From Emergency Message EM-21035 REV:
... The Social Security Administration is working diligently to ensure that we continue to provide the same level of service to all our customers, including People Facing Barriers (PFBs, formerly referred to as Vulnerable Populations), as offices remain open by appointment only for limited, critical situations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the purpose of this EM, PFBs are limited to the aged; children with disabilities; individuals with limited English proficiency; individuals experiencing homelessness; individuals diagnosed with mental illness; individuals recently released from incarceration; and veterans.
As of June 26, 2021, SSA selected Claims Technical Experts or Claims Representatives for the Vulnerable Populations Liaison (VPL) position in Field Offices (FOs) across the country. The VPL will ensure that SSA provides quality and compassionate service to the most vulnerable communities who experience challenges in contacting SSA due to physical or language barriers, medical conditions, or inadequate access to the internet. ...
How do I find out who the VPL is for a field office? Will they be any less difficult to reach than other field office employees?
waste of time. the so called "vulnerable" population is being served. The decrease in claims has nothing to do with people not being able to file for benefits. It has everything to do with State welfare offices not requiring people to file for disability in order to qualify for State benefits. All rules were relaxed due to Covid. When the State decides to go back to their original rules, we will see a dramatic increase in claims.
ReplyDeleteThis "vulnerable population" concept is very paternalist to the people that need these benefits. What disabled person wants to be referred to as a "vulnerable population"? Have they never read anything about the disability rights movement? I am not saying the field offices don't need more help but this messaging is pretty problematic.
ReplyDeleteThat was Saul's term for the initiative.
DeleteThe new COSS shares your taste for it and just relabled it "People Facing Barriers."
This messaging is the exact same messaging used to get the aged and disabled early access to vaccinations when the rest of the population was told to wait.
ReplyDeleteDidnt hear complaints then.
If you've ever had to contact SSA with a mental health diagnosis, it's very confusing, ESPECIALLY when they mess things up. The DDS here in my state has one, which is a HUGE stress relief during a review, knowing you can call a specific person anytime with questions was extremely helpful for the ol' brain. That all being said, is it truly going to work within SSA? I suppose we'll find out. DDS and SSA are SOOOO different, at least in my state. But yes, having a liaison that knew my condition was great. She knew how to talk to me so that I understood, and was reassuring that the delay (in my case) was normal. Liasons' for people with mental problems are a must in my book. I've always wondered why SSA doesn't have dedicated staff to helping those that need a different way of explaining things, or have the patience to, at least. Nothing is worse that someone who doesn't understand ones' diagnosis than to be snapped at for re-asking a question. A liaison would never do that. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. It's worth a try in my book though....we'll see.
ReplyDeleteThen post for our Area is up and closes in about two weeks. So one person for our entire area…this will be pathetic. Just a way for the agency to say “look we did something” but it won’t amount to anything of consequence.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, isn’t the entire population applying for disability vulnerable?
SSA should just hire actual social workers for this instead of trying to make a claims rep do it. It seems to me that this would be the logical move. I mean there’s an entire field of study for social work but see if you can get a degree in “claims rep” from anywhere. Typical government reaction.
ReplyDeleteThere will be a VPL in every complex. Their role is to receive claims and leads from outside parties, which we will train and negotiate how to submit.
ReplyDeleteTheir is a Vulnerable Population Expert for each area, although they have not been selected yet.
They are not there for the public just to call or to be a contact for attorneys or for general questions. They have a very specific prescribed role, with setting up leads and processing claims recevied from 3rd parties.
SSA essentially thinks it can train non-specialists like homeless shelters, senior organizations, food pantries, and the like to help people submit SSI claims, and the VPL is supposed to work with them.
ReplyDeleteNever mind that these organizations already have a lot of work to do without also helping people apply for SSI, and that they are not going to understand the finer points of disability claims like below-market disposal of resources, ISM, insured status for Title II benefits (on one's own or another's record), if a condition should qualify for CAL/TERI/Presumptive Disability/other expedited processing, obtaining a payee, getting a bank account or troubleshooting Direct Express cards, reporting income, dealing with overpayments, etc. The third parties are probably not going to submit 1696s, so they won't be able to see what's in the claimant's file.
This will probably help establish some leads and maybe work out some simple issues that occur, but I don't think expecting community organizations to troubleshoot all the things that can go wrong or be delayed in an SSI or concurrent claim is practical, even with a VPL to contact. And I don't see how a VPL per FO or area is going to be able to handle the workload if these third parties are really diligent in contacting them whenever someone they work with has an SSI problem. Again, it might help a little and it was probably worth a shot as a pilot program in a few offices to see if it helped, but rolling it out nationwide doesn't seem the best idea.
12:47 ADRCs are already trained in filing Federal and State applications, have been for years.
ReplyDeleteIn 0.45 seconds, Google returns top answer of POMS DI 23022.080 to the inquiry of "poms cal list" a quick link tells the person what exact information is needed. Most of the folks I know that assist with SSDI have it printed and hanging on their pushboard in the office. Might see one or two a year. I have said it before, it isnt rocket science and some of the examples 12:47 notes are mishandled by reps and SSA as well, they dont come up every day. They are rare, and people can read POMS.
ReplyDeleteEver assist a family of six in a Medicaid application for medical benefits or SNAP or QMB? They develop income and resources, much in the same manner. Not unusual to have a 22 page application or more before adding any attachments for proof of income and such.
I understand, we want to make it sound like it is super detailed and intricate and beyond the reach of mere mortals, but the truth is that most claims are pretty straight forward. The hardest part always seems to be getting the treating providers information, when the claimant says "it Dr. Gupta in the big red building past the Quick Trip."
So they wont be absolutely perfect in every case. Guess what, they are not perfect now and they never will be. Its okay.