Supporting Statement for
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)
Introduction/Authoring Laws and Regulations - The legislative authority for this program is in section 1149 of the Social Security Act and in section 121 of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. Public Law 113-6 (fiscal year 2013 Continuing Resolution) signed into law by the President on March 26, 2013, continues the program authority and allows the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to establish community-based work incentives planning and assistance programs that disseminate information on work incentives programs to assist persons with disabilities in their employment efforts.
The Commissioner established a competitive program of cooperative agreements to provide work incentives planning, assistance, and outreach called the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program (formerly referred to as the Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach Program). WIPA is part of SSA’s strategy for increasing the number of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients who return to work and achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency or who are actively seeking employment.
Award recipients include State and local governments, public and private organizations, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations. SSA has established as many WIPA project sites as needed to ensure statewide coverage of services for all SSDI and SSI recipients nationally.
Description of Collection - The recipient organizations disseminate information on work incentives programs, return to work and achieving financial independence counseling to Social Security and SSI claimants with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) so they may be able to make informed choices about work and employment. SSA uses the information to manage the program, with particular emphasis on cooperative agreement administration, budgeting, and training. Respondents are not required to complete the collection to obtain or keep a specific benefit. We estimate 100 percent of the data collection is done electronically, i.e., the information is obtained during a personal interview with the claimant and the interviewer inputs the information into a database. The database is accessible via the Internet.
Information is collected via: a.) project sites, the grantee organizations contracted to provide employment-related information, training and counseling to SSDI and SSI recipients and program administration; b.) community work incentives coordinators (CWICS) who serve as the contact specialists conducting on-site and remote interviews and counseling; and, c.) WIPA participants who are Social Security recipients with disabilities who may be considering returning to work, are working, or are about to accept employment. In addition, we collect data from the recipients on background, employment, training, benefits, and work incentives to improve WIPA program services and meet the needs of SSDI and SSI recipients.
Use of Information Technology to Collect the Information - In accordance with the agency’s Government Paperwork Elimination Act plan, SSA created an Internet version of the database. We estimate we collect 100 percent of the data electronically.
Why We Cannot Use Duplicate Information - The nature of the information we are collecting and the manner in which we are collecting it preclude duplication. SSA does not use another collection instrument to obtain similar data.
Minimizing Burden on Small Respondents - This collection does not significantly affect small businesses or other small entities.
6. Consequence of Not Collecting Information or Collecting it Less Frequently -
If we did not collect this information, SSA would be unable to determine whether the WIPA projects increase income and self-sufficiency, thus SSA could not gather the information needed to support policy development and administer a successful program that meets the needs of SSDI and SSI recipients. Since we only collect this information on an as needed basis, we cannot collect it less frequently.
7. Special Circumstances - There are no special circumstances that would cause SSA to conduct this information collection in a manner inconsistent with 5 CFR 1320.5.
Solicitation of Public Comment and Other Consultations with the Public
SSA published the 60-day advance Federal Register Notice on May 8, 2013 at 78 FR 26843, and SSA received no public comments. We published the 30-day Notice on July 8, 2013, at 78 FR 40819. If we receive any comments in response to the 30-day Notice, we will forward them to OMB.
We did not consult with the public in the maintenance of this Internet database.
Payment or Gifts to Respondents - SSA does not provide payments or gifts to the respondents.
Assurances of Confidentiality - SSA protects and holds confidential the information it collects in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1306, 20 CFR 401 and 402, 5 U.S.C. 552 (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S.C. 552a (Privacy Act of 1974), and OMB Circular No. A-130.
Justification for Sensitive Questions- The information collection does not contain any questions of a sensitive nature.
Estimates of Public Reporting Burden – The following table outlines the public reporting burden.
Modality of Collection |
Number of Respondents |
Frequency of Response |
Average Burden per Response (minutes) |
Estimated Total Annual Burden (hours) |
WIPA Project Sites |
96 |
1 |
15 |
24 |
CWICs |
400 |
1 |
20 |
134 |
SSDI & SSI Recipients |
40,000 |
1 |
30 |
20,000 |
Total |
40,496 |
|
|
20,159* |
*As rounded up by ROCIS.
13. Annual Cost to the Respondents (Other) - This collection does not impose a known cost burden to the respondents.
Annual Cost To Federal Government - $46 million. WIPA cooperative agreements each year up to 2 years ($23,000,000 X 2 = $46,000,000).
15. Program Changes or Adjustments to the Information Collection Request -
There is no change in the public reporting burden.
16. Plans for Publication Information Collection Results
SSA will not publish the results of the information collection.
17. Displaying the OMB Approval Expiration Date
SSA is not requesting an exception to the requirement to display the OMB approval expiration date.
Exceptions to Certification Statement
SSA is not requesting an exception to the certification requirements at 5 CFR 1320.9 and related provisions at 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods
SSA does not use statistical methods for this information collection.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Title of Information Collection and Form Number(s) |
| Author | Naomi |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-29 |