The Ticket to Work and SelfSufficiency Program

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The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program

• Employment Network Training

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Module 6

• Recruitment and Enrollment
• of Employment Networks

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Learning Objectives

• At the end of this module you will be able to
• Define Employment Network (EN),
• Define the responsibilities of an EN,
• Define the process of recruiting ENs,
• Define the process of evaluating ENs,
• Describe the functioning of an State Vocational
  Rehabilitation (VR) Agency as an EN, and
• Define the effects of the Ticket Program on the
  functioning of Alternate Participants.

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Employment Networks
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Definition of an Employment Network

• Any qualified public or private agency,
  organization, or other entity that enters into an
  agreement with SSA to provide work related
  services
• Can be a single entity or a group of providers
  who pool their resources
• Provides services directly or in agreement with
  other organizations or individuals

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Possible Entities that Can Function as ENs

• State agencies,
• One-stop delivery systems,
• Alternate Participants,
• Organizations administering VR Services Projects
  for American Indians with Disabilities,
• Public and private schools that provide VR
  services or job training, and
• Employers that provide job training or support
  services for individuals with disabilities.

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Entities that are not Qualified

• Entities that have had their license,
  accreditation, certification or registration
  suspended or revoked
• Entities that have surrendered their license,
  accreditation, etc. pending disciplinary action
• Entities precluded from Federal procurement or
  non-procurement programs.

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Employment Network Responsibilities
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Overview of EN Responsibilities

• Enter into an agreement with SSA to serve a
  prescribed service area,
• Provide a full range of employment services,
• Verify through MAXIMUS that beneficiary has a
  Ticket that is not assigned elsewhere,
• Provide clients with explanation of services as
  well as clients rights responsibilities,
• (continued on next slide)

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Overview of EN Responsibilities (continued)

• Develop an Individual Work Plan with the client,
• Ensure privacy and confidentiality of client,
• Elect a payment method for services,
• Report data to MAXIMUS on client outcomes,
• Develop a grievance process, and
• Maintain prescribed qualifications and liability
  insurance.

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Individual Work Plan (IWP)

• A written agreement signed by both the
  beneficiary and the EN that describes employment
  and support services needed to reach an
  employment goal

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Components of the IWP

• Vocational goal,
• Services and supports to reach the goal,
• Terms and conditions relating to these services
  and supports,
• EN may not request or accept compensation from
  the beneficiary,
• Conditions for amending or terminating the IWP,
• Beneficiarys rights under Ticket to Work
  Program, (continued on next slide)

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Components of the IWP (continued)

• Remedies available to the client,
• Clients right to privacy and confidentiality,
• Clients right to have a copy of the IWP,
• Only qualified providers can provide services,
  and
• Medical services are provided under supervision
  of licensed personnel.

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Referral Agreements Between EN and State VR
Agencies

• An EN may refer a client to a State VR Agency if
  the following conditions are met
• The EN and State VR Agency have a signed
  agreement regarding services the State VR Agency
  will provide,
• The agreement is signed prior to the referral,
• The agreement is broad-based to apply to all
  clients that the EN is likely to refer, and
• Signed Agreement must be submitted to MAXIMUS
  within 2 weeks.

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Beneficiarys Rights

• Privacy of personal information including
  disability,
• Receive explanation of services provided,
• Participate in the vocational goal and
  development of the IWP,
• Appeal ENs refusal to provide services,
• Refer dispute to MAXIMUS and SSA,
• (continued on next slide)

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Beneficiarys Rights (continued)

• Receive information on State Protection and
  Advocacy (PA) System,
• Appoint legal representative to represent him,
• Access his information in ENs records
• Receive copy of IWP in accessible format,
• Amend IWP, and
• Retrieve Ticket if dissatisfied with service.

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Privacy and Security Requirements of the EN

• Limitations on the access and use of beneficiary
  information supplied by SSA,
• Physical safeguards for protecting the security
  of the information,
• Ensure that all personnel having access to the
  data are advised of confidentiality, and
• Agree that SSA has right to make on-site
  inspections or other audit provisions.

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EN Reporting Requirements

• EN is responsible for developing 2 reports for
  MAXIMUS, including
• Periodic Outcome Report, and
• Annual Financial Report

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Periodic Outcome Report

• ENs must develop a Periodic Outcome Report and
  disseminate as follows
• Provide copy to MAXIMUS,
• Provide copy to new clients,
• Maintain copy in each clients file, and
• Ensure that copies are available to the public.

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Annual Financial Report

• Must include all sources of income for service,
  expenses, and net profit or loss,
• Must show percentage of budget spent on serving
  beneficiaries including amount spent on clients
  returning to work and those who do not,
• Must reflect the financial condition of the
  entity at the close of the fiscal year, and
• Must be submitted to MAXIMUS with all other
  fiscal documentation required as a result of
  regulations published by SSA.

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EN Qualifications
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General Criteria

• Processes for protecting clients personal
  information,
• Accessible both physically and programmatically,
• Nondiscriminatory,
• Adequate resources for fulfilling agreement with
  SSA,
• Compliance with terms and conditions of contract,
• Accounting procedures and control operations
  necessary to support the Ticket to Work Program.

