and the Employment Networks

Transcription

1 The Ticket To Work Program and the Employment Networks

2 What is the Ticket to Work Program? Voluntary employment program Offers SSDI & SSI beneficiaries ( Ticket Holders ) increased choices in obtaining services & supports to enter and maintain employment Pays Employment Networks (ENs) for Milestones and Outcomes Ultimate goal: Reduce reliance on Social Security Increase self-sufficiency, improve the quality of life for beneficiaries

3 What Are Employment Networks? Private (for profit & non-profit) organizations, government agencies, employers, educational institutions, and other service providers Can be a single entity, a partnership, or a coalition of providers functioning as a single EN Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies are automatic ENs Federal agencies cannot be ENs

4 How Does the Ticket Work? EN & Ticket Holder Connect EN & Ticket Holder Negotiate Individualized Work Plan (IWP) EN Submits IWP to MAXIMUS and MAXIMUS Assigns Ticket to EN EN Provides Services & Supports to Complete Ticket Holder Goes to Work & EN Collects Evidence of Earnings EN Submits Payment Request to Maximus & Gets Paid Negotiated IWP (30-45 days +/-)

5 Choice: An Underlying Principle of the TTW Program Beneficiaries can choose Whether to use their Tickets When to use their Tickets Where to assign their Tickets approved ENs may be traditional and non-traditional service providers, employers, One-Stop Centers, educational institutions, etc. Whether to work with the State VR agency

6 ENs Have Choices ENs choose a payment system (2 options) > Outcome Payment System: EN receives payments when the Ticket Holder s earnings are above SGA and beneficiary is in zero cash benefit status > Outcome-Milestone Payment System: EN receives payments when Ticket Holder achieves designated Milestones and Outcomes in moving towards self-supporting employment ENs choose > What services they provide > Who they serve

7 TTW -- A New Approach to Service Delivery Payments based on Milestones and Outcomes > Associated with work and earnings > Achieved by Ticket Holders after job placement Not reimbursement for the cost of services provided

8 New Regulations: Underlying Principles Milestone payments based on a mix of benefit payments & earnings Self-sufficiency is an incremental, multi-step pprocess Part-time work is a good start Ongoing supports may be necessary Community partnerships are critical and they work!

9 Key Features of Interest to Beneficiaries The Ticket Program is voluntary and free to beneficiaries No penalty for not participating Tickets are available to all adult beneficiaries, ages 18 through 64, who receive cash disability benefits Using a Ticket and making timely progress towards an employment goal will postpone medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) If the beneficiary stops working due to his/her y p g disability, there is an expedited reinstatement to temporary benefits while SSA determines eligibility for ongoing benefits

10 Key Improvements of Interest to ENs Total potential EN payments for SSDI and SSI Ticket Holders are almost the same Outcome payments increased by 27% SSDI: $676/mo x 36 months = $24,336 SSI: $386/mo x 60 months = $23,160 (2009 figures)

11 Improvements to Outcome-Milestone Payment System ENs earn milestones earlier, more often, and at a higher rate Phase 1 Milestone payments are associated with initial efforts at self-supporting employment Some Milestone payments are based on part-time work Milestone payments based on gross earnings encourage use of work incentives > Phase 1 - Trial Work level earnings ($700 a month in 2009) > Phase 2 Substantial Gainful Activity level earnings (2009 SGA = $980/non-blind; $1,640/blind)

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

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

14 Outcome Payments Under Outcome-Milestone Payment System Outcome payments are generated when Ticket Holder s earning > SGA level and Ticket Holder enters $0 cash benefit status

15 Type Outcome Payments Under Outcome- Milestone Payment System 2009 Rates Ticket Holder Net EN Payment EN Payment Earnings (SSDI) (SSI) Outcome Phase Earnings > 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 (Phases 1 & 2, and Outcomes) $21,905 $20,990

16 Partnership Plus Options VR EN VR Employer/EN EN VR EN

17 Creative Partnerships Are Emerging Some VR agencies are offering incentive payments when ENs assist Ticket Holders in reaching certain levels of work and earnings. VA offers an incentive payment of $500 when an EN gets a Ticket tholder that tvr served up to SGA earnings; and another payment of $1,500 when the Ticket Holder gets to the 9 months of SGA earnings that permits VR to submit for CR IN offers a $1,000 incentive payment when an EN assist a Ticket Holder in getting g to 8 months of SGA earnings Planning to charge this payment back to SSA as postemployment services purchased prior to submitting for CR.

18 Does an EN or Employer Need to Be an Expert in SSA Benefits? NO! Free resources are available: Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program (WIPA) Area Work Incentives Coordinators Protection ti & Advocacy for Beneficiaries i i of Social Security (PABSS) The SSA Redbook

19 Ticket Traffic in Hawaii As of February 2, 2009 Approximately 34,000 Tickets issued in HI 230 Tickets assigned or in-use SVR 57 Tickets assigned to 3 ENs under Outcome under Outcome/Milestone 173 are in-use SVR

20 Partnership Plus: Benefits to the Beneficiary Individualized, sequential services Coordinated system of services with increased access to employment supports and other types of supportive services with needs identified by beneficiaries: Benefits counseling Follow along services Ongoing support services Job retention services Skill building Transportation Job coaching Mentoring

21 Benefits to the Beneficiary (continued) Flexibility in employment plan development Choice of providers Can choose VR for up-front services and EN for longer term supports Protection against medical CDRs Expedited reinstatement to benefits is a Ticket Holder looses his/her job due to the disability

22 Why Is the New TTW Better for ENs? Social Security is making it easier for ENs to participate NEW Ticket to Work is more profitable for ENs > New Phase 1 and Phase 2 Milestone payments available while beneficiary is still receiving cash benefits TTW is an additional revenue source ENs can use Ticket payments anyway they choose

23 Why Is It Better for Beneficiaries? More ENs participating means more choices for Ticket Holders New opportunities for EN-VR partnerships p means a better mix of services for Ticket Holders and better coordination of services Service provider and Ticket Holder have more control of employment services and their flexible design

24 For More Information To become an EN, call CESSI at (v/tdd) After becoming an EN, receive assistance from MAXIMUS at (866) 949-ENVR (3687) For more information on the Ticket to Work Program: > Visit SSA s Work Site at: > Visit CESSI s web site at: > Visit the Maximus web site at: Any questions on the Ticket to Work Program should be ed to: TicketProgram@ssa.gov