U.S. Social Security Administration FISCAL YEARS 2018 - 2022 AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN Approximately 62,000 Federal employees and 15,000 State employees serve the public from a network of offices across the country and around the world. Most of our employees serve the public directly or provide support to employees who do. We administer our programs and services through a network of more than 1,200 field offices. Each day, approximately 170,000 people visit and 250,000 call one of our field offices nationwide for various reasons, such as to file claims, ask questions, or update their information. Our National 800 Number handles over 30 million calls each year. Callers can conduct a variety of business transactions by speaking directly with an agent or through our 24-hour automated services, which include requesting benefit verification letters, ordering replacement Medicare cards, and obtaining claim status updates. Our processing centers (PC) handle complex Social Security retirement, survivors, and disability claims, as well as provide support to our National 800 Number. State agencies make disability determinations for initial claims, reconsiderations, and continuing disability reviews. Administrative law judges in our hearings offices and administrative appeals judges in our Appeals Council decide appealed cases. For more information about our organization and its functions, visit our organizational structure webpage at www.ssa.gov/org. Social Security Administration SSA Organization_0d0a4f06-d996-47af-a253-a237d0218aac Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Program Created in 1935, the OASI program provides retirement and survivors benefits to qualified workers and their family members. In FY 2018, we will pay about $851 billion in OASI benefits to an average of 53 million beneficiaries a month, including 88 percent of the population aged 65 and over. Disability Insurance (DI) Program Established in 1956, the DI program provides benefits for workers who become disabled and their families. In FY 2018, we will pay about $149 billion in DI benefits to an average of 11 million disabled beneficiaries and their family members a month. Security Income (SSI) Program Established in 1972, the SSI program provides financial support to aged, blind, and disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. In FY 2018, we will pay approximately $54 billion in Federal benefits and State supplementary payments to an average of 8 million recipients a month. SSA Programs We administer three programs under the Social Security Act: the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) program, the Disability Insurance (DI) program, and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. These programs provide vital support to some of the most vulnerable members of our society, including people with disabilities, surviving family members, retirees, and the blind and disabled with limited income and resources. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, we expect to pay more than $1 trillion to an average of 711 million individuals each month. Other Programs In addition, we support national programs administered by other Federal and State agencies, as required by law, such as Medicare, Employees Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Coal Act, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps), Help America Vote Act, State Children's Health Insurance Program, E-Verify, Medicaid, and Federal Benefits for Veterans. Nancy A. Berryhill Acting Commissioner Vision_053606d6-24f7-4234-9d42-1deb4696d91c Deliver quality Social Security services to the public. Mission_053606d6-24f7-4234-9d42-1deb4696d91c unnamed value Services Deliver Services Effectively Goal_b4c44ab8-748e-4583-97f2-04c049d48328 1 We must be able to deliver our services effectively to the people who come to us for assistance, regardless of whether it is in-person, on the telephone, or online. As we interact with the public every day, our employees experience firsthand the impact of our programs. We understand that doing our work well matters. We also know that our programs are not stagnant and that advancements in technology provide opportunity to do business differently, and often more efficiently and conveniently. unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder Delivery Improve Service Delivery Objective_9602d31f-5448-44cf-80e6-785670e0d308 1 Over 1 million people are waiting an average of 605 days for an answer on their hearing request. Although in FY 2017 we began reducing the hearings backlog, these wait times remain unacceptable. Therefore, one of our top priorities will be to reduce the hearings backlog and the time it takes get a hearing decision. Our processing centers (PC) handle