Utilizing Online Services to Proactively Support Beneficiaries in Underserved Communities

In this paper, a mixed-methods study was conducted to examine how individuals in underserved communities would like to receive information from the Social Security Administration (SSA) about their benefits and other program rules. This study summarizes how retirement beneficiaries (people close to retirement and people receiving benefits) in underserved communities would like to receive information from SSA about their benefits and other program rules so they can make informed decisions about their own benefits and to make them aware of benefits to which they may be entitled. The qualitative (the focus group) phase of the study provides a firsthand view of how to improve SSA services to underserved communities, specifically black, by measuring black communities’ shared understanding of their preferred style of communication when it comes to their SSA retirement benefits. While the quantitative (the survey) phase of the study utilized the findings from the focus group to inform SSA’s efforts to improve service delivery. The study results will show an understanding of underserved communities communication preferences regarding how they want to obtain their retirement benefit and also provide some tangible insights on what should be done to improve/enhance service delivery, communication, and outreach with the ultimate goal of reducing disparities by race and ethnicity. Findings from our mixed-methods study shows that there is a clear need for policymakers to implement programs that will do much in boosting plain language about underserved communities benefit information disseminated through the traditional (US Postal Mail) communication medium.