Vocational Expert Consulting Services Change

The Commission was made aware of a change to the Social Security Administration Vocational Expert SOW as of April 1, 2020, with the compliance deadline listed as March 31, 2025. In other words, the change will be effective April 1, 2020, but there is a grace period allowing for people already practicing to comply with the new regulation.

The key issue is related to a change that would require a vocational expert witness to be certified through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) or certification as a Fellow or Diplomate by the American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE). Currently, there are some CDMS certificants that serve in this capacity and this change may preclude them from doing so unless they seek additional certification. 

After the Commission was made aware, a letter was sent to the Social Security Administration (SSA) voicing our concerns. In addition, the Commission completed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records related to this change.

The Commission is encouraging those affected to send a letter to the Social Security Administration regarding the impact of this change. Click here for a sample letter that you can use. 

The Commission will continue to monitor the change and if we receive additional information, we will communicate to the CDMS community. Thank you for your time, consideration and commitment to the CDMS credential.