GSETA

Report on the Ticket to Work Program and Implications for Service Delivery

Below are highlights of a Mathematica Ticket to Work Evaluation Report that have implications for how we look at providing TTW services to recipients that TTW providers need to consider.  

The report notes that the best employment outcomes came for beneficiaries with the following characteristics: 

• Younger workers
• Those who had just recently joined the roles
• Those with higher levels of education
• Recipients who had lower levels of benefits from non-SSA programs
• Those who reported being in better overall health. 

In addition, beneficiaries who had sought information through the Benefits Planning Outreach and Assistance Program also reported better than average outcomes. 

These findings suggest that TTW providers should find ways to screen beneficiaries to identify those individuals with one or more of these characteristics to target information and services to these groups. This does NOT mean that services shouldn't be provided to others, of course, but in looking at how to use limited resources, it makes sense to first focus outreach, recruitment, information and support services to those recipients most likely to benefit from the TTW services. 

Highlights from the report and a link to the full report are below. 

Mathematica Releases New Ticket to Work Evaluation Reports

Mathematica Policy Research, which is conducting an evaluation of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Ticket to Work program, has released several reports that present findings related to work activity and the use of employment supports under the original Ticket to Work regulations.  The Ticket to Work program was designed to increase access to employment services for disability beneficiaries.  Under this program, SSA provides beneficiaries with a Ticket they can use to obtain vocational rehabilitation, employment services, or other support services from participating providers called Employment Networks and from state vocational rehabilitation agencies. 

 

The latest reports, along with other studies conducted in 2009-2010 – a collection of nine studies all together – form the fifth report of the Ticket to Work program evaluation.  Several of these studies relate specifically to the Ticket to Work program while others look at employment and SSA work incentives and supports more broadly.  Key findings from the nine studies are summarized in Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations: Highlights of the Fifth Ticket to Work Evaluation Report.  It is important to keep in mind that data in all of the studies were gathered before July 2008, when the Ticket to Work program regulations were revised.  Several of the key findings are listed below.  

• Supplemental Security Income and Disability Insurance beneficiaries experience significant employment challenges, but those who were working appeared to have relatively strong ties to their jobs.  Just 9 percent of beneficiaries were employed when interviewed for the 2004 National Beneficiary Survey. These individuals generally were not earning a lot and had jobs that offered few benefits.  Yet a large share (44 percent) reported job durations of 24 months or longer, though job terminations remained common.

• Despite the challenges, employment expectations remained relatively high among beneficiaries.  Additionally, more than a quarter of beneficiaries worked at some time while receiving benefits. Work and work preparation activities were concentrated among the 40 percent of beneficiaries with work goals and/or expectations. Among work-oriented beneficiaries, employment rates and the shares working above Substantial Gainful Activity were greater, particularly among two very small subgroups who actively sought employment-related information and services: benefits planning service users and TTW participants.   

• Younger beneficiaries and those who entered the roles recently were the most likely to pursue employment. Although age was an important predictor of employment, beneficiaries who were work-oriented and those who became employed also differed from other beneficiaries in other respects, particularly health status. Work-oriented beneficiaries had more education than others, had lower levels of benefits from non-SSA assistance programs, and reported being in better health. State-specific factors also seemed to play a role in employment outcomes; the researchers found large variations across states in employment, employment service enrollment, and the likelihood of leaving the DI rolls due to work.  

• Many of those who left the rolls for work were able to remain off the rolls for a substantial period of time. Beneficiaries who became employed but remained on the rolls did so for a variety of reasons, particularly a desire to maintain cash benefits. Wanting to retain cash and heath care benefits were the most common reasons for beneficiaries not working up to their capabilities, reported by 40 percent or more of those who reported working less than they were able.

• Better awareness of SSA works supports might have addressed concerns about incentives for some beneficiaries, but findings were mixed. However, beneficiaries who sought information about SSA work supports through the Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach program were clearly different from others in terms of their use of the work-incentive provisions and their employment success. Employment rates among BPAO users were high, with 61 percent having earnings in at least one of four years compared with 27 percent of all beneficiaries having earnings over an equivalent period. 

• The original TTW program served a small and select group of beneficiaries that has achieved positive employment outcomes, but the program appears to have had a limited impact. The rather modest levels of services used by TTW participants, both inside and outside the auspices of the TTW program, call into question the degree to which TTW contributed to the success of the participants who became employed, or its potential to do so in the future. The new Ticket regulations seem likely to draw more participants and providers, but might not lead to higher earnings or program savings. 

