Articles from prior issues of The Advocate

November/December, 1997

The New Maryland DDS
by Kathleen Long, Assistant Medical Relations Officer

WHAT WILL THE STATE DISABILITY Determination Services of the future look like? More than likely, a lot like the brand-new Maryland Disability Determination Services, in Timonium, MD. The 57,000 cases sent to DDS from SSA field offices and payment centers move from mailroom to staff and then back to SSA in a system designed to eliminate backlogs and multiple steps. The latest mail automation included letter openers, sorters and, eventually, bar coders. Interactive distance learning will be the norm in a 200 person capacity conference room that holds a 60" television and 25 key pads. A smaller conference room includes 10 work stations with personal computers for hands-on training. A comfortable waiting room is available for claimants with scheduled hearings. Private hearing rooms allow claimants and representatives to present their cases to one of DDS's four hearing officers. The Maryland DDS is convenient to the Baltimore Beltway and steps away from light rail public transportation. By mid-1998, the DDS will see the installation of IWS-LAN. E-mail, Internet access and various software will allow employees to maximize work station efficiency. The Maryland Disability Determination Services celebrated its new state-of-the-art office during an October ceremony that applauded the unique federal and state partnership that makes disability decisions for SSA. Philadelphia region SSA representatives: Virginia Flowers, Associate Regional Commissioner for Management and Operations Support, Ed Abell, Disability Program Administrator and Kate Thorton, Director of Center for Disability Programs joined Maryland DDS Director Kathi Thompson and other state government officials in a ribbon cutting. Other guests included central office representatives: Hilton Friend, Deputy Associate Commissioner in the Office of Disability and Lenore Carlson, Director of Division of Field Disability Operations in the Office of Disability. Frank Cristando, Chief Administrative Law Judge in the Philadelphia region, was also one of the 75 guests. As for how the DDS will know if the new office space has helped bring quality service to the public, DDS Director Kathi Thompson says: "Our mission statement, displayed in our new reception area, reminds us all of our vision--to make timely, accurate and cost-effective decisions about disability claims. Our success will be measured, in part, by the claimants for whom this important work is done."