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Specific Criteria

• Applicable certificates, licenses and credentials
  as required by state law,
• Medical and health services provided under
  supervision of licensed personnel, and
• Qualified staff with applicable certification,
  licenses, or registration standards that apply to
  their profession or are otherwise qualified based
  on education or experience.

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Proof of Qualifications

• ENs must submit one of the following
• Copy of license or certification where required
  by state law, or
• Certification or accreditation establishing the
  entitys qualification to provide services, where
  no state law is applicable.

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Recruitment of Employment Networks
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Marketing Plan

• MAXIMUS responsibility is to recruit qualified
  ENs that
• Are located in specific geographic areas where
  beneficiaries are located, and
• Provide services that match the disabilities of
  beneficiaries in the given geographic area

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Marketing Efforts

• Marketing efforts are directed at national,
  state, and local organizations that include
• ARC,
• Goodwill Industries,
• Easter Seals Society,
• United Cerebral Palsy,
• (Continued on next slide)

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Marketing Efforts (continued)

• International Association of Jewish Vocational
  Services,
• American Congress of Community Supports and
  Employment Services,
• Paralyzed Veterans of America, and
• National Head Injury Foundation

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Enrollment of Employment Networks
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EN Enrollment Procedures

• The EN application process is simple
• Obtain an application,
• Complete the application,
• Include all information showing qualifications,
• Submit the completed application and all
  additional information to MAXIMUS for review.

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EN Application

• The EN application is a Request for Proposal
  (RFP), which was developed by the Social Security
  Administration
• The RFP is available on the Internet at
  www.eps.gov

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Evaluation ofEmployment Networks
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Two Areas of Evaluation Criteria

• Program Requirements
• Reporting Requirements

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Program Requirements

• Have agreement with SSA,
• Serve beneficiaries within specific geographic
  area,
• Provide services directly or with other entities,
• Elect a payment system, and
• Develop and implement an IWP for each beneficiary.

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Reporting Requirements

• Notify MAXIMUS each time it accepts a Ticket,
• Submit copy of each IWP,
• Submit copies of IWP amendments,
• Submit agreements with State VR Agencies,
• Provide annual outcome data,
• Provide financial report,
• Collect and record data required by SSA, and
• Adhere to all requirements specified in the
  agreement.

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State VR Agencies and the Ticket to Work Program
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Participation Requirements

• State VR Agencies are required to participate
  in the Ticket to Work Program, in order to
  continue to receive payments for serving
  beneficiaries.

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Process for Becoming an EN

• SSA notifies State VR Agencies in writing of the
  Ticket to Work Program, including payment options
  
• State VR Agency selects payment option and
  notifies SSA in writing of its payment selection

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Three Payment Options for State VR Agencies

• Cost reimbursement payment system
• Outcome Payment system
• Outcome/Milestone Payment system

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• A State VR Agency is not required to function
  as an Employment Network.
• The State VR Agency may choose on a case-by-case
  basis as to whether it will function as an EN
  when serving a beneficiary with a Ticket.
• Beneficiaries may still receive service under the
  cost reimbursement system.

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Process to Ensure Proper Ticket Assignment

• State VR Agency submits information to MAXIMUS
  that contains the following statements
• Beneficiary has assigned its Ticket to the State
  VR Agency,
• IPE has been developed and signed by both
  parties,
• Vocational goal listed on the IPE, and
• Selected payment system.

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Handling Referral from ENs to State VR Agencies

• Agreement must be in place between the two
  entities prior to any referrals
• If referral is received without an agreement,
  then an agreement must be developed prior to
  making the referral
• Agreement must be received and reviewed by
  MAXIMUS.

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Components of the Agreement

• Procedures for making referrals,
• Description of financial responsibilities of each
  party,
• Terms and procedures under which the EN will pay
  the State VR Agency, and
• Procedures for resolving disputes.

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Conversion of Alternate Participants
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Guidelines for Conversion

• Alternate Participants (AP) continue to serve
  beneficiaries as APs in non-Ticket states
• As the Ticket Program is phased in, APs in that
  state are notified of their right to participate
  in the Ticket to Work Program as ENs
• APs must become Employment Networks in order to
  be paid for an employment plan signed after the
  date of implementation of the Ticket Program in
  their state

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Requirements for Becoming an EN

• Enter into an agreement with the SSA,
• Agree to serve a prescribed service area, and
• Elect a payment option under one of the two EN
  payment systems.

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APs Payment Process

• Once Ticket Program begins in the State
• APs continue to get paid on employment plans that
  are already in effect and payment can continue up
  to January 1, 2004,
• APs can not receive payment on employment plans
  signed after date of Ticket to Work Program
  implementation in that APs state.

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Practice Exercise Protecting Client Rights

• Divide into subgroups with each subgroup having
  four or five participants.
• Discuss measures that ENs may take to ensure
  protection of client rights in the Ticket to Work
  Program within each subgroup.
• Present the highlights of your subgroups
  discussion to the larger group.