Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley and NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley Celebrate 70th Anniversary of the NC Disability Determination Services Program

North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley will join state and federal leaders to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the North Carolina Disability Determination Services Program on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 4 p.m. at the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh. The group will highlight the 70 years of teamwork in supporting North Carolinians who are applying for disability benefits. The North Carolina Disability Determination Services (NC DDS) is the seventh largest DDS in the nation and since 2002 NC DDS staff have assisted with more than 3.3 million disability applications for people in North Carolina.

North Carolina’s Disability Determination Services provides a safety net for people whose disabilities have left them unable to work. Staff receive applications from Social Security offices across the state and determine eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income payments. Staff also determine eligibility for Medicaid disability benefits received from the state’s county departments of social services.

Credentialed media are invited to join Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley and NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley along with other federal and state leaders for an event in honor of this 70^th anniversary. The year carries particular significance for the Social Security Administration Disability Program as the Social Security Amendment of 1954 established the first SSA definition of disability and that state agencies, in partnership with SSA, would make disability determinations. 

What: 70^th Anniversary of the North Carolina Disability Determination Services Program 

Who: Martin O’Malley, Commissioner, Social Security Administration 
            Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services 
            Deborah Ross, Congresswoman NC-District 02
            Valerie Foushee, Congresswoman NC-District 04
            Jacqueline Russell, Director, NC Disability Determination Services 

Where: North Carolina Executive Mansion 
                 200 N. Blount St.
                 Raleigh, NC 27601

When: Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024
               4 - 6 p.m.

Media: Officials will have an opportunity to answer questions from credentialed media on-site. Please RSVP to news@dhhs.nc.gov if you plan to attend.