• The findings demonstrate the importance of considering the broader social objectives of TTW, beyond program savings. In 2005, half of all working-age SSI and DI beneficiaries lived in households with incomes below the federal poverty level, and many rely on a variety of public programs other than SSI and DI. Findings from analyses of the longitudinal experiences of TTW participants suggest that increases in earnings help beneficiaries increase their household incom

The Highlights of the Fifth Ticket to Work Evaluation Report is available at http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/TTW5_highlights_rev.pdf. For other reports, visit http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/disability/tickettowork.asp.

 

Employment Networks in NJ--Training and Follow-up Resources

CESSI/Employment Network Training Slides

View more presentations from DiscoverAbility NJ

On April 15, 2011, DiscoverAbility NJ sponsored a face-to-face training with experts from CESSI and Maximus to train WIB, One-Stop Career Center and other disability employment service providers in becoming Employment Networks. In this post, we share some follow-up resources and links.

Additional Handouts

• Overview of Ticket to Work Program (PDF)
• How Partnership Plus Works Flow Chart (PDF)
• Ticket to Work Resources of Interest (DOC)

Websites of Note

• Your Ticket To Work Website

• Searchable Directory of Employment Networks

• The Choose Work Website--to learn more about Ticket to Work and the impact of employment on benefits. 

• Basic Information on Becoming an Employment Network

• Partnership Plus Toolkit--for partnering with VR on Ticket to Work programs

• EN Revenue Estimator--to estimate how much your EN could earn through the Ticket to Work program.

• Ticket Tracker--monthly information on the number of open tickets in each state and the number that are actually assigned to an Employment Network. In NJ, there are currently over 233,000 open Tickets with only 633 actually assigned to an EN. 

Webinars,Teleconferences and Toolkits

Unlimited Potential, Making the Ticket to Work – Work for You! Partnerships, Key to Success, July 22, 2010 (Part 1, mp3 audio file, 2.4 MB; Part 2, mp3 audio file, 1.9 MB). The fifth and final call in the Unlimited Potential, Making the Ticket to Work – Work for You teleconference series provided a overview of the Partnership Plus service delivery model, an example of an established One Stop EN and VR partnership, and reviewed other valuable EN partners including community based organizations and employers. The call also discussed EN operational tips and tools including how to make changes to an EN profile in the EN directory and how to add additional locations.

Unlimited Potential, Making the Ticket to Work – Work for You!  Business Models that Support Success, June 24, 2010 (mp3 audio file, 3.6 MB). This fourth teleconference in the Unlimited Potential, Making the Ticket to Work – Work for You series reviewed a state Workforce Board’s investment in the Disability Program Navigator initiative; discussed ideas on One Stop EN business models including tips from practitioners in the field; and provided updates on national discussions and pilot initiatives undertaken by the DOL/Workforce TIGER team. At the end of the call, presenters answered questions submitted online during teleconference registration.

Unlimited Potential, Making the Ticket to Work – Work for You!  Maximizing Your Employment Network Earnings, May 20, 2010 (mp3 audio file, 4.1 MB). Listen to MAXIMUS, the Ticket program Operations Support Manger, discuss the EN payment process procedures, required forms for EN payments, and the usage of the Earnings Inquiry Report, the EN Payment Status Report, and Unemployment Insurance data. This teleconference also included a moderated question and answer session where participants asked questions relating to the Ticket program and EN operations and answers were provided by a panel of experts in the field.

One Stops in Action Webinar: Live Demonstrations of Effective Practices, May 12, 2010, www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/m-cessi-webinars.cfm: This webinar demonstrated effective practices and procedures in operating a One Stop EN. This interactive session toured the MAXIMUS Ticket to Work website, viewing the online IWP, IWP tutorial, EN payment request form and EN payment reports; viewed CESSI Ticket to Work website and the new Choose Work site; and shared best practices around tracking Ticket holder earnings and staff incentives for assisting a Ticket holder to achieve successful employment outcomes.

