Implementation and Impacts of the Substantial Gainful Activity Project Demonstration in Minnesota

In 2015, the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency in Minnesota implemented the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) Project demonstration, designed to improve employment outcomes of VR clients receiving Social Security Disability Insurance. In this paper, we present findings on the implementation experiences and the impacts the innovations had on service and employment outcomes. In particular, clients at treatment sites experienced shorter times for developing an individualized plan for employment and were less likely to drop out of services early, but the intervention had no measurable impacts on employment or earnings. As a result of the intervention, agency leadership and staff changed their perceptions of various components of service delivery. Findings suggest a number of implications for other VR agencies interested in adopting features of the SGA Project innovations.