Recruitment in the Mental Health Treatment Study: A Behavioral Health/Employment Intervention for Social Security Disabled-Worker Beneficiaries

Social Security Bulletin. 74(2):27-46

20 Pages Posted: 4 Jun 2014 Last revised: 25 Apr 2015

See all articles by David S. Salkever

David S. Salkever

UMBC, Department of Public Policy

Brent Gibbons

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)

William Frey

Westat, Inc.

Roline Milfort

Westat, Inc.

Julie Bollmer

Westat, Inc.

Thomas Hale

Government of the United States of America - Social Security Administration

Robert Drake

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Howard H. Goldman

University of Maryland School of Medicine

Date Written: May 30, 2014

Abstract

This article analyzes subject recruitment for the Mental Health Treatment Study (MHTS) — a national 23-site randomized trial that provided access to effective treatment and rehabilitation interventions for Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries with psychiatric impairments. We use regression analyses to better understand the likely take-up rate for MHTS replications and/or expansions and to identify characteristics of DI beneficiaries most likely to enroll. Results indicate that among potential MHTS subjects with confirmed telephone contacts, the take-up rate was 14.0 percent — well above rates for previous Social Security Administration randomized trials. Regression results suggest, as an upper bound, that take-up rates in the 18.0-25.0 percent range could be obtained by targeting recruitment to the group of beneficiaries that has administrative records of recent vocational or labor-market activity. Future interventions with large, heterogeneous target populations should consider the implications here for generalizing intervention impacts and modifying recruitment strategies.

Keywords: Social Security Disability Insurance, mental health, randomized trial, supported employment, recruitment

JEL Classification: G22, I12, I13, I18, I38

Suggested Citation

Salkever, David S. and Gibbons, Brent and Frey, William and Milfort, Roline and Bollmer, Julie and Hale, Thomas and Drake, Robert and Goldman, Howard H., Recruitment in the Mental Health Treatment Study: A Behavioral Health/Employment Intervention for Social Security Disabled-Worker Beneficiaries (May 30, 2014). Social Security Bulletin. 74(2):27-46, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2443905

David S. Salkever (Contact Author)

UMBC, Department of Public Policy ( email )

1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, MD 21250

Brent Gibbons

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) ( email )

1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, MD 21250
United States

William Frey

Westat, Inc. ( email )

1650 Research Blvd
Rockville, MD 20850
United States

Roline Milfort

Westat, Inc. ( email )

1650 Research Blvd
Rockville, MD 20850
United States

Julie Bollmer

Westat, Inc. ( email )

1650 Research Blvd
Rockville, MD 20850
United States

Thomas Hale

Government of the United States of America - Social Security Administration ( email )

Washington, DC 20254
United States

Robert Drake

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth ( email )

1 Rope Ferry Road
Hanover, NH 03755-1404
United States

Howard H. Goldman

University of Maryland School of Medicine ( email )

685 W. Baltimore Street
MSTF Building Department of Psychiatry Room 300
Baltimore, MD 21201-1549
United States
410-706-6669 (Phone)
410-706-0022 (Fax)

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