benefits and work incentive advisement (BWIA) overview ADEN CORE Competencies training series benefits and work incentive advisement (BWIA) overview Kevin Nickerson, ADEN Co-Director American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) American Dream Employment Network, a division of National Disability Institute, is an authorized Social Security Ticket to Work service provider.

Agenda For purposes of today’s training, SSA Disability Benefits and Work Incentive Advisement will simply be called “BWIA services” Why BWIA Matters Overview of ADEN Member supports that promote BWIA services Next steps for ADEN Members in providing and coordinating BWIA Service

Why bwia matters

Why ssa disability advisement matters Knowledge is Power Many beneficiaries make decisions about the return to work (or decision not to work) from limited information they receive from family, friends, and uninformed service providers The goal is financial self-sufficiency! Many beneficiaries do not receive guidance on their financial benefits (i.e. SSI, SSDI, health insurance, financial resources, etc.) It’s an ADEN Core Service SSA disability benefits and work incentives are complex, often keeping employment service providers from building internal expertise, impacting return to work efforts ADEN recognizes that in order to achieve successful employment outcomes, ADEN Participants need accurate information about their benefits in order to make informed choices about employment – “It’s what we do”

Our responsibility to provide bwia services Work Incentive expertise not required of ENs Why? SSA funds the Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) projects nationally, however, their capacity to provide in-depth advisement is limited, and often not timely ADEN requires as it will improve Member performance Elevates ADEN as Ticket holders consider EN options While becoming certified as a work incentive advisor is challenging, it is helps Member to support Participants by: Providing a clear understanding of “what to expect” Offering the bigger financial picture, which; Shapes job development efforts

From the Participants perspective What is the primary fear of beneficiaries? Health Care – Not the cash benefit Participants are more dependent on health care than those without disabilities ADEN has chosen to build BWIA expertise because: Accurate information about SSA Work Incentives helps Participants make good choices Understanding Health care options provides assurances that SSA disability beneficiaries can attempt work while remaining covered End result – ADEN Members will be amongst the most capable providers in the country with this knowledge (Know the Participants options, future planning)

From the Participants Perspective BWIA services help to prevent overpayments! This is a very real issue as beneficiaries return to work Members can help with this issue by assisting Participants report new employment ADEN templates available Members will also encourage wage reporting: To prevent overpayments To help SSA keep records up to date, including the use of work incentives ADEN tools that support wage reporting: Wage Reporting Fact Sheet Found here: https://americandreamen.org/wage-reporting-social-security

From the members perspective Understanding SSA work incentives is critical to the work of ADEN! Encourage Work by being prepared with answers Address incorrect or limited information and know work incentives such as: Medicaid 1619(b), Medicare (Extended Medicare Coverage) When cash benefits will be impacted (SSI and/or SSDI) Think Forward Help Participants consider their retirement Health insurance planning, extended coverage, transition to Employer plan Injecting this level of knowledge changes decisions people make! With accurate information, often beneficiaries decide to try working more substantially, than when operating under false assumptions about how benefits work

Checking in… What is the primary fear that beneficiaries seem to have in regards to the return to work? 1. loss of cash benefits 2. lack of skills 3. loss of health insurance SSA requires that All ENs must have work incentive practitioners on staff. TRUE FALSE

aden support to members in providing bwia

Training & Tools Basic SSA Disability Work Incentive Training – Core B Training Provides overview of Work Incentives that support SSI & SSDI beneficiaries ADEN Advanced Training Advanced training on BWIA Tools and Procedures (for certified Members) Archived trainings available: IRWE, PASS, Subsidy, SSDI Case Study ADEN trainings focused on SSA disability benefits are approved for Cornell University CEUs for Certified Work Incentive Practitioners (Do NOT count for VCU) ADEN Tools & Resources More information on ADEN Tools & Resources in the BWIA Tools and Procedures Advanced training

Technical assistance ADEN Directors are certified Work Incentive Practitioners with years of experience Case conferencing is available should you require assistance with a particular Participant (for certified Members) Review of SSA documents is available upon request, such as BPQY’s ADEN Directors can assist you with systems level issues that prevent service delivery to ADEN Participants, for example: Issues in receiving BPQY’s from local SSA Field Offices Challenges in working with local Field Offices unrelated to BPQY requests Issues that arise when implementing SSA Work Incentives Members should contact ADEN Directors when issues arise

Checking in… How does ADEN support Members in providing BWIA services? 1. Technical guide on shoelace tying 2. Dummies Guide to the Ticket to Work program 3. Training, Tools, and Technical assistance When should ADEN Members attend Advanced training: BWIA Tools and Procedures? 1. After certification completed as Work Incentive Practitioner 2. When it becomes available 3. When ADEN Director notifies you

