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Summary
State supplementation under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program saw few nationwide changes between 1974-1978, but individual states experienced shifts in recipients and spending. The disabled became the largest eligibility category.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Public Policy
- Economics
Background:
- The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program allows states to provide supplementary payments to recipients.
- These state payments are mandatory for former public assistance recipients to maintain income levels and optional for newly eligible individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize and analyze the changes in state supplementation under the SSI program from 1974 to 1978.
- To identify shifts in recipient numbers, expenditures, and eligibility categories within state-supplemented SSI programs.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of legislative changes and program data from 1974-1978.
- Review of state-level variations in SSI supplementation policies and their impact.
Main Results:
- Few nationwide variations in state supplementation occurred, but individual states saw significant changes in recipient numbers and expenditures.
- A notable shift occurred in recipient distribution, with the disabled becoming the largest eligibility category, surpassing the aged.
- Caseloads for the blind remained relatively stable throughout the study period.
Conclusions:
- Federal-State legislation influenced program expansion and benefit alterations, leading to changes in state supplementation.
- Despite overall stability, state-level dynamics within the SSI program underwent significant evolution between 1974 and 1978, particularly concerning the composition of the recipient base.