The national average is 14.5 months, according to the report. Delaware is the fastest state with a less than 10-month wait.
“An Ohioan who becomes disabled has to wait an unforgiveable amount of time to get the benefits that he paid for,” said Dan Allsup, the company’s spokesman.
With 4,440 pending cases as of Jan. 31, the Dayton hearing office has the smallest backlog among the state’s four offices. However, Dayton has the second longest wait, with an average processing time of more than 20 months, the report said.
“We know that is an unacceptable situation,” said Dan Nguyen, spokesman for the Social Security Administration’s Chicago region office.
Social Security Disability Insurance provides financial support for people who can’t work because of a disability and are younger than 65.
Factors contributing to Ohio’s backlog include the state’s high unemployment rate and “aging baby boomers entering their disability-prone years,” Nguyen said.
In Delaware, one judge handles an average of 300 cases annually. In Ohio, it’s 600 cases for each judge.
The Social Security Administration last year in Ohio hired seven new judges and additional support staff.
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