Jayme >> Good afternoon, and welcome to today's Ticket to Work webinar. My name is Jayme Pendergraft, and I'm the Communications and Outreach Director for the Ticket to Work program. Thank you for joining us today. It's my pleasure to introduce today's moderator, Patricia Van Nelson. Pat is the Deputy Director of the Ticket Program Manager and has over 30 years of related experience to bring to today's topic and discussion. Pat, over to you. 

Pat >> Thanks, Jayme. Good afternoon, everyone. And I welcome you again to today's Ticket to Work webinar, "Five Frequently Asked Questions About Working While Receiving Disability Benefits." As Jayme said, my name is Pat Van Nelson. I'm a member of the Ticket to Work team. And I'll be the moderator today. On behalf of Social Security and the entire Ticket team, thank you for joining us to learn about the Ticket program. You know, if this webinar was a Zoom call and I could see you all, I'd ask you to raise your hands if you were familiar with the Ticket to Work program. And I'd expect to see some raised hands. However, because I can't do that and I can't check in with each of you to figure out what you want to learn about today, I'm hoping that some of our answers will be new to you, and I'm also hoping that you'll bear with us if we talk about some parts of the program that you may already know. We chose today's five questions based on our conversations and feedback we got from a variety of people. 
We talked to the people at the Ticket Program Help Line to hear what kind of questions they get most often when people call them. We also looked at questions that we received on our Facebook and Twitter pages. And we went back to some of the questions that we've seen on previous WISE webinars. Because these are five questions that kept appearing we thought that perhaps an entire webinar devoted to them made some sense. Now, if you've joined us for a webinar before, you're probably familiar with my expression where I say that -- you've heard me say that I think one of the best things about the Ticket Program is that it recognizes that we're each unique and every one of us creates our own path. In the context of today's webinar what that means is that if you've had these questions, you're not alone. Although your situation is unique to you, many other people have also wondered how they can work while receiving benefits. I hope some of the answers we provide today will be helpful and meaningful to you in your own situation. So, let's get started. Before we jump into learning more about the program, I want to make sure you get the most out of the information we're going to share. 
So, we've got a few tips for using this webinar platform. First, there is the audio. You can manage your audio using the audio option at the top of your screen. The audio option is an icon, it looks like a speaker. When you click on it, there is a drop-down menu that says, check or choose, select speaker from the menu options, just like on the screen. Just a reminder, everybody attending will be muted, except for me and, of course, our presenter. When it asks how you want to join the meeting's audio, pick a device speaker if you want the sound to come through your computer. Be sure to turn on your speakers or plug in your headphones. If you'd rather listen by phone, you can dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter the access code 418148, pound sign. You can also use the “join the meeting” audio to receive a phone call as you'll see on the image on the screen. And enter the same number and access code. All right. Let's move to cover some of the information about our webinar's accessibility. 
On the Adobe Connect platform, you'll notice different boxes on your screen. We call those boxes “pods.” We have the presentation pod, and that's where the slides appear, that's the largest portion of your screen. Below that is an open space for closed captioning. The top right corner is the Q&A pod. And below that is the Web Links pod. I'll talk more about these pods in a little more detail in a little bit. But first, let's talk about accessibility. If you need assistance navigating Adobe Connect, an accessibility user guide has a list of controls that's available on the website at http://bit.ly/adobe-accessibility. A link to this guide is also available in the Web Links pod in the bottom right of your screen. It's called Adobe Accessibility User Guide. So, if you want that one, you can go into the Web Links pod and access it now. 
Real-time captioning is available and it's active and it's displayed in the pod right below the slides. You can show or hide the captioning display and you can also choose the size and the color of the text to best meet your own vision preference. To open closed captioning, select the CC option from the top menu bar. The captioning link can also be accessed in the Web Links pod under the title Web Captioning. And you can access captioning online in a separate viewing window. The choice is up to you and how you want to see it. 
If you're fluent in American sign language and you'd like support during today's webinar, you can follow the link that provides instructions on how to connect with an interpreter through the Federal Communications Commission's video relay service. The ASL user guide is available in the Web Links pod under the title ASL User Guide. We're going to be pausing to answer your questions at two different points during the webinar. You can send your questions to us at any time, though. Just type them into the Q&A pod. I'll direct questions to our presenter during the Q&A portions of the webinar. I'm going to do my best to get to as many as possible. If you're listening by phone and you're not logged into the webinar platform, you can still ask your questions, just send an e-mail to us at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. I've already referred you to the Web Links pod a couple of times; that's where you'll find the links for all the resources we'll cover today. Just select the ones that interest you to learn more. If you're listening by phone, you can e-mail webinars@choosework.ssa.gov for a list of these resources. You can also look at your confirmation e-mail that you received for today's webinar to see the resources. And just a reminder, Social Security can't guarantee and isn't responsible for the accessibility of external websites. 
We're recording today's webinar so if you miss something and you want to go back and listen again, we'll be posting it within two weeks on the Choose Work! website. And that's at https://bit.ly/wise_ondemand. This link is also in the Web Links pod called WISE Webinar Archives. We do hope that you have a good experience today during the webinar and that your technology cooperates. But if you do run into technical difficulties, you can use the Web Links pod or you can use the Q&A pod to send us a message. Or you can e-mail us, again, at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. And our team will help you. 
