Trends in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Disability Programs

 

Chart Descriptions for Change in Program Policy Influencing Program Size section

Table equivalent for Chart 49. Number of awards of disability benefits and policy changes affecting them, 1970–2003 (in thousands)
Year DI workers SSI adults (18–64) SSI children
1970 350.38 . . . . . .
1971 415.90 . . . . . .
1972 455.44 . . . . . .
1973 491.78 . . . . . .
1974 535.98 . . . . . .
1975 592.05 508.95 62.88
1976 551.46 403.35 45.03
1977 568.87 375.95 50.97
1978 464.42 323.17 47.05
1979 416.71 292.38 45.81
1980 396.60 293.74 46.26
1981 351.85 248.34 39.05
1982 298.53 202.59 35.67
1983 311.49 262.66 42.11
1984 357.14 322.39 45.74
1985 377.37 324.07 46.59
1986 416.87 391.60 50.00
1987 415.85 373.32 48.48
1988 409.49 361.07 47.56
1989 425.58 388.12 51.52
1990 467.98 446.94 76.07
1991 536.43 504.86 126.19
1992 636.64 636.30 221.08
1993 635.24 630.03 236.22
1994 631.87 580.64 203.19
1995 645.65 571.08 177.55
1996 624.25 526.69 144.27
1997 587.70 461.26 116.28
1998 608.38 489.24 135.60
1999 620.56 493.96 139.40
2000 610.70 483.02 144.54
2001 661.90 502.59 156.90
2002 730.38 533.47 169.13
2003 755.71 537.42 179.59
SOURCES: Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2003, Table 31; SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2003, Table 47.
NOTE: . . . = not applicable.
Table equivalent for Chart 50. Number of awards for the diagnostic category of mental disorders and policy changes affecting them, 1980–2003 (in thousands)
Year DI workers,
all mental disorders		 SSI adults
(18–64),
excluding
mental retardation		 SSI children,
excluding
mental retardation
1980 . . . 9.60 0.98
1981 36.32 8.89 0.91
1982 31.53 13.30 0.77
1983 50.63 42.18 2.21
1984 64.08 65.89 2.65
1985 68.61 70.67 3.14
1986 123.98 119.48 3.85
1987 81.24 99.58 3.83
1988 85.76 86.87 3.86
1989 88.50 93.56 4.67
1990 105.17 112.42 10.58
1991 126.18 131.16 27.47
1992 164.09 171.09 55.66
1993 166.05 178.13 67.57
1994 156.70 160.94 65.04
1995 147.90 158.51 58.05
1996 132.02 136.48 42.62
1997 122.90 115.40 32.80
1998 131.50 127.70 44.48
1999 138.98 138.02 52.79
2000 143.20 146.93 57.64
2001 168.60 157.59 68.94
2002 185.31 168.97 80.28
2003 191.68 171.65 91.16
SOURCES: Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2003, Table 36; SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2003, Tables 48 and 49.
NOTES: Between 1995 and 1996, changes were made in the series, and data are not directly comparable. The SSI series includes only mental disorders other than mental retardation. Because of limitations in the historical data series, the DI workers series includes all mental disorders and does not exclude mental retardation. In recent years, awards based on mental retardation have consistently accounted for 10 percent to 13 percent of awards to DI workers based on mental disorders, with nearly 90 percent being other mental disorders.
. . . = not applicable.
Table equivalent for Chart 51. Number of terminations of disability benefits and policy changes affecting them, 1970–2003 (in thousands)
Year DI workers SSI adults (18–64) SSI children
1970 260.44 . . . . . .
1971 266.47 . . . . . .
1972 261.74 . . . . . .
1973 304.79 . . . . . .
1974 320.96 . . . . . .
1975 329.53 . . . . . .
1976 351.50 . . . . . .
1977 401.33 . . . . . .
1978 413.57 . . . . . .
1979 422.50 . . . . . .
1980 408.05 216.00 22.00
1981 434.19 198.00 20.00
1982 483.85 210.00 21.00
1983 453.62 180.00 21.00
1984 371.91 207.00 16.00
1985 339.98 191.00 13.00
1986 341.28 218.00 21.00
1987 347.95 226.00 22.00
1988 356.14 230.00 24.00
1989 351.40 237.00 22.00
1990 348.19 245.00 18.00
1991 351.30 273.00 25.00
1992 361.80 333.00 42.00
1993 372.32 358.00 40.00
1994 384.59 363.00 47.00
1995 399.48 394.00 54.00
1996 396.98 422.00 54.00
1997 464.98 447.00 133.00
1998 409.49 387.00 73.00
1999 433.95 427.00 124.00
2000 460.35 404.00 89.00
2001 459.07 408.00 70.00
2002 479.36 440.00 83.00
2003 447.49 439.00 76.00
SOURCES: Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2003, Table 45; 2004 Annual Report of the Supplemental Security Income Program, Table IV.B5.
NOTE: . . . = not applicable.