AmericanDreamEN.org SSA DISABILITY BENEFITS AND WORK INCENTIVE ADVISEMENT (BWIA) PROCEDURES ADEN CORE COMPETENCIES TRAINING SERIES Kevin Nickerson, ADEN Co-Director American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) American Dream Employment Network, a division of National Disability Institute, is an authorized Social Security Ticket to Work service provider.

AmericanDreamEN.org AGENDA For purposes of today’s training, SSA Disability Benefits and Work Incentive Advisement will simply be called “BWIA services” Overview of ADEN Member supports that promote BWIA services Next steps for Members, the two paths to BWIA services for ADEN Participants Action items for all Members Action items for Members with certified staff that can provide BWIA services Review of SSI and SSDI Benefits Analysis Reports Review of Your Benefits Summary At-A-Glance tool

AmericanDreamEN.org OVERVIEW – ADEN ADVISEMENT SERVICES SUPPORTS TO MEMBERS Basic SSA Disability Work Incentive Training – Provided through Beneficiary Outreach training entitled: Social Security Disability Programs, Work Incentives & Employment Support Programs for Social Security Beneficiaries Advanced SSA Disability Benefits training – Held quarterly for Members who are certified benefits planners and work incentive counselors Advanced training on SSA disability benefits topics and practical applications Procedural guidance – ADEN Member Procedures on Providing Benefits and Work Incentive Advisement (BWIA) Services provides clarification for Members that are certified to provide this service, and for Members who are not yet at this level of knowledge Tools & Resources – ADEN is committed to providing our Members top notch tools and resources to support this service delivery component Examples of tools that will be part of the Work Incentive Toolkit include: ADEN Desktop Guide to SSA Work Incentives, Benefits Analysis Reports (SSI/SSDI), and Your Benefits Summary At-A- Glance worksheet

AmericanDreamEN.org BWIA SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO ADEN PARTICIPANTS AFTER TICKET ASSIGNMENT!

AmericanDreamEN.org WHY SSA DISABILITY ADVISEMENT MATTERS Knowledge is Power Many beneficiaries make decisions about the return to work (or decision not to work) from limited information they receive from family, friends, and uninformed service providers The goal of Ticket to Work is to assist SSA disability beneficiaries in achieving financial self-sufficiency, yet not all beneficiaries are provided guidance on their financial benefits (i.e. SSI, SSDI, health insurance, financial resources, etc.) It’s an ADEN Core Service SSA disability benefits and work incentives are complex, often keeping employment service providers from building internal expertise, impacting return to work efforts ADEN recognizes that in order to achieve successful employment outcomes, ADEN Participants need accurate information about their benefits in order to make informed choices about employment – “It’s what we do”

AmericanDreamEN.org WHAT IF WE DON’T HAVE THIS EXPERTISE? Two paths that satisfy this ADEN requirement: ADEN Members should all strive to build their internal capacity to deliver SSA disability benefits and work incentive advisement directly, as our PSA requires Developing this expertise takes time, and commitment In order to assure ALL ADEN Participants receive accurate advisement services, ADEN has developed procedures which direct Members to take one of two paths: 1.For those that have internal expertise; 2. and for those who do not yet have this capacity Let’s review next steps ALL ADEN Members should take after Ticket assignment

AmericanDreamEN.org NEXT STEPS ALL ADEN MEMBERS SHOULD TAKE

AmericanDreamEN.org COLLECT SSA-3288 RELEASE OF INFORMATION FORMS Get SSA-3288 forms (2) signed by your Participant One of the 3288 release of information forms allows SSA to provide benefits related information in the BPQY, such as use of work incentives One of the 3288 release of information forms allows IRS wage data to be released in the BPQY, providing you recent earnings information After you get these signed releases, mail these to the local SSA Field Office to request the Benefits Planning Query report (BPQY) Unsure of the local SSA Field Office for your Participant? SSA Field Office Locator:

AmericanDreamEN.org REVIEW OF SSA-3288 FORMS After Complete the highlighted sections of this form, and top section with Participant Name, DOB, and SSN

AmericanDreamEN.org REVIEW OF SSA-3288 FORMS This section provides SSA the stated purpose of this form – In this case, for release of specific benefits information. This also allows you to speak to the SSA Claims Representative about other issues that may arise with your Participant!

AmericanDreamEN.org REVIEW OF SSA-3288 FORMS Have Participant sign and date this form, other information is not needed as we are not working with minors

AmericanDreamEN.org REVIEW OF SSA-3288 FORMS Note the difference in the second SSA-3288 relates to providing us Non-Certified yearly totals of earnings from IRS. BOTH SSA-3288’s are needed and sent to SSA field office.