Next steps for ADEN Members in providing and coordinating BWIA Service

“How do I get certified?” - CORNELL UNIVERSITY Per the ADEN PSA, Members will build internal expertise to provide SSA Disability Benefits and Work Incentive advisement services – “remember, it’s what we do” Talk to your agency director to be sure they are aware of this requirement Cornell University: Recommended by ADEN http://www.edi.cornell.edu/ediOnline/ediOnline.cfm When completed, learners will get a certificate as a Work Incentives Practitioner Select ADEN trainings are approved for Cornell University CEUs Cornell’s online course offers flexibility for professional staff to fit this intensive training into their busy work schedules The cost is $1,450 for the certification option When registering, mention you are ADEN Member and get 20% discount Choose certification option rather than “certificate of attendance” REMINDER – Please use all requested Cornell forms when going through this class! You may use the ADEN BAR template, however, beyond this, use all Cornell forms for certification

“How do I get certified?” – VCU Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is the Technical Assistance center for SSA’s Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) projects VCU offers the following certification process for Community Partners: Community Partner Work Incentive Counselor certification (CPWIC) Who is eligible for CPWIC? Many different kinds of community partners working with SSA disability beneficiaries, however: Priority 1: Staff of organizations or agencies who are an Employment Network, including State VR Agency staff and Americas Job Center staff who intend to use the training to provide services to beneficiaries ADEN Members are Employment Network operators, therefore you would be a priority WHEN seats are available, WIPA project staff are FIRST priority for training

“How do I get certified?” – VCU Where is training? VCU training is in-person, in various locations across the country through out the year You are responsible for travel and lodging costs, but the training itself is free To find trainings near you, monitor the “initial training calendar” here: https://vcu- ntdc.org/training/initial/calendar.cfm Is the CPWIC certification equitable to the Cornell CWIP certification? Yes, both are equitable, both provide certification, and both require ongoing CEU’s to maintain certification Disadvantages of VCU process: No guarantee you will be accepted even if you register early, if no seats are left for Priority 1 slots (ENs) You incur all costs of travel, room and board ADEN SSA disability benefit trainings do NOT count as CEU’s toward VCU certification

“While waiting to get certified” ADEN Members have one option in accessing work incentive advisement if they are in process of getting certified: State Work Incentive Planning and Assistance projects (WIPA)

Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) What is WIPA? SSA administered program designed to provide accurate information to beneficiaries who are working, or plan to work I don’t yet have a relationship with my WIPA provider; Discover who the WIPA provider is in primary service area Introduce yourself as an EN operator through ADEN Use the Find Help tool: http://www.chooseworkttw.net/findhelp/ Understand that messaging can vary from WIPA providers, sometimes confusing Participants

WIPA Support Once you have a relationship with WIPA, establish referral process Many WIPA projects require beneficiaries to call the Beneficiary Help Line to be referred to WIPA 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD) ADEN Member will need to have a consent form between WIPA and ADEN Member, in order to: Join key meetings Collect key paperwork such as benefits analysis reports

SSA Resources on Work incentives For all ADEN Members check out these resources SSA Red Book (https://www.ssa.gov/redbook/) WISE events (https://choosework.ssa.gov/webinar/) Choose Work Website (SSA) (https://choosework.ssa.gov/about/work-incentives/index.html) Be Proactive: Commit to at least a basic understanding of SSA work incentives by downloading the SSA Red Book today!

Checking in… What SSA resource(s) can help Participants and Members understand at least the basics of work incentives? 1. Choose Work website 2. MySocialSecurity.gov 3. SSA Red Book 4. Numbers 1 and 3 only What is the only option to ensure BWIA services are provided to Participants, for Members not yet certified? 1. Work Incentive Planning Assistance projects 2. I’ll advise the person, I know a little bit about SSA benefits 3. Don’t offer Ticket services, wait until certified

Next Steps in advancing bwia services Not Certified Yet Introduce yourself to WIPA provider Get enrolled in certification training Study SSA resources suggested When you become certified Notify ADEN Director and provide certification You are Certified Attend BWIA Tools & Procedures training Utilize ADEN Guide to BWIA services Track all BWIA services in ADEN Portal Maintain certification through CEU’s Utilize ADEN Directors for mentoring and support

Next core c training: Partnerships

American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) ADEN Co-Directors of American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) Mary Lynn ReVoir Kevin Nickerson mlrevoir@ndi-inc.org knickerson@ndi-inc.org