WIPA Training for AWICs

Session 1

April 22, 201511

Social Security’s Commitment and Role in Operating WIPA

Services

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WIPA Program History

• The initiative was created as part of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. Services began in 2000.

• After a one year absence, the WIPA program resumed in August 2013.

• The WIPA projects serve about 35,000 per year.

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WIPA Program Structure

• WIPA is a key component of Social Security’s strategy to promote employment among beneficiaries and reduce dependence on SSI and Title II cash benefits.

• Over the past 14 years, more than 2,300 individuals have been trained and certified to provide work incentives counseling services

• These highly skilled and dedicated individuals have met the needs of over 750,000 individuals in all 50 states and territories.

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WIPA Program Partners

• Social Security Administration Office of Research, Demonstration, and Employment Support (ORDES)

• VCU National Training Center – Training & Technical Assistance

• Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. – Social Security Beneficiary Access and Support Services (BASS) Contractor and Administrator of WIPA Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) data system

• Xerox Corporation – Operates Ticket to Work Help Line and ETO Help Desk for the WIPA initiative

• Social Solutions – Efforts to Outcome (ETO) beneficiary referral and case management data system

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VCU National Training Center Provides:

• Social Security Approved National Training Curriculum

• CWIC Training and Certification• Individual and Organizational Level Technical

Assistance

• Ongoing Professional Development Training

• Archived Training and Resource Materials

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CWIC Training and Certification Requirements

• Certification process consists of five components:– Five-day face-to-face initial training– Self-study activities to prepare for and complete required

certification assessments– Completion of Part 1 of the assessment process - Competency-

based assessments addressing each of the modules in the National Training Curriculum

– Completion of Part 2of the assessment process - Submission of three case files in a 12-month period for review and evaluation.

– Participation in ongoing supplemental training and technical assistance activities

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Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) Competencies• Six major competency areas

– Promoting and Supporting Employment Outcomes for Social Security Disability Beneficiaries

– Partnering with Community Agencies and Conducting Community Outreach

– Understanding Social Security Disability Benefits, Other Federal Benefits, and Associated Work Incentives

– Providing Healthcare Planning and Counseling– Insuring the Provision of High Quality WIPA Services– Providing Effective WIPA Services

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Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA)

WIPA supports beneficiaries to:• Obtain employment;• Return to work;• Improve their employment situation;• Access or maintain health care coverage; and• Achieve their employment and financial stability

goals

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WIPA

WIPA is a crucial service that counsels and supports beneficiaries as they identify their lifestyle and financial goals. It assists beneficiaries in obtaining the financial education and planning supports available in their communities.

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WIPA is all about WORK!

Understanding the CWIC’s Role in Promoting

Employment and Enhancing Financial Stability

CWIC Role in Promoting Employment

1. Helping beneficiaries clarify their career goals

2. Helping beneficiaries determine what services, supports or accommodations may be necessary to achieve the desired career goal

3. Explaining Social Security’s Ticket to Work program and the array of employment services & supports available to individuals with disabilities in the local service area

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CWIC Role in Promoting Employment

4. Connecting beneficiaries with the specific services and supports needed to obtain and/or maintain paid employment; and

5. Assisting beneficiaries with disabilities to resolve problems related to work efforts, higher education, occupational skills training and work attainment or continuation of work.

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CWIC Role in Supporting Reduced Reliance on Federal Cash Benefits

• Address benefit myths that prevent a beneficiary from establishing a goal of increased earnings and reduction in cash benefits

• Support beneficiaries in establishing financial goals

• Provide advisement on work incentives that can support beneficiaries in achieving financial goals

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Myths that Prevent Financial Stability

• Benefit myths do more than just prevent beneficiaries from making informed choices about work. Benefit myths keep people in poverty!

• Beneficiaries are told:– You need to keep all your benefits even if you work– You cannot make it without all your benefits– You will be worse off if you work too much

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• CWICs are prepared to respond with encouraging phrases when myths arise, such as:

– “Special rules allow you to work, financially get ahead, and maintain access to benefits if you need them.”

– “The benefit programs are complicated, but my job is to help you use work incentives to become financially stable.”

WIPA Strategies to Address Myths that Prevent Financial Stability

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The WIPA “Message”

• Social Security disability benefit programs have work incentives that help beneficiaries transition to work

• It is possible to work and keep Medicaid or Medicare in almost every case

• It is possible to work and come out ahead financially even if benefits are reduced or terminated

• The object of the WIPA program is to promote employment and enhance financial independence

• The WIPA initiative is NOT intended to force people off benefits, nor is it intended to help people maximize their benefits

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Understanding WIPA Project Services and Collaboration with Key Disability Service System Partners

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Critical Elements of the WIPA Program

• Emphasis on serving beneficiaries who are employed or actively seeking employment

• WIPA projects function as active partners in Social Security’s overall employment initiative

• CWICs work collaboratively with community partners to help beneficiaries achieve employment outcomes

• Outreach is coordinated with Beneficiary Access Support Services (BASS)

• WIPA services are delivered in an individualized manner involving long-term benefits-related case management

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WIPA Eligibility Criteria

• Age 14 to Full Retirement Age• Disabled per Social Security’s definition• Receiving or approved to receive SSI or Title II based on

disability• Receiving Medicaid under 1619(b)• Receiving only SSI State Supplementary payment• Receiving Medicare under EPMC as former Title II

disability recipient

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WIPA Service Priorities

• CWICs must determine where the beneficiary is in the employment process and assess the importance and urgency of their presenting needs.

