Rep Payee Review Program
As of 2017, there are:
- 8.1 million Beneficiaries
- 5.8 million Rep Payees
- 57 P&A Agencies
WHAT’S THE REP PAYEE REVIEW PROGRAM?
Since August 2018, the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Network received funding to conduct reviews on rep payee performance on behalf of the Social Security Administration (SSA). This program provides oversight to rep payees and their services to beneficiaries as well as giving them support to better understand their role and responsibilities.
WHO ARE THE P&A’S?
There is a P&A organization in each state, U.S. territory, as well as the Native American consortium, totaling 57 agencies. They have 40+ years of experience investigating abuse, neglect, and rights violations anywhere that serves people with various types of disabilities. P&As are uniquely positioned because of their relationship with their local communities and their other work.
WHO IS AFFECTED BY THIS PROGRAM?
This program helps both beneficiaries and rep payees. Beneficiaries are the recipients of Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Rep payees are the individuals or organizations who manage Social Security benefits on behalf of the beneficiary. SSA assesses a beneficiary’s need for a rep payee on a case-by-case basis. SSA also automatically assign a rep payee to most child beneficiaries and to individuals who are found legally incompetent by a court.
WHAT’S THE IMPACT?
EMPOWERMENT – Beneficiaries and others are empowered to report potential misuse more easily
COST EFFECTIVENESS – P&A monitoring efforts will be more efficient in providing tailored support to rep payees and beneficiaries, reaching larger numbers of people. Previous efforts were costly and provided little administrative oversight to rep payees.
CENTRALIZED SYSTEM – Reviews are centralized through the collaborative efforts of SSA, NDRN, and the P&As.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING – Beneficiaries will build relationships with their local P&As and have access to additional resources.
NEEDS REASSESSMENT – Beneficiaries can be reassessed to determine if they still need a rep payee, an aspect that is particularly important for youth aging out of foster care.
WHO’S INVOLVED?
SSA, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), and the P&As are collaborating together to conduct reviews and educational visits. Congress selected the P&As to conduct reviews and educational visits because of their involvement and knowledge of local communities. NDRN was selected as the National Association Grantee because of their extensive knowledge and demonstrated experience in providing training, technical assistance, and administrative oversight to the P&A network. SSA’s oversees Social Security benefits and will provide additional support, as needed.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF REVIEWS?
PERIODIC ONSITE REVIEWS – A continuation of reviews previously conducted by SSA. These include reviews of organizational rep payees and Fee for Service rep payees.
PREDICTIVE MODEL REVIEWS SSA – selected review cases for rep payees that serve organizational rep payees with less than 50 beneficiaries or individual rep payees that serve less than 5 beneficiaries.
P&A INITIATED REVIEWS – Review cases that are identified by P&As and are suspected of potential misuse.
STATE MENTAL INSTITUTIONS – State mental institutions can serve as a rep payee for beneficiaries living in their facilities and are eligible for review.
QUICK RESPONSE CHECK – SSA may request a Quick Response Check outside of a rep payee’s regular review schedule if there is suspected misuse.
EDUCATIONAL VISITS – P&As will conduct check-ins with new Fee for Service rep payees and other rep payees that SSA has identified.
THE REP PAYEE REVIEW PROCESS
- P&A will call rep payee to schedule review appointment.
- P&A will interview rep payee and conduct a financial record review.
- P&A will conduct separate interviews with each beneficiary as well as any legal guardians or third parties.
- P&A will provide rep payee with a Corrective Action Plan, if needed.
- P&A will close case.
*This document is funded through a Social Security grant agreement. Although Social Security reviewed this document for accuracy, it does not constitute an official Social Security communication
