INTRODUCTION


   Twenty  years  ago,  a White House press release heralded
the  enactment of a new amendment  to  the  Social  Security
Act--the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.  It was
proclaimed  as  "landmark  legislation" for the aged, blind,
and disabled which would end  many  inequities and "provides
dramatic  and  heart-warming evidence that  America  is  the
country that cares--and  translates  that  humanitarian care
into  a  better  life  for those who need, and deserve,  the
support of their fellow citizens."

   With one bold stroke,  Franklin  Delano Roosevelt in 1935
brought into existence the Social Security  system, a system
which was made up of ten programs.  It has proved  to be the
greatest system ever enacted for the prevention of poverty.

   Today,  there  is  general agreement that the SSI program
has  been  a  great step forward  for  the  Social  Security
system.  It has  kept  many  people  of  all ages, including
older women and minorities, from destitution.   In 1992, the
program  will  serve  over  5.5 million people--up from  3.2
million  in January 1974, the  first  month  for  which  SSI
benefits were paid.

   The program  has  provided a means for independent living
for many people with disabilities.  People with disabilities
now  comprise  the  largest   segment   of  the  beneficiary
population.  It has enabled many children  with disabilities
and  their  families  to receive needed income  and  medical
assistance.  Over 500,000  children  with  disabilities will
receive   benefits  in  1992.   It  also  has  rendered   an
outstanding  service  to  needy  older persons.  Some of the
principal needs confronting the blind have been met.

   SSI is the only national effort to date where the Federal
Government has undertaken to assure  a  minimum  income to a
significant  portion of those in need in America.   However,
millions of people who are aged, blind, or disabled--and who
are truly needy--are  denied  access to SSI benefits because
of inadequate outreach and rules  and  procedures which deny
them access to the program.

   Today  the  disability  community is  confronted  with  a
backlog of approximately 762,000  cases and an estimated 1.4
million  backlog by the end of 1993  because  of  inadequate
funding and staffing.  On average, a person currently filing
a claim for  the  first  time  waits  up  to  four months to
receive benefits.  If the backlog doubles, it can be assumed
that the average delay will increase materially.

   Today--nearly  20  years  after  the first payments  were
made--SSI  still  fails  to  lift  its constituency  out  of
poverty.  The Federal floor which it  established  is  still
below the poverty line.

   In  1992,  the poverty income guideline for an individual
is $6,810.  But  the  income  which  SSI  assures  qualified
individuals  is  only $5,064.  While forty-three States  and
the District of Columbia voluntarily supplement this Federal
standard, in all but  two  States the total amount available
to beneficiaries living independently  is  still  below  the
poverty line.

   Despite its shortcomings, recipients and advocates around
the  country  have  directly and indirectly testified to the
importance of the program.

   One advocate, an attorney,  stated, "The SSI program is a
great  program.   It is the best way  currently  in  use  to
provide some basic  financial  and medical relief to a great
number  of disabled individuals.   Unfortunately,  they  are
poor and many times illiterate, but this should be looked on
as an opportunity  for  this  country  to serve, rather than
oppress its people."

   Similarly, an advocate for the mentally ill stated, "...I
believe the SSI program is marvelous.  It serves millions of
needy  persons  and considering the size and  scope  of  the
program, does it  relatively  efficiently.   However,  in my
contacts   both   professionally  and  personally  with  SSI
recipients I see a number of inequities."

   Like this person, and many others who wrote in or came to
public  meetings,  the   experts   find  no  flaw  with  the
underlying basic concepts upon which SSI is based.  However,
the poorest of the poor among people who are aged, blind, or
disabled are being short-changed.

   The  public  comments  and the results  of  the  experts'
analysis reflect three key themes:

   o  First,  this  is  a  solid,   exceptionally  important
      program which, despite the intent of those who created
      it, has never completely lived up to its potential;

   o  Second, after almost twenty years,  some  of the rules
      of  the  program  should  be  modified to reflect  the
      realities of being poor and aged, blind or disabled in
      America  in  the  1990's  and  to bring  about  better
      coordination with other social security programs; and

   o  Third, no program, no matter how exceptional, can meet
      its goals if it is perpetually understaffed,  creating
      bureaucratic  nightmares for those intended to benefit
      from the program and morale problems for agency staff.
   The body of this report  addresses  more  than 50 program
improvements  which  would  grant SSI access to truly  needy
persons who are aged, blind,  or  disabled  and  which would
improve the quality of care received by people on the rolls.
A majority of experts endorse these improvements which cover
diverse issues, including:  matters relating to the  payment
of  benefits  and the adequacy of the benefits; the criteria
for eligibility  (the needs tests--income and resources--and
tests for categorical  eligibility--the  definitions  of age
and  disability);  agency staffing; linkages to the Medicaid
and food stamps programs;  and the need for periodic reviews
of  the  program.   Also  included  is  relevant  background
information about the current  program  and  specific issues
the  experts  believe need to be addressed, as well  as  the
individual points  of  view  of all experts, including those
whose perspective differs from  that  of  the  majority on a
given issue.

   While individual experts differ on how far they  want  to
go on changes, and how fast to go, a majority of the experts
concluded  that there are four top priorities, each of equal
importance,   which   should  be  addressed  first.   In  no
particular order, they are:

   o  Increase SSA staffing;

   o  Increase the federal benefit rates;

   o  Stop  counting,  as   income,   in-kind   support  and
      maintenance; and

   o  Increase  the resources limits while streamlining  the
      resources exclusions.

When Commissioner  King asked the experts to work on the SSI
Modernization Project,  she  asked  them to explore in depth
the implementation of the objectives  that  Congress  had in
mind  when it approved the program in 1972.  They were asked
to provide a blueprint for improving the program to meet the
needs of  low  income  elderly, blind and disabled people in
the 1990's.

   This is the experts'  blueprint for action extending over
a period of 5 years.  The action should not be delayed.  The
poorest of the poor among  the aged, blind, and disabled are
suffering today.  The mark of  a  truly great nation is that
it faces the needs of those who are  poor; it does not shrug
its shoulders but goes to work on meeting those needs today.

   The next chapter tells about the objectives  of  the  SSI
program,  overall  characteristics  of the people it serves,
and the experts' work.  It also tells about the four highest
priorities of a majority of experts.  The remaining chapters
deal with all of the options supported by the experts.