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
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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
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Pennsylvania Statisticsas of 8/31/2015
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• 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
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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
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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
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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
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Goodwill Keystone Area
• Goodwill Keystone Area provides services in 22 Pennsylvania Counties
• A Vendor of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for over 30 years
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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Community Integrated Services
Angelina Bush
Manager of Benefits Counseling, CESP & CWIC Certified
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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
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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
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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
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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?
703.336.8013
Dana Baccanti
717.772.1656
Wendy Brubaker
717.787.6695
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Comments or Questions?
Jennifer [email protected]
888. 460.5121
Angelina Bush
215.238.7411, ext. 117
John J. Miller
717.763.0968, ext 90118
Lori M. Tyndall
717 763-0968 ext. 90130
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