Unlimited Potential, Making the Ticket to Work – Work for You!  Basics for Building a High Performing EN Teleconference, April 22, 2010 (mp3 audio file, 3.3 MB). Listen to One Stop ENs discuss their strategies for assessing if a customer is a good fit for the Ticket program, what type of ongoing support they provide to Ticket holders, and how they track Ticket holders earnings. In addition, MAXIMUS, the Ticket to Work Operations Support Manager, provides detailed steps to completing the Individual Work Plan (IWP) and informs ENs of the related resources such as the IWP tutorial found on www.yourtickettowork.com.

Unlimited Potential: Making the Ticket to Work Work for You! Marketing and Recruitment: How to Identify the Common Client, March 25, 2010 (mp3 audio file, 3.0 MB). The theme of this teleconference was how to identify the common client, and in particular: provided an overview of strategies of successful Workforce ENs; addressed the thorny issues of what you can ask about a person’s disability and when you can ask it; and began a national dialog on how to maximize a One Stop’s success as an Employment Network and help SSA assist beneficiaries to improve their life by choosing work.

Download the One Stop Workforce Development brochure (pdf format).

Download the Ticket 101 for One Stops presentation, August 27, 2009 (PowerPoint, 1.5 MB)

Ticket 101 for One Stops Teleconference, August 27, 2009, Part 1 (mp3 audio file, 63.3 MB)
Ticket 101 for One Stops Teleconference, August 27, 2009, Part 2 (mp3 audio file, 20.3 MB)

View the Ticket 201 for One Stops Webinar, September 28, 2009, www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/m-cessi-webinars.cfm
Download the Ticket 201 for One Stop Webinar presentation (PowerPoint, 1.4 MB).

www.onestoptoolkit.org: A One-Stop toolkit website created for Disability Program Navigator Grantees and other workforce professionals who are involved with serving job seekers with disabilities.

Download the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Training and Employment Notice formalizing ETA's commitment to Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work program and supporting One Stop Career Centers becoming Employment Networks, December 12, 2007 (pdf format, scanned document, not accessible). 

Friday Link Round-Up

The Science of Email Marketng

View more presentations from HubSpot Internet Marketing.

Here's this week's line-up of links.

• Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century--This report from Harvard University contends that our national strategy for education and youth development has been too narrowly focused on an academic, classroom-based approach. It is now clear that this strategy has produced only incremental gains in achievement and attainment, even as many other nations are leapfrogging the United States. In response, the report advocates development of a comprehensive pathways network to serve youth in high school and beyond.

• The Future of America is Freelance--This Atlantic article looks at the changing role of freelancers in the new economy and how independent contracting may be the employment future for increasing numbers of workers, especially in the professional ranks.

• Disabilty Inquiries in the Workforce Development System--This document from the National Collaboration on Workforce and Disability clearly lays out the guidelines for asking about people's disability status and disclosing that status to employers. Definitely worth a review to make sure that your One Stop is in compliance, particularly in terms of revealing disabilities to businesses at different points in the employment process.

• Conducting In-Depth Assessments of TANF Assessments with Disabilities--There are multiple strategies that TANF agencies can employ to identify recipients whose program participation or employment difficulties may be influenced by the presence of a disability or to develop an appropriate employment plan once a disability is identified. This Brief describes five different approaches to assessment: disability screening, psychosocial assessments, clinical and psychological assessments, functional needs assessments and vocational assessments.

• Toolkit for Frontline Services to Youth--Designed to enhance the quality of youth services, this Toolkit will be useful to all professionals assisting youth in developing the knowledge and skills to succeed in a demand-driven economy. This Toolkit was compiled by KRA Corporation, Silver Spring, MD and created under contracts with DOL/ETA.

• What You Say (and Don't) Can Make Webinars Less Painful for Everyone--some good advice if you're going to be doing a webinar.

Kessler, NOD and Harris Interactive Release National Survery of Employment of People with Disabilities

Yesterday Kessler Foundation, NOD and Harris Interactive released the results their 2010 Survey of Employment of Americans with Disabilities.  This marks the third effort since 1986 to determine the current attitudes of corporate employers toward employees with disabilities. It's a follow-up to their July gap survey of people with disabilities.

Results from this latest survey reveal:

• Although 70 percent of corporations polled have diversity policies or programs in place, only two-thirds of those with these programs include disability as a component. 

• Only 18 percent of companies offer an education program aimed at integrating people with disabilities into the workplace.

• After a shortage of job openings, the main reason employers haven't hired more people with disabilities in the past three years is a perceived lack of qualified candidates. 

