The Benefits of Partnership Plus

1. Kentucky SGA Project | March 15, 2017 The Benefits of Partnership Plus

2. Presenters • David Leon Ticket to Work Coordinator, Grants & Special Programs Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) • Donna Osburn SSA/VR Coordinator Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) • Roger Naoroji EN Development Consultant Ticket Program Manager (TPM)

3. Objectives • Functional Definition of Partnership Plus • Virginia Model • Ticket to Work and Cost Reimbursement in Kentucky • Impact of Order of Selection (OOS) • Best Practices • Resources and Examples

4. Why is this Important? • Utilizing the Ticket to Work and Partnership Plus creates additional resources for OVR clients and service providers. • People with disabilities are considerably more likely to experience poverty relative to those without disabilities. • The Ticket to Work program is a path out of poverty! • Additional resources for VR and the EN.

5. Poverty and Disability * Reference: Department of Health and Human Services (January 2017) | https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines

6. What is Partnership Plus • A mechanism for sequential provision of services • Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) > Employment Network (EN) • EN > OVR > EN

7. How Partnership Plus Works

8. National Cost Reimbursement (CR) Data for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 16 • VR Submitted 17,832 Claims • SSA Processed 17,763 Claims • SSA Allowed 11,932 Claims (67%) • SSA Paid $181M – Average Claim - $15,203

9. Virginia Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) Cost Reimbursement (CR) Data

10. Virginia Model • Partnership Plus and Administrative EN Models • Fee for Service Work Incentive Services • Work Incentive Specialist Advocates (WISA) • WorkWORLD for the Web • Benchmark Retention Payments • Work Incentive Specialist Position and Manual • National Employment Network Association (NENA) and National Association of Benefits and Work Incentives Specialists (NABWIS) membership and participation

11. Ticket to Work in Virginia • Partnership Plus agreement • Benchmark Retention payments • 21 current agreements • 12 Administrative EN agreements • FFY 2015: Over $930,000 to our partners around the state though Ticket to Work funding

14. Who Participates in the Ticket to Work program in Virginia? • Workforce Development Boards • Centers for Independent Living • Employment Service Organizations • Community Service Boards • Private nonprofit and for-profit Organizations • Community Rehabilitation Programs

15. Ticket to Work Strategies • Cross train Ticket to Work/WISA staff on DARS policies/Cost Reimbursement (CR) process • Co-present at specialty meetings, staff meetings, district meetings, statewide and national conferences. • Conduct quarterly meetings with Partnership Plus stakeholders

16. Current Initiatives to make the Ticket program Stronger • Work Incentive Manual – contract added • State Specific trainings developed • WorkWORLD Enhancements • Financial Literacy • Motivational Interviewing

17. Ticket to Work Data for Kentucky • 321,249* Eligible Beneficiaries • 4,166* Tickets in use with OVR * Reference: Social Security Ticket Tracker October 2016 Summary | https://www.ssa.gov/work/tickettracker.html

18. Cost Reimbursement in Kentucky

19. OVR CR and Ticket to Work: Potential Revenue

20. OVR Partnership Plus Employment Networks • Career Opportunities Unlimited • Connect-abilitieshttp://connect-abilities.org/index.html • Employment Solutions http://www.employmentsolutionsinc.org/ • Opportunity for Work & Learning https://www.owlinc.net/ • Options Unlimited http://www.optionsunlimitedinc.org/ • Path Forward of Kentucky http://www.pathforwardky.com/

21. Order of Selection • As of July 1, 2016, Kentucky OVR went on Order of Selection. We are currently only serving Priority Category One (Individuals with Most Significant Disabilities). • Everyone else is added to a wait list • Some of these may be Ticket holders • Potential opportunity for referrals to our partnering Employment Networks. If no prior VR service, Phase I payments are available.

22. Potential Ongoing Support Services • Career Planning and Advancement • Advocacy Assistance • Understanding and accessing Social Security Incentives • Budgeting & Financial wellness coaching • Help arranging for support services such as transportation or medication • Other services that will help maintain job

23. Case Study • A consumer was referred for OVR services while attending high school. • He was referred to Options Unlimited for supported employment services. • With their support, he was hired on full-time with Best Buy. • His case with OVR was closed successfully and his Ticket to Work was assigned to Options Unlimited for long-term supports.

24. Case Study Continued • Ongoing services were provided in learning tasks, maintaining good working relationships with co-workers, and mandatory online training, among others. • Consumer receives a full benefit package and has proven to be an asset to his company. He has maintained the job for almost six years and has succeeded in gaining financial independence. He no longer needs or receives Social Security benefits. • Options Unlimited has received all possible Ticket to Work payments.

25. Who is a good Ticket Candidate? When to look? SSA Status? Partnership Plus Best Practices: VR

26. Partnership Plus Best Practices: EN • How do you follow up with VR Counselors • Dual Referral Sources • Ticket Outreach • Understanding VR Structure

29. Contact Information • Donna Osburn DonnaB.Osburn@ky.gov • David Leon David.Leon@dars.virginia.gov • Roger Naoroji RogerNaoroji@maximus.com