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Pennsylvania Mentor Series 2017

Employment Networks & Ticket to Work

Sharyn HancockEFSLMP National Subject Matter Expert

PLEASE UTILIZE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO ACCESS THE HANDOUTS FOR THE MAY 23, 2017 WEBINAR:

HTTPS://DRIVE.GOOGLE.COM/DRIVE/FOLDERS/0BWUVLLRWQW4TZ1Z3RTNCT0P4WDQ?USP=SHARING

GoToWebinar Dashboard

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Tech Support

• Reconnect to the Webinar

• Join by Phone

• Reboot

• Local Tech Assistance

• Send Question to Presenter

EFSLMP – Webinar Resources

• Utilize the following link to access the handouts for the May

23, 2017 webinar: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BwuVLlrWQW4tZ1Z3RTNCT0p4WDQ?us

p=sharing

• Utilize the following link to access the past

recorded/captioned webinars in this series: http://www.pattan.net/category/Educational%20Initiatives/Secondary%20Transition/pag

e/Pennsylvania_Employment_First_State_Leadership_Mentoring_Program__2017_Co

mmunity_of_Practice_Webinar_Series.html

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Devon D. Grant | Executive DirectorGovernor’s Cabinet and Advisory

Committee for People with Disabilities

Website:

http://dhs.pa.gov/communitypartners/GovCommitteeforPplwDisabil/index.htm

•The Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program(EFSLMP) is a cross-disability, cross-systems change initiative of the US Dept. of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The goal of EFSLMP is to align policies, coordinate resources, and update service delivery models, in order to facilitate increased integrated employment options for people with the most significant disabilities. Pennsylvania is one of 19 core states selected to receive intensive technical training and assistance. Pennsylvania has requested training related to increased successes in Provider Transformation.6

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•ODEP’s EFSLMP National Community of Practice Webinar Series is structured to augment the technical assistance areas of primary focus in Employment First systems change (Capacity Building, Provider Transformation, School-to-Work Transition, Employer Engagement, and Policy/Funding Alignment). CoP participants will benefit from national subject matter experts (SMEs) presenting information and resources to support Employment First efforts.

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Pennsylvania Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program

2017 Community of Practice Webinar Series

February 28: Communicating Discovery and Customized Employment (Karen Lee)March 28: Engaging Families and Communities (Corey Smith)April 25: Engaging Team Members in Competitive Integrated Employment Services (Rick McAllister)

May 23: Employment Networks & Ticket to Work (Sharyn Hancock)June 27: Benefits Planning (Susan Harrell)July 25: Mental Health (Richard Toscano)August 22: Employer Engagement (Dale Verstegen)

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Ticket to Work

Sharyn Hancock, CWDP, CWIP, CESP Disability Resource Coordinator

shancock@workforceessentials.com

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Objectives

• Ticket to Work Program and becoming an

Employment Network

• Ticket to Work, Tips Tricks and Ideas for

Success

• Earning Ticket Payments

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Ticket to Work Program

• Provides employment preparation and

placement services

• Assists beneficiaries in becoming

financially independent by:

o Going to work

o Moving off cash benefits

• Open to beneficiaries ages 18-64

• Is voluntary11

What is an Employment Network

An Employment Network, or EN, is a

private organization or government

agency that agrees to work with Social

Security to provide employment services

to beneficiaries with disabilities.

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Steps to Becoming an EN1. Review and Complete the EN

Request for Quotation (RFQ)

2. Receive Suitability Determinations

3. Complete Training

Changes coming

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SSA will be transitioning all current EN Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA) to Ticket Program Agreements (TPA).

• Provide increased flexibility and efficiency in Ticket program administration

• Current EN’s, the designated signatory authority needs to review and approve a new TPA with revised terms and conditions. Not required to submit a new EN application or reapply for suitability clearance, only to answer a few questions, sign, and submit the TPA to SSA.

• Expect to receive the TPA via email within the next few weeks. We will host a call to discuss the changes shortly after we release the TPA.

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for Success

• Motivate staff to take ownership of the program

• Keep a tracking tool (MS Excel or Access) to see where you are

• Learn basics to guide beneficiaries through effect of work on disability and medical benefits

• Know SSA rules, Work Incentives, Order Redbooks from SSA

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for Success

• WIPA Support is good but need in-house

knowledge as well

• Know enough to navigate the payments

process.

• Track clients services provided, employment

outcomes and other pertinent data to include

fields that are needed for the Annual

Performance Outcome Report (APOR)

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for Success• Create your own forms such as an interest form to

track phone calls rather than use sticky notes etc.

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for SuccessMake a BPQY ( Benefits Planning Query) Part of the intake paperwork .

These provide a wealth of information about the beneficiary.

The BPQY is a free report to beneficiaries and provides you with a

snapshot of the types of benefits received , earnings history, and any

work incentives that were used that Social Security currently has stored

in its electronic records. The BPQY report contains the following

information:

• Cash benefits (i.e., SSI and/or SSDI)

• Health Insurance (i.e., Medicare and/or Medicaid)

• Medical Review Dates

• Representation (i.e., Representative Payee or Authorized

Representative status)

• SSDI Work Activity / SSI Work Incentives

• Recent Earnings on Record18

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BPQY

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for Success

• Provide a release of information form upfront

same time as IWP to verify employment, or

use www.theworknumber.com (fee)

• Take advantage of the Training and Resource

Documents which are for learning more about

the program and for Marketing the program

https://www.choosework.net/provider-

resources.html and Webinars

https://www.choosework.net/webinar/

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for Success

• Attend Monthly ALL EN calls and Payment

calls

• Put information about Ticket to Work on your

website, facebook, press release, public

service announcements, launching or

expanding, success stories.

• Make a script for incoming calls so staff

knows what to say.

• Network with local SSA office and WIPA

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Tips, Tricks, Ideas for Success• Network with other service providers,

American Job Centers (One-Stops), peer to peer support.

• You “DO NOT” have to assign every beneficiaries ticket.

• There are plenty of Tickets available.

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Ticket to Work Payments

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Contact Information

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Sharyn Hancock, CWDP, CWIP, CESP Disability Resource Coordinator

shancock@workforceessentials.com