Here are some numbers from Social Security on how long it's been taking them to answer calls on their 800 number. You can see that it's gone up dramatically over the years. It's currently around 20 minutes. I don't whether they factor in the calls where the system eventually hangs up on the caller. Click on each image to view full size.
The current issue of the Social Security Bulletin, the agency's scholarly publication, includes an article on Social Security Administration Disability Programs and Individuals Facing Homelessness. Below is a graphic from the article. Click on the image to view full size.
The standard for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization is that the patient is dangerous to themselves or to others but for the most part even voluntary psychiatric hospitalizations don't happen unless the patient is dangerous. Thus, almost all psychiatric hospitalizations are a sign that a person has been at significant risk before the hospitalization.
I wasn't trying to talk the client out of returning to work because it would hurt the case if the client returns to work. No, just the opposite. Futile attempts to return to work followed by psychiatric hospitalizations make a case stronger. I don't want clients committing suicide. I've had clients commit suicide. That's terrible even for the attorney. I can't imagine what it's like for the family.
I don't think that most people get just how dangerous it is to one's health to suffer from chronic mental illness.
From Social Security announcement of the most popular names given to babies in 2020.
| Boys | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1. Liam | 1. Olivia |
| 2. Noah | 2. Emma |
| 3. Oliver | 3. Ava |
| 4. Elijah | 4. Charlotte |
| 5. William | 5. Sophia |
| 6. James | 6. Amelia |
| 7. Benjamin | 7. Isabella |
| 8. Lucas | 8. Mia |
| 9. Henry | 9. Evelyn |
| 10. Alexander | 10. Harper |
I happened upon a spreadsheet of Social Security field office addresses and phone numbers. This sort of information isn't as easy to find as you might think so I thought I ought to post a link here.
There's a four part documentary series coming up on Apple TV on the Eric Conn saga. The linked article doesn't mention Conn by name. It just says "The new untitled docuseries tells the unbelievable true story of one of the largest scams in government history." However, I understand that the filmmakers recently conducted extensive interviews of those with knowledge about what happened.
By the way, will it be possible for me to buy access to just this series without subscribing to Apple TV generally? Maybe a trial period?
As was widely expected, an issue has arisen regarding repayment of Social Security taxes that were not withheld from many federal employees late last year under a Trump administration policy.
Under that policy, the standard 6.2 percent Social Security withholding was not taken from the pay of federal employees who earned less than $4,000 in a biweekly pay period starting last September through year’s end. Employees were not allowed to opt out—many said they wished to—although the Postal Service was free to decline to participate, and did, because of its semi-independent status.
From the outset, concerns arose about the requirement that the amount not withheld over those four months must be repaid (the original deadline of April 30 was extended to year-end 2021). However, because that repayment generally is made through regular payroll withholding, there have been questions about employees who separate before the amount is repaid or who work on an irregular schedule.
According to the NFFE union, those concerns proved justified when the Agriculture Department’s National Finance Center, which administers payroll there and for some other agencies, “issued notices to over 10,000 individuals demanding payment by May 2 or they would incur penalties with interest and be referred to collections.” ...
From an announcement posted today in the Federal Register by the Social Security Administration (emphasis added):
We are announcing a new funding opportunity, the Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program (ICAP). The purpose of this new program is to allow us to enter into cooperative agreements to collaborate with States, private foundations, and other non-Federal groups and organizations who have the interest and ability to identify, operate, and partially fund interventional research. The Request for Applications is now open on Grants.gov. ...
ICAP research topics are as follows:
- Examining the structural barriers in the labor market, including for racial, ethnic, or other underserved communities, including people with disabilities, that increase the likelihood of people receiving or applying for SSDI or SSI benefits;
- Promoting self-sufficiency by helping people enter, stay in, or return to the labor force, including children and youth;
- Coordinating planning between private and human services agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the SSDI, SSI, and related programs;
- Assisting claimants in underserved communities apply for or appeal determinations or decisions on claims for SSDI and SSI benefits; and
- Conducting outreach to children with disabilities who are potentially eligible to receive SSI, and conducting outreach to their parents and guardians. ...
