Understanding the Puzzle of Disability Services

1
Understanding the Puzzle of Disability Services
And How Those Pieces Can Fit with Asset
Development

2
History

• The disability system was created to provide
  services that alleviate the conditions of the
  majority. Thus, the system is multi-focused and
  layered.
• The system was initially created to take care of
  people and has evolved to understand the
  importance of empowerment and individual control.
  All systems are not there yet.

3
History

• Getting people out of poverty was not considered
  a condition to alleviate
• In order to receive many disability services you
  must be at or below the poverty level (SSI,
  personal care assistance, waiver services).
• These conversations are just starting and the
  realization that people with disabilities need
  support and strategies to leave poverty.
• There is a growing interest and desire to
  partner with the asset-building community, and
  all systems have limited capacity and resources.
• Both sides hold misconceptions about the others
  services.

4
A Few Misconceptions

• IDAS are a way to fund items other services
  cannot
• It is an additional funding stream
• The IDA provider can take care of all financial
  issues for the person

• People on Social Security cannot work.
• People with cognitive issues cannot save or
  manage their money.
• To serve people with disabilities requires
  special
• expertise.
• Providing accommodations is expensive.

5
Social Security Administration

• FEDERAL- Financial Services
• Social Security
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• SSI was designed to help people with
  disabilities who have little or no income.
• It provides cash to meet basic needs for food,
  clothing, and shelter. Currently the full SSI
  amount is 632 for an individual. Resource limit
  is 2000 for an individual.
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• SSDI is a payroll tax-funded program. Being
  eligible for this program is dependent upon how
  many quarters you have worked. It is designed to
  provide income to people unable to work because
  of a disability.

SSA
6
Changing Expectations

• Ticket to Work Work Incentives Improvement Act
  (TWWIIA) of 1999
• Designed to increase the number of people on SSI
  and SSDI who returned to work.
• It was the first time since the conception of the
  SSI/SSDI program that Social Security implemented
  comprehensive legislation that supported
  individuals with significant disabilities
  returning to work or obtaining work.
• Ticket to Works offers an array of work
  incentives to individuals to reduce their fear in
  working.

7
Medicare Infrastructure Grant (MIG)

• Section 203 of the Ticket to Work and Work
  Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA) of 1999
  establishes a grant program to support State
  efforts to enhance employment options for people
  with disabilities. These grants are for eleven
  years and minimum grant award to an eligible
  state is 500,000 per fiscal year.
• The goal of the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant
  program is to support people with disabilities in
  securing and sustaining employment in an
  integrated setting.
• MIG removes systems barriers that prevent people
  with disabilities in obtaining employment such as
  initially establishing buy-in programs in
  states.

8
MIGs Could be a Good Partner

• MIGs throughout the nation have become
  interested in how they can support individuals
  with disabilities in asset building.
• MIGs are interested in figuring out how they
  can partner with their states
  asset-building network.
• To learn if your state has a MIG grant and what
  its strategic plan is go to
• http//www.cms.hhs.gov/TWWIA/SR/list.asp?listpage
  1

MIG
9
Work Incentives Planning Assistance(WIPA)

• Social Security Administration (SSA) has
  contracted with local organizations in every
  state to have individuals who are experts on the
  rules of returning to work while on SSI or SSDI.
  These individuals are called Community Work
  Incentives Coordinators or CWICs.
• CWICs understand the impact of working on both
  SSA benefits and other benefits such as Veterans,
  Section 8 Housing, Earned Personal Care services,
  food stamps, etc.
• The CWICs provide counseling and guidance on how
  to use SSA and other programs work incentives.
  They help people think about how to use these
  programs to achieve their employment goals.

10
Community Work Incentives Coordinators

• CWIC can inform people about the Earned Income
  Tax Credit and how Individual Development
  Accounts and work incentives can be used
  together.
• They cannot help with SSA benefit problems that
  are not work related or help someone apply for
  benefits.
• To find a CWIC in your area
• http//www.socialsecurity.gov/work/ServiceProvide
  r/WIPADirectory.html

11
One Stop Centers

• The Federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of
  1998, offers a comprehensive range of workforce
  development activities through One Stop Centers
  statewide.
• Services benefit all job seekers, laid off
  workers, youth, incumbent workers, new entrants
  to the workforce, veterans, persons with
  disabilities, and employers.
• The purpose of One Stop Centers is to increase
  employment, job retention, earnings, and
  occupational skills improvement by participants.

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One Stop Services

• Core Services are basic services such as labor
  market information, initial assessment of skill
  levels, and job search and placement assistance.
• Intensive Services are for unemployed individuals
  who, with core services, have not been able to
  obtain employment, or are employed individuals
  needing additional services to obtain or keep
  employment that will lead to personal
  self-sufficiency.

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One Stop Services

• Training Services are available to eligible
  individuals who have met the requirements for
  intensive services and have not been able to
  obtain or keep employment.
• Individual Training Accounts are established to
  finance training based upon the individual's
  choice of selected training programs and labor
  market need.

14
Disability Navigator

• The SSA and the Department of Labor are jointly
  sponsoring Disability Program Navigators
• To better inform individuals with disabilities
  about work support programs available at One-Stop
  Career Centers and how to navigate the different
  systems.
• To be a resource to staff in working with
  individuals with disabilities and in
  understanding the numerous disability programs.
• How to find your Navigator http//www.doleta.gov
  /disability/new_dpn_grants.cfm

Disability Resource
15
One Stops and IDAs

• Many one stop centers and Workforce Boards are
  familiar with asset building though TANF,
  asset-building coalitions, or fiscal literacy
  campaigns.
• In some parts of the country, they are starting
  to think of IDAs and asset building for
  individuals with disabilities. Disability
  Navigators are receiving training on asset
  development and IDAs.

