 |
| Bryan County, OK |
From Barriers and Communications Preferences of Rural Populations: A Scoping Review by Megan Henly, Shreya Paul, Debra Brucker, Andrew J. Houtenville, Kelly Nye-Lengerman and Stacia Bach
- Rural areas of the United States warrant separate attention when considering how to communicate information about federal programs in part because their geography affects how information can be shared effectively (remoteness results in greater distance between field offices and lower level of broadband internet access) and in part because rural communities have a higher representation of many program-eligible groups (e.g., those older than 65, those who have a disability, and those who are low-income).
- Mode of program communication affects the likelihood of the information reaching the public. Traditionally, the Social Security Administration mailed statements to all workers. In addition, private-sector employers often trained new hires about funding their retirements during orientation. As both these forms of communication have been substantially reduced since 2011, the public’s knowledge of OASDI benefits has been low.
- When considering the general shift toward online information dissemination, this is a particular concern for those in rural areas, people with disabilities, and groups with low digital literacy. Broadband access is not as ubiquitous in rural areas as it is in nonrural ones. Perhaps as a result, many who reside in rural places are digitally illiterate and would have difficulty navigate online. In addition, most federal websites do not meet federal accessibility guidelines, creating a barrier for those with disabilities.
- Community context is important, particularly when considering
program enrollment that may carry a stigma, such as SSI or food and
energy assistance. Identifying local community partners who can provide
technical assistance may help. For communities of particularly
marginalized groups (e.g., the unhoused, those recently released from
prison, low English proficiency individuals, and those with serious
mental health disabilities), having dedicated staff trained in dealing
with populations facing vulnerabilities may be particularly useful. ...
Key Findings:
Not happening. Offices are closing - not opening. The agency can’t properly staff the offices they have now.
ReplyDeleteThis. The sister office of my current FO closed about 10~ years ago. We absorbed all of their counties/claimants but literally got 1 extra employee (they transferred from that closed FO). The rest retired/quit and we received no authority to hire replacements. Talk about the shit end of the stick. More and more rural offices are going to close eventually.
DeleteLike all those Medicare offices all over the place, they are like Dollar General.
ReplyDeleteWhen I joined the agency in 85, our FO had a field rep and government car for a few years. He'd go to different rural areas once or twice a month. But you need adequate staffing to do that. It never made sense to me to have a government car for the minimal use it got.
ReplyDeleteI don't advocate government cars and much of what they do can be done on the phone, but you need field offices! The majority of my disability clients don't use a computer or have email. Some need to be able to come to an office.
ReplyDeleteOh stop it. This is beyond ridiculous. The vast vast majority of DIB/SSI claimants have a cellphone and the overwhelming majority of cellphones today have access to the internet.
DeleteRe cellphones: I didn't get a smart phone until 2019 when my flip phone died. Almost every homeless person I took a claim from had a smartphone from about 2010 on
DeleteWhere are all the Medicare offices? The plentiful IRS offices? Why are state welfare offices closed? Because they have gotten with the times and moved toward finding innovative ways to provide service to the public. Literally no one needs to plant their rear in a seat to stare someone in the face in order to take care of SSA business— in theory. In practice, SSA needs the staff, funding, policy change and tech to make it a reality.
ReplyDeleteBut it seems rural citizens access social media and such perfectly fine.
ReplyDeleteSome have smart phones and many don't. When food stamp applications started being taken over the phone, it was a problem for older sick people.
ReplyDeleteSome of my clients were able to get a phone once they got approved but it was a problem before. Most younger claimants do have a phone. Lots of business can be done on the phone, but some people initially need a physical office.
So, we should be OK with MOST people can handle their business by phone or computer.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the people, well too bad for them.
Correct
Delete@9:05
ReplyDeleteyes, that's actually how it should be. It's 2024. Computers have been in existence since the early 1990s, so 30+ years. Telephones even longer, an smartphones almost 20 years. It's time for the agency to modernize, not stay stagnant because .5% of people are too scared to use a computer or talk over the phone. There's nothing, and I mean NOTHING different in a conversation that's in person or a person speaking into a phone. So the easiest option (phone) will always win. Its a disservice to the 99.5% of people who aren't willingly inept. The amount of times people call into the FO and are told about online options and they flat out say " I don't DO computers!" is astounding. Tough shit, it's 2024, get with the program or do it by phone.
Just a thought but, shouldn't SSA be getting into this century with communication like email, chat, etc. Instead of waiting for hours on the phone, why not a chat system for questions?
ReplyDeleteWe have chat.
Delete