December 2023 Spotlight on
Social Security Newsletter

The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) Spotlight on Social Security Newsletter brings you exciting news, work incentives information, success stories, and other valuable information for beneficiaries receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and their families and the professionals serving them.

In this issue:

Upcoming Spotlight on Social Security Webinar - Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency

DOR offers webinars, provided by industry experts who share valuable information and resources for beneficiaries of SSI and/or SSDI.

Don’t miss out! Go to our Webinar Calendar to register for future webinars!

This month's webinar:

Title: Ticket To Work and Self-Sufficiency
Date: Thursday, December 21, 2023
Time: 10:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. PST
Location: Zoom
Event Information: If you receive SSDI and/or SSI, you may have received a letter in the mail stating you have a "Ticket" available to help you with employment. Alternatively, perhaps you are currently receiving services at DOR, and you received a letter stating your "Ticket" was placed "in use" with DOR. You may be asking, what exactly is the Ticket to Work (TTW) program, and does it benefit me? In this webinar, you will learn the basics about the TTW program, and how it has helped over 500,000 individuals access employment supports, find employment, and enjoy greater financial independence.

Register for the December 21st Webinar on Reporting Wages to Social Security

Submit your questions about the Ticket To Work program

This month’s featured Spotlight on Social Security Article: Finding Employment Success with the Ticket to Work Program!

What is the Ticket to Work program?

The Social Security Administration’s TTW program is a work incentive program that helps individuals with disabilities, who want to work, access employment support services and resources they need to find and maintain employment.

As a Ticket holder, you are able to choose the service provider right for you, who will provide the assistance needed to help you decide if work is right for you, prepare you for work, find a job, and be successful at your work. Available services can vary among service providers, but generally will include career counseling and job placement assistance. Trying the program is risk free, as participation in the program is completely voluntary and at no cost to you!

Who qualifies for the Ticket to Work program?

People who receive SSDI and/or SSI benefits and are between the age of 18 through 64 are eligible to participate in the TTW program

Some beneficiaries may have received a paper Ticket in the mail, but a paper ticket isn’t needed to participate in the program as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

What types of service providers are available?

There are a variety of public and private organizations available to help you on your journey to employment and financial independence. It is up to you to decide which is the best fit for your needs. The different types of TTW service providers include:

  • Employment Networks (EN) private or public organizations that provide a variety of free employment support services including, career planning, job placement, ongoing employment support, and benefits counseling. Not all ENs provide the same services, so it’s important to identify which ENs provide the services that will help you.

  • Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, like DOR, typically provide additional employment support services, such as intensive training, education, rehabilitation, and more to help prepare you for success in your chosen career pathway. This is in addition to employment services such as career counseling, job placement assistance, and even benefits counseling.

What are the benefits of the Ticket to Work program?

If you are interested in entering the workforce, the TTW program can help you get connected with employment services that can help you gain or maintain your employment. When receiving employment services, through the TTW program, Social Security will not initiate Medical Continued Disability Reviews (CDRs) as long as you are making Timely Progress towards your employment goal.

If I am working with the DOR, am I already using my Ticket to Work?

Most likely yes! For many DOR participants, their TTW is assigned to DOR once they have developed and approved an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) with their DOR Counselor. There are a few situations where this may not occur automatically, and you will want to work with your DOR team to verify the status of your ticket.

Where can I get more information?

Checkout the Social Security’s TTW website at www.choosework.ssa.gov to learn more about the Ticket to Work Program, find service providers, and learn more about the great work incentives available to SSDI and SSI beneficiaries.

Additional Ticket to Work Resources

This Month's Success Story

Every year, thousands of Californians with disabilities find employment success by accessing employment support services through the TTW program. One such success was Charlie, a SSDI beneficiary who decided he was ready to go back to work and chose to use his TTW through DOR.

Charlie hadn’t worked since losing his vision in 2010 and had learned to live solely on the $1,200 he received in SSDI benefits. Although he was able to get by on his SSDI, Charlie wanted to be out of the house and knew he needed more income to live comfortably, so he chose to seek DOR employment services. Through working with DOR, he was able to get the training, aids, assistive technology, and other employment services needed to prepare him for work. Through his hard work and dedication to his employment plan, Charlie eventually received an offer to work as a caretaker at a pet resort company. Although the role was exactly what he had been looking for, he was still hesitant to accept the job as he feared that going to work would cause his SSDI, Medicare, and Medi-Cal to stop and he would lose all of his support. Charlie was especially concerned about his Medi-Cal as he knew it covered the In-Home Support Services (IHSS) he needed to assist him throughout the day. He expressed his concerns to his DOR counselor and was referred to a DOR Work Incentives Planner (WIP) for benefits counseling.

Through working with his WIP, Charlie learned all about his disability benefits, how they might be affected by his work, and how he could utilize work incentives to ensure he could get his benefits when and if he needed them. The WIP was also able to verify that he was considered to be statutorily blind by Social Security and had access to specific work incentives for individuals who are blind. Charlie learned that even though he was projected to earn $1,820 per month working part-time as a caretaker, he would still be able to receive his full SSDI cash benefit even while working. This is because he was eligible for the Trial Work Period (TWP) which would allow him to get his full SSDI benefit for 9-months regardless of what he earned from work. Even after the completion of the TWP, he was able to continue to receive his full SDDI check. Charlie was also informed of the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program that would allow him to continue to receive his Medi-Cal even while he is working.

With all the information he needed to confidently make an informed choice, Charlie accepted the position and is happier than ever with his choice. Although his DOR record is now closed, he was able to use the TTW program to get job retention support through an EN and continued benefits counseling through the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) project. Charlie enjoys his job and was recently told by his employer that he would receive a promotion soon!

Interested in learning more about your disability benefits?

Are you ready to go to work?

Meeting with a Work Incentives Planner (WIP) is a great way to get the facts about your Social Security Benefits.

Sound Interesting?

Talk to your DOR counselor to see if you are eligible for DOR WIP Services.

Not currently Receiving DOR Services?

If you are ready to start an exciting journey with DOR, please click here to Get Started. You will need to provide additional information about yourself to request services.

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