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The Equip For Equality PABSS Project Presents

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

THE TICKET TO WORK

Equip For Equality: Protection and Advocacy

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

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

Mission:

To advance the human and civil rights of people with physical & mental disabilities 

Equip For Equality Services Include:

  Public Policy Advocacy Education     Self-Advocacy Assistance Abuse/Neglect Investigations Traumatic Brain Injury Project  Special Education Issues  Employment Issues    Information & Referral  Training & Latino Outreach Legal Advocacy Guardianship Reform Assistive Technology

PABSS: A Blue Ribbon Project

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

PABSS P

rotection and

A

dvocacy for

B

eneficiaries of

S

ocial

S

ecurity

PABSS

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Breaking Down Barriers to Employment

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The Ticket To Work

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

Is This A Winning Ticket?

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

The 1996 GAO Report

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• • In July 1996, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) recommended that SSA place more emphasis on return to-work efforts. (

SSA Disability: Return-to-Work Strategies From Other Systems May Improve Federal Programs –

GAO/HEHS-96-133). GAO estimated that if 1% of the disability beneficiaries on the rolls returned to work, lifetime cash benefits would be reduced by $2.9 billion.*

* GAO determined that these savings would double if as many as 2% of the beneficiaries returned to work.

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1996 GAO Report Principle Findings

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y • • • Intervene early to facilitate return to work Identify and provide necessary return-to-work services and manager cases Provide incentives to engage in return-to-work efforts

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

The Ticket to Work

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  

Ticket To Work And Work Incentives Improvement Act Of 1999

 Enacted on Dec. 17, 1999. Senate Vote: 99 to 0

Goals:

Increase beneficiary choice in obtaining rehabilitation and vocational services to help them go to work and attain their employment goals; Remove barriers that require people with disabilities to choose between health care coverage and work; and Assure that more Americans with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in the workforce and lessen their dependence on public benefits.

The Ticket to Work: A Winning Ticket?

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

8 The Ticket To Work Program provides for:

 Assistance through PABBS and BPA&O Programs      Improved Work Incentives:  Protection from a Continuing Disability Review ( CDR )  Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits ( EXR )  Expanded Medical Coverage ( Medicare & Medicaid ) Choice in VR services -- Employment Networks ( ENs ) SSA Area Work Incentive Coordinators ( AWIC ) and Work Incentive Liaisons Demonstration Projects Ticket to Work Panel

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E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

Ticket Eligibility

    18-64 years of age In active pay status for SS Cash Benefits Not expected to improve medically,

or

CDR within the past 12 months had a If you have questions, call PABSS Equality , or MAXIMUS, at Equip for the Program Manager for The Ticket to Work Program. (See the Resource List at the end)

PABSS: Areas of Assistance

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

10 PABSS Provides Education, Training, Problem Solving, and Advocacy regarding:

 Social Security Benefits & Work Incentives Information   Obtaining Vocational Rehabilitation Services ( DRS ) Using the Ticket to Work   The relationship between a beneficiary and an EN Employment Laws ( A.D.A. & F.M.L.A.

)   School to Work Transition Issues Employment Barriers

PABSS: Areas of Assistance

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

11 PABSS Issues Include:

     Employment Discrimination  Medical Treatment/Benefits  Transportation  VR Services Housing Garnished Wages SS Overpayments Ticket to Work Issues   Criminal Records Any Work Barrier

If legal assistance will allow you to work, PABSS may be able to help !

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BPA&O - Benefits Planning, Assistance & Outreach

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y    

No cost

to the beneficiary Helps beneficiaries determine how going to work may affect all of their benefits Enables beneficiaries to plan their finances while working Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Programs, ( BPA&O ), are available through MOPD , DRS , and OMH

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BPA&O MAP

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

A New Employment Tool: Employment Networks ( EN )

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

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Employment Networks ( ENs ) are private or government agencies that provide employment-related services at

No Charge

to the beneficiary. DRS is considered an EN . ENs are paid by SSA after an individual returns to work. EN Services include:  

Work incentives planning Vocational assessment

   

Job Training Job Placement Case management Follow-up services

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E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

Social Security Administration Rules and Work Incentives SSI and SSDI

Know Your Rights Protect Your Benefits

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Social Security Work Incentives

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y • •

Social Security Work Incentives Rules that allow SSI and SSDI beneficiaries to work and maintain their cash and medical benefits Incentives vary according to the benefit received

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

SSDI Work Incentives

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  

Trial Work Period

( TWP ) –

9 Months Extended Period of Eligibility

( EPE ) –

3 Years Substantial Gainful Activity

( SGA ) –

$ 830 / $ 1380



Impairment-Related Work Expenses

( IRWE ) 

Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits

( EXR ) 

Extended Medicare



Subsidies ( For example, a Job Coach )



Unsuccessful Work Attempt



Ticket to Work

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E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

SSI Work Incentives

       

Earned & Unearned Income Exclusions

(

$ 85

)

Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits

( EXR )

Plan for Achieving Self-Support

( PASS )

Impairment-Related Work Expenses

( IRWE )

Continued Medicaid Coverage

[Section 1619(b)]

Student Earned Income Exclusion Subsidies Ticket to Work

Important Considerations When Using The “Ticket”

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

19 When using the “Ticket”:

 If you think your condition is improving,

place your Ticket with an EN

for CDR protection  Research the right EN for you  Make sure that the your needs & goals IWP fits  Have the EN or DRS the IWP to Maximus send

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Important Considerations When Working

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

Take these steps when you work:

 Contact a Benefit Planner ( BPA&O )  Monthly, give Check Stubs to SSA & the EN 

Keep the originals - have SSA confirm receipt

 Use IRWEs and other Work Incentives to Reduce your “Countable Income” for SSA

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E Q UIP FO R

Ticket to Work Statistics

E Q U AL IT Y

"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please."

