Citation
Berry, Hugh G., & Caplan, Leslie J. (2010). Employment and Earnings Growth Among Transition-Age Supplemental Security Income Program Participants. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 21(152). Originally published online October 7, 2010.
Highlights
- The purpose of this study was to examine individual demographic, disability, and vocational rehabilitation (VR) service factors related to (1) employment status and (2) earnings growth for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients who have participated in the VR program.
- The VR program offered eligible people with disabilities services such as assessment, counseling and guidance, restoration, training, job development, and job placement to prepare for and obtain employment.
- The study merged administrative data from the Ticket Research File maintained by the Social Security Administration with data from the Case Service Report (RSA-911) database maintained by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Findings showed that SSI participants with mental retardation exhibited the highest odds of employment among other disability groups two years after exiting the VR program. College or university training and job placement services decreased the odds of employment, whereas supported employment demonstrated increased odds. For SSI participants with sustained employment, African American VR consumers showed higher earnings compared with other race groups. Among selected VR services, only college or university training was positively associated with earnings growth over time.
Intervention Examined
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VOC) Programs
Reviewed by CLEAR
November 2014