The Social Security Administration's youth transition demonstration projects

Abstract

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is funding Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects in multiple sites across the country. These projects seek to improve transitions to adulthood for youth whose disabilities are so severe that they either are currently receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security disability benefits, or are at high risk of receiving them in the future. Youth participating in the projects are eligible for more generous earnings disregards and other incentives under SSA waivers of certain disability program rules. In addition, the projects provide them with individualized employment and benefits planning services. The waivers and services are designed to increase the likelihood that the YTD participants will become employed, earn enough to reduce their disability benefits, and eventually leave the disability rolls. Under contract with SSA, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. is conducting a rigorous random assignment evaluation of six of the demonstration projects. Approximately 880 youth at each site who agree to participate in the evaluation are being randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. The treatment group members are eligible for the SSA waivers and YTD services; the control group members are eligible for neither, but they can receive standard disability program work incentives and whatever alternative services may be available in their communities. Mathematica is gathering data on the treatment and control group members for up to four years following random assignment through surveys and SSA administrative records. By comparing mean values of outcomes such as earnings and disability benefit amounts for the treatment and control groups, the evaluation will assess whether the YTD projects are successful at improving transitions to adulthood. Findings from the evaluation will be presented in site-specific interim reports in 2010-2012 and in a comprehensive final report in 2014.