The Social Security Administration (SSA) disability programs have experienced tremendous growth in both beneficiaries and expenditures, threatening the viability of this safety net for individuals with disabilities. This article suggests that one means of assisting SSA beneficiaries to reduce dependence, thereby slowing program growth, is for the SSA to directly or indirectly fund competitive employment initiatives focusing on individuals who are currently served in nonremunerative day support programs. These initiatives require coordination of SSA trust funds with vocational rehabilitation and mental retardation/developmental disability funding streams.
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