AmericanDreamEN.org WE ARE NOT PROVIDING BWIA SERVICES INTERNALLY – WHAT’S NEXT? Member’s not providing advisement services internally need to coordinate this service with a certified Benefits and Work Incentive advisor through the state Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) projects If you do not yet have a relationship with your WIPA provider, you need to establish this connection Unsure who your WIPA provider is? Find your WIPA provider using the Find Help tool:

AmericanDreamEN.org WIPA SUPPORT Once you have a relationship with WIPA, establish a referral process This will include in some cases, additional forms they may require, which will expedite services for our Participants Additional consent forms will be required between WIPA and ADEN Member – developed locally ADEN Members will expedite this process by providing WIPA the BPQY report, and any summary of the Participants vocational goals, to support the written report the WIPA provider will offer our Participants Ask the Participant and WIPA staff if you can join meetings explaining it is necessary for you to stay informed of advisement provided Remember to track, and upload relevant documents in the ADEN portal in the Participant record Notes! Your role until providing this service internally, is to be aware of key dates your Participant should be meeting with WIPA, and to be the coordinator of these services

AmericanDreamEN.org HOW ADEN STAFF CAN BECOME CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE BWIA SERVICES Per the ADEN PSA, all Members should work toward building internal expertise to provide SSA Disability Benefits and Work Incentive advisement services – “remember, it’s what we do” There are two main providers of training: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) - Current Technical Assistance provider for WIPA projects Learn more about VCU here: You can watch for training opportunities here: ntc.org/training/initial.cfmhttp:// ntc.org/training/initial.cfm WIPA project staff will have first priority, however, Employment Network staff are considered the next highest priority for VCU training! Each training session is capped at 35 individuals, so if you are interested, make sure you register early There is no cost for this training, however, it is in-person, and you will be responsible for travel costs and accommodations if needed

AmericanDreamEN.org ADDITIONAL OPTION TO BECOME CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE BWIA SERVICES There are two main providers of training: Cornell University – edi ONLINE training course: Learn more about Cornell’s online training option here: When completed, learners will get a certificate as a Work Incentives Practitioner Cornell’s online course offers flexibility for professional staff to fit this intensive training into their busy work schedules This training process is not free, the cost is $1,450 for the certification process, which includes follow up TA supports, ADEN recommends this process rather than “certificate of attendance” process which is slightly cheaper If interested in this training option, please contact ADEN Administration for possible group discount

AmericanDreamEN.org NEXT TRAINING SLIDES ARE FOR ADEN MEMBERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED IN PROVIDING BWIA SERVICES…THANK YOU FOR JOINING

AmericanDreamEN.org NEXT STEPS ADEN MEMBERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED IN PROVIDING BWIA SERVICES

AmericanDreamEN.org COLLECTION OF RELEVANT BENEFITS INFORMATION After you have the BPQY, certified BWIA Members should take next steps in collecting additional benefits information, such as: SNAP Housing Information (EID, FSS involvement) Other public benefits If you do not have a process to collect this information, you may use the ADEN Intake form to assist you in collecting relevant information Once this information is collected, you’ll have all the baseline information needed to provide a written Benefits Analysis Report for your Participant

AmericanDreamEN.org DEVELOPING BENEFITS ANALYSIS REPORTS (BAR) ADEN has developed Benefits Analysis Reports (BAR) that currently support individuals who receive SSI, or SSDI benefits Forms that support concurrent beneficiaries, and/or those who have primary goals of self-employment, are still pending development After developing your baseline BAR, you should review this with your Participant, and any key stakeholders your Participant wants present The ADEN Member Procedures on Providing Benefits and Work Incentive Advisement (BWIA) Services can be found on ADEN website

AmericanDreamEN.org REVIEW OF SSDI AND SSI BENEFITS ANALYSIS REPORTS (BAR)

AmericanDreamEN.org BENEFITS SUMMARY AT-A-GLANCE In addition to the Benefits Analysis Reports, another tool has been developed to support your Participants called Benefits Summary At-A-Glance This tool provides Participants a financial snapshot of their income and benefits, BEFORE and AFTER either current, or projected work activity Use of this tool should compliment the BAR reports, it does not replace it This tool requires that you understand programmatic policy (i.e. SSI, SNAP, etc.) in order to complete, OR, that you have verified changes in benefits with relevant agencies based on projections you are calculating

AmericanDreamEN.org REVIEW BENEFITS SUMMARY AT-A-GLANCE TOOL

AmericanDreamEN.org BWIA SERVICES – KEY TIMING OF FOLLOW-UP SUPPORTS BWIA services are provided up-front to Participants, to help them understand how their employment plans impact benefits and health insurance – This provides the roadmap to self- sufficiency Advisement services continue beyond this, here are examples of key timing for follow-up with your Participants: When Participant has been offered employment While employed – Increase in wages or hours, new employment, when eligible for retirement plan, etc. When Employment ends Please see ADEN guide – Coordinating SSA Disability Benefits and Work Incentive Advisement services for additional details

AmericanDreamEN.org ADEN Co-Directors of American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) Mary Lynn ReVoir Kevin Nickerson 25