16
Assistive Technology

• Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended
• Every state has a State Assistive Technology
  Program. The program works to improve the
  provision of assistive technology to individuals
  with disabilities of all ages. It offers
  comprehensive statewide technology-related
  assistance.
• It provides devices and services such as the
  Device Loan Program, Device Reutilization
  Programs, Device Demonstration Programs, and
  State Financing Activities.
• http//www.resna.org/taproject/at/stateprograms.h
  tml

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Public Rehabilitation

• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended,
  provides all states and U.S. territories Federal
  grants to operate a comprehensive vocational
  program for individuals with disabilities who
  want to obtain or maintain employment. They must
  have a disability and need vocational
  rehabilitation services.
• Public Rehabilitation can provide a wide gamete
  of services that are needed to obtain and
  maintain employment such as vocational counseling
  and guidance, job placement assistance,
  self-employment assistance, college or vocational
  training, supported employment services, skills
  training, transportation, assistive and
  rehabilitation technology services, independent
  living services, etc.

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Public Rehabilitation

• Each applicant has a rehabilitation counselor
• determines their eligibility for the program
• assists the applicant in establishing a
  individual plan for employment (IPE) and
• provides case coordination.
• The IPE is what drives services.
• Public Rehabilitation is one of the largest
  funders of disability services. They are in a
  strong position to support asset-development
  services.
• At least three states support IDAs with public
  rehabilitation dollars.

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Public Rehabilitation

• If you have not established a relationship with
  your state public rehabilitation agency, you
  might want to.
• Meet with the Director of your states
  rehabilitation agency to figure out how to you
  can partner with them.
• To find your States Public Rehabilitation
  Offices
• http//www.jan.wvu.edu/SBSES/VOCREHAB.HTM

20
State Disability Systems

• State systems usually are Multiple Systems they
  may fall under the authority of a mega state
  division such as the Division of Social and
  Health Services, but they are different systems
  with different rules.
• The adult and community service "system" is
  actually comprised of several different systems
  reporting to different levels of government and
  different Federal departments.
• Each system has its own jargon, eligibility
  criteria, and methods of providing services.
• Look for a case manager who understands the array
  of systems.

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Mental Health

• Every state has Community Support Programs for
  Mental Health Services. They work with mental
  health consumers and their families to provide
  people with mental illness with treatment and
  assistance in meeting basic needs such as
  housing, jobs, education, social services,
  transportation, and medical and nursing care.
  They also provide case management.
• Frequently case managers are knowledgeable
  about the services available in the local
  community. They can be a great resource.
• Each states criteria for mental health service
  is different. Please go to http//mentalhealth.s
  amhsa.gov/databases/

Mental Health Services
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MR/DD

• Every State provides services to individuals who
  have a developmentally disability. A
  developmental disability is usually defined as
  Mental RetardationCerebral Palsy Epilepsy
  and/or Autism and occurs before the age of 18.
• Services will vary depending on state funding but
  include
• Residential
• Employment and Day programs
• Family support
• Case management

23
Advocacy

• The Protection and Advocacy (PA) System and
  Client Assistance Program (CAP) comprise the
  nationwide network of congressionally mandated,
  legally-based disability rights agencies.
• PA agencies have the authority to provide legal
  representation and other advocacy services, under
  all Federal and State laws, to all people with
  disabilities (based on a system of priorities for
  services).
• All PAs maintain a presence in facilities that
  care for people with disabilities, where they
  monitor, investigate and attempt to remedy
  adverse conditions.

24
Advocacy

• PA devote resources to ensuring full access to
  inclusive educational programs, financial
  entitlements, healthcare, accessible housing and
  productive employment opportunities.
• CAP agencies (many of which are housed within PA
  offices) provide information and assistance to
  individuals seeking or receiving vocational
  rehabilitation (VR) services under the
  Rehabilitation Act, including assistance in
  pursuing administrative, legal and other
  appropriate remedies.
• To contact the PA in your state
  http//www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/states/pas.htm
  l

25
Centers for Independent Living

• Centers for Independent Living are consumer
  controlled, community-based, cross-disability,
  and/or nonresidential private, nonprofit
  agencies.
• Centers are designed and operated within a local
  community by individuals with disabilities and
  provide an array of services with a strong focus
  on peer counseling and self-advocacy.
• Centers for Independent Living could be a strong
  resource and partner with the asset-building
  community.
• http//www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/in
  dex.html

26
AFI 360 Projects

• Four AFI grantees have partnered with four 360o
  Projects to learn how to increase services to
  individuals with disabilities.
• 360o Projects are one-stop support centers for
  families with children who have disabilities.
  360o Projects help families in obtaining the
  supports and services they desire in order to
  enhance the health and well-being of their child.
  360o Projects are funded through a grant from
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Next Steps to Think About

• How will you establish partnerships with the
  disability community in your state?
• What partnerships do you already have that can
  assist you?
• What additional information and supports does
  your program need?
• Many MIGs have done resource mapping of
  disabilities services in their respect states.
  This information would be helpful to you.
• There is a huge need for fiscal literacy
  information that includes SSA benefits and work
  incentive information.

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Services Supports That Can Help Put It All
Together
MR/DD
SSA
CWICS
MIGs
Public Rehab
Protection Advocacy
CILS
Mental Health
Disability Navigators
Assistive Technology