Partnership Plus Working Relationships in Pennsylvania Effective Practices Webinar Series Social Security’s Ticket to Work program October 1, 2015.

Partnership Plus Working Relationships in Pennsylvania

Effective Practices Webinar SeriesSocial Security’s Ticket to Work program

October 1, 2015

Presenters• Dana Baccanti, MA, CRC, Chief, Special Programs Division,

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation PA Department of Labor & Industry

• Wendy Brubaker, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist - Bureau of Central Operations, Department of Labor & Industry, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Jennifer Radick, MS, CRC, MCC, CWIC VetSuccess Program Manager & Counselor, Ticket to Work Program Manager, Goodwill Keystone Area

• Angelina Bush, Manager of Benefits Counseling, CESP & CWIC Certified, Community Integrated Services

• John J. Miller, Vice President, AHEDD• Lori M. Tyndall, Program Specialist, AHEDD

2

Objectives

• Share current statistics on Partnership Plus Handoffs and statewide Ticket to Work activity

• Discuss the Pennsylvania Partnership Plus Agreement and related activities in the state

• Describe working relationships between the State Vocational Rehabilitation agency and Employment Networks in Pennsylvania

3

Pennsylvania Statisticsas of 8/31/2015

4

• Eligible Ticket Holders639,777

• In-Use with VR15,472

• Assigned to ENs1,727

• ENs in Pennsylvania 19

• Percentage of ENs who are VR vendors 63%• Number of traditional Partnership Plus Handoffs 284• Number of Ticket Handoffs in FY2015

88

Pennsylvania ENs – Areas Served and EN Locations

5

Number of ENs serving county

0

1-2

3-4

5+

EN Main Location

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation PA Department of Labor & Industry

Dana Baccanti, MA, CRC, Chief, Special Programs Division

Wendy Brubaker, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

6

7

PA OVR Central Office

The Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) provides vocational rehabilitation services to help persons with disabilities prepare for, obtain, or maintain employment. OVR provides services to eligible individuals with disabilities, both directly and through a network of approved vendors. Services are provided on an individualized basis.

Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Traditional Cost Reimbursement only• Partnership Plus Agreement

o 8 EN Agreements• Partnership Plus Collaboration

o Outreach to Employment Networkso Staff trainingo Notifying Vocational Rehabilitation Customers

8

9

Opportunities to notify VR Customers about Partnership Plus

• At the time of Application• During development of the IPE (Individualized Plan for

Employment)• Throughout the Job Development process• At VR Closure (in writing and verbally)

Goodwill Keystone Area

Jennifer Radick, MS, CRC, MCC, CWICVetSuccess Program Manager & Counselor, Ticket to Work Program Manager

10

Goodwill Keystone Area

• Goodwill Keystone Area provides services in 22 Pennsylvania Counties

• A Vendor of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for over 30 years

11

Goodwill Keystone Area

• Goodwill Keystone Area has been an Employment Network since 2003. In 2009, a Program Manager was hired to oversee the growth of the program.

• 488 TTW Referrals• 230 TTW Tickets have been assigned; there are currently

73 Active Tickets• 154 individuals were placed in employment• WIPA provider in cooperative agreement with SSA since

2001.

12

Handoff from VR to EN • Work with State VR Counselors to identify possible

Partnership Plus cases• Maintain communication with State VR about most

effective way for seamless handoff• Get to know the TTW/Partnership Plus Points of Contact

at the State VR Office• Work with internal Goodwill Keystone Area staff to

understand Partnership Pluso Stubs, Stats and Starts Case Management Toolo Post Employment Support Checklist

• Educate Case Managers, Supports Coordinators and Beneficiaries about the benefits of Partnership Plus

13

Outreach• Targeted and specific Outreach for TTW Program across

all 22 Pennsylvania County Service Areaso TTW Presentations at local PA CareerLinks, Colleges, Family

Forums, Clubhouses, local Departments of Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Senior Community Service Employment Programs (SCSEP), Facebook Ad, Postcard Mailings

