Jun-14 The NEW Ticket To Work New Program, New Opportunities

What is the Ticket to Work Program? A voluntary employment support program Offers beneficiaries with disabilities receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) increased choices in obtaining services & supports to engage in work & achieve their employment goals Pays participating Employment Networks for Milestones and Outcomes beneficiaries achieve in moving towards self-supporting employment Ultimate goal: Reduce reliance on Social Security disability benefits, increase self-sufficiency, and improve the quality of life for beneficiaries

About Employment Networks Employment Networks (ENs) are private (for profit & non-profit) organizations, government agencies, employers and other service providers that offer education, job training and employment services Federal agencies are not eligible A single entity, a partnership, or a coalition of providers functioning as a single EN Beneficiary and EN agree on services/supports to be provided and develop an Individual Work Plan (IWP) SSA pays the EN based upon the beneficiary attaining specific milestones and outcomes related to self- supporting employment

ENs Can Provide… Services and supports to assist the beneficiary in entering the workforce and progressing towards self- sufficiency –Counseling and guidance –Education and training –Job placement –Job coaching –Work adjustment counseling –Job retention and ongoing support services –Other supports and services as spelled out in the IWP

Entities Automatically Qualified to Be ENs Good News for One Stop Career Centers! One-Stop Career Centers, its Operators and Workforce Investment Boards, are automatically qualified to be ENs

Key Features of Interest to Beneficiaries The Ticket Program is voluntary and free to the beneficiary Includes all disability beneficiaries ages 18 through 64 Using a Ticket and making timely progress towards a beneficiarys employment goals can postpone regularly scheduled medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) If the beneficiary stops working, there is an expedited reinstatement to benefits

Choice: An Underlying Principle of the Ticket to Work Program Beneficiaries can choose when or whether to use their Tickets Beneficiaries choose where to assign their Tickets (EN, VR, Employer) VR agencies can choose between serving a beneficiary under the traditional Cost Reimbursement System or as an EN

ENs Have Choices Too! ENs must choose either: - Outcome Payment System, or - Outcome-Milestone Payment System Election must be made when EN signs an agreement with SSA Once a calendar year, an EN can change its elected payment system ENs can split payments ENs can choose which beneficiaries they want to serve

A New Approach to Service Delivery Payments based on Milestones and Outcomes occurring after job placement rather than reimbursing providers for services Congress instructed SSA to use its regulatory authority to make changes based on lessons learned during early implementation

SSA Is Responding SSA is Listening. SSA is Learning. SSA is Responding. SSA has changed its programs and how it does business to more effectively provide opportunities for beneficiaries with disabilities who want to work.

SSA Learned Mix of benefit payments & earnings Self-sufficiency is an incremental, multi-step process Part-time work is a good start Ongoing supports may be necessary Community partnerships work

The NEW Ticket Features Tickets to all adults beneficiaries with disabilities, ages 18 through 64 Better aligns all programs –Ticket to Work –Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPAs) –Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PASS) –Other Work Support Initiatives Timely progress reviews Features for ENs Outcomes payment system

How the Ticket Works EN & Ticket Holder Connect EN & Ticket Holder Negotiate a Plan (IWP) Ticket Holder Assigns Ticket Ticket Holder Goes to Work & EN Collects Evidence of Earnings EN Provides Services & Supports to Complete Negotiated IWP EN Submits Payment Request to Maximus & Gets Paid (30 days +/-) EN Submits Payment Request to Maximus & Gets Paid (30 days +/-)

Phase 1Milestone Payments 2009 Rates TypeTicket Holder Earnings EN Payment (SSDI) EN Payment (SSI) Phase 1 Milestone 1$350/mo for 1 month$1,211 Milestone 2$700/mo for 3 months w/in 6 months (cumulative) $1,211 Milestone 3$700/mo for 6 months w/in 12 months (cumulative) $1,211 Milestone 4$700/mo for 9 months w/in 18 months (cumulative) $1,211 Total Potential Phase I Milestone Payments $4,844