• The low figures are particularly notable given that a majority of employers perceive the costs of hiring a person with a disability to be the same as hiring a person without a disability (62 percent).

Of particular interest to the One-Stop system should be these findings. Only 40% of companies recruit candidates with disabilities through agencies, such as nonprofits, VR or One-Stop Career Centers. Of those companies using these service providers, 62% find them only somewhat or not at all effective. Half of those who do not use service providers say that they don't have a need for the services these organizations provide.

You can download the full report and a PowerPoint presentation of key findings here. 
.

WIB/One-Stop Technical Assistance from DiscoverAbility NJ

The federally-funded DiscoverAbility NJ project, which is supporting the employment of people with disabilities in New Jersey, is providing limited technical assistance and funding to NJ WIBs and One-Stop Career Centers. This funding is available to support local efforts to work with people with disabilities and with employers.

The Guidance Memo and the application are available here.

Friday Link Round-Up

Really Ugly Résumés

View more presentations from @JESSEDEE.

Heading into the weekend before the GSETA Conference and here are your Friday links:

• ALA Library Accessibility Tip Sheets--Organized by disability type, these tip sheets discuss how to make libraries more accessible to people with disabilities. Tips cover both physical accessibility as well as ways that staff can better accommodate various needs. Helpful to share with your library partners, but also very applicable to One-Stop Career Centers. 

• Helping Low-Income Adults and Disadvantaged Youth Earn Credentials and Build Careers: Leading Foundations Speak About Policy Priorities--This CLASP webinar recorded on September 13 kicks off the introduction of CLASP's new Center for PostSecondary and Economic Success.

• Philly Grad Coach--Philadelphia is launching a program to train city residents to act as "graduation coaches" to people in danger of dropping out of school or who have dropped out already. Coaches will receive training in "5 Crucial Conversations" and have access to a variety of resources they can use to help the people in their lives get back on a path to HS graduation.

• We Are Visible--Developed by a man who was previously homeless, this site teaches the basics of using social media and encourages people who are homeless to use social media for advocacy and empowerment. The introductory videos and instructions for getting started with Gmail, blogs, Twitter and Facebook are useful for all beginners.

• YouTube Best Practices for Nonprofits--As some organizations look at developing their own channels on YouTube, here are some best practices to help in planning and implementing your channel.

Disclosing a Disability During the Job Search

One of the key questions job seekers with a disability may have is when to reveal their disability during a job search. Is it better to let an employer know up front when they send in their application or resume and cover letter or should they wait to discuss it when they meet with the employer during an interview? There are pros and cons to each option and it's hard to know up front which strategy is better in any given situation.

Note that job seekers are not required to reveal their disability unless they require an accommodation from the employer. Also, the job seeker decides when and how to reveal the disability, although they should keep in mind that the disclosure process will definitely impact an employer's opinion of them. When working with a job seeker with a disability, it's important to work with them on emphasizing their ability to do the job, as this will be the employer's number one concern.

Here are some resources to explore with job seekers who have a disability. Staff should understand the various options and the pros and cons of each.

• When to Reveal a Disability During Your Job Hunt
• Able to Work: Consider When to Reveal Disabilities to Prospective Employers
• Ability First, Disability Second During the Job Search--although directed to Canadian workers, the principles still apply.
• When Should You Reveal Your Disability?
• Should You Disclose a Disability on Your Resume?
• When Should I Disclose My Disability to Potential Employers

Depending on the disability and the accommodations a job seeker needs, it may make sense to experiment with different strategies. If the job seeker is going to reveal the disability during an interview, make sure to practice with them on this, coaching them on how to discuss the disability and any accommodations. Again, it is critical that the job seeker emphasize his/her ability to do the job, being up front about the disability and necessary accommodations, but not allowing the disability to become the entire focus of the interview. Employers want to hire a qualified job candidate, so demonstrating how the job seeker is the best fit must be the primary objective of the interview.

Friday Link Round-Up

Recession-Proof Graduate

View more presentations from Charlie Hoehn.

Another Friday, another round-up of links.

• A Comprehensive Guide to Starting Your Career--for those job seekers considering self-employment as a contractor or "1099" worker, here are some great resources for getting started. 

• Free Lesson Plans for Teaching Web Search Strategies--for staff and for job seekers to learn basic web search skills.

• How Workers with Disabilities Can Assess Job Fit--many of these strategies are useful for people who do not have a disability, too.