In a minute, you'll hear from my colleague and today's presenter Derek Shields. Derek is no stranger to the intersection of disability in work. He spent the past 28 years working in the areas of disability, inclusion, employment, accessibility, and reasonable accommodations. Derek has a master’s degree in management and Disability Services from the University of San Francisco. And in addition to his contributions to the Ticket Program, he's also President of ForwardWorks Consulting and a co-founder and board advisor of the National Disability Mentoring Coalition. I'll be back with you during the question-and-answer sessions. So remember to put your questions in that Q&A pod. It's now my pleasure to turn the microphone over to Derek. 

Derek >> Pat, thank you so much for setting us up today for our August WISE event and for the kind introduction. The idea of joining everyone to review five of the most frequently asked questions that the Ticket to Work team receives is a fantastic opportunity I think to really focus on kind of the customer experience when you think about FAQs and visiting websites, and we have the opportunity to bring that to folks today and I appreciate the chance to work with you on that. We do have a lot of content to cover so I'm going to, you know, jump into it. And, you know, these are the five FAQs that we're going to cover today. And as Pat said, you know, some of them you may be familiar with and we hope that we bring some new content to you from some of the questions that we do receive from our stakeholders. 
FAQ One is, "What is Social Security's Ticket Program?" So, we'll cover the Ticket to Work Program because we're frequently asked what is it, and how does it work? The second question will focus on eligibility, "Am I eligible for the Ticket to Work Program?" FAQ Three, "How can I participate in the program?" The fourth FAQ, "Can I work while receiving social security disability benefits?" That's one that we definitely receive all the time along with all of the employment team members that are the service providers who frequently receive that question too. And question five, "What is the Substantial Gainful Activity amount this year, or what we call SGA?" So, we'll talk a little bit about SGA, what the amount is this year, and if that would apply to you. So, we have a lot of good resources as well that our team's compiled and we'll refer to those in the Web Links pod. And, of course, as we are accustomed to do include a success story toward the end of our session that will kind of pull it all together in connecting the resources along with the questions and the content today. So, with that overview, let's get started. 
FAQ number 1, again, is what is Social Security's Ticket to Work Program? And with this, you know, we have this overview frequently but let's make sure that we get to the specifics. The Ticket to Work Program as it was created is a free and voluntary Social Security program. And this is serving individuals that are ages 18 to 64 who are in receipt of benefit, a disability benefit from the Social Security Administration and who want to work. That is really the key requirements to the program so in some senses, it's kind of a simple description for the front door of the Ticket Program. If you want to work, you're age 18 to 64 and receiving Social Security disability benefits, now, if you're not sure what those are, there's two, there's Social Security Disability Insurance, that's SSDI, and there is also Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. And you could have one like SSDI or SSI or perhaps you could have both. Disability insurance is just that, that somebody was working and was, you know, paying into the insurance program through FICA taxes, and then perhaps acquired the disability and was unable to work so then can receive that Social Security Disability Insurance. Supplemental Security Income on the other hand, it's not an insurance program, it's a supplemental security, meaning other income for individuals that aren't able to work because of a disability and need money to in effect live. So, if you are receiving one or both and want to work, the program's for you. And if it sounds like, you know, that's you, then we're going to have some great career development offerings for your consideration through what we call the service providers or the Employment Networks and the other service providers that are part of your Employment Team. And this is really where the individuals get involved that can help you explore how you can work and maintain your benefits and also how over time your benefits can be impacted by work. 
Now, we'd want you to decide if work is right for you. So, if you tap the Employment Team services or service providers, you can get help in thinking that through. So, the Ticket Program, it's a great program for those individuals that are looking to return to work or try work for the first time and have a goal of full-time employment. And you can access more information through a fact sheet, what is Social Security's Ticket to Work Program. There is a link on the slide. You can access that actually through the Web Links pod as well. It's actually -- well, it might be in there as option 16 -- I'm sorry. It's now at option 8, what is Social Security's Ticket to Work Program? So, you can check that out for more information. You can also visit the Choose Work! website, we'll give you that information as well. It's the first link in the pod. And in the library, the first fact sheet that's listed is that fact sheet too. 
So, what is Ticket to Work? And when you think about that if you want to work, it's, you know, likely time to start using services to explore that potential. The Ticket Program can connect you with those free employment services to help you in deciding if work is right for you. And some of us might have the idea that, well, I don't have the money that I want, or I don't have community connection that we can find through work. And so, if you want to think that through, you can reach out and discuss that and make an informed decision through the service providers. You'll know what exists, what will occur to your benefits as you do begin working, and what will happen, of course, to your healthcare coverage as well. So, you know, if you decide it works right for you, then the next step, of course, would be preparing for work. And, you know, somebody might need some preparation like educational preparation. You might need to try a new career track, and if you don't have the skill sets that are needed in that, then you could receive rehabilitative preparation and other educational and training support through the Ticket Program. So, we can do that, and it's designed to really help you prepare in a lot of different ways. And then once you have the skills, of course, there's, you know, the maze of helping find that job. And the Employment Networks, or ENs, as we call them, and the other service providers that we'll review later, they're experts at helping folks find jobs, it's what they do. They know their territory; they know where employers are. And many of them actually assist through the delivery of services and supports and one of those is job placement so they can have a relationship with employers, point you in the right direction to the right relationship where, you know, go over to this employer, we know that they need skill sets that you have. We have a relationship with them. And it really seems like a good match, they set you up for success. And then once you're there, of course, setting you up for success, well, that is succeeding at work. And that's the important part, you know, when we think of the services, the vision is employment but it's not the try it and not to have a good experience but it's the try it and learn from it and evolve to where your employment outcome is something that you have the job, you started work, and you're succeeding, you're getting the paycheck and you're, you know, using the employment team to, you know, transition with on the job supports and then as you transition off of benefits to self-sufficiency, you can realize the success that you envisioned with the Employment Team around you. 
