1. Thoughts on the CPS-DS Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D.
University of New Hampshire
October 19, 2010

2. Overarching Issues Thoughts about the goals of the CPS-DS.
Additional information on the nature of the disability.
Suggestions about the primary content.
Sample size --- ask people who are not working the employment-related questions, too. 2

3. Goals of the CPS-DS
What will be the “comparative advantage” of the CPS-DS?
What will the main overarching report contain that other federal reports do not have?
What are the research hypotheses that will the CPS-DS open up to investigation? 3

4. Comparative Advantage
Access to a representative sample of the U.S. including individuals in group quarters.
Ability to link to data from the CPS-Basic Monthly Survey (BMS) and possibly other supplements.
Ability to delve further into the factors behind the official national employment statistics on the population with disabilities.
Possibility of linking to SSA and IRS records. 4

5. Placement of the “Main Report”
Census Bureau reporting efforts:
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP): “Americans with Disabilities” series— addresses national-level population size, population characteristics, specific conditions, use of devices and personal assistants, and some economic characteristics (employment status, health insurance, poverty). 5

6. Placement of the “Main Report” (continued)
Census Bureau reporting efforts
American Community Survey (ACS): American FactFinder annual and three-year and five-year pooled statistics— addresses national-, state-, and local-level population size, population characteristics, and some economic characteristics (employment status, health insurance, poverty). 6

7. Placement of the “Main Report” (continued)
BLS (CPS-BMS) reporting efforts:
Table A-6 monthly employment statistics— address employment-to-population ratio, unemployment rate, labor force participation rate.
The new Labor Force Characteristics of Persons with a Disability annual series—addresses employment status by demographic characteristics, full-time/year-round employment, industry, occupation, and class (sector). 7

8. Research Hypotheses
What are the research hypotheses that will the CPS-DS open up to investigation?
The lack of longitudinal (panel) data will limit the ability to make causal inferences when testing hypotheses.
The possible hypotheses themselves depends on the eventual content and sampling. 8

9. Additional Disability Information
Disability is a very complex phenomenon, and there may be a need to collect additional information:
Date of Onset.
Severity.
Specific disability type.
These are difficult to collect when an individual may have more than one disability (see SIPP disability topical module). 9

10. Suggestions on Primary Content
Utilization of Employment Services
CPS-BMS: only asks individuals who are not employed and actively looking for work.  
Need to also ask of people who are working, and people who are not currently in the labor force. 
Need to ask about specific employment agencies. 
Need to expand the types of services (not just job search as in the CPS-BMS) 10

11. Suggestions on Primary Content (continued)
Workplace accommodations, modifications, and on-going supports.
Employer Provided --- see NHIS-D, NLTS-2 and HRS.
Self-provided --- survey ask about accommodations provided by employers
The UNH EPM-RRTC will be developing survey items for VR clients on use of accommodations, modifications, and on-going supports. 11

12. Suggestions on Primary Content (continued)
Workplace Adjustments (accommodations, modifications, flexibility, & on-going supports).
Employer-provided accommodations --- see NHIS-D, NLTS-2 and HRS.
Self-provided --- current/past surveys only ask about accommodations provided by employers.
The UNH EPM-RRTC will be developing survey items for VR clients on use of workplace adjustments. 12

13. Suggestions on Primary Content (continued)
Participation in and Application for Safety-Net and Insurance Programs.
Cannot study the utilization (and impact) of employment services without understanding participation in safety-net/insurance programs that may have disincentives to work.
E.g.: DI, SSI, Workers Compensation claims (past and present), families health insurance.
Concerned about the use of the six question sequence as a screen, because they appear to miss a large number of Social Security disability beneficiaries. 13

14. Sample Size
Do not restrict employment-related questions to only those who are currently working --- this could limit sample size.
Ask people with jobs about use of employment services in the past.
Use multiple months, so you can get individuals rotating into or back into the sample. 14

15. Contact Information
Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D.
Institute on Disability
University of New Hampshire
10 West Edge Drive, Suite 201
Durham, NH
(603) 15