Brian Strickland, Director
Disability Determination Services (DDS) is an agency in the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS) which operates in a partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to make disability determinations on Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability claims. This office handles claims from all 23 SSA offices in Mississippi.
ABOUT THE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY PROGRAM
Applicants file for disability benefits through the SSA. These claims are forwarded to DDS where criteria, set forth by SSA, is used in evaluating the claim for disability.
When a claim reaches DDS, it is assigned to a Disability Examiner (DE). Examiners are responsible for obtaining medical and vocational evidence to evaluate the claimant's allegations based on SSA criteria. If the medical records provided by the claimant's treating physician are incomplete, the DE may request a consultative examination (CE), at no cost to the claimant.
DDS has a Medical Unit staffed with medical and psychological consultants who provide expert opinions concerning the claimant's residual functional capacity. When all medical and vocational development is complete, a recommended determination is rendered to the SSA. All determinations are subject to review by either our Internal Quality Component (Quality Assurance) or SSA Office of Quality Performance. All determinations of DDS may be appealed by contacting the Social Security Administration.
IMPACT IN MISSISSIPPI
The Mississippi DDS adjudicated 51,693 cases for Federal Fiscal Year 2022. The MS DDS is consistently recognized for excellence in public service in the key performance areas measured by the Social Security Administration. These performance indicators include Timeliness, Productivity, and Cost-Effective Determinations.
The economic benefit from the SSA Disability program has a significant impact on the state as well as the individuals with disabilities by providing monthly benefits. These monthly benefits provide economic freedom to the citizens with disabilities and their families. This program is an integral part of the economic fabric of our state. This program is integral and has a financial impact on the economic fabric of our state. A secondary benefit of the disability program is the access provided to health coverage via Medicare and Medicaid.
Based on 2022 data, there are 132,667 Social Security Disability beneficiaries in the state of Mississippi. The average Social Security Disability payment is $1162 per month. The sum total of the disability payments is $154,229,000. There are 100,456 SSI recipients in the state. The average monthly benefit for the SSI recipient is $605 per month.
HELPFUL PHONE NUMBERS
DDS Toll-Free Number
1.800.962.2230
To Apply for Social Security
1.800.772.1213
To Report Fraud
1.800.269.0271
RELATED LINKS
- Social Security Website
- Home Page for Social Security Disability
- Home Page for the Office of the Inspector General (reporting fraud)
To request services, click here.