Social Security’s Acting Commissioner Nancy Berryhill recently informed the agency’s senior staff, as referenced by Social Security’s organizational manual found here, of the agency’s organizational realignment. This new alignment consists of a brand new deputy commissioner-level organization, the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight (OARO). The commissioner’s decision is based on improving “efficiency and public service.” Below is Berryhill’s entire memo to Social Security’s senior staff.
To: Senior Staff
From: Nancy A. Berryhill /s/
Acting Commissioner
Subject: Organizational Realignment – INFORMATION
I continue to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and public service by unifying efforts and advancing our ability to make data-driven decisions.
Today, I am announcing the establishment of a Deputy Commissioner-level organization – the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight (OARO) – which will be implemented October 1, 2017. The six offices involved that will form this organization are as follows:
From the Office of Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management:
- Office of Anti-Fraud Programs;
- Office of Business Improvement;
- Office of Quality Review; and
- Audit Liaison Staff
From the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review:
- Office of Appellate Operations;
From the Office of the Commissioner:
- Analytics Center of Excellence
Integration of these organizations with complementary missions provides an opportunity to mature our anti-fraud efforts, institutionalize and foster data analysis in our programs, improve coordination to provide oversight of the disability adjudication system, and communicate a unified message within and outside the agency. This restructuring presents an opportunity to maximize our resources and better organize efforts to explore and develop the future of analyses and oversight. I said in my first communication January 23rd that we will be mission focused and mission driven. The establishment of this organization further demonstrates a commitment to maximizing our performance and employee engagement while enhancing and improving agency policies and processes so that we provide quality public service.
Pat Jonas will be Deputy Commissioner, OARO and Amy Thompson will serve as Acting Assistant Deputy Commissioner, OARO.
In addition to this new organization structure, the Office of Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management will be the Office of Budget, Finance, and Management (OBFM). The Office of Disability Adjudication and Review will be the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO).
Please join me in congratulating our colleagues on their new assignment. I am sure I can count on you to give them your full cooperation as they begin the task of integration and moving forward.