So, that's the Ticket to Work program. And, you know, I've been mentioning the Employment Team and it's important to think through those different Employment Team members that could be part of your squad, your employment squad. And when you think about them, there's Employment Networks, these are the service providers that provide the services and supports, we'll look at them. There's Workforce Employment Networks like American Job Centers. There's also your state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. There's something called WIPAs, that's Work Incentives, Planning and Assistance projects. And then there is the PABSS organizations, or Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security. We're going to review them in more detail under another FAQ. But keep this Employment Team in mind. One of the things that we commonly hear it says, "Well, I'd like to explore work, I'd like to try work, I'd like to work. But I don't feel like I have my plan and I lack confidence." What we want you to know is that all of these service providers are there to help you in building the plan and knowing how to move from where you are to where you want to be, and to support you with confidence. And that choice is the notion of choosing work. So, with the Employment Team, if you decide that you want to choose work, and if choosing work sounds right to you, of course, that's a great thing. We believe that work works. And it's kind of a simple straightforward saying. But it really does work for people. It helps people get out of poverty; it gives people the ability to make choices for themselves because they have more flexibility through the paychecks. And, you know, if you have more choice because you're working and earning, then you're going to be able to have some excess money and that excess money can allow you to save, it can allow you to do things that you can't do right now potentially, flexibility in your community and just some self-sufficiency. So, it can be great and, you know, the act of working and collecting the paycheck can happen but you have to make the choice yourself. And, you know, these services and supports are available. It's not for everybody. And we know that. That's why the Social Security Disability Standard exists. But there's also the Ticket to Work program that allows you to transition back to work if that's the right choice for you. And once you understand about the free services and supports the Ticket Program will provide for you, then many people often decide that the rewards of going through the program and the work will outweigh the risks and the perceived risks, what's the real and the perceived risks. And then again, you know, we understand that this is your choice, and you have to make the right choice for you. But in the end, that choice is yours. 
Okay. So, that was FAQ number 1. And, you know, as we're going through this, remember we have a total of five that we're going to look at. We're going to pause in-between for questions so be sure to be submitting those so Pat can pull out a couple of good ones for me, and then we'll have a final Q&A session at the end as well. Our second FAQ, as we reviewed earlier, is about eligibility, am I eligible for the Ticket to Work Program? So, this is, you know, a fairly straightforward one. And when we described the Ticket Program earlier, I covered these a little bit. We'll just review it now because, you know, what is the program and am I eligible, slightly different angles, but it is free and voluntary. And, you know, it's important that you know that you don't have to participate, but you are eligible if you're age 18 to 64 and you're receiving SSDI and/or SSI. And I described those before. You don't need to have a ticket, you know, to participate. So, you need to meet these two criteria. But you can get all of the services from the Ticket Program and the other Work Incentives if you meet these eligibility requirements. And, you know, when we're thinking about the services that involve career development and we're looking at people ages 18 to 64 receiving a disability benefit and who want to work, you're eligible. And I think, you know, one of the things that we hear frequently around eligibility and program participation is, well, I want to work but I don't know exactly what that looks like. The long-term goal, you know, if you're eligible is around full-time employment but there is a pathway to get there that allows you to try part-time employment to see what the capacity for work is, and then progress toward full-time employment. So, there's a bit of an on-ramp. So, if you meet these eligibility requirements and you want to work, you know, if that sounds like it's you, then it's really worthwhile to explore the career development offerings that the Social Security Administration is offering to you. 
So, eligibility is kind of straightforward. The third FAQ, "How can I participate in the Ticket Program?" Well, that may not be quite as straightforward. And so, we're going to spend a little bit more time inside of the third FAQ in thinking through kind of how do I connect eligibility into program participation. So, there's really three steps. Step number 1 is determine your eligibility. And we talked about it, you know, I'm age 18 to 64 and I'm receiving disability insurance or supplemental security income. Well, how do I determine that if I don't know? You're likely going to know your age, 18 to 64. But if you're unsure if you're receiving SSDI or SSI, then we recommend calling the Help Line. And on our next slide, I'm going to give you that contact information. So, this way you can verify if you're eligible. You could look it up if you have a My Social Security Account as well. So, if you have one of those, you could check out your status online. But if you don't, then we encourage you to reach out to the team in order to explore if you're eligible or not. Once you do determine your eligibility, of course, then we want you to reach out and find a service provider that offers the services that you need. And there's a couple of different ways that you can do that. And we'll talk about these different service providers in more detail in a second here. But first, once you determine eligibility, if you want to explore service providers and you want to do this somewhat in the comforts of your own home, you can do that by going to the Find Help tool. And that's at our Choose Work! website. And that Find Help tool allows you to put in your ZIP code to look for a local service provider or you can look at national or regional service providers. And it allows you to explore really without having to talk to anybody, and I know some folks prefer that. You can also if you do that and you're like, "Well, I'm not exactly sure which service provider is right for me," you can try the Ticket to Work Help Line. And I'll give you that contact information in the moment. 
