Overview
The Ticket to Work Program connects beneficiaries with employment service providers (known as Employment Networks) to achieve individual work goals. The Ticket to Work Program provides Social Security beneficiaries real choices in obtaining the services and resources they need to find and maintain employment, while providing a safety net to help during this transition. With the help of Employment Networks, disability beneficiaries who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income can take the next step toward work while maintaining their benefits.
2008 Proposed Updates
In order to improve the Ticket to Work Program, Social Security has proposed the following changes to the regulations:
- Extending eligibility for the ticket to a new group: MIEs (beneficiaries for whom Medical Improvement is Expected) who have not yet had their first continuing disability review.
- Structuring Employment Network (EN) payments so that:
- Providers would earn milestone payments earlier in the process, allowing providers to offer more up-front services to beneficiaries.
- Providers would receive milestone payments for lower levels of beneficiary earnings, which recognize that some beneficiaries may work for lower wages and/or part time before they become self-supporting.
- Social Security will use gross wages to pay Milestone payments for a much longer period of time under the new rules. This will allow beneficiaries to use work incentives without a loss of Ticket payments to the EN. Gross wages will be used to make payments for 20 months for SSDI and 27 months for SSI as opposed to only 12 months under the current rules.
- Encouraging a VR-EN partnership: No longer requiring Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies to have tickets assigned in order to qualify for cost reimbursement. Beneficiaries would be able to work with a VR agency to provide education and training services and then assign their ticket to an EN for continuing employment supports. Both the VR agency and the EN can be paid by Social Security.
Social Security believes that these proposed revisions of the regulations will:
- encourage more organizations to become ENs
- increase partnering between organizations
- increase services offered to beneficiaries
- improve coordination of services to beneficiaries, and
- increase choices for beneficiaries.
Help
Where to Get Help, Ticket to Work
Exploratory: Considering becoming an EN
CESSI will answer questions you have, walk you through the application process and help connect you
to local organizations or potential partners if necessary.
Contact CESSI: 1-877-743-8237 (v/tty)
Preparatory: Responding to the RFP
SSA's Employment Network Contract Team (ENCT) is available to answer questions about the EN Request for Proposals, walk you through the EN contract award process and help you complete your application.
Contact SSA ENCT: 1-866-584-5180 (v) 1-866-584-5181 (tty) encontracts@ssa.gov
Operational: Getting started, developing and implementing your business model, and accepting tickets
Maximus offers a wide array of training and support services to help you get started and operate your Ticket to Work program.
Contact Maximus: 1-866-968-7842 (v) 1-866-833-2967 (tty)
CESSI facilitates community Work Incentive Seminars (WISE) and other outreach activities involving national and community partners to help connect beneficiaries with employment networks.
Contact CESSI: 1-877-743-8237 (v/tty)
Payment: Submitting claims
Maximus can help you complete and submit your claims for EN payments.
Contact Maximus: 1-866-968-7842 (v) 1-866-833-2967 (tty)
The SSA Help Desk is available to help you track claims through to payment.
Contact SSA Help Desk: 1-410-597-1577 (fax) EN.HelpDesk@ssa.gov
Section Resources:
- Official Ticket to Work Website: http://www.yourtickettowork.com/
- Overview (pdf)
- Where to Get Help (pdf)
- Talking Points: Ticket to Work Basics (pdf)
- Talking Points: Utilizing State and Regional Workforce Boards as Employment Networks (pdf)
- FAQs What to Expect When Serving Ticket Holders (pdf).
- Navigator Top 10 Ways to Support One Stops in Becoming an Employment Network: WORD format | PDF format.
- Comparison: Current Regulations vs. Proposed Regulations: WORD format | PDF format.
- Download a copy of the Request for Proposal (WORD)
- Presentation on Ticket to Work: Show Me the Money: Powerpoint format | PDF format
- Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act/Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program Implementation Training and Employment Notice (pdf).
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