Mississippi DDS

About the Social Security Disability Program

Disability Determination Services (DDS) is an agency in the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS). DDS operates in a partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to make disability decisions on Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability claims.

The DDS office is located in Madison, Mississippi. This office handles claims from all 24 SSA offices in Mississippi.

Applicants file for disability benefits in Social Security field offices throughout the state. These claims are forwarded to DDS where criteria set forth by SSA is used in developing the claim and making the disability decision.

When a claim reaches DDS, it assigned to a Disability Examiner (DE). Examiners are responsible for developing the claim and recommending the disability decision, based on SSA criteria. The DE develops the medical and vocational evidence required to evaluate the extent of the applicant’s limitations. Contacts by mail and/or telephone are made with the claimant and treating sources to secure pertinent information.

If the available medical information is incomplete, the DE may request a consultative examination (CE), at no cost to the applicant.

DDS has a Medical Unit staffed with medical and psychological consultants who provide expert medical knowledge about the functional limitations imposed by the impairments present. When all medical and vocational development is complete, the DE recommends a decision regarding disability.

When all case processing actions are completed, cases are randomly selected for internal quality review within the DDS (QA) and for review by the Disability Quality Branch (DQB), in SSA’s Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia.

If an unfavorable decision is made, the applicant has the right to appeal the decision through their local Social Security field office.
DDS Hearing Officers conduct face to face administrative hearings on appeals of cessation of benefits and adverse reopening decisions.

DDS Medical Relations Officers (MROs) are responsible for making field visits to recruit physicians, psychologists and other professionals to perform consultative examinations for DDS. Federal guidelines mandate much of this department’s functions.

The DDS Administrative Staff consists of a Director, Deputy Director, Operations Manager and Policy Director.

Impact In Mississippi

The Mississippi DDS processed 85,226 cases in federal fiscal year 2002. The MS DDS is consistently recognized for excellence in public service in the key performance areas measured by SSA: Quality, Timeliness, Productivity, and Cost-effective Decisions.

Furthermore, the MS DDS is recognized for innovations, which improve services to the disabled citizens. We are the only state in the nation to develop and implement an electronic transfer of medical records from the VA Hospitals. This directly results in improved timeliness of decisions to disabled Veterans of Mississippi.

The economic benefit from the SSA Disability program is an integral part of the economic fabric of our state. In addition to access to health coverage via Medicare and Medicaid for qualified recipients, monthly disability benefits provide economic freedom to disabled citizens and their families.

There are 119,800 Title II recipients and 106,395 Title XVI recipients receiving benefits in the state of Mississippi. This results in monthly cash benefits to the disabled citizens of Mississippi of $107, 740,500.* (based on FY ’00 SSA data)

Question and Answers About the Disability Program

DDS Administrative Staff

Director: Jo Ann Summers
Operations Manager: Genny Henderson and Laquita Brown
Policy Director: Retha Cain

Helpful Phone Numbers

DDS Toll-Free Number 1-800-962-2230

To Apply for Social Security 1-800-772-1213

To Report Fraud 1-800-269-0271

Web Links for Additional Information

Social Security Website

Home Page for Social Security Disability

Home Page for the Office of the Inspector General (reporting fraud)