Responses to OMB Questions on TTW Survey

Response to OMB Comments on SSA Ticket to Work Beneficiary Survey

0960-NEW

Supporting Statement:

1. Currently, what percentage of benies who qualify for the Ticket program actually participate in it? Why does SSA believe that participation is so low (we realize this is partly the point of the survey, but are interested in your preliminary hypotheses)? Question answered during conference call.

2. SSA is planning a final rule that will significantly change the way the Ticket program is implemented. Why is SSA choosing to do this survey now (rather than wait until the new program changes have been implemented)? Question answered during conference call.

3. SSA is expecting an 80% survey response rate. What have response rates been like for past surveys to disabled benies? The responses below were prepared by different components, so the formats are different:

See Attachment 1 for the New Beneficiary Survey.

See Attachment 2 for the Survey of Disability Report Form Users.

See Attachment 3 for the Ticket to Work Beneficiary Survey.

Survey Instrument:

4. We would like to talk with you about the wording of the introductory script and the order of the questions.

(a)SSA has removed the Paperwork Reduction Act language from the introductory paragraph. The language will be used for the interviewers to inform any respondent who asks about OMB approval for this survey.

(b)SSA incorporated OMB’s suggestion to reference the Ticket to Work program in the introduction.

(c) Changing the order of the questions: The survey will begin with general SSA program questions in order to ease respondents into the survey. Following the program questions are questions about personal preferences. Just prior to demographic questions, the respondent is asked some questions about his/her use of the Ticket. These questions are kept at the end of the survey to avoid any early defensive reaction about their use of the Ticket which could potentially result in an unfinished interview.

(d) SSA considered the use of cognitive testing. However, it would require contract modification, additional costs, and delay the start and completion of the survey.

5. Question S2 on the respondent’s relationship to the benie – Why doesn’t SSA ask if this person is the beneficiary’s representative payee? Does it matter? If the person is not the benie’s rep payee, can they answer the questions on the benie’s behalf? “Representative payee” will be coded as a response category for the question. The interviewer will ask whether the person on the phone is familiar with the respondent’s daily routine. If not, the interviewer will ask for the name of a person who can. That may or may not be the rep payee.

6. Question D3. on race should say “American Indian or Alaska Native.” Also, please tell respondents that they can select one or more. On Question D3, we have changed “Alaska Native or American Indian” to “American Indian or Alaska Native.” Respondents will be allowed to select more than one response. “Other” will be removed as a response.

7. SSA is asking the same questions to Ticket and non-Ticket participants. What will SSA do with info on the current Ticket participants’ media preferences? Question answered during conference call.

8. Question 8b (moved to 14c.) asks why non-participants don’t use the Ticket program. Why not ask a similar question to current participants about why they did choose to use their ticket? It seems like this could provide valuable programmatic information. In addition to the question asking why non-participants don’t use the program, we added a question asking participants why they did use the program (14b.).