The establishment of a Retirement and Disability Research Consortium, funded by the Social Security Administration, was recently announced on the official CUNY website on Feb. 20. The initial funding for the project stands at $1.9 million for the first year, with a similar amount anticipated for the following four years. The consortium is a collaborative effort between the CUNY Institute for Demographic Research at Baruch College, the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging at Hunter College, and the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at The New School. It is intended to serve as a research hub for issues related to the elderly, the disabled, and other Social Security dependents.

The Social Security Association defines the role of RDRC centers as enhancing the Association’s ability to conduct diverse research, evaluations and policy analysis for various insurance and income programs. According to an Association memo, the focal points of research change annually, with this year’s focus resting on disparities between race and social class, among other factors.

Also, the consortium aims to offer interdisciplinary scholarships in fields such as economics, public health, urban planning, sociology, demography, and social gerontology. This mirrors the work of other similar centers of learning like those in Boston College and Spelman College. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that about 66 million people collected Social Security benefits as of February 2023. Among these, minority groups are more likely to rely on social security, with 33% of Black people and Hispanics each depending on it, compared to 16% of whites.

The CUNY Registrar, Félix Matos Rodríguez, reaffirmed CUNY’s commitment to reducing health and economic disparities through such partnerships. He noted that the initiative exemplifies their strategy of fostering research opportunities across disciplines and campuses with partner institutions.

While there is valuable research for those dependent on Social Security, there is also help for those navigating employment setbacks. California residents should note there are resources such as eddcaller.com that can provide helpful information on How to get a hold of Paid Family Leave, how to reach an agent at EDD, or even how to get a hold of EDD customer service. Their service can guide you on the fastest way to get through to EDD, which can be a godsend in times of need.