• Targeted Outreach for Youth in Transitiono Intermediate Unitso Transition Councilso Transition Fairso Teacher In-Services

• Target Outreach for Veteranso State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation & Employmento Local VA Medical Centers

14

Success Story

• John came to Goodwill in 8/2012 through VR for a Community Based Work Assessment

• He was then referred for a placement contract and placed into a position in 1/2013 as a sales associate at Target

• He was successfully closed with VR 4/2013• In 2/2014 he stated a desire to increase his hours and utilize

the TTW program• In 2/2013 his ticket was assigned to GW and in 12/2014 he

was moved into Outcome payments.

15

Community Integrated Services

Angelina Bush

Manager of Benefits Counseling, CESP & CWIC Certified

16

Community Integrated Services (CIS)

• Providing employment services since 1991• Currently serves individuals in Philadelphia, PA, 4

surrounding counties, and Delaware • Serves 700 individuals• Employment Network since 2009• Administrative Employment Network since 2015

17

Partnership Plus Hand Off Procedures

• CIS is a VR vendor • Officially signed up for Partnership Plus in April 2013• Maintain relationship with beneficiary • Maintain relationship with VR Counselor• Once VR closes case, develop IWP with beneficiary and

continue providing services

18

19

Success Story

• Came to CIS in March 2013 through a VR contract• Provided individual with Work Incentive Counseling• Individual decided on full time work• Offered a full time Security Officer position in August 2013• VR unassigned the ticket, CIS assigned the ticket• CIS started collecting Phase 2 payments• Reached Outcome 12 and recently received a Reconciliation

payment

AHEDD

John J. Miller, Vice President

Lori M. Tyndall, Program Specialist

20

Agency Overview

• Established in 1997, AHEDD is a private, non-profit agency providing employment services to persons with disabilities throughout PA;

• AHEDD has been a vendor with PA OVR for job coaching/supported employment since 1986;

• Serve as EN in TTW since 2001. In addition, AHEDD has served under a cooperative agreement with SSA to provide WIPA services since 2001

TTW Caseload

• As of July 1, 2015, 401 active caseso Of these, 43% were working and earned enough to allow the

agency to qualify for payments and 19% earned enough for benefits to be suspended or terminated (i.e. outcome payments).

Impact of Partnership Plus – Outcomes

 January 2015 Total % Payment%

Outcome

Other EN 22 36% 14%

PA OVR - Successful 89 44% 29%

PA OVR Unsuccessful 62 29% 13%

Other State VR 7 14% 0%

No Prior Involvement 227 40% 10%

  407 38% 14%

Impact of PP – Service Continuation

 Mos. Of Enrollment onto TTW

< 12mos

12-24 mos.

25-36 mos.

> 36 mos.

PA OVR - Successful 25 13 31 12PA OVR Unsuccessful 14 16 19 10 Total

39 29 50 22

Work Incentives Planning Assistance

• Many beneficiaries are uninformed or under-informed about the impact of work on benefits

• Beneficiaries who go to work have an increased likelihood for overpayments from SSA

• Work incentive counseling is an essential service to address these and other concerns and should be offered/provided to all beneficiaries

• Ideally, the service should be available soon after IPE development, but otherwise during PP transition

Value of WIPA and PP

• Megan: College grad, successful VR closure, overpayment and laid off three months after closure – three years later, new job, still employed, no SSA benefit

• Cameron: Successful VR closure at distribution center. Hands on role helping with reporting income to SSA to avoid SSI overpayment

Comments or Questions?

Ana [email protected]

703.336.8013

Dana Baccanti

[email protected]

717.772.1656

Wendy Brubaker

[email protected]

717.787.6695

27

Comments or Questions?

Jennifer [email protected]

888. 460.5121

Angelina Bush

[email protected]

215.238.7411, ext. 117

John J. Miller

[email protected]

717.763.0968, ext 90118

Lori M. Tyndall

[email protected]

717 763-0968 ext. 90130

28