Office of Program Research:

1. Identifies and develops potential research projects that will support future policy initiatives.
   
   
2. Reviews current research and determines SSI and disability policy implications.
   
   
3. Conducts studies and analyses on the national disabled population, applicants for benefits, disability beneficiaries, work incentives and disability assessment tools.
   
   
4. Conducts analyses of the interrelationships between SSA’s disability programs, the national economy and other income maintenance programs, as well as various socioeconomic factors.
   

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The Office of Vocational Resources Development:

1. Develops an occupational information system (OIS) designed specifically for SSA’s disability process.
   
   
2. Conducts research to obtain and classify current occupational information to evaluate disability.
   
   
3. Established an Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel to provide relevant external expertise and an agency-wide OIS Development Workgroup to provide internal expertise from SSA stakeholder components.
   
   

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