actions that arise after we determine benefit eligibility and support our field and hearing offices by handling appeals decisions, collecting debt, correcting records, performing program integrity work, and processing other complex benefit claims. In January 2016, the number of actions pending in the PCs hit an all-time high. We will improve service delivery by further prioritizing work and enlisting automation to reduce the PC backlog. Even as we tackle the backlogs in our hearing offices and PCs, we will continue to enhance our online services. In FY 2018, the public will conduct over 190 million transactions through our online services. As we continue to expand service options and functionality, we expect more people to take advantage of the convenience of online services. To improve service delivery, we will continue to educate the public about our secure online service options. unnamed stakeholder CARES Advance and update the Compassionate And REsponsive Service (CARES) plan to address the number of pending hearing decisions and lengthy wait times Objective_3e5be94c-1fee-463d-bf12-a4724fb32022 2 unnamed stakeholder PC Actions Implement a comprehensive approach to reduce the number of pending PC actions Objective_1962091a-1906-4d94-8ca9-b44f65b93a81 3 unnamed stakeholder Online Services Increase the use of online services Objective_012fba03-26c3-468d-9eb5-fa4ff9822d03 4 unnamed stakeholder Options Expand Service Delivery Options Objective_74a35c84-502c-448d-99a2-b97703ffa7de 5 Our biennial survey of future customers shows an increasing preference for conducting business with us online or by telephone. We continue to expand our suite of automated and online service options. We are pleased that 7 of our 8 online applications earned scores of at least 80 out of 100 in the Foresee E-Government Satisfaction Index. These high scores help us confirm that we are providing services people want to use. (Note: A score of 80 or higher is considered the threshold for excellence.) Since it launched in 2012, my Social Security, a convenient and safe option for many people who want to handle certain business with us online, has registered more than 32 million users and consistently ranks as one of the top 10 in customer satisfaction for all Federal websites. Over the next five years, we will continue to expand my Social Security's capabilities by adding additional services for both individual and third party users and improving existing options. unnamed stakeholder Connections & Experiences Respond to customer feedback on how we connect with the public and improve the customer experience Objective_483f847f-3468-4296-8dc4-09c1bffde910 6 unnamed stakeholder Login & Registration Strengthen and enhance the my Social Security login and registration process Objective_a1e8b6e7-d546-4b26-b2c2-4b8a2a41a3be 7 unnamed stakeholder Services Add additional services to my Social Security Objective_9ccab3ef-e358-4d1f-ae72-437b8391ba64 8 unnamed stakeholder Processes Improve the Way We Do Business Goal_af189d5a-7a57-46e5-bde1-4b1011b82fc9 2 Improving the way we do business is imperative to delivering services effectively to the public. We must continuously evaluate our policies and business processes using data and modern methods to ensure we meet service demands and reinforce efficient and effective service. Recognizing that our current technology infrastructure and existing business systems would not allow us to serve the public the way we wanted or the way they expected us to, we developed a plan to modernize our information technology (IT) systems. This modernization effort is foundational to our overall ability to improve service to the public. unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder Policies & Processes Streamline Policies and Processes Objective_e31defe2-25ee-4f2e-aa98-6bb3534ab1f3 1 Over the last 80 years, our programs have expanded and our policies have evolved creating a level of complexity that can be difficult to fully understand. To improve our accuracy and efficiency, create opportunities to implement technology, and ensure the public understands their options, responsibilities, and rights, we must streamline our policies, processes, and procedures. We are also using data analytics to identify opportunities to improve our business processes. unnamed stakeholder Medical Evidence Expand our use of electronic medical evidence Objective_61fd543d-9985-496a-adf9-600dd84fe7ae 2 unnamed stakeholder Employment Support Strengthen employment support programs Objective_dd57c5fc-37bd-4ad4-a773-4aa578602d55 3 unnamed stakeholder Rules & Practices Explore policy and program areas where rules and agency practices need to be modernized Objective_91be61b8-ccf8-4923-a824-5ce529a5776b 4 unnamed stakeholder Social Security Statements