• CWICs screen to answer the following questions:– Is the caller eligible for WIPA services?– How close are they to work? – What services are needed?

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Two Service Categories

Basic Information & Referral (I&R)• First contact with WIPA or Help

Line• Can often be handled via

phone, mail, and email• Basic information about

benefits, work incentives, programs & services

• Beneficiary may not be ready to pursue employment

• Majority will move on to receive intensive WIPA services

Individualized Work Incentives Planning & Assistance

• Requires an in-depth intake• Long-term services• Services rendered in variety of

ways• Requires verification of benefits

and past work• Includes benefits summary &

analysis and work incentive plan development

• Continued follow up services

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Partnerships are Critical to Success!

• To support the work efforts of beneficiaries, WIPA services should be fully integrated with employment and support services in the community.

• CWICs must be familiar with the employment services and resources in the community, and should partner and maintain strong working relationships with these agencies.

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Working with Social Security

• CWICs should maintain relationships with their local Social Security offices, regional PASS cadres, and the Area Work Incentive Coordinators (AWICs).

• CWICs can also establish relationships for reporting protocols with Claims Representatives and Work Incentive Liaisons (WILs).

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Collaborating with Agencies Providing

Employment Services and Support• "Employment Support Team"

– American Job Center (formerly DOL One Stop Career Center)

– Vocational Rehabilitation agencies– Employment Networks (ENs)– Public Schools– Centers for Independent Living– Community Rehabilitation Providers– Private Rehabilitation Companies

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How CWICs Support Other Members of the Employment Support Team

• Offer knowledge about Social Security work incentives & employment initiatives

• Offer information regarding WIPA program eligibility criteria and scope of services

• Help to analyze situation and benefits and then identify critical timelines in the benefits transitions.

• Provide information on other federal and state benefit programs that interact with employment

• Assist in the development of previous work that may impact future work and benefits through direct access to Social Security

• Help other partners meet successful placement goals

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What is the BASS?

• BASS = Beneficiary Access and Support Services• Social Security has established a contract with Booz Allen

Hamilton to provide support to beneficiaries to encourage and facilitate participation in the TtW and WIPA.

• The BASS markets Social Security’s work incentive programs (including TtW) to beneficiaries

• Facilitates beneficiary access to Employment Networks• Operates the TtW Help Line to ensure accurate and timely

information to Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities

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How the BASS Assists WIPA Projects

• The BASS is responsible for helping WIPA projects market their services directly to Social Security disability beneficiaries

• BASS manages the Help Line, and Choosework.net

• The BASS holds nationwide Work Incentives Seminars (WISE)

• WISE events focus on providing beneficiaries with information about the Ticket to Work, local ENs, other Social Security work incentives and WIPA services

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Ticket to Work (TtW) Help Line Background

• BASS operates the TtW Help Line – a toll-free call center staffed by Customer Service Representatives (CSRs). Initially, the Help Line services focused solely on helping beneficiaries make informed choices about using their Tickets and selecting a State VR or EN.

• Beginning in 2009, Social Security expanded the role of the Help Line by establishing a special cadre of CSRs specifically trained and certified to provide basic work incentives information to beneficiary callers.

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TtW Help Line Background

• Help Line CSRs also screened and referred beneficiaries in need of intensive work incentives counseling to WIPAs.

• These referrals address the continuing need of beneficiaries for a more advanced level of counseling beyond what the Help Line provides.

• Approximately 10,000 beneficiaries are referred from the Help Line to the WIPA programs each year.

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TtW Help Line – WIPA Connection

• The Help Line is the first point of contact for many beneficiaries.

• Help Line CSRs will screen all beneficiary callers to determine eligibility for WIPA services.

• Beneficiaries determined eligible will be referred to the appropriate WIPA using established referral protocols.

• All referrals will be generated by the Help Line and received by the WIPAs in the Efforts to Outcome (ETO) program.

• Help Line referrals receive priority services from the WIPA provider.

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The WIPA-Related Purpose of the TtW Help Line

• One purpose of the BASS TtW Help Line is to more effectively process and respond to beneficiary inquiries related to work incentives.

• The services delivered by the Help Line are not intended or designed to replace WIPA services.

• The Help Line functions as an intermediary service, screening and refining referrals to WIPA projects to ensure that beneficiary referrals are appropriate.

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Conclusion• The mission of the WIPA initiative is to promote employment, and

to help beneficiaries achieve financial independence.• WIPA services have been refined to include more individualized

services targeted to beneficiaries who are closer to employment. • A critical component of WIPA is collaboration with all key partners

and members of the Employment Support Team to help beneficiaries achieve their employment goals.

• The BASS and the TtW Help Line not only collaborate with WIPAs, but also complement the service through beneficiary outreach and information and referral screening and triage.

• No one entity can be all things to all beneficiaries; it takes a team to help beneficiaries to achieve their goals!

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