Sponsoring Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Project Officer: Paul O’Leary
Performance Period: January 2001 – June 2002
Project Summary:
The Social Security Administration (SSA) contracted with The Lewin Group to design a comprehensive evaluation of Ticket to Work (TTW). CRC was a subcontractor to the Lewin Group under this evaluation effort. The evaluation design developed under this project specified the methods to be used to compare the net outcomes of TTW to outcomes under the current system, including: level of benefits received by beneficiaries; work participation; earnings; duration of benefit receipt; and departures from the disability rolls. The evaluation was also be designed to assess the total and net costs of the program; characteristics of Employment Networks (ENs) and beneficiaries; factors that affect return to work; employment outcomes for participants; and beneficiary satisfaction with the program. The evaluation design was responsive both to the issues mandated for evaluation in the TWW legislation, and to specific programmatic and research issues important to SSA. The major activities conducted under this design project included the following:
• establishing and soliciting input from a Technical Evaluation Support Group (TESG);
• assessing SSA, Ticket Program Manager (PM), and possibly Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) administrative data;
• developing a net impact evaluation design;
• developing a process evaluation design;
• conducting an initial phase of the process evaluation;
•designing and pre-testing the data collection instruments and methods;
• preparing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance submission; and
• briefing periodically the Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Advisory Panel (TWWIIA Panel). Reports: J. Trutko, G. Livermore, and D. Stapleton, Evaluation Design for the Ticket to Work Program: Conceptual Model and Program Background, The Lewin Group, prepared for the Social Security Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, 2001.