Social Security Announces Change to Improve Agency Operations and Strengthen Protections

The Social Security Administration announced the closing of a component within the agency, the Office of Transformation. Employees in this office will be put on administrative leave effective 2-24-25.

The Social Security Administration is announced an organizational realignment of the functions provided by its Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight (OARO). These functions remain critical to ensure the programs Social Security administers are of high quality and effective, that SSA uses the latest tools to recommend opportunities to improve the programs, and to detect and prevent fraud.

“President Trump has made it clear that good government must do better at identifying and eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “Realigning functions previously under the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight, is an important, common-sense step in the right direction to further strengthen the integrity of the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs millions of people depend on.”

Moving OARO functions to existing parts of the agency will streamline layers of management, increase data sharing with essential Social Security components, and speed the opportunities to identify fraud, waste, and abuse and implement needed solutions.

Per the release it states that acting Commissioner Dudek understands that government alone doesn’t have all the answers. An important part of identifying fraud, waste, and abuse, is timely and meaningful engagement with a range of stakeholders, including many in the advocate community. Engagement with advocates will resume in earnest. With the realignment of OARO functions, Gina Clemons, formerly the Deputy Commissioner for OARO, will take the lead for SSA to engage directly with key outside stakeholders on topics including, protecting the integrity of our programs and identifying opportunities for efficiencies such as program simplification and technology.

These improvements will build on recommendations that DOGE team members provide the agency and help to improve how Social Security serves America.

President Trump, in collaboration with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has directed the General Services Administration (GSA) to terminate leases on approximately 7,500 federal offices, including those of the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The SSA is already struggling with staffing shortages. In testimony before Congress on March 21, 2024, former SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley stated that by the end of FY 2024, the agency would serve 7 million more beneficiaries with 7,000 fewer full-time staff than in FY 2015. He warned that the SSA cannot "keep doing more with less," noting that budget constraints have left the agency at its lowest staffing level in 25 years. Combined with office closures, these shortages could worsen delays and limit critical services for beneficiaries.

Examples of current monthly average wait times per the departments own admission include:

30 minutes for our national 800 number, which is a decrease of about 7 minutes from the same time last fiscal year.

240 days for an initial disability decision, which is an increase of about 8 days from the same time last fiscal year.

243 days for a disability reconsideration decision, which is an increase of about 17 days from the same time last fiscal year.

291 days for a hearing decision, which is a decrease of 72 days from the same time last fiscal year.

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