Impact of early intervention programs for working adults with potentially disabling conditions: Evidence from the national DMIE evaluation

Abstract

This article presents initial findings from the national DMIE evaluation, which used random assignment to test whether a program of enhanced health and employment supports for working adults with potentially disabling conditions can reduce the likelihood of applying for federal disability benefits and improve employment retention. Analyses are based on a total of 4,054 participants in demonstrations from four states (Hawaii, Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas). The demonstration was effective in reducing applications to federal disability programs 12 months after enrollment using combined data from the two largest state demonstrations (4.8 percent in the treatment group versus 6.9 percent in the control group). Evidence of short-term impacts on monthly hours worked was mixed across the states. Although these initial findings suggest modest positive effects of an early intervention program, longer term effects should be examined in future studies.