RETAIN is a joint demonstration with the Department of Labor (DOL) testing early interventions to help workers stay at work or return to work quickly after experiencing the onset of a work-threatening injury, illness, or disability. The ultimate policy goal is to reduce long-term disability – including the need for SSDI or SSI benefits – and increase labor force participation among those individuals. Participants are individuals who have recently experienced the onset of an injury, illness, or disability that might affect their ability to continue working, and who have not yet applied for Social Security disability benefits. (Participation in RETAIN does not affect a worker’s eligibility for SSDI or SSI benefits). DOL awarded cooperative agreements to states to implement RETAIN projects, and SSA will evaluate the project.
In September 2018, DOL awarded Phase 1 grants to 8 states (California, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington) to conduct initial planning and pilot activities. In October 2018, we awarded a contract to Mathematica Policy Research to evaluate the RETAIN state projects. The final evaluation report is expected to be published in 2026.
In April 2021, DOL awarded Phase 2 funds for Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, and Vermont to build upon their work in RETAIN Phase1. Phase 2 projects began enrolling participants as early as October 2021 and will conclude enrollment in 2024. In each state, RETAIN provides 6 weeks of rehabilitation-oriented services with referrals to appropriate providers if additional care is needed after participants exit the project. Although the states are each implementing their own unique models, all RETAIN projects are centered around early coordination of health care and employment-related supports and services for participating workers. Many of the projects have a particular focus on workers with musculoskeletal conditions. The state projects test a variety of ways to improve the early coordination of health care and employment-related supports and services for participating workers. These include training health care providers in occupational health best practices and facilitating communication and return-to-work efforts between workers, their employers, and their health care providers. Final evaluation reports for the project will be delivered in 2016.