Representative Payee Program

Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) is proud to announce, at the direction of the Social Security Administration (SSA), that we will now be engaging in Representative Payee reviews and advocacy. More than eight million Americans have representative payees, or require assistance managing their Social Security Benefits. Friends, family, or appointed organizations may take on this role on behalf of disabled persons. Our new program will provide oversight to these representative payees, their services to beneficiaries, as well as support them to better understand their responsibilities going forward.

DRP will work to ensure Representative Payees have the best tools possible and necessary information to be as effective in their roles as possible.

This program stems from the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act (H.R. 4547), which was passed in 2018. H.R. 4547 authorizes the nation’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agencies, of which DRP is a member of, to oversee representative payees because of our extensive knowledge on disability rights, policies and the disability community. As outlined by SSA, it is now our responsibility to evaluate any cases referred to us by the administration.

Should you have any further questions on this program, please refer to our intake system by visiting our site at (https://www.disabilityrightspa.org/get-help/intake/), or by calling 1.800.692.7443 ext. 400.

Coleen Sassaman

Representative Payee Team Leader

For more information on the Social Security Administration’s Representative Payee program, please view the video below.