Learning Objectives After this training you should have a better - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Learning Objectives After this training you should have a better understanding of:  the Experience Works (EW)/American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) Ticket to Work (T2W) program  how T2W can benefit EW participants and enhance performance  proper documentation of case management and case note requirements for EW T2W  the intensive services requirements for ticketed participants  staff annual individual goals for the EW T2W program

What is Ticket to Work? • Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary Social Security program (SSA) that helps people (referred to as “beneficiaries”) who are receiving disability benefits, return to work or begin work for the first time. • Eligible ages are 18-64; for EW our age group is 40-64 • Participants must be receiving either:  Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or  Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) • Participants on the Ticket program are learning to reduce or eliminate their dependence on SSI and/or SSDI cash benefits.

The Value of Ticket to Work for Experience Works • EW T2W team is able to offer direct support to your assigned participants on SSDI/SSI • Ticketed participants will have every opportunity to become self-sufficient • SCSEP wages count for current participants! • Funds received by EW from each qualified* ticketed participant, once employed, are considered Unrestricted Funds. ($16,783 received since July 1, 2018.) * SGA monthly income level per SSA

Current Active T2W Participants: Texas: 19 Wyoming: 1 Arkansas: 15 Mississippi: 3 Oregon: 13 Louisiana: 2 Montana: 3 North Dakota: 0 Idaho: 2 Minnesota: 0 South Dakota: 1

Let’s get started! Why should a participant agree to assign their ticket to EW? While participating in the T2W, beneficiaries (our ticketed participants on SSDI/SSI) can get the help they need to safely explore their work options without immediately losing their benefits. And, because EW partners with ADEN, we have even more access to potential employers interested in diversifying their workforce. Ticketed beneficiaries (participants) may enjoy Work Incentives per the SSA, such as:  A Trial Work Period (TWP)  Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)  Protection from Medical Continuing Disability Reviews

Examples of Intensive Services for T2W participants • Job Ready courses • Workforce Reentry training • Computer training • Support Services • Job Club • Job Accommodation • Job Quest • Benefits Counseling • Soft skills training • Resume building • Job Search skills training

Common Misconceptions about the Ticket to Work program A common misconception is that if someone who receives SSI and/or SSI will lose all of their benefits immediately when becoming employed. The truth is the individual who is on SSI and/or SSDI, may:  go to work without automatically losing disability benefits;  return to benefits if she/he must stop working;  continue to receive healthcare benefits; and  be protected from receiving the mandatory annual medical while using the ticket and making the expected progress with work or educational goals.

Wait…I’m confused! Who is ADEN and how do they connect with EW?? • The Social Security Admin (SSA) rule is that an organization MUST be affiliated with, or become, an Employment Network (EN) in order to serve beneficiaries (individuals receiving SSI and/or SSDI). • In order to assist our EW Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) participants with the SSA T2W program, EW joined forces with ADEN. • ADEN serves EW as the administrative arm and direct link to the SSA. • The EW T2W staff team, both of whom are certified Work Incentives Practitioners, have access to the ADEN “portal”, where we can gather information at a glance on all of our ticketed participants.

Your EW Ticket to Work Team and How we Serve You! • Chris Ramey, Benefits Coordinator and certified Work Incentive Practitioner (BC/WIP) • Jo Rinehart, Assistant Director Program Operations and certified Work Incentive Practitioner (WIP) • We will have 2 additional Participant Assistants on our team in the next few weeks. One will be based in Texas and the other will be from the Montana PA hub Here are some important ways in which your T2W team serve you:  we work directly with your participants on SSI and/or SSDI  we maintain a direct line of communication with you and update Job Ready case notes as appropriate  we determine what, if any, work incentives and/or special job accommodation(s) may be appropriate for your participants – then work with you and your supervisor(s) for approval  we do the IWP (similar to IEP, and must match the SCSEP IEP)-a T2W criteria for obtaining a Ticket assignment  we provide benefits counseling to your participants, whose biggest fear is losing their cash benefits if they get a job  we explain and provide suggestions for even more intensive services to you for your participants, in order for them to have the best chance of being successful in a job

ETC/SPM or other designated staff and your T2W Responsibilities We will be discussing staff goals in a few minutes; meanwhile, here are essential responsibilities that the Employment and Training Coordinator (ETC) will maintain: • Actively recruit and promote EW T2W program. • Explain that EW has a BC/WIP who can assist in explaining, in a positive manner, all of the information the individual will need to make their own, informed decision. • Promote T2W to individuals who are deemed ineligible for SCSEP as well – remember, our BC/WIPs are also working with SSI and or SSDI beneficiaries who are between the ages of 40 to 64. • Staff will work with the T2W team to ensure a smooth program for the participants that we will serve. • When a participant states that they are interested in discussing and/or assigning their T2W to EW, the ETC or other designated staff person will contact the T2W team to proceed with ticket assignment process.

Additional ETC T2W Responsibilities: • When an ETC refers a EW SCSEP participant on SSI/SSDI to the T2W team – the T2W team will create what the SSA calls an Individual Work Plan (IWP). The ETC will work with the T2W team to ensure IWP reflects the current IEP in Job Ready, to include all services and training plans reflected on the IEP. • When a ticket has been assigned, the ETC/staff person is informed, and then becomes responsible for updating the participant’s IEP to include Ticket to Work services as part of the plan. • ETC’s will begin to provide intensive services to include job searching, resume skills, job club, referrals to outside agencies. • ETC’s will continuously update the T2W staff on trainings, supportive services and employment information. • Once the ticketed participant gets a job, the ETC/staff will continue to provide customer service and case management at a minimum of 1 time per month to ensure the participant retains their job. • It is MANDATORY that ETCs, Employment and Training Assistants (ETA)s, and Participant Assistants (PA)s capture and record all T2W activities, functions, and case management using case notes documented in Job Ready.

What comes next, after the IWP is completed: • Within 30 days from the creation of the Individual Work Plan (IWP) with the T2W team, the ETC must update the Individual Employment Plant (IEP) internally. • If you have not completed this type of an update please work with Eileen Hendrix, Job Ready Manager, as she several great examples to show the correct way to update an IEP to reflect co-enrollment in T2W. • Within 45 days of enrollment into T2W each ticketed participant will be enrolled in a Job Club/ Job Quest. If the participant is rural then a referral to outside agencies will be noted in Job Ready case notes. • If someone is not ready to participate in a Job Club/Job Quest type of training, the ETC must document the reason and provide an explanation of what services will be conducted to prepare for Job Club/ Job Quest.

Monthly Reporting for EW SCSEP ticketed participants to ADEN by the EW T2W Team • The SSA requires monthly case note updates on all ticketed individual’s training and services. • A Job Ready Case Note Report will be run by the T2W team on the 15 th of every month for the previous month of service. • You will document all trainings, case management, and referrals in Job Ready using standard case notes as per the Data Validation handbook. Important Note: This is a mandatory SSA requirement; if case notes are not entered and reports cannot be submitted, we are considered to be out of compliance with ADEN and SSA.

T2W Case Management Requirements  CASE NOTES are a mandatory requirement, not only of EW, but of the SSA for all ticketed individuals.  Case notes must conform to the case note requirements in the SCSEP Data Validation guide.  Case management of T2W will last for 5-7 years after becoming employed in order to ensure self-sufficiency and to support participants with any concerns that may arise.