• 8 Self-Imposed Reasons Why People Can't Find Jobs--in no particular order.

• Career Benchmarking Tool from Monster.com--this neat little tool lets people compare themselves to other job seekers on a variety of characteristics.

• Nine Ways Networked Nonprofits Use Slideshare--some great examples of how to use Slideshare, a free site that allows you to easily upload, share and find great PowerPoint presentations. WIBs and One Stop Career Centers could adapt most of these ideas for their own use.

•  Use Slideshare to Demonstrate Your Expertise--Slideshare for job seekers.

Friday Link Round Up: National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

As reported by Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute, the 2008 population survey showed that only 17.6% of men and women who have a condition that limits their ability to work are in fact employed.  In an already difficult labor market, this puts individuals with disabilities at an even greater disadvantage when they seek employment. In addition, as the population ages, the number of people with a disability in the workforce is expected to rise substantially.

In recognition and support of National Disability Employment Awareness month, this week's link round-up focuses on resources and information for staff to assist individuals with disabilities.

• NTAR Leadership Center--This site is packed with podcasts, webinars and other resources and tools.

• NCWD Youth--Devoted to the special needs of youth with disabilities. Be sure to check out the Professional Development area.

• Disability and Employment Community of Practice--This site is relatively new, but aims to provide connections to best practices and other materials that have resulted from the Disability Program Navigators program.

• START UP USA--Resources for individuals with disabilities to pursue self-employment. 

• Online Disability Awareness Training--Learn about basic disability facts, barriers and accessibility, strategies for inclusion, insights from the disability community and ways to take action through this series of 5 self-paced modules. An excellent tool for orienting WIB Disabilities Issues Committee members and One Stop staff to the basic issues facing individuals with disabilities in employment. Also check out the Employer Resources section for information on the ADA and tax credits. 

• Diversity World's Employment Resources for Specific Disabilities--Resources for everything from ADD to Traumatic Brain Injury.

• Webcasts from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN)--Archived webcasts on a variety of issues, including accommodations for people with hidden disabilities, such as learning and mental health issues.

• Issue Lab: Close-up on Disability and Employment--An excellent collection of tools and information, including a podcast with Kathy Krepcio, executive director at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University about communicating research most effectively; Lucy Baker, executive director at the Oregon Business Leadership Network about connecting businesses with research and resources about people with disabilities; and, Lisa Dworkin, Director of Vocational and Training services at Little City Foundation about how research figures into the day-to-day work of someone who connects people with disabilities with employment.

• Disability 411: The Podcast for Disability Information--an excellent repository of over 60 podcasts. 

•  Heath Resource Center--The HEATH Resource Center is an online clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. The Clearinghouse has information for students with disabilities on educational disability support services, policies, procedures, adaptations, accessing college or university campuses, career-technical schools, and other postsecondary training entities.

• Nondiscriminatory Job Interview and Job Analysis Training--Free online modules for conducting job interviews and job analysis in accordance with the ADA. Good info for employers and for One Stop staff.

• Reaching Out to Customers with Disabilities--an online course for business that is also applicable to One Stops.

• Access for All: A Resource for Meeting the Needs of One Stop Customers with Disabilities--This manual by the Institute for Community Inclusion serves as a training and staff development tool for enhancing the ability of One-Stop Systems to meet the needs of customers with disabilities, and also as a reference work for ongoing use in serving people with disabilities.

• Identifying and Serving Customers with Hidden Disabilities in Our One Stop Centers--Many disabilities, such as cognitive functions and chronic disease, are “hidden” that is they are not readily apparent. Counselors need to know what these disabilities and how to relate to these individuals. This presentation by CLM Connection in Ocala FL provides an overview of the issues and practical advice on how to identify and serve these individuals.

• Serving Workers with Disabilities--Learn about specific techniques implemented in the State of Massachusetts to encourage One-Stop Career Centers to assist people with disabilities, including people with psychiatric disabilities, obtain and retain quality employment opportunities. Also hear about a variety of effective and practical practices under the disability program navigator program, where partnerships are enabling leveraged resources and providing quality services to business and to customers with disabilities.

• Webinar on Serving Veterans with Disabilities in the One Stop Center--good info in this recorded webinar.

• Disclosure of Disability Information at a One Stop Career Center: Tips and Guidelines--a fact sheet for job seekers that would be appropriate to share during Orientation and in Resource areas.