Social Security Disability Program Demonstration; Referral System for Vocational Rehabilitation Providers Demonstration Project

The Commissioner of Social Security (the Commissioner) announces the Referral System for Vocational Rehabilitation Providers (RSVP) demonstration project. This demonstration project will test using an outside contractor to carry out certain administrative functions for an expanded vocational rehabilitation (VR) referral and reimbursement program. Under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act), this expanded program permits public and private providers of VR services (called alternate participants) to join with the 82 State VR agencies to provide greater access to VR services for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries and disabled or blind Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients to the end that these beneficiaries and recipients can secure employment and reduce or eliminate benefit dependency. The demonstration project will be conducted under the authority of section 505(a) of Pub. L. 96-265 (the Social Security Disability Amendments of 1980), as amended, and section 1110(b) of the Act. These statutes authorize the Commissioner to conduct demonstration projects to test, among other things, ways to increase the availability of VR services leading to employment opportunities for SSDI beneficiaries and disabled or blind SSI recipients. We are publishing this notice to comply with 20 CFR 404.1599(e) and 20 CFR 416.250(e) which provide for publication of a notice in the Federal Register before placing certain demonstration projects into operation.