Providence Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Rhode Island · SSA Region 01
Approval Rate
55.9%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7.5 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
266 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,620
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Providence ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for FY 2025. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Bernasconi | 66.5% | 33.5% | 59.8% | 194 | 251 |
| Ryan Vanda | 61.6% | 38.4% | 54.4% | 419 | 500 |
| Kate Dana | 60.2% | 39.8% | 49.3% | 379 | 431 |
| Paul W Goodale | 54.4% | 45.6% | 43% | 305 | 376 |
| Stephen M Szymczak | 53.4% | 46.6% | 47.6% | 414 | 492 |
| Jason Mastrangelo | 48.7% | 51.3% | 43.5% | 347 | 402 |
| Tanya J Garrian | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
About the Providence Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Providence hearing office in Rhode Island as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 01, 7 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.
The office's average approval rate is 55.9%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. This figure combines both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes from all judges at the office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 0% to 66.5%, a 67-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7.5 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 266 days. There are currently 1,620 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 231 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 42.5%. A fully favorable decision means the claimant receives benefits from the onset date they requested, as opposed to a partially favorable decision which may award benefits from a later date.
How to Interpret Providence Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Providence, thorough case preparation is especially important. Since judge assignments are rotational, the specific ALJ assigned to a case is not known in advance — ensuring medical evidence and vocational documentation are comprehensive can help regardless of which judge presides.
With an average wait time of 7.5 months and 266 days average processing time, claimants at Providence can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Providence have collectively issued 2,059 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 294 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 419 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Providence Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Providence?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 66.5%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 42.5%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Providence?
How long do disability cases take at Providence?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.