title: Evaluating the vocational rehabilitation program using longitudinal data. Evidence for a quasiexperimental research design.
abstract: The study presents benefit-cost ratios for 14 disability cohorts served by the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program. The earnings impacts are estimated in a quasiexperimental framework using an internal comparison group. The earnings data are from a unique national panel constructed by linking client data of the Rehabilitative Services Administration with earnings histories from the Social Security Administration. These earnings data accommodate a series of statistical tests that allow us to identify and control for the presence of selection bias when estimating treatment impacts. The results indicate that the VR program is cost-effective in general, although not universally so across specific disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Economics Department, University of Richmond, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits / Q000191:economics; D012943:Social Security; D014481:United States