Modernize the Social Security Statement to increase the public's understanding of our programs Objective_a8b765b7-5629-4f9e-8581-0b3a83d1b9e5 5 unnamed stakeholder IT Accelerate Information Technology Modernization Objective_dc91d9c0-17cc-48f4-928c-425989b6acdb 6 We maintain the benefit, earnings items, and certain vital records of nearly every member of the public on systems designed over 30 years ago. Technological change is accelerating at a relentless pace and offers us remarkable opportunities to change, transform, and greatly improve the way we serve the public. Yet, these newer technologies can also be disruptive to legacy systems, business processes, and ultimately to the way we work. Our dated IT infrastructure has grown increasingly fragile, costlier to maintain, and more challenging to secure, and it does not efficiently meet current demands for our services. Our IT Modernization Plan describes a thoughtful and deliberate multi-year agency initiative to modernize Social Security's major systems, using modern architectures, agile software engineering methods, cloud provisioning, and shared services. We are embarking on an initiative to transform the way we design and build systems and ultimately the way we work and how we serve the public. Our IT modernization vision is to establish a fully integrated IT and Business team that delivers modern business platforms that improve our ability to respond more rapidly to changing needs at a manageable cost. We will provide an enhanced customer experience for millions of beneficiaries across an expanded mix of service options in a cost-effective and secure manner. Recent breaches at other Federal and State agencies underscore the importance of securing networks and sensitive data. While our cybersecurity program is comparable to that of other Federal agencies, it remains costly and difficult to integrate with our current legacy systems. We use knowledge of the threat landscape, advanced technologies, and skilled cyber professionals to secure our networks from threats, both foreign and domestic. Cyberattacks are ever changing, and we must remain vigilant to prevent any intrusion on our networks. unnamed stakeholder Infrastructure Modernize IT infrastructure to respond to evolving business needs Objective_3521240a-7bf0-409f-be16-54620a6ae90e 7 unnamed stakeholder Applications Build modern applications that improve the customer and employee experience Objective_40387226-795e-4705-a8fe-a1327f037b28 8 unnamed stakeholder Cybersecurity Strengthen our cybersecurity program and modernize our cybersecurity infrastructure Objective_d335425f-841a-4f3a-b404-841da0c66fe0 9 unnamed stakeholder Disability Cases Modernize disability case processing Objective_e1fb0917-8078-479b-a86d-5091df9af8ec 10 unnamed stakeholder Stewardship Ensure Stewardship Goal_add5c51c-286b-4a30-bfcd-1b983f4bb916 3 We are committed to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars to ensure the public has confidence that we manage their tax dollars wisely. We take the stewardship of our programs seriously, and we will continue to demonstrate a commitment to sound management practices. To ensure stewardship and the efficient administration of our programs, we will focus our efforts in three major areas: improving program integrity; enhancing our fraud prevention and detection activities; and improving workforce performance and increasing accountability. SSA Employees SSA Managers unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder unnamed stakeholder Integrity Improve Program Integrity Objective_702c59dd-26b9-40a4-9497-6b5a9d5c1e04 1 In FY 2017, we paid more than $82 billion in Federal benefits on average across our programs each month. As good stewards of the programs entrusted to us, we must ensure that we pay individuals the correct amount -- neither overpaying nor underpaying them. Making the right payment to the right person at the right time has always been one of our priorities. We conduct ongoing stewardship reviews to confirm individuals receive the benefits they are due and to monitor our performance. In the coming years, we will remain focused on the integrity of our programs, including minimizing improper payments, particularly in the SSI program where program complexities pose challenges. We are also committed to continuing our efforts to achieve high payment accuracy while using all available tools to recover overpayments. unnamed stakeholder Collaboration Collaborate with partners to address improper payments Objective_1e0a84b3-1be8-48cd-9f34-e090eeebd6d4 2 unnamed stakeholder Root Causes Address the root causes of improper payments to prevent their recurrence Objective_b4ef5e0f-59ad-40ab-96c4-ec62895aa639 3 unnamed stakeholder Debt Modernize our debt management and debt