SSA has jurisdiction of any Title II or Title XVI disability claim filed by or on
behalf of a claimant who changed their identity under the guidance of the Department
of Justice (DOJ) witness protection program. These cases are excluded from Disability
Determination Services (DDS) jurisdiction. These claims are not normally filed in
the field office (FO). However, if the FO erroneously receives a “changed-identity”
claim, complete the paper applications along with paper disability reports, and follow
the procedures in this section.
REMINDER: Due to the sensitive nature of these cases, do not enter a claimant’s disability
information in the Electronic Disability Collect System (EDCS).
NOTE: This does not apply to an individual who receives a new SSN under Harassment, Abuse,
and Life Endangerment (HALE) provisions.