Phase 2 Milestone Payments 2009 Rates TypeTicket Holder Earnings EN Payment (SSDI) EN Payment (SSI) Phase 2Gross > SGA ($980/non-blind; $1,640 for blind) $363/mo. (up to 11 mos.) $207/mo. (up to 18 mos.) Total Phase 2 Payments $3,993$726 Total Potential Ticket Payments Phases 1 and 2 $8,837$8,570

Outcome Payments TypeTicket Holder Earnings EN Payment (SSDI) EN Payment (SSI) Outcome PhaseNet > SGA ($980/non-blind; $1,640/blind) AND 0 cash benefit $363/mo. for 36 months $207/mo. for 60 months Total Outcome Phase Payments $13,068$12,420 Total Potential Ticket Payments $21,905$20, Rates

New Opportunities for EN-VR Partnerships VR Cost Reimbursement payments and EN Milestone and Outcome payments both possible for same beneficiary –SSA will pay for sequential, but not concurrent, services When VR chooses to serve a beneficiary under Cost Reimbursement, beneficiarys Ticket is –Not assigned to VR, and –Cannot be assigned to another EN while VR case is open New in-use SVR status extends Continuing Disability Review (CDR) protection to beneficiary while receiving VR services under Cost Reimbursement

Partnership Plus: A New Model Beneficiary can assign Ticket to an EN after VR case closure Phase 1 Milestones not available to EN if VR closed case with beneficiary employed VR provided services leading to initial efforts at self-supporting employment SSA pays EN for Milestones & Outcomes achieved after Ticket assignment

VR As an EN VR can still choose to serve a beneficiary under its elected EN payment system Ticket is assigned to VR VR must operate under same rules as any other EN If Ticket is reassigned at case closure, VR and EN could share EN payments based on how services provided by each contributed to Milestones & Outcomes earned Additional funding available under Partnership Plus is not available

One Stops and Ticket Why should One Stops become an EN? Reinforces a WIA principle, to create a comprehensive, customer-focused workforce investment system Many individuals with disabilities are already receiving services at local One Stops, and a percentage of these individuals are receiving Social Security benefits

One Stops and Ticket Individual Training Accounts are a unique draw to the One Stop for Ticket beneficiaries Youth services may be another unique niche the One Stop can fill as an Employment Network The use of full wage subsidy in youth programs translates to earnings for Ticket holders, which can qualify your One Stop for payments via Milestones and Outcomes achieved

One Stops and Ticket Workforce staff already have the necessary expertise to implement ITAs, and provide Job Development services to ALL customers Ticket holders that work with your EN may require the same amount of time any other customer would receive through the course of receiving core and intensive services Ticket holders will require follow up services, but in most cases, once the placement is stable, this does not require extensive staff time

The Bottom Line… Many One Stops are already placing customers with disabilities in jobs that would qualify them for payments through the Ticket to Work program Why lose out on payments for work youre already doing?

Potential Revenue for an EN These are flexible funds that can be used for many purposes- DOL does not consider EN payments program funding, will not effect current funding streams!

See for Yourself! Look at the people you served last year and use SSAs EN Revenue Estimator to determine potential revenue from the Ticket to Work Program.

Completing the EN RFP Get the EN RFP at: Contact CESSI, Ticket to Work Program Manager for Recruitment and Outreach, for assistance in completing the RFP at or visit Participate in an application process walk-through conference call (to register, –documentation requirements –review forms –Q & A Receive one-on-one assistance from an Account Managers –Emily Malsch, One Stop Specialist, ext. 203;

Additional Help Is Available Assistance in responding to EN RFP also available by contacting SSAs Employment Network Contracts Team (ENCT): –Call – Visit the Ticket to Work website at:

Help Continues …… SSA EN Help Desk MAXIMUS, Ticket to Work Operations Support Manager – ENVR (3687) –Website: –Ticket Training available Ticket Training Tuesdays - FREE CD Online, self-paced Training –Enhanced online directory listing –Beneficiary List –Online Newsletter – Inside Ticket

And Even More Resources! National Disability Institute provides one on one technical assistance as you consider this opportunity in your State and/or Region Elizabeth Jennings Training and TA Specialist National Disability Institute