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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ticket participation declines steadily with age

Ticket assignments rise steadily with months since ticket mailing

Beneficiaries with higher levels of education participate at higher rates.

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

Early results from the National Beneficiary Survey (NBS)

Age at Onset of Limiting Health Conditions

Health Status

Current Health Compared with Last Year

Number of ADL/IADL Difficulties

Income and Program Participation

Reason(s) for 2003 Service Use Among Users

Reasons for Not Working

Work History

Employment Expectations