So, step 1, determine eligibility. Step 2, once you have that, find the service provider that's going to offer those services and supports you're looking for. And then step 3, reaching out to the service provider to determine your next steps and really getting toward this idea of creating a work plan. So, an Individual Work Plan that somebody will in effect interview you and ask you questions about, you know, have you had previous work experience, what are the things that you have skills and kind of your assets inventory. And then what are your work goals in terms of, you know, I'd like to work in this field and I'd like to work in this position. Somebody might be interested in retail and they'd like to have a customer service representative job. Other folks maybe want to work inside of a trade, plumbing, construction, and they like to use their hands in that. I'm not sure exactly what the role would be but I'd like to go into that sector. And that plan could then be built out by the service provider. The service provider will actually, after doing that interview and starting to put this plan together, they will reach out to Social Security to tell them that you're working together. So, you choose to assign your ticket to a service provider, an Employment Network, and then Social Security reaches out, you both agree, and then your Ticket becomes assigned. So, a three-step process there. But you have the choice of selecting that service provider that's right for you. And then the EN has to feel like that's a good match on their end as well. 
So, three steps there. I mentioned it a couple of times, on this slide, we have the Ticket to Work Help Line. This is an important resource for you. The Ticket Program offers this toll-free Help Line with answers for your questions and different support to help you in, you know, your review of eligibility, in finding the service providers, and then in those steps and how to reach out to them, and how to move forward toward developing your individual work plan. You can reach these folks, we call them beneficiary support specialists, and they will answer your questions about the program. They're available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, and there's two numbers. The telephone number is 1-866-968-7842. And there is a TTY number at 1-866-833-2967. So, again, if you're thinking about work and you're looking at your journey to financial independence, and you're really not sure where to start, we highly recommend reaching out to the Ticket to Work Help Line, those beneficiary support specialists are there to answer your questions. One of those questions you could ask is, "Well, I'm interested in these things called Employment Networks. I attended the WISE event, it seems like their services and supports that I learned about would be helpful, how do I find one?" And the Help Line can help prepare a list of Employment Networks that would meet the criteria you were looking for and provide that to you. You could also look them up, of course, on the Find Help tool as well. But let's talk a little bit more about what an Employment Network is. 
So, an Employment Network is a private or public organization that has established an agreement with the Social Security Administration to provide free employment support services to people who are eligible for the Ticket Program, right? So, eligibility, 18 to 64 in receiving SSDI and/or SSI. And these Employment Networks as service providers really get into employment support services. There are many of them that are part of the state public workforce system. So, if you've heard of the workforce system or something called the American Job Centers, those are all across the country. And some of those are considered Workforce ENs. And, you know, these ENs serve every part of the country, and some of them, you know, may limit themselves to your town or a specific geographic area or a ZIP code. And then others serve an entire state or a city. And then there are some that are national ENs and they can serve you wherever you are. So, that's another choice that you could consider, you know, if you're living in -- you know, you're like I care that this service provider is near me because I want to visit them in person, then you would choose, you know, a more local provider. If that isn't your thing, you're like it doesn't matter, I just want to be able to, you know, get support from someone, a national EN would be a great option for you because they have flexibility and they might have relationships with employers in more locations outside of the local provider. So, Employment Networks, the choice would be up to you in deciding which one's right. And, you know, when you explore that, just remember, you have, you know, to qualify for receiving SSDI or SSI age 18 to 64, you don't need to pay for a ticket, you don't even actually need an actual ticket, you just need to call the Ticket to Work Help Line and they could talk about how to get you started or you can look at the Find Help tool, reach out to a service provider and say, you know, "I'm eligible and I'm interested." And then you can begin to process there. So, you know, I mentioned some things around the ENs local community or statewide, some of them are multiple states or all country. And an EN may offer the services either in person or virtually. Virtual services could be by phone or e-mail. And some of those, you know, are likely done through things like video like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. But again, those are choices that you have, and you could decide as you're selecting your Employment Network. 
Another key member of the Employment Team are the state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. These agencies could also have benefits planners on their staff and many of them do and they can provide you with a variety of in-house planning services. So, a state agency provides a wide variety of services to help people with disabilities return to work or enter new lines of work, or for some enter the workforce for the first time. And, you know, the benefits counseling is there. But they can talk to that Vocational Rehabilitation or training education. So, if you're looking to go into kind of a new career track, working with a state VR agency is a great place to get the training and education new skills development. It is important to know that some states have two agencies. So, if you're looking in your state, you're like, "That's not a bad idea, I want some training and education," you can contact them. They may have a separate VR agency for individuals who are blind and have visual impairments versus individuals who have other disabilities. So, don't be surprised if you encounter that. It just means that they customize their services a little differently. So, remember that the VR agency, vocational rehab, benefits counseling, training and education, a great member of your Employment Team. 