collection business processes Objective_9c25afbe-6be8-4fcc-afef-664aaf83c1f8 4 unnamed stakeholder Fraud Enhance Fraud Prevention and Detection Activities Objective_4908b3af-bd25-4d14-ad9a-02bf2af704a5 5 We take seriously our responsibility to prevent and detect fraud. We centrally manage our anti-fraud efforts and are developing consistent anti-fraud policies; refining employee training; and solidifying relationships with other Federal, State, and private partners to identify individuals who wrongfully obtain Social Security and SSI payments. We plan to expand the use of data analytics and predictive modeling to enhance fraud prevention and detection in our programs. We will integrate data from multiple sources and use industry-proven predictive analytics software to identify high-risk transactions for further review. With these models, we will better identify suspicious and evolving patterns of activities in our workloads and prevent fraudulent actions from occurring. unnamed stakeholder Partnerships & Data Analytics Expand the use of data analytics and increase internal and external partnerships Objective_f3b019dc-492d-416d-af12-c09f605e5d1b 6 unnamed stakeholder Fraud Develop and conduct regular fraud risk assessments of our programs Objective_accd5839-8c03-4ab4-8aff-443072ae5f08 7 unnamed stakeholder Performance & Accountability Improve Workforce Performance and Increase Accountability Objective_600447ba-45dc-44c8-8347-3d81aabbba54 8 Our employees remain our most important asset. We are accountable for ensuring they have the training and technology they need to take timely, quality actions. Feedback, including clear and measurable expectations, is an important tool to ensure our employees know how they are performing. Likewise, our managers need to understand how to maximize employee performance so that we can serve the public. We must support them in that effort by establishing expert teams who will be available to provide information and assistance in real time. We will also be requiring additional management training and working with our managers to help them engage and communicate with employees. While many of our employees are attracted to Federal employment by the benefits and flexibilities we provide, they also specifically choose our agency because they believe in, or have personal experience with, our mission. Our employees have some of the most difficult but also the most rewarding jobs. We must ensure that they remain aware of the importance -- to real people in our communities -- of a job well done. We must ensure that they know how much we -- and the public -- value their effort. Therefore, we must be attentive to issues they bring to our attention from requests to simplify policies to demanding that we hold all employees accountable. Our framework for comprehensive human capital management includes three major focus areas: workforce management, succession management, and performance management. unnamed stakeholder Accountability Enhance accountability for managing performance through program and automation improvements Objective_748edf95-3a7a-4f9c-8e40-93d811ea25dd 9 unnamed stakeholder Employee Development Align employee development with agency succession plans Objective_c8f63947-dff6-4b75-b44d-e84002232d0c 10 SSA Employees Performance & Conduct Challenges Invest in training and support for managers to effectively address performance and conduct challenges Objective_c2aaa172-17b2-46f9-ba0a-ce5aefaf6797 11 SSA Managers Effectiveness & Costs Improve Organizational Effectiveness and Reduce Costs Objective_72c7121f-58e5-492c-bcbd-38d1fdebba2f 12 Our administrative expenses continue to be less than 1.3 percent of the combined Social Security and SSI benefits we pay. We are taking steps to reduce our real estate footprint and to realign our organization to meet the current demands for our services. We are also leading efforts to improve strategic partnerships with other government and private entities and to expand data sharing opportunities with Federal and State agencies for better public service and operational savings. unnamed stakeholder Real Estate Align our real estate footprint with current and future business needs Objective_b13e6c85-38b5-4969-961b-8f618e807023 13 unnamed stakeholder Streamlining Streamline our organization and how we manage our workloads Objective_ae3aaf54-75be-4766-a89c-f54c9864469c 14 unnamed stakeholder Partnerships Improve strategic partnerships with other government and private entities Objective_b993eecc-ca45-4385-b446-7d294f46b636 15 unnamed stakeholder StrategyPlan_053606d6-24f7-4234-9d42-1deb4696d91c 2018-02-28 2022-09-30 2025-12-24 https://www.stratnavapp.com/StratML/Part1/053606d6-24f7-4234-9d42-1deb4696d91c/Styled Submitter_053606d6-24f7-4234-9d42-1deb4696d91c Owen Ambur