BASIC (01-08)

A. General - ARs in Disability Determination Services (DDS)

ARs allow one component to contact another for assistance, while still retaining full jurisdiction of the Certified Electronic Folder (CEF). Any office processing CEFs or paper cases with an Electronic Folder Interface (EFI) download, including DDS, Office of Disability and Review (ODAR) and Office of Quality Review (OQR), can initiate or receive an AR.

NOTE: Field Offices (FO) may receive but cannot initiate AR.

Only offices with jurisdiction of the CEF or a paper case with an EFI download may initiate an electronic AR. Once an office accepts an AR, the receiving office has Limited Access Control (LAC) of the case which provides the ability to:

• Categorize imaged documents; and

• Add, delete, and modify bookmarks and annotations (see Annotations, Bookmarks, and Categories (ABCs) – DI 81020.095).

Follow current procedures to notify offices when assistance is needed on paper folder cases.

B. Processing an Electronic AR

The DDS processes an electronic AR (e.g., initiating, following up, cancelling, and receiving) using their case processing system. Not all DDS case processing systems support full AR transactions (e.g., accept, reject, follow-up, cancel, close, and transfer). However, these DDSs can still request and respond to electronic ARs. If either the requesting or the receiving DDS involved in the A/R process does not have full electronic AR software, certain actions require direct DDS contact. Notify the other DDS (by phone or email) and document the contact in the Certified Electronic Folder (CEF) when:

• Rejecting an AR to the office that requested it;

• Transferring an AR to another office;

• Canceling an AR because it is no longer needed;

• Following up on an AR to check the status; or

• Closing an AR when completed.

C. Initiating an Electronic AR

The DDS initiates an electronic AR (e.g. need for 820/821; need for death certificate; need for CE) using the case processing system. Follow current policies and procedures when developing evidence through a FO or another DDS (see Developing Evidence through a Field Office (FO) or Another Disability Determination Services (DDS) - DI 22505.020 .

1. To Initiate an Electronic AR:

• Ensure there is an image of a signed SSA-827 (Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration [SSA]) in the CEF if it is needed to process the AR.

• When requesting a Consultative Examination (CE), categorize the relevant background material in the CEF.

  NOTE: Due to system limitations, if the DDS has a local image repository, all categorized material must be printed and sent to the receiving office. DDSs with local repositories include Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.

• Complete an SSA-883 (Request for Assistance) and electronically transmit it to the receiving office.

• If paper documentation is associated with the AR, add a Message to the CEF to alert the receiving office that paper documentation is associated with the AR;

• Indicate on the SSA-883 that paper documentation is being sent to the receiving office; and

• Mail the paper documentation to the receiving office after electronically sending the AR.

• When the receiving office processes the request, the CEF updates and an alert transmits to the initiating office.

2. Initiating DDS Receives an Alert

The initiating DDS receives an alert when:

• The AR is sent to an office that does not have the software needed to accept, reject, follow-up, cancel, close, or transfer electronic AR. The alert states: “Assisting Office is unable to respond electronically to this Assistance Request. Receiving Office can respond in the form of an imaged document, fax, or email.”

• The receiving office rejects the electronic AR or, if the receiving office is unable to support the reject function, when the receiving office adds a CEF Message rejecting the AR.

• The receiving office completes the AR and adds the reply to the CEF.

D. Following Up on AR

If needing a follow up on the progress of an electronic assistance request:

• The DDS sends a follow up message to the CEF through the Electronic AR function; and

• Creating the message triggers an update to the CEF.

NOTE: Not all DDS Legacy systems support the follow up function of the Electronic AR. For those offices that do not, follow up requests are made by contacting the receiving office.

E. Cancelling AR

If, prior to completion of the AR, the requesting DDS determines that the electronic AR is no longer necessary:

• Create a cancellation request to the CEF through the Electronic AR function; and

• Include a reason for the cancellation within the cancellation request.

NOTE: Not all DDS Legacy systems support the cancel function of the Electronic AR. For those offices that do not have the cancel function, make a cancellation of an electronic AR by contacting the other office.

F. Receiving AR

DDS, ODAR or OQR offices make an electronic AR by electronically completing and transmitting a:

• SSA-883 (Request for Evidence or Assistance);

• HA-4488 (Request for DDS Assistance in Obtaining Reports);

• HA-4489 (Request for DDS Assistance in Obtaining CE); or

• SSA-5526 (Request for Assistance)

To process an electronic AR:

• Review the Alerts and Messages tab of eView to determine if any Messages were added by the initiating office that paper documentation is associated with the AR;

• Review the CEF for the SSA-883, HA-4488, or HA-4489;

• Receipt and assign the assistance request;

NOTE: If associating paper documentation with the AR, do NOT receipt the AR until receiving the paper documentation;

• Take the appropriate action needed per the SSA-883, HA-4488, or HA-4489;

• If needing an SSA-827 for development, print a copy of the SSA-827 stored in the CEF;

• If scheduling a CE for ODAR or another DDS, make sure to categorize the appropriate background material; and

• Upload all development and documentation to the CEF which sends an alert to the initiating office indicating that documents were added to the case.

NOTE: Because the receiving office only has LAC of the CEF, they are not notified if new documents are added to the CEF or if messages are added to the CEF. In addition, the receiving office is not notified that the AR has been canceled by the initiating office unless both the initiating and receiving office have the full AR capability.

G. “Assistance Request History” Screen

The CEF maintains a list of all AR that were performed throughout the life of the case. This list is found within the “Status/History” tab of eView by selecting the “Assistance Request History” screen. The list includes:

• The date of the AR:

• The issues involved; and

• The jurisdiction of the AR.