The National Federation of the Blind is planning an effort to obtain distribution of important Social Security notices in accessible formats. This includes notices containing determinations about eligibility for benefits or the amount of benefits, notices pertaining to overpayments, availability of new programs (such as the Ticket to Work), and generally any other kind of notices (including SSI notices) which the Social Security Administration sends to beneficiaries.
Specific information is needed for this effort. We are particularly interested in situations where individuals may have lost benefits or rights to appeal because a printed notice was not read in time. Also, there may be situations where portions of a printed notice were skipped by a reader who thought that the information would not be important. Cases where confidentiality was compromised by having someone, such as an employer, supervisor, or co-worker read a notice should also be reported.
Written policies of the Social Security Administration provide blind persons with certain alternatives to choose from in receiving notices. These include use of registered mail as an alert that the communication is important, having a telephone call from a Social Security representative to read a printed notice, and having notices prepared in Braille upon request.
It would be helpful to have information indicating whether or not these options are being offered. Also, are the alternatives actually implemented when requested? Are there instances when requests for accessible notices have been made but ignored or denied? Information relating to this issue should be as specific and as current as possible. Please include contact information for follow-up as well.
All responses should be directed to James McCarthy, Assistant Director of Governmental Affairs, National Federation of the Blind, by e-mail at: [email protected]; by phone at: (410) 659-9314, extension 240; by fax at: (410) 685-5653; or by mail at: The National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230.