On March 27th, per the Board’s congressional request to look at field office closures, Professor Manasi Deshpande was asked to present her research on the effects disability application rates when field offices are closed. Dr. Deshpande’s paper, “Who is Screened Out?” found that field office closings disproportionally discouraged potential applicants for disability benefits who would have been allowed onto the program. Results showed disability applications fell by 10 percent and receipts by 16 percent in zip codes surrounding closed offices for at least two years after closing, with the biggest effects on applicants with moderately severe conditions, low education and pre-application earnings levels.