Mark Twain

“There are white lies, damn lies, and statistics.”

Will Rogers

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

BPAO Study

22 BPAO Study Virginia Commonwealth University

 89% Had a Positive View of the BPAO Process  Benefits Specialists Received High Ratings for Quality of Service. (Courtesy, time spent with the beneficiary, helpfulness, and information imparted).  Prior to receipt of benefits counseling, 28% of participants who received intensive assistance indicated that they were working.  Subsequent to meeting with the BPAO, 47% of people receiving intensive assistance were working

PABSS Statistics

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

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• • •

PABSS Outreach Statistics for 2004

Total Number of Outreach/Presentations – 51 Total Number of Participants and Number of Folders Distributed -- 1,798

Cases:

184 individuals served  VR Services - 49  Employment Rights - 49  Transportation - 10  Ticket Issues - 36    Transition Planning - 10 SSA CDR - 5 SSA Overpayments - 26

Ticket Statistics

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

24 SSA Ticket Tracker – March 7, 2005 Illinois Information

 421,636 Tickets Issued  66 Employment Networks  7,157 Tickets Assigned (1.7%)  288 Tickets Assigned to Employment Networks Other than VR (4%)  6,869 Tickets Assigned to DRS (96%)  _____ Employment Networks (including DRS), received payments under the Ticket totaling $ __________

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The Ticket To Work

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

Moving Ahead

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

2000 GAO Testimony

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• • • SSA does not integrate efforts to return individuals to work into either its initial or continuing eligibility assessment process. The Social Security Act’s definition of disability – where a person must be unable to do any substantial work in the national economy — is comparable to the private sector’s (or the ADA’s) most restrictive definition. This “all-or-nothing” definition and the “all or nothing” approach to SSDI benefits is a strong disincentive to demonstrate any capacity to work.

GAO Testimony

– SSA Disability: Other Programs May Provide Lessons for Improving Return-to-Work Efforts July 13, 2000

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

Transmittal 17

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  

SSA’s Transmittal 17

Transmittal 17 states that the signature of the VR client on the Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) constitutes assignment of the Ticket in new cases.

Ticket Services should not be considered a comparable benefit or service by VR.

This sometimes occurs without the client's knowledge or consent. Transmittal 17 permits State Rehab Agencies to use the traditional cost reimbursement system for a client who assigns his or her ticket contrary to TWIIA.

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Ticket to Work Panel Recommendations

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y • • •

Increase funding for the BPAO and PABSS Programs

Increase funding for training and outreach to parents and youth regarding SSI work incentives and transition planning. Modify age limits:  Lower the Ticket eligibility age from 18 to 16   Raise the re-determination age from 18 to 22 Increase the age limit for the Student Earned Income Exclusion from 22 to at least 26

Ticket to Work Panel Recommendations

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

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• • • •

Immediately modify the EN payment system to:

Place more of the up-front financial risk on SSA Authorize payments to ENs for benefits reduction, not just benefit elimination Pay ENs more money overall and earlier in the return-to-work effort Implement the Ticket Program as a complement to the traditional SSA VR Reimbursement Program. Reimburse State VR agencies for up front services and early outcomes. Pay ENs for long-term employment supports and outcomes.

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Ticket to Work Panel Recommendations

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y • Use Ticket payments to supplement funding from other public programs, (such as State VR, Mental Health, Medicaid, Housing & Urban Development, Department of Labor), and should not pay for services for which beneficiaries are already eligible.

• Test creative approaches to the payment system

Resources

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

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     

Equip For Equality www.equipforequality.org

Illinois ADA Project www.ADA-IL.org

Social Security Administration www.ssa.gov

Maximus – (Progam Manager for the Ticket to Work) www.yourticketowork.com

Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities www.ci.chi.il.us/Disabilities Great Lakes ADA & Accessible IT Center www.adagreatlakes.org

More Resources

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  

Job Accommodation Network www.jan.wvu.edu

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc.gov

U.S. Department of Justice ADA Home Page www.usdoj.gov/crt/adahom1.htm



ADA Disability and Business Tech. Asst. Ctr.

www.adata.org/dbtac.html



Industrial Labor Relation Program on Employment and Disability www.ilr.cornell.edu/ped

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

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TICKET$ TO WORK Know Your Rights Protect Your Benefits

E Q UIP FO R E Q U AL IT Y

THE END