In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. Witnesses will include the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and other experts on SSI benefits for children.  However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.

BACKGROUND:

The Supplemental Security Income program supports adults who are aged or unable to work due to disability with monthly cash benefits of up to $674 per person in 2011. The program also provides monthly payments to disabled children. Currently, there are 1.2 million children receiving SSI benefits at an annual cost of about $10 billion, not including Medicaid expenses.

In November 2010, The Boston Globe ran a three-part series on increases in children’s payments under the Supplemental Security Income program, identifying two areas of concern: a lack of program integrity efforts by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and allegations that psychotropic drugs may be improperly prescribed to children with certain mental and behavioral impairments (especially Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD) in order to improve their chances of collecting SSI disability payments.

The series prompted Chairman Davis and a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members of Congress to request that GAO review: trends in the rate of children receiving SSI benefits due to ADHD, depression, and other mental impairments; the role of medical evidence, such as the presence of medication, in SSA disability determinations; and the impact of SSA’s not completing continuing disability reviews on current recipients of SSI benefits. While final results and recommendations from GAO are not expected until 2012, the hearing will include testimony from GAO on their preliminary findings as well as from other experts on SSI benefits for children, among related issues.

In announcing the hearing, Chairman Geoff Davis (R-KY) stated, “The SSI program provides financial support for families with a disabled child.  But as currently constructed, the program makes no effort to ensure that benefits are used to help children overcome their disabilities and lead productive lives. As a result, too many children on SSI drop out of school, experience poor employment outcomes, and continue receiving year after year of disability payments as adults. This hearing will review how the SSI program is currently coming up short and possible remedies.” 

FOCUS OF THE HEARING:

The hearing will focus on oversight of SSI benefits for children, including trends, program growth, and recipient outcomes.

DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:

Please Note: Any person(s) and/or organization(s) wishing to submit for the hearing record must follow the appropriate link on the hearing page of the Committee website and complete the informational forms. From the Committee homepage, https://waysandmeans.house.gov, select “Hearings.” Select the hearing for which you would like to submit, and click on the link entitled, “Click here to provide a submission for the record.” Once you have followed the online instructions, submit all requested information. Attach your submission as a Word document, in compliance with the formatting requirements listed below, by the close of business on Thursday, November 10, 2011. Finally, please note that due to the change in House mail policy, the U.S. Capitol Police will refuse sealed-package deliveries to all House Office Buildings. For questions, or if you encounter technical problems, please call (202) 225-1721 or (202) 225-3625.

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:

The Committee relies on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record. As always, submissions will be included in the record according to the discretion of the Committee. The Committee will not alter the content of your submission, but we reserve the right to format it according to our guidelines. Any submission provided to the Committee by a witness, any supplementary materials submitted for the printed record, and any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any submission or supplementary item not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

1. All submissions and supplementary materials must be provided in Word format and MUST NOT exceed a total of 10 pages, including attachments. Witnesses and submitters are advised that the Committee relies on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.
2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
3. All submissions must include a list of all clients, persons, and/or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears. A supplemental sheet must accompany each submission listing the name, company, address, telephone, and fax numbers of each witness.

The Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event (four business days notice is requested). Questions with regard to special accommodation needs in general (including availability of Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the Committee as noted above.

Note: All Committee advisories and news releases are available on the World Wide Web at http://www.waysandmeans.house.gov/.