Next up are the WIPAs, the Work Incentives, Planning, and Assistance projects. They provide free benefits counseling to eligible Social Security disability beneficiaries and how work is really going to affect the disability insurance, SSDI or SSI, but also Medicare, Medicaid, and all of the other benefits whether they're federal or state benefits, the public benefits that you're receiving. And so, these WIPAs, that's what we call them, will help you understand the Work Incentives. And there are a lot of them. There's around 20 of the Work Incentives that might be available to you. And we're going to talk specifically about a couple for you today. But how they work and what your situation is and the benefits counselors can advise you. So, they are a key part of your Employment Team. They will also help dispel some myths. And one of the things we hear about is, well, if you go to work, I'm going to lose my benefits or I'm going to not be able to do one thing or another. And the reality is that the Ticket Program and all the Work Incentives provide safety nets and flexibilities and the benefits counselors, the WIPAs, are going to be able to help you decide what's right for you and dispel those myths and replace them with facts. And we really want you to have those facts in making the right choices for yourselves. So, you can get the free benefits planning services, and, you know, potentially not use your Ticket as you explore -- if you're interviewing or if you're actually starting to work, then you really want to know the impact of work that's important to bring those benefits counselors onto your Employment Team. 
And the last member of the Employment Team we call them the PABSS, or I mentioned this before, Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security. And PABSS really are the legal wing of what we provide through the Employment Team. And they're offering free legal assistance to people who have Social Security disability benefits and who have a disability-related employment issue. Notice issues can kind of cross a range of barriers, but to provide legal support, they have advocacy services for you if needed. And they provide information to help beneficiaries resolve those employment-related concerns. Those concerns could be with an employer. 
Let's say you're having an issue getting a reasonable accommodation to perform an essential job function, the PABSS can assist with that. But if you also have an issue with Social Security and Employment Network, the state VR agency, or a WIPA project, any other member of the Employment Team, the PABSS are providing services to really assist you there. So, they'll help you navigate those organizations and really protect your rights. So, that's why they're a key part of the team. That's the final member of the employment team. 
And so, now that we've reviewed these FAQs, I'm going to ask Pat to come back in as we pause for our first question-and-answer period. Pat? 

Pat >> Thanks, Derek. You know, and looking at the questions that we've been getting, I think a lot of people are going to be interested in this one in particular. It is, "Is the Ticket Program only for people who want to work full time, or can those who only want to work part-time benefit as well?" 

Derek >> Yeah, it's a great question, Pat, thank you. This is Derek. You know, I was mentioning this a little bit about the pathway to work, and I think it's important that everyone knows that each person's path is going to be different than the other person. So, it's not necessarily that I have to work full time. Well, the Ticket Program supports are designed to help people reach the goal of full-time employment so that's why it was designed. But it's also important to know that we know you're not going to get there directly, and everyone does things differently. So, different types of work, things like part-time or seasonal work could assist. 
So, if you're not working now and you're like I want to try work, well, let's say the sector was retail and the customer service position was something you wanted to try, well, maybe a way to try that work would be through seasonal employment. And, you know, we're here in August, there's going to be hiring soon for seasonal ramp-up for the holiday season, you could try some work during the holiday season on a part-time basis, learn from that, and work with your Employment Network. And then say, "Well, let's revisit that work plan. Now, that I've tried work, I can understand my capacity, meaning, this is going okay. I think I could set a new goal now." And so, what we want is that to be kind of what I would call an iterative process, meaning the communication stays open and that plan can change. And so, part-time work, well, now it is possible to increase that because if you're participating in the Ticket Program, you know, the goal is to reduce and eventually eliminate your reliance on the benefits, that means you're receiving a paycheck that is more income than the benefits and then over time, you would transition off. So, the short answer is you don't have to work full time, but the longer answer is, we're looking for you to progress from part-time or seasonal work into full-time work because that's what the original design of the program was. And in the end, you'll come out ahead because earning a paycheck from work versus receiving the benefits will be more and that would be the objective.

Pat >> Thanks, Derek. This is Pat again. The next question really follows from your previous discussion about service providers. The question says, "You talked about a lot of providers, how do I know which one I should pick or where I should start?" 

Derek >> Yeah, thanks, Pat. This is Derek again. I think, again, people have different choices here. I think that, you know, we hear a lot from people that explore the Find Help tool and do their research and you can filter that by the member of the Employment Team that is what you need. So, I'd encourage you to consider looking for an Employment Network. If you're eligible for the program, the Employment Network is a key member of your Employment Team. The directory you can go to and play around with it, change the filters, they list Employment Network websites that you can go to and get a feel for the organization. You know, when were they founded, what kind of services do they offer, what do they do for the Ticket Program, and then what do they do outside of the Ticket Program? And if you feel that that EN provides a comfort level for you, then you can go right in that direction. If that isn't something that's comfortable, remember that the Ticket to Work Help Line, those beneficiary support specialists, they're trained to answer your questions and there's no wrong question. But if you want to explore around the different types of service providers or if you want to ask about the ENs and get a list of ENs that meet your services and support needs, the specialists can provide that list. And we'll give you the Help Line number again. I mentioned it already. I also think that when you're ready to contact the EN, you could ask them questions, in effect, they want to interview you but you can interview them too. And this is something that some of us might not think about much but are they familiar with the things that you're going to need? You know, if you need supports or accommodations, or you have concerns, then you should be able to ask the Employment Network about those things and make sure that you feel confident after that interview that, yes, this Employment Network is right for me. You have a choice of Employment Networks; you don't have to have signed into any specific one. So, we encourage you to really reach out to them and establish an inner relationship. And if it goes well for both sides, then that's the partnership that's going to work together to find the employment outcome. There is a fact sheet that we have on our website choosing the right Employment Network for you. So, if you went to the Choose Work! website, and that's choosework.ssa.gov, and you go right on the top navigation bar, there's an option on the right that says Library. And then you go to fact sheets. You'll find in there choosing the right Employment Network for you. I encourage you to read that. I'll give you some other strategies. And then reach out to these ENs and start that conversation. They are qualified to do this work and finding that EN is a great approach for someone to start out.

