Introduction to the Series of Articles on Social Security Disability Reform

• Published in: Psychosocial rehabilitation journal Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 3 - 7
• Main Author: Jansen, Mary A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services and Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, Sargent College of Allied Health Professions, Boston University 01-07-1985
• Subjects: Disabilities; Health Care Policy; Health Care Reform; Human; Rehabilitation; Social Security
• ISSN: 0147-5622
• DOI: 10.1037/h0099167

This series of articles has been written because there is a major lesson to be learned in the area of social welfare and health policy. From the inception of the social security Continuing Disability Review (CDR) process in March of 1981 until the new legislation was passed in September of 1984, literrally thousands of American citizens suffered severe and irreparable harm, and hundreds of those Americans died. Although the chronically mentally ill were hit the hardest, disabled citizens in all categories of disability were tragically affected.
National disability organizations, especially those professional and advocacy organizations representing the mentally ill, quickly became aware of the problem. The hard work of staff members of all of these organizations resulted in major legal victories in several regions across the country and the passage, in late 1984, of new social security disability legislation. By the time this legislation was passed, over half of the individual states had refused to comply with the Social Security Administration's restrictive policies and were making their own disability determination decisions in direct violation of SSA directives.
This series of articles represents a historical account of the legal and legislative activity and the implications for practitioners who work with mentally impaired individuals. The articles were written for rehabilitation practitioners who work with mentally impaired clients because we believe that practitioners who are armed with information about the legal and legislative implications of the reform process and the new law can use this information for the benefit of their clients. Introductory material relevant to each article is provided by the Special Section Guest Editor.