by Lucy Axton Miller
The alarming expansion of the Social Security disability rolls cannot be viewed as SSA's problem to solve - it is a societal problem. It is in the best interests of American society to slow down this relentless march from initial illness or injury to complete and total disability. No one wins when millions of Americans are removed from the productive labor force to live a life of dependency on federal benefits. The possibilities presented by prevention, early intervention and diversion techniques are encouraging. It remains to be seen if sufficient political will and momentum exists to implement them.