Mathematica Policy Research

States have faced considerable challenges, but by the end of 2009, MFP programs had helped approximately 5,600 people transition to community living. This report describes the program’s status through December 2009, including how states are progressing toward their goals, and provides baseline information for analyses of impacts and outcomes.

With federal funding, states have worked to make One-Stop services more accessible to people with disabilities through the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) initiative. This report assesses the extent to which working age recipients of Social Security disability benefits used these services and looks at employment outcomes and differences in utilization and outcomes over time as the initiative matured in the four states studied.

What are the short and intermediate-term outcomes for beneficiaries receiving WIPA services, and what are the program variations in outputs and costs? This report presents findings on the activities of the 103 organizations receiving SSA grants under the WIPA program, established in 2006 to disseminate information on work incentives and support beneficiaries in their efforts to return to work. This is the first in a series of reports that make up the sixth Ticket to Work evaluation report.

Learn about how Medicaid Buy-In participants with severe mental illness compare to other program participants. Their characteristics, employment experiences, and medical expenditures are profiled in this issue brief. It is shown that these individuals have lower medical expenditures and better employment outcomes than participants with other disabling conditions, at least in the short to medium term. Research results, policy implications and next steps are discussed.

Review a brief that profiles Medicaid Buy-In participants with severe mental illness and compares their characteristics, employment experiences, and medical expenditures with those of other program participants. Findings show that Buy-In participants had lower medical expenditures, were more likely to be employed and to increase their earnings over time.

First in a series, this brief presents findings from AoA’s National Survey of Older Americans Act Program Participants. Findings indicated that Title III participants were at a higher risk of entering a nursing home compared to others in their age group. The authors conclude that AoA, however, is effectively reaching those most at risk of institutionalization, and that Title III services play an important role in helping elderly adults remain living independently in the community.

Are MIGs assisting individuals with disabilities to become employed? An annual GPRA report has been produced since 2007. This report builds on previous work, and shows the continued impact of MIG funding in 2008 on programs and services that facilitate employment among individuals with disabilities. As the MIG program approaches the end of its authorized period, many states are committing to evaluating the programs, documenting their impacts, and sustaining the efforts beyond 2011.

Explore preliminary results for this demonstration to test whether earlier access to health care and related services to SSDI beneficiaries would lead to improved health, increased employment and reduced reliance on SSDI benefits. The brief describes the sample selected and the impacts on health care use and unmet medical needs. Findings indicate the intervention increased the use of health care services and reduced the reported unmet health care needs of the participants.

Review an early assessment of the balance of state LTC systems before the implementation of the MFP demonstration. The authors’ goal was to develop a baseline against which the impacts could be measured as the program matures and evolves. This baseline information is used to identify key differences in the makeup of states’ LTC systems, and the observations suggest that the impacts of the program are likely to differ across states.

Statistics for how many people on the Social Security disability rolls return to work published by the SSA each year are based on the behavior of beneficiaries over a short period. Longer-term statistics offer “good news” in that, compared to the short-term statistics, they show more beneficiaries leaving the rolls after finding work. They also show that some beneficiaries who return to work but don’t leave the rolls could become more self sufficient if better work incentives were in place.