Survey Description Employment Network Customer Satisfaction Survey

DOCUMENTATION FOR THE GENERIC CLEARANCE

OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS

T ITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Ticket to Work Employment Network Customer Satisfaction Survey

SSA SUB-NUMBER: D-01

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY (give purpose of activity, provide specific information; i.e., date(s) of survey, number of focus groups, locations, etc.):

Background

Ticket to Work (TTW) is a Social Security Administration (SSA) program that offers adults receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits or disability/blindness-related Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments choices for receiving employment services. Under this program, SSA issues tickets to eligible recipients who, in turn, may choose to assign those tickets to an Employment Network (EN) or to their State vocational rehabilitation agency (SVRA) to obtain employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services necessary to achieve a vocational (work) goal. The EN or SVRA coordinates and provides appropriate services to help recipients find and maintain employment.

To ensure that ENs are providing effective and quality service, SSA needs to assess SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients’ satisfaction with EN services. In this survey, SSA will conduct a customer satisfaction assessment of select recipients who are currently participating in the TTW program and have assigned their tickets with a specific EN for three months or longer. The survey will serve two purposes: 1) it will assess EN satisfaction for the participants, and 2) will test a potential vehicle for annually capturing beneficiary satisfaction with EN performance. The survey asks recipients to rate the services provided by SSA-contracted ENs in their role as employment support providers under the TTW program.

Description of Survey

We are planning to survey approximately 3,585 beneficiaries and SSI recipients who assigned their tickets to ENs in California (excluding SRVR agencies acting as an EN) as of September 30, 2010. Only the clients of ENs with ten or more tickets assigned for at least 3 months will receive the survey. We will mail the survey questionnaire below to the clients of each of the selected 41 California ENs about a week after we send the advance letter announcing the survey. We will conduct this survey by mail. The survey will also be available online for beneficiaries and SSI recipients who choose to respond electronically. An explanation of the survey follows.

This proposed survey will be a quantitative survey. Our TTW Operations Support Manager (contractor), MAXIMUS, will mail the surveys out within weeks of receiving OMB approval.

The survey responses will be strictly voluntary and anonymous. We will not provide any payments/stipend to participants.

USE OF SURVEY RESULTS:

We will incorporate the customer satisfaction information into an EN Report Card that eventually will add a new dimension to the current evaluation of ENs. SSA will use the results of the study to monitor and evaluate recipient satisfaction with their EN’s performance. Prospective clients will use the information to help them choose an EN.

BURDEN HOUR COMPUTATION (Number of responses (X) estimated response time

(/60) = annual burden hours):

Based on 20 percent response rate:

Number of Responses: 3,585.

Estimated Response Time: 10 minutes.

Annual Burden hours: 598 hours.

NAME OF CONTACT PERSON: Deb Larwood (410-966-6135)

Quantitative Surveys:

For quantitative surveys, you will need to complete the questions below.

A. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Provide, in tabular form, data on 1) the number of entities in the universe covered by the collection, 2) the corresponding sample for the universe as a whole, and 3) each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If you have conducted the collection previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

The sampling universe is all Social Security beneficiaries and SSI recipients served by ENs in California serving ten or more ticket holders under the TTW program. A comprehensive sampling method is proposed; we will mail a survey to all beneficiaries/recipients served by all ENs meeting these criteria. This is not a stratified sample.

	N
Number of Entities in the Universe	3,585
Sample	3,585
Strata	Not applicable

The expected response rate is 25 percent, the average for this type of survey. While the research plan includes some elements shown to increase return rate, i.e., multiple formats for completion, advance notice, follow-up and postage-paid, addressed envelopes; it does not include incentives (e.g., money) for respondent participation nor a direct email link. Our prior experience in surveying the beneficiaries/recipients of two ENs in California yielded a 23 percent response rate.

B. Describe the procedures for the collection of information:

The evaluation uses mailed surveys with postage –paid envelopes. We are also providing an on-line response option with a personal identification number (PIN) for the on-line version included in the mailing. We will send surveys to all members of the sampling universe that is Social Security beneficiaries and SSI recipients served by a California EN to which the beneficiaries/recipients have assigned ten or more tickets. We will estimate means for all respondents from the state, and for individual ENs based on the survey responses received.

The purpose of the EN consumer satisfaction survey is to provide beneficiaries and recipients information that would enable them to make informed choices of the EN from which they wish to receive services. A secondary purpose is to provide feedback to ENs regarding strengths and weaknesses of their programs, as perceived by consumers. The degree of accuracy needed is sufficient to accurately identify meaningful differences among ENs’ ratings. For this purpose, we consider a difference of 10 percent sufficient to potentially affect a consumer’s decision to choose one EN over another.

There are no unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures.

The research plan proposes annual data collection. New TTW ENs enter the program each year and the clients of existing ENs’ may change as well. Therefore, a less than annual data collection period would miss some new programs and not reflect the opinions of current clients.

C. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with the issues of non-response.

We have made multiple efforts to maximize response rates.

We held a national webinar and national conference call on September 27 and 28 , 2010, to increase awareness of the survey among potential recipients and EN personnel. We will post survey announcements and information on the SSA and program manager websites.

We will mail potential recipients an advance survey notice explaining the purpose of the survey and encouraging their participation.

We will also mail each survey with an addressed, postage-paid envelope, as well as the URL and PIN for an on-line response option for the survey.

Within two weeks of the original mailing, we will mail non-respondents a reminder letter, another copy of the survey, a postage-paid envelope, URL and PIN for optional on-line completion.

We will mail surveys in the language of preference (Spanish or English) on record with SSA.

We will analyze survey data for each EN and for California as a whole for non-response issues. We will merge survey responses by PIN number with demographic information in SSA’s database and from the Annual Performance and Outcome Report (APOR). A missing data variable will be added, coded 1 for survey respondents and 0 for missing data. We will compare respondents to the population on demographic variables (age, gender, disability category, employment status, and race) and on EN variables (number and type of beneficiaries/recipients served, types of services provided).

We will test demographic and EN variables for significant relationships with consumer satisfaction and outcome. If we detect a bias in response rate on a variable related to satisfaction or outcome, we will report the mean results for that EN both with and without controlling for the identified variable.

D. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. When possible, OMB encourages testing of procedures as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. However, this is not always necessary.

The Employment Network Consumer Satisfaction survey is a statewide pilot test that we will use to refine the questionnaire and methods of information collection prior to possible nationwide implementation. Respondents to the pilot survey will complete a 20-item survey, comprised primarily of multiple-choice and checklist items. We estimate that the survey will take 10 minutes to complete.

We tested the on-line survey for accessibility for individuals with visual impairments using Jaws for Windows software. The survey was developed by a contractor and reviewed by several individuals with expertise with the TTW program including three SSA beneficiaries, who had been involved with the program, members of the program manager/contractor team, and SSA. Based on the feedback, we revised the survey and presented it during two national events attended by over 170 members of the public. We further revised the survey based on public comments stemming from these forums.

E. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals you consulted on statistical aspects of the design. If you are using a contractor who will actually collect and/or analyze the data, provide their name as well.

Consulted on statistical aspects of the design and contracted to collect and analyze the data:

Debbie Winter (571) 926-1329

AnnMaria De Mars (310) 717-9089

BAE Systems Information Solutions, Inc.