[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38182-38183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18586]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Testing Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; 
Test Sites for Single Decisionmaker Model

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of additional test sites and the duration of tests 
involving a single decisionmaker.

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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration is announcing the locations 
and the duration of additional tests that it will conduct under the 
current rules at 20 CFR Secs. 404.906 and 416.1406. Those rules 
authorize the testing of several modifications to the disability 
determination procedures that we normally follow in adjudicating claims 
for disability insurance benefits under title II of the Social Security 
Act (the Act) and claims for supplemental security income (SSI) 
payments based on disability under title XVI of the Act. This notice 
announces the test sites and duration of additional tests involving use 
of a single decisionmaker who may make the initial disability 
determination without requiring the signature of a medical consultant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark O'Donnell, SDM Test Leader, 
Office of the Commissioner, Disability Process Redesign Team, Social 
Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 
21235, 410-966-8336.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current regulations at Secs. 404.906, 
404.943, 416.1406, and 416.1443 authorize us to test different 
modifications to the disability determination procedures. The tests are 
designed to provide us with information so that we can determine the 
effectiveness of the models in improving the disability process. In our 
regulations we explained that prior to commencing each test or group of 
tests, we would publish a notice in the Federal Register describing the 
model(s) that we will test, where the test sites will be and the 
duration of the tests. On May 3, 1996, we announced the first phase of 
testing of the single decisionmaker model (61 FR 19969). This test was 
conducted at ten sites in eight States wherein test cases were selected 
for a period of six months. On March 14, 1997, we announced the 
continuation of testing at one of those ten test sites, and the 
duration of the continuation of the test in that site (62 FR 12264). On 
or about July 15, 1997, we will begin additional testing of the single 
decisionmaker model in the test sites listed below. The sites listed 
below include the site in which we previously announced the 
continuation of the test of the single decisionmaker model on March 14, 
1997. This notice extends the duration of that test for the period 
indicated below. Under this model, a single decisionmaker may make 
initial disability determinations without generally requiring a medical 
consultant to sign the disability determination forms that we use to 
certify the determination. We will select cases for evaluation of these 
tests for up to 18 months, and may continue to have cases processed for 
an additional six to eight months thereafter. We plan to test the use 
of a single decisionmaker in 30 sites located in 15 states. The sites 
selected represent a mix of geographic areas and case loads. We will 
publish another notice in the Federal Register if we extend the 
duration of the test or expand further the test sites. For the purpose 
of these tests, the single decisionmaker will be an employee of the 
State agency that makes disability determinations for us. The 
decisionmaker will make the initial disability determination after any 
appropriate consultation with a medical consultant. However, before an 
initial determination is made that a claimant is not disabled in any 
case in which the existence of a mental impairment is indicated, the 
decisionmaker will make every reasonable effort to ensure that a 
qualified psychiatrist or psychologist has completed the medical 
portion of the case review and any applicable residual functional 
capacity assessment pursuant to our existing procedures. Similarly, in 
making a determination with respect to the disability of an individual 
under age 18 applying for SSI payments based on disability, the 
decisionmaker will make reasonable efforts to ensure that a qualified 
pediatrician or other individual who specializes in a field of medicine 
appropriate to the child's impairment(s) evaluates the claim. The 
testing of the single decisionmaker model listed below are separate 
from, and in addition to, the testing of the Full Process Model--of 
which the Single Decisionmaker Model is also a part--and which we 
previously announced on April 4, 1997 (62 FR 16209, 62 FR 16210). Tests 
of the Single Decisionmaker Model will be held at the following 
locations:
State of Alaska
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Disability Determination Unit, 
701 East Tudor Road, Suite 250, Anchorage, AK 99503-7498

[[Page 38183]]

District of Columbia
Rehabilitation Services Administration, 717 Fourteenth Street, NW., 
Washington, D.C. 20005
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 4140 Woodcock Drive, Dew Building, 
Suite 100, Jacksonville, FL 32207
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 9495 Sunset Drive, Sunset Square, 
Suite B100, Miami, FL 33173
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 3438 Lawton Road, Chandler 
Building, Suite 127, Orlando, FL 32803
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 2729 Fort Knox Boulevard, Building 
2, Suite 300, Tallahassee, FL 32399-9994
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 2729 Fort Knox Boulevard, Building 
2, Suite 301, Tallahassee, FL 32399-9994
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 1321 Executive Center Drive, 
Ashley Building, Suite 200, Tallahassee, FL 32399-6512
State of Florida
Office of Disability Determinations, 3450 West Busch Boulevard, 
Buschwood Park II, Suite 395, Tampa, FL 33618
State of Idaho
Disability Determination Services, 1505 McKinney Street, Boise, ID 
83704
State of Kansas
Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, Disability 
Determination Services, Docking State Office Building, Room 1016, 915 
SW Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66612-1596
State of Kentucky
Division of Disability Determinations, 102 Athletic Drive, P.O. Box 
1000, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602
Social Security Administration, District Office, 1460 Newton Pike, 
Lexington, KY 40511
State of Kentucky
Division of Disability Determinations, 7th and Jefferson Streets, 
Louisville, Kentucky 40201
State of Maine
Department of Human Services, Bureau of Rehabilitation, Disability 
Determination Services, Arsenal Street Extension, State House Station 
#116, Augusta, ME 04333
State of Michigan
Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 1200 
6th Street, Tenth Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
State of Michigan
Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 151 
South Rose Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
State of Michigan
Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 608 
West Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48933
State of Michigan
Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 315 
East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49684
State of Nevada
Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, Bureau of 
Disability Adjudication, 1050 East William Street, Room 300, Carson 
City, NV 89710
State of North Carolina
Division of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 321 
Chapanoke Street, Raleigh, NC 27603
State of Oklahoma
Disability Determination Services, 240 West Wilshire, Suite B6, 
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Social Security Administration, District Office, 6128 E. 38th Street, 
Tulsa, OK 74121
State of Oregon
Department of Human Resources, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, 
Disability Determination Services, Human Resources Building, 500 Summer 
Street, NE, Salem, OR 97310-1020
State of Vermont
Disability Determination Services, 2 Pilgrim Park Road, Second Floor, 
Waterbury, VT 05676
State of Washington
Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Disability 
Determination Services, Airindustrial Way, Building 12, Tumwater, WA 
98502
State of Washington
Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Disability 
Determination Services, 5221 East Third Street, Spokane, WA 99212
State of Washington
Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Disability 
Determination Services, 1119 SW Seventh Street, Renton, WA 98055
State of West Virginia
Division of Rehabilitation Services, Disability Determination Section, 
1206 Quarrier Street, Suite 200, Charleston, WV 25301
State of West Virginia
Division of Rehabilitation Services, Disability Determination Section, 
153 West Main Street, Suite 607, Clarksburg, WV 26301

    Not all cases received in the test sites listed above will be 
handled under the test procedures. However, if a claim is selected to 
be handled by a single decisionmaker as part of the test, the claim 
will be processed under the procedures established under the final 
rules cited above.

    Dated: July 9, 1997.
Carolyn W. Colvin,
Deputy Commissioner for Programs and Policy.
[FR Doc. 97-18586 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]
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