David H. Dean

Liberal Arts or Business: Does the Location of the Economics Department Alter the Major?

Abstract The authors examine whether the administrative location of an economics department in a business versus liberal arts school alters the character of the economics program provided to undergraduate majors. To test this hypothesis, they constructed a curricular character index (CCI) based on a detailed accounting of assorted dimensions of an economics major. The CCI served as the dependent variable in a regression model that controlled for other institutional attributes that could influence curricular character. The sample of 148 primarily undergraduate institutions was selected to impose some semblance of a ceteris paribus environment. Contrary to earlier findings, the empirical results strongly indicate that the administrative location of an economics department in business versus liberal arts schools significantly changes the character of the program offered to majors.

Evaluating the Vocational Rehabilitation Program Using Longitudinal Data Evidence for a Quasiexperimental Research Design

The study presents benefit-cost ratios for 14 disability cohorts served by the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program. The earnings impacts are estimated in a quasiexperimental framework using an internal comparison group. The earnings data are from a unique national panel constructed by linking client data of the Rehabilitative Services Administration with earnings histories from the Social Security Administration. These earnings data accommodate a series of statistical tests that allow us to identify and control for the presence of selection bias when estimating treatment impacts. The results indicate that the VR program is cost-effective in general, although not universally so across specific disabilities.

The Effects of Vocational Rehabilitation for People with Cognitive Impairments

This article utilizes administrative data to examine both short‐ and long‐term employment impacts for people with cognitive impairments who applied for vocational rehabilitation services in Virginia in 2000. These data provide long‐term quarterly information on services and employment outcomes. We model behavior, allow for multiple service choices, use long‐run labor market data, and use valid instruments. Results imply that services generally have positive long‐run labor market outcome effects that appear to substantially exceed the cost of providing services.

State Vocational Rehabilitation Programs and Federal Disability Insurance: An Analysis of Virginia's Vocational Rehabilitation Program

We examine the association between the receipt of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services and Federal Disability Insurance using a unique panel data source on persons who applied for assistance from Virginia’s VR program in 2000. Three central findings emerge: first, VR services are associated with lower rates of participation in disability insurance programs-a nearly 2 point drop in SSDI receipt and 1 point drop in SSI receipt. Second, VR service receipt is associated with lower take-up rates of SSDI/SSI. Finally, among VR applicants on SSDI/SSI, those who receive substantive VR services are more likely to be employed.JEL codesH51, I13, J24

Efficacy of higher education for persons with work disabilities

Abstract The paper examines the efficacy of higher education as a remedial strategy for persons with work disabilities. Efficacy is measured by comparing individual treatment costs to net earnings impacts. The treatment costs data reflect the services provided by the Virginia vocational rehabilitation program. Earnings impacts are estimated using longitudinal earnings profiles within a quasi-experimental research design. A key consideration in this research design is identification of an acceptable comparison group. The empirical results indicate that higher education is a cost effective strategy for persons with work disabilities. We suggest that perhaps higher education should be given an expanded role within the state-federal vocational rehabilitation program.

The Effects of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for People with Mental Illness

We construct a structural model of participation in vocational rehabilitation for people with mental illness. There are multiple services to choose among, and each has different effects on employment, earnings, and receipt of DI/SSI. This is the first paper to jointly estimate VR service receipt, employment outcomes, and DI/SSI receipt. We estimate large effects for most of the services implying large rates of return to vocational rehabilitation.

The Effects of Vocational Rehabilitation for People with Physical Disabilities

We evaluate the impact of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services on employment outcomes of adults with physical disabilities. Using detailed panel data from the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services in state fiscal year 2000, we estimate a structural model of participation that accounts for the potentially sudden onset of physical impairments and the endogenous selection of VR services. The results imply that VR services have large, positive long-run labor market effects that substantially exceed the cost of providing services.