Newsletter: Managing the Permanent Casework Crisis
The thing I appreciated most from my conversation this week with NOSSCR CEO David Camp on SSA casework was the balanced, realistic positivity we kept coming back to. Yes, there are enormous problems with SSA, as with many federal agencies (DOGE’d or not), and these problems have dramatic real-world consequences for constituents. However, there are clear things that can be done to fix them. Casework can be extremely effective, with attention to detail. Some policy changes are ready to go with a little nudge.
(I feel like the theme for this newsletter is going to be “focusing on places where you can have an impact” for a while.)
Also ICYMI, speaking of clear-eyed realism, I wrote an article this week on the cycle of crisis casework, and how this should be a warning sign for Congress to take defensive measures to protect its capacity to serve constituents. If you or your legislative colleagues have feedback or questions, I’m always happy to chat.
If you have questions about our work or suggestions for how we can be helpful, please feel free to reach out by replying to this email, or shoot me a note at anne@popvox.org.
Anne Meeker
Deputy Director
POPVOX Foundation
SSA Casework Webinar Recap
Thanks again to National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR) CEO David Camp for joining us on Wednesday for a chat about Social Security, casework, and what to expect in the next year. ICYMI, a few top takeaways:
Congressional casework inquiries can be hugely effective. Noting Congressional Interest gives cases extra attention, and helps SSA search across its multiple (and way outdated) tech systems to track down a case and troubleshoot. This is especially helpful in cases that have been decided but not yet paid out, and over/underpayment cases.
Always ask to see the most recent correspondence a constituent has gotten from SSA — that will help you understand what’s happening, and help SSA pinpoint the problem.
If you think you’re not getting the same responsiveness as a neighboring delegation, you may be right: SSA has struggled to hire and retain staff in some parts of the country, leading to an unevenly distributed workload.
Know your dire need criteria: cases can be sped up in case of terminal illness, homelessness, foreclosure, or inability to pay for food/medication. Explaining any other difficulties in the constituent’s life (veteran status, details of their disability, utility shutoff, etc.) may also help humanize and flag the urgency of a case whether it meets dire need criteria or not.
And NOSSCR is around to help you answer tough questions, relay observations about confusing/conflicting guidance to SSA, and partner on events to help constituents understand SSA programs.
Social Security with NOSSCR CEO David Camp
This webinar includes tips for writing an effective inquiry for Social Security casework (including what caseworkers often get wrong!), working with local service providers, and a look ahead at how recent and upcoming SSA reforms might impact your caseload.
Casework News
Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s team [R, NJ] announced that they have returned over $15 million in delayed and retroactive benefits. Congrats Team Kean!
Nice roundup of the chaos of getting a new Congressional office off the ground. Congrats to the new Vindman [D, VA] team on a fast start out of the gate!
Offices across the country have been handling a wild influx of calls and protests related to the wave of EOs — there’s been lots of coverage of these calls on both sides of the aisle, including from CBS New York, WaPo, NYT, CNN, NOTUS, NOTUS again, Axios, the Bulwark, Breitbart, and a nice comment from a constituent on the Moulton [D, MA] team.
I also had a great chat this week with the Washington Post’s Shira Ovide about the apps sending constituent calls to Congress.
Senate Democrats have launched a website portal for whistleblowers sharing information about “wrongdoing, abuse of power, and threats to public safety.”
Op-ed from Committee on House Administration Modernization & Innovation Subcommittee Chairwoman Stephanie Bice [R, OK] about the Subcommittee’s efforts, including prioritizing constituent services.
Agency News
Two casework-related agency heads confirmed
The Senate confirmed new VA Secretary Doug Collins (former Air Force chaplain) and new HUD Secretary Scott Turner (former NFL player). Collins has also been named Acting Head of the Office of Government Ethics and was named Acting Head of the Office of Special Counsel before a judge temporarily reinstated former Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger while his unlawful removal claim is considered. If your boss is on a relevant committee, a Cabinet secretary intro meeting is a great way to flag issues your team sees in casework.
Immigration resources for caseworkers from AILA
The American Immigration Lawyers’ Association runs a newsletter for Hill staff on immigration issues, and caseworkers can sign up for a free AILA account to access member resources using their .gov email address.
Continuing fallout from federal grant freeze
Many federal grant recipients are still seeing freezes on pending grant funding. This article starts to unpack specific case-by-case reasoning for some of those delays — including, for example, a shift to manual payment processing to allow FEMA personnel to do a payment-by-payment analysis of recipients and projects.
Changes impacting federal employee labor disputes
The Trump Administration this week fired Federal Labor Relations Authority Chairwoman Susan Tsui Grundmann and Merit Systems Protection Board members Cathy Harris and Ray Limon (President Trump also named Henry Kerner to the MSPB as acting chair in his first week in office). FLRA and MSPB both have roles adjudicating federal labor disputes.
Agency layoffs/resignations
Federal employees on probationary status across multiple agencies received termination notices this week. This explainer has information on how probationary status works and what protections are available for newly-hired employees. The White House has also issued an executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce by attrition, instructing agencies to hire only one FTE for every four who leave, and requiring agencies to seek approval for hires through DOGE employees.
At least 65,000 employees have accepted deferred resignation
As of last Friday morning, at least 65,000 employees had accepted the Administration’s deferred resignation offer. However, agencies have carved out several new exceptions, including IRS employees who will continue working through May 15, and VHA employees who are no longer eligible.
Immigration status
Reporting from the US-Mexico border covers a dramatic decrease in the number of asylum-seekers attempting to cross into the US or in shelters along the border over the last month. Reporting from the Guardian shows that some coverage of ICE raids that look recent in search engine results may be resurfacing older articles and press releases. The Trump Administration has also prioritized resettlement for white South Africans facing “government-sponsored race-based discrimination.”
Evaluating AI decisions in benefits programs
AI has the potential to greatly speed up and standardize some benefits decisions; however, finding ways to evaluate AI performance are critical for identifying and mitigating any bias or incorrect decisions. Propel’s Dave Guarino shares some insights from building a tool to evaluate LLM performance in SNAP decisions.