Pat >> Great. Thank you. This next question is also about service providers. This person says, "I'm working with a VR now, can I work with an EN too?"

Derek >> Yeah, this is Derek again. Thanks, Pat, for that question. And whoever asked it, you should know you're not alone. In fact, that's probably FAQ number six that we get. And that's a good thing. Working with a VR agency, a state Vocational Rehabilitation agency is a great thing, you know, if you have that relationship and it's working for you, you know, they have business relations specialist and they have years of experience doing the transition to work supports. The question itself though is can I work with an EN too? The answer is yes, but not at the same time. So, it's more of a consecutive service. I'm working with a VR agency, when that service ends, you get your training and education and then you're like, okay, I'm going to go now to what they call case closure with the VR agency. But they can hand you off to an Employment Network so your Employment Team continues. And you get services and supports as you start work. 
You know, one of the great things that an EN can provide is a job coach. And that support system would allow you to ask questions kind of about the game of work. You know, yes, I know how to do my job and I've received training and I'm doing that, but I don't understand quite about the culture here. Well, the EN could talk to you about that, and that job coach could also have a relationship with the supervisor, trying to build, you know, kind of the vision of employment success. We call the VR and EN relationship when there is a case closure and what they call a ticket handoff, we call that something called partnership plus, and partnership plus is an agreement between the state VR agency and Employment Networks to provide those transitioning services. So, remember you can do it but you can't do it at the same time, VR and then follow-on services from the EN, and then EN can offer those. And, you know, really the goal of maintaining employment or retention of you as an employee and hopefully advancement where that EN is supporting you and you can increase your earnings over time. So, if you're in a state, you know, if you ask the question, "Does my state have partnership plus?" Not every state has it but your VR can still close your case and you can still have the consecutive support from an EN whether there's a formal agreement there or not. So, we highly recommend it. So, all of you that are working with the VR now and you had that question, it's a fantastic question and we encourage you to receive the consecutive services. 

Pat >> Thanks, Derek. I think we've got time for one more question. And I really like this one because it's a question from someone who's like me. They say, "I don't like to talk on the phone. Is there somewhere I can get more information so I can figure out where and how I could get started with the program?" 

Derek >> Yes. This is Derek again. Thanks, Pat, for that question. And, you know, I've mentioned the Choose Work! website a couple of times but I've been pointing folks to our fact sheets in the library there. I would encourage you to go to choosework.ssa.gov and really explore the areas of interest that you would find. However, if you're interested in not talking on the phone and not using the Find Help tool, we would encourage you to check out our self-paced tutorials and they walk you through each and every stage of the process really that I've talked about so far, understanding the Ticket Program, getting ready to work, and finding a job, and then the success on the job. So that four-step model that I've reviewed. You could also review on the website, you know, eligibility criteria. Like I don't remember what Derek and Pat said, well, that content is there too. I just wanted to repeat what I said before, you know, the eligibility receiving Social Security Disability Insurance and/or SSI so SSDI and SSI. And also, age 18 through 64. I said before, 18 to 64 but it's actually through 64. So, in case somebody is, you know, aged, you know, 62, 63, 64, you can participate in the program all the way through the final day of age 64. But, you know, check out the content on the website under Training, it's fantastic. You could also go to WISE On Demand to explore some of our other recordings if you don't like to, you know, talk to folks on the phone. Item number 7 in the Web Links pod will take you to the WISE On Demand section and you could look at topics. Perhaps you're more interested in kind of mental health and mental illness. You could access that content. Or if you want to focus on reasonable accommodations, go in that direction. So, there is a lot of videos. And last, we always encourage you to check out our success stories. There's people like you that were listening to a WISE event years ago and they decided to reach out to our Help Line or, you know, contacted the Employment Network when they started their journey, and now you can read their stories. And they are helpful, they help motivate us all that the work is important and all of us can work. And so, we encourage you to explore all of those resources, there's really a wealth of information out there. 

Pat >> Thanks, Derek. It's me again, Pat. I just wanted to remind people we've got another Q&A session coming up so, you know, please keep your good questions coming. And at this point, I guess, Derek, time for you to move on with the rest of your presentation. 

