SSA has agreements with State agencies throughout the United States to obtain benefit
and other information from their records online. CR/SR's have traditionally obtained
this information by phone, paper, or fax requests. Online access means the adjudicator
can access the information on the adjudicator's computer screen, thus decreasing telephone,
fax, and mail traffic between SSA field offices and the State agencies.
SSA Boston Region has an agreement with the Vermont Department for Children and Families
(DCF) allowing Social Security field office employees inquiry-only access to the DCF
eligibility system, ACCESS. ACCESS contains information about TANF and Food Stamps
benefits, as well as child support information.
SSI adjudicating employees in the three Vermont field offices are authorized to use
ACCESS.