Implications of the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program for Young Adults

Golden, Thomas P.; O'Mara, Susan; Brewer, David; Blessing, Carol

Implications of the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program for Young Adults

Abstract

On December 17, 1999, President Clinton signed the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (P.L. 106-170) into law establishing in section 101(a) the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (Ticket to Work Program) as well as several other provisions to support the movement of beneficiaries with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) into employment. The Ticket to Work Program was established to expand the universe of providers available to beneficiaries with disabilities as they are afforded the opportunity to choose from whom they access their needed employment services and supports. The Ticket to Work Program also increased provider incentives to serve these individuals. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers this new program with the support of Maximus, Inc, the entity contracted with by the SSA to serve as the program manager. The SSA is currently contracting with agencies to serve as Employment Networks (EN). These ENs perform an array of duties under the law, including providing employment services, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and other support services to assist individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment. Under this program, the SSA is directed to provide to beneficiaries with disabilities who meet certain eligibility criteria a Ticket they may use to obtain employment services, VR services and/or other support services from an EN of their choice. “A Ticket under the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program is a document that provides evidence of SSA’s agreement to pay an EN or a State VR agency for providing employment services, VR services and/or other support services to a Ticket recipient who requests such services.” (SSA 2001, p. 12) The Ticket to Work Program will be phased in nationally over a three-year period beginning in January, 2002, with beneficiaries in 13 states: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin. The remaining states will be included by January, 2004.

Date Issued

2002-05-01

Keywords

affirmative business; bar; barrier; barriers; benefits; blocks; children; college; connecting activities; dependence; developmental disabled; disabilities; disability; disability; disability policy; Disability Programs; disable; disabled; disablement; disabling; earnings; education; elementary school; employ; employing; employment; Federal Insurance Contributions Act; FICA; General Education; Guiding Principles; handicap; handicap; handicapped; heal; high school; impair; impaired; impairment; impediments; Inclusion; income; Insurance; job coaching; junior high school; lack of income; learners; learning disability; limitation; limitation; long term disability; maternity leave; mental handicap; mental retardation; middle school; natural supports; need; OASDI; obstacles; Old Age; Survivors and Disability; Old Age; Survivors; and Disability Insurance; paternity leave; physical disability; policies; policy; poor; Postsecondary Education; poverty; procedures; public policy; public programs; recuperate; regulation; rehabilitate; rehabilitated; rehabilitating; rehabilitation; rehabilitative; retirement; rules; school to work; school-based learning; schools; Secondary Education; self-determination; self-employment; short term disability; social security; Social Security; Social Security Disability Insurance; Special Education; special need; SSDI; SSDI; SSI; statute; students; students with disabilities; Supplemental Security Income; supported employment; teachers; therapy; ticket to work; transition; Transition Planning for Youth; EDIcat7-TPY; transitional; transitioning; treatment; university; vocational rehabilitation; welfare; work; work-based learning; youth; career development

Rights

Required Publisher Statement: Reprinted with permission from Gaylord, V., Golden, T., O'Mara, S., and Johnson, D. Impact: Feature Issue on Young Adults with Disabilities & Social Security Administration Employment Support Programs Spring 2002, 15(1), published by the Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Types

article