The Social Security Administration’s Request for Comments

The complete text of this request and detailed submission instructions can
be found at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html.
Select “2010 Federal Register, Vol. 75” and enter Page Number “4900”

The Social Security Administration is requesting your comments about their
operating procedures for determining disability for persons whose drug
addiction or alcoholism (DAA) may be a contributing factor material to
their determination of disability. In particular, they would like your
opinion about what, if any, changes you think they should make to their
instructions.

Some questions that have in particular are:
• What evidence we should consider to be medical evidence of
DAA?
• How we should evaluate claims of people who have a
combination of DAA and at least one other physical impairment?
• How we should evaluate the claims of people who have a
combination of DAA and at least one other mental impairment?
• Whether we should include using cigarettes and other tobacco
products in our instructions?
• How long a period of abstinence or nonuse we should
consider to determine whether DAA is material to our determination of
disability?
• Whether there is any special guidance we can provide for
people with DAA who are homeless?

All comments should refer to Docket No. SSA–2009–0081 and must be received
no later than March 30, 2010 via one of the below methods:
· Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. (Use the Search
function to find docket number SSA–2009–0081).
· Fax: (410) 966–2830.
· Mail: Office of Regulations, Social Security
Administration, 137 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, Maryland 21235–6401.