Derek >> Thanks, Pat. This is Derek again. I appreciate the questions. A couple of great ones in there and we look forward to having Pat back for that next session. So, let's now turn to the fourth FAQ, this one is can I work while receiving Social Security disability benefits? And, of course, the short answer to this question is you may be able to. And that might not be the answer that you potentially want but it's really important that, you know, and this is why we want you to work with an Employment Team because depending on your circumstances, and everyone's circumstances are unique, you know, Social Security does want to help you get started in the workforce. And we want you to be able to do that without having to worry about your benefits status. So, the Ticket Program and all of the other Work Incentives are there to help you see if working is right for you. But it's not a definite and it's a process. So, by communicating and working with others from the Employment Team, then you can determine how you're going to be able to work while receiving disability benefits. What we do know is that it does work for many people. And so, by exploring it, you can find out if you're going to be one of those people and how the Employment Team can provide the services and supports to make that possible. The reason why we want to do that is because of earnings from work can surpass the amount you're receiving from benefits. 
Earnings from work will also have an effect on your disability benefits. So, you know, Social Security has many safety nets that are in place to help. And we mentioned these and we want to explore them a little bit further. So, you know, this FAQ really gets into the idea of transition to work with the safety nets or supports and these are Work Incentives. These are the rules that help beneficiaries enter, re-enter, or continue employment by protecting your eligibility for benefits payments and/or healthcare coverage. So, Work Incentives are critical to allow for that pathway to be done with the protection of benefits, payments, and healthcare coverage until an individual is achieving self-supporting employment. So, this is, you know, Work Incentives, the safety net to get to self-supporting employment. And whether you're looking for a job for the first time or returning to work after an injury or illness, these Work Incentives can help you through that transition to work and get you toward financial independence. And so, this is an exciting opportunity. With the Ticket Program and the different rules for each Work Incentive under each program, it's important that you understand those specifics, each of the rules. And today, as part of our FAQ session, we're going to cover one of the Work Incentives that we receive a lot of questions about. And it deserves a little, you know, highlighting we'll call it in this FAQ section. 
So, when we think about the spotlight on a Work Incentive, we're going to do that on something called the Trial Work Period. This is one of many Work Incentives that are available to disability insurance recipients. So, if you paid into the insurance program, and acquired your disability, and now you're in the Ticket Program, you're eligible, well, the Trial Work Period could be available to you. This allows you to test your ability to work for at least nine months. So, the Trial Work Period, one of the Work Incentives would provide full SSDI benefit payments during that nine months no matter how much you're earning. So, you go to the Employment Network, you say I'm eligible, I created my work plan, I'm receiving services, service supports, I interview, and I start work. Well, that is my Trial Work Period has begun. And so, if you're reporting your work activity and you continue to meet Social Security rules for disability, meaning your disability has not gone away but you still have the same disability that you had when you received the approval for the benefits, then you're able to proceed with the Trial Work Period of at least nine months. So if you think about nine months, you can earn anything you want and that will allow you to really try your capacity, you know, can I work? What is it like? And the Trial Work Period will continue until you accumulate those nine months. And those service months are a rolling 60-month period but not necessarily consecutive. So, think about that like if you're trying your capacity to understand can I work, well, in the 60 months, you can work for nine months and those would be the nine months of your period. But normally, it happens more consecutively. Like if we're trying our capacity, we don't want to work one month now, not work for a year, and then work two months, and then not work for a long time. We're really trying to gauge whether an individual can, you know, return to work. But that's the rule. You have 60 months and nine of those months would be you can earn what you like. There's no impact on your benefits or health care. Social Security uses the amount you've earned in a month before subtracting taxes to decide if that month counts toward your Trial Work Period. So, this is the formula for those nine months. In 2023, if you earn $1050 or more, or work more than 80 hours in the self-employment model in that month, you're considered to have worked one of your Trial Work Periods service months. So, again, you can earn as much as you like and they're not going to remove the benefits payments or the health care coverage. But to calculate if that was one of your nine months, it's $1050 or more, or if you're in a self-employment model, 80 hours in self-employment, that would be one of your months. And that's before subtracting the taxes. So, keep that in mind, that's the Trial Work Period. And if you have nine of those months and the idea is trying to make them more consecutive like it's saying, well, then, you know, that's your Trial Work Period and you see how much you can work and, you know, if that's impacting your disability or you're able to say, this is something I can do, I have this capacity. So, that's the Trial Work Period. 
One of the Work Incentives that we wanted to spotlight today, there is a Trial Work Period fact sheet that we have, that we encourage you to explore if you want to learn more about that Work Incentive and two other Work Incentives that may protect your eligibility for benefits and/or healthcare coverage until you achieve self-supporting employment. Those other two, along with the Trial Work Period are the Extended Period of Eligibility and the Expedited Reinstatement. So, if you want to explore those in the Web Links pod, you can check out the Trial Work Period fact sheet. That's at number 10 in the Web Links pod. And then there's another link, number 11 for expedited reinstatement. These are three Work Incentives working together that could provide you with more confidence over a longer period of time that I try work with my nine months, an Extended Period of Eligibility allows me to continue working while I maintain my eligibility status. In then, you know, meaning, I can easily return to coverage and return to benefits. And Expedited Reinstatement if I left the benefit system and found employment, and then all of a sudden, something happened while I have a chance to expedite my reinstatement through that work incentive too. So, three key Work Incentives to encourage you to check those out with the fact sheet or through the information at choosework.ssa.gov. Okay. We've made it to FAQ number 5 now. So, this one, as I mentioned before, is what is Substantial Gainful Activity and what is the amount of Substantial Gainful Activity this year. So, let's check that out. 
