Increasing access to programs and improving service are the main goals of the updated Equity Action Plan released by the Social Security Administration (SSA) today.
“We will administer our programs equitably by reducing administrative burdens and reaching underserved people,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. “In line with the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to deliver better outcomes for the American people, I’m pleased to share our Equity Action Plan 2023 Update.”
In 2022, SSA released its first Equity Action Plan in accordance with the President’s Executive Order, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
The updated SSA Equity Action Plan includes several new focus areas:
- Ensure language does not pose barriers to apply for benefits and access services;
- Reduce pending Supplemental Security Income (SSI) underpayments and assess root causes of improper payments; and
- Increase awareness of survivors benefits, especially among people disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
The new Equity Action Plan also builds on progress made since 2022 to:
- Simplify the SSI application;
- Update the agency’s systems and Social Security number business processes; and
- Provide more demographic data to the public to further identify, monitor, and address where there are service inequities.
- For more information about the actions outlined in the Equity Action Plan, please visit www.ssa.gov/equity. To learn about a whole-of-government approach to advance equity for all, visit www.whitehouse.gov/equity.
- Expert Column By Víctor Rodríguez
- Public Affairs Specialist
- Social Security Administration
- For the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
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