Design of the Project NetWork return-to-work experiment for persons with disabilities

Area of Science:

• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Disability Policy
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• The Project NetWork demonstration is the first large-scale evaluation of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services for individuals with severe disabilities.
• Understanding the effectiveness of VR is crucial for improving employment outcomes for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of increasing participation in VR services among beneficiaries of Disability Insurance (DI) and recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• To determine if tested interventions yield net benefits for participants, society, the DI Trust Fund, and the Federal Government.

Main Methods:

• A randomized field experiment design was employed to evaluate the impact of the demonstration.
• Data collection involved SSA administrative data, a management information system (MIS), and in-person interviews on disability, health, and attitudes.

Main Results:

• The study evaluated participation, employment, earnings, transfer benefits, and well-being.
• Preliminary data on participant and eligible characteristics are presented.

Conclusions:

• The evaluation provides critical information for policymakers and researchers regarding the effectiveness of VR interventions.
• The study addresses the challenges faced during demonstration implementation and outlines future analysis.