Arkansas and Social Security Disability Benefits

ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2024!

Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like Arkansas – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.

Why is State-by-State Information Important?

Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and Arkansas social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.

Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.

Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.

While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.

You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in Arkansas below.

Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Arkansas – What You Need To Know

There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how Arkansas compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.

As the table shows, Arkansas is just about the national average at the Initial Application stage. However, trails behind the national average for approvals at each the Reconsideration, and Hearings stage of the process. Arkansas is particularly weak, compared to the national average, for approvals at the Hearing stage.

Arkansas Initial Application Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart show, Arkansas has been slightly ahead of the national average for approval of Initial Applications going back to at least 2015. In 2024, Arkansas ranked 38th in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. While approval rates have very slightly improved in Arkansas over the last few years, they still trail the national average, and only about 1/3 of initial applications are approved. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.

Arkansas Reconsideration Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart indicate, Arkansas has been very close to the national average when it comes to Approvals at the Reconsideration level. In 2024, Arkansas ranked 18th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration. However, as you can see, even in general, the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue in the next level, the Hearing.

Arkansas Hearings Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart indicate, Arkansas has been slightly behind the national average when it comes to approvals at the Hearing level, although in the last couple years it’s dipped even farther below the average. In 2024, Arkansas ranked 35th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Hearings.

However, as you’ll see below, all individual hearing offices in Arkansas are not the same – each office has its own approval rates, and almost as importantly, waiting times. Which hearing office your case is assigned to in Arkansas may have a significant bearing on your chances for approval.

Also worthy of note is the fact that past performance is only one indicator of likely outcomes; as new data comes in, you might see that a state’s performance compared to the national average has either improved or weakened.

Arkansas SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Approval By Office

Arkansas is part of the Social Security Administration’s “Region 6,” which is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. There are 2 hearing offices in Arkansas. You can see waiting times for hearings & case dispositions for each office below, with comparisons to Arkansas and National Averages.

The “Hearing Wait Time (Months)” is, on average, how long it takes in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing and when that hearing occurs.

The “Average Disposition Time (Days)” is, on average, the number of days in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing, and when the Administrative Law Judge who hears their case actually makes a decision on that case.

The “Average Approval Rate” is percentage at which cases are decided in favor of the applicant.

As the table here and the chart below indicate, in 2024, applicants in Arkansas can expect a fairly quick waiting period for a hearing – the state is below the national average, and actually ranks 20th in the national in terms of shortest waiting times. However, Arkansas lags far behind the national average in terms of approval rates at the Hearing stage. While the Fort Smith office is actually ahead of the national average by 12.6 percentage points, the Little Rock office’s approval rates in 2024 are 16 points behind the national average.

These waiting times and approval rates only highlight how important it can be to have a qualified representative – such as an Advocate from Citizens Disability – working on your case. The Government Accountability Office has done research that shows that an applicant who has a representative has an up to three times greater chance of being approved than a person who goes it alone.

Hearing Offices in Arkansas & The SSA Offices They Serve

These are the “Office of Hearing Operations” offices in Arkansas. These offices are where hearings are scheduled and generally conducted. Each OHO office supports a number of regional Social Security Administration field offices. You are likely (but not guaranteed) to have your hearing scheduled with a Judge who works in the OHO office that supports the SSA field office nearest to you.

Hearing Office Region 6 Fort Smith SSA, OHO
Central Mall, Suite 475, 5111 Rogers Avenue
Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903-2034
(877) 348-7549 • (479) 452-5415 • (877) 559-1921
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Field Offices Served:
ARKANSAS: Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Mountain Home, Poteau, Russellville

Hearing Office Region 6 Little Rock SSA, OHO
2405 Federal Office Building, 700 West Capitol Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
(866) 592-2549 • (501) 324-7137 • (877) 559-1933
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Field Offices Served:
ARKANSAS: Batesville, Blytheville, Conway, Forrest City, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Searcy, Sherwood

All data on this page is current as of February, 2023.

About Citizens Disability, LLC:

Since 2010, Citizens Disability has been America’s premier Social Security Disability institution. Our services include helping people in applying for SSDI benefits, managing the process through Reconsideration, and representing people in person at their Hearing, and if necessary, bringing their case to the Appeals Council. Our mission is to give a voice to the millions of Americans who are disabled and unable to work, helping them receive the Social Security Disability benefits to which they may be entitled. Learn more about us and disability benefits like SSDI & SSI or give us a call (800)492-3260.

Citizens Disability is committed to helping keep people safe from fraud. We will never ask for personal details to start an SSDI application over Facebook or social media. We will only ask for certain details, in private messages, to confirm the identity of a client in a customer service situation. The only way to begin an SSDI application with us is on the phone, through a number found on our website, or one of our clearly-marked advertisements. Please keep your personal details safe, don't share them in a public forum, or with individuals who solicit your information.