1. Filling in the Gaps in Administrative Data: Lessons from the Ticket to Work Evaluation Paul OLeary U.S. Social Security Administration October 2006

2. Evaluation objectives Address evaluation questions specified in the legislation Determine the basic impacts of the ticket program: –Return-to-work service participation –Work and earnings –SSA program benefits –Broader social impacts Determine how aspects of the ticket program affect program success

3. The Evaluation Data Process Identify specific evaluation questions –Model the Ticket to Work process Assess existing data resources Prioritize data needs Develop resources to fill data gaps

4. Data gaps Service providers: –Descriptive information –General Awareness/perceptions –Program mechanics –Satisfaction Beneficiaries: –Descriptive information (esp. disability) –General Awareness/perceptions –Attitudes toward work –Work outcomes –Satisfaction

5. Organize data collection to fit with evaluation priorities 1. For highest priority questions: –Collect supplementary data 2. For low priority questions: –Collect supplementary data if costs are low –Use secondary data where costs are high 3. For medium priority questions: –Balance cost and benefit

6. Data resources The four components of the data: –Administrative data The Ticket Research FileTRF –Process data Qualitative interviews with employment service providers, SSA, MAXIMUS/CESSI, and others –Survey data The National Beneficiary SurveyNBS –Secondary data

7. Current evaluation results Characteristics affecting participation (from the multivariate analysis of SSA data)

8. Ticket participation declines steadily with age

9. Ticket assignments rise steadily with months since ticket mailing

10. Beneficiaries with higher levels of education participate at higher rates.

11. While some small groups are much more likely to participate, variation among large groups is only modest

12. Early results from the National Beneficiary Survey (NBS)

13. Age at Onset of Limiting Health Conditions

14. Health Status

15. Current Health Compared with Last Year

16. Number of ADL/IADL Difficulties

17. Income and Program Participation

18. Reason(s) for 2003 Service Use Among Users

19. Reasons for Not Working

20. Work History

21. Employment Expectations