The Local Declines in Child SSI Applications and Awards During COVID

Child applications and awards for U.S. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fell sharply at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cumulative applications from April to September 2020 were about 30% lower than applications over the same period in 2019 with substantial variation in rates of decline across local areas. In this article, we explore the factors correlated with the change in applications and awards across localities at the beginning of the pandemic. Our findings point to three particularly important factors influencing the magnitude of the change in applications and awards: (a) the restriction of in-person services in all Social Security Administration field offices in March 2020, (b) the pandemic’s disruptions to social and service networks through which people may learn about SSI, and (c) new economic stabilization policies, such as economic impact payments and supplemental unemployment insurance payments. These results highlight the substantial local variation in SSI participation. This variation is especially important in considering general issues around access to SSI, particularly for policies that aim to improve SSI access through outreach. Our findings underscore the importance of local networks in creating program awareness at local levels, and that they might be fruitful avenues for further outreach efforts.