Ticket to Work Program Sarah Wiggins Mitchell President/Executive Director NJ Protection and Advocacy, Inc. Chair, Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel

Ticket Program as Supplemental Funding Source  Congress should : Develop statutory language that clearly articulates its original intent to provide additional resources. Direct Commissioner to implement the Ticket Program as complement to traditional SSA VR Reimbursement Program. oPaying state VR agencies for up-front services. oPaying ENs for long-term employment outcomes.

Ticket Program as Supplemental Funding Source  Congress should : Direct the Commissioner to conduct an assessment of the Ticket Program and the SSA Reimbursement Program. Assessments should run in combination.

The EN Payment System  Commissioner should: Move more of payment into first 12 months of employment and reduce difference between milestone and outcome payments. Test two or three creative approaches that place more up-front financial risk on SSA.

The EN Payment System  Congress should : Amend the statute to permit payments to ENs to be set at a level greater than 40% of average benefits for both SSDI and SSI beneficiaries. Amend statute to permit the Ticket Program to increase the sum of payments available for serving SSI to a level equal to sum of payments for serving SSDI beneficiaries.  Changes should be implemented as quickly as possible.

EN Payment Claims Administration  Commissioner should: Continue to pay EN on monthly basis once beneficiary has been certified as employed above SGA, as long as beneficiary remains in 0 benefit status and EN has not yet received 60 months of outcome payments, or until the beneficiary requests a new EN.

EN Payment Claims Administration  Commissioner should: Ensure timely payments to ENs such as the accepted business standard of 30 days.

Marketing to ENs and to Beneficiaries To date, no national marketing plan for Ticket Program. ENs spend considerable time explaining Program and dispelling misconceptions. Lack of marketing contributes to insufficient demand for EN services. SSA recently awarded contracts to develop strategic marketing plan and EN recruitment.

Marketing to ENs and to Beneficiaries  Commissioner should create opportunities for the Panel. To review the work plans and proposed activities under the strategic marketing plan contract. To engage in dialogue with contractors and relevant SSA staff.

American Indian VR Program Eligibility  AIVR programs operated by Tribal Nations programs are not exempt from the Ticket Program EN application process.  They are excluded from the traditional SSA Reimbursement Program for state VR. Congress should amend statute to permit AIVR programs operating under Section 121 to participate in equivalent manner.

Letter to SSA and OSERS  Transmittal l7 should be amended to end the current use of the signed IPE as documentation needed for assignment of a Ticket.  Panel urges SSA and RSA to formulate joint policy governing contents of agreements and dissemination for a model agreement.  Panel urges RSA to acknowledge problem with Title I VR services and to correct the misuse of the comparable benefits provisions.