Well, first, what is SGA? So, it's important to know the definition. Social Security uses this term to describe the level of work activity and earnings, as it says on the slide. So, if you're receiving SSDI, Social Security uses this Substantial Gainful Activity to determine if your eligibility for benefits continues after you return to work and complete your Trial Work Period. So, there is a Trial Work Period again. Also, social security compares monthly earnings to set amounts. These are known as earning thresholds. And they do this to evaluate if your work activity is considered SGA. So, it's important that we understand what Substantial Gainful Activity is because this is how we figure out what work activity and earnings are and then how things are measured. For the specific FAQ when addressing it, in 2023 for disabilities other than blindness, the SGA monthly threshold is $1470. And the Social Security Act also specifies that a higher SGA amount should be available for statutorily blind individuals. So, there is $1470 for disabilities other than blindness. However, for people who are blind and receive SSDI, the Substantial Gainful Activity monthly amount in 2023 is $2460. So, 1470 and 2460, it's really a twofold answer to get to the FAQ of what is the amount this year, so SGA amounts this year. One of the frequently asked questions we receive, this helps people understand, you know, how to calculate the Trial Work Period and how to look at those nine months as well. So, that's the fifth FAQ. 
What we wanted to do at this time, having reviewed these frequently asked questions is introduce you to one of our success stories. So, we're going to have you meet Hazel today. We've covered the five FAQs and I hope you've found that you can take something away from the content. Remember when Pat started us off, we probably going to review some things you've already heard, we hope we bring something new to the table today, maybe about eligibility, maybe about the service providers, or the Trial Work Period. But with that, we'll tie it together here a little bit through Hazel's story. She found a place to start, like many of you might be considering, you know, I want to start my path. But what wasn't clear at first was how Hazel was going to put it all together and make it happen. So, we'll go back. In high school, Hazel began experiencing mood swings and she had difficulty controlling her emotions. And she ended up being diagnosed later in life with multiple mental health conditions. And after years of struggling with her mental health, along with the addiction, Hazel found the support that she really needed to create two paths in her life. The first path was to recovery. And that was learning to live with mental health condition and addiction. And the second path was working toward financial independence. So, let's explore how Hazel did this. So, Hazel determined that she was going to begin working part-time and she reached out to a place called Polaris House. And this is a clubhouse community that was dedicated to helping its members recover from mental illness. Well, you know, she reached out to that because she was part of that community and she decided, well, that's a mission that I'd like to support, it helped me, I can help others too. And so, sometimes we want to earn a paycheck, and other times we want to help community and have a mission. And this is something that resonated with Hazel. She also found counselors. And so, when she found counselors, those folks helped her apply for SSDI. So, things were kind of moving, you know, in a different order compared to how some folks might have thought it played out. Next, when she was later offered full-time work, she was doing well at Polaris House. She wondered though about how full-time work would impact her benefits. You know, she was receiving Social Security Disability Insurance and how is that going to work, how are those earnings from work going to impact my benefits payments and my healthcare coverage? So, at the end, there you see she also wondered if it was -- what would happen if her disabilities in her field worth work after her earnings put a stop to the disability insurance coverage in Medicare. 
So, a lot of questions were posed to Hazel, and she wasn't aware of the Ticket Program or the Work Incentives. So, when she discovered that there is these services and supports available, well, that helped her be more informed and start to dispel some of the myths and some of the question marks that Hazel had. So, she was weighing the risks and the rewards and then this counselor informed her of an Employment Network. And Hazel was eligible because she met the criteria of being between the ages of 18 through 64, and she was receiving SSDI. So, she assigned her ticket to an EN. And with the help of the EN, Hazel then learned she would not suddenly lose her benefits and they dispelled the myths. And she was able to use the Trial Work Period and have the time to determine how that full-time employment would work for her. So, with that full-time experience, you know, in those nine months, Hazel had access to try work in that regard. In addition, because of that other work incentive called expedited reinstatement, Hazel had the awareness that if she had to stop working due to her disability, she could request to have her benefits reinstated without having to complete a new application. So, between the Trial Work Period and the Expedited Reinstatement, Hazel started to see how the safety nets, these Work Incentives, and supports would give her the confidence to seek full-time work. And we're pleased to report, it's now been nine years since Hazel took those first steps into Polaris House's kitchen where she was a volunteer and then turned to work, and she no longer receives SSDI and is earning above SGA, that Substantial Gainful Activity amount. So, really Hazel has traded her Social Security disability insurance benefit for a larger paycheck. She's also been able to overcome the addiction as she had it and she's learned how to manage her mental health. And she's also helping countless others through the services she's providing by being a full-time employee and really a role model I'm sure for many at Polaris House. This was all possible in part because of the Ticket to Work Program and the Work Incentives. And certainly, her counselor and the Employment Team members through the services and supports they provided, these experts were able to help Hazel evaluate where she was and how to use the different Work Incentives and service provider offerings. And today, Hazel uses all of her lessons that she's learned from her experiences to provide authentic and effective guidance to other Polaris House members. And this is great. We love to always have a quote here. And to have Hazel's take, so this is Hazel, "For the first time in my life, I don't have to depend on a government check. I pay my own bills. I drive my own car. I have my own place." Hazel continues to say, "I have people who need and appreciate me. I have the respect of the community. And I have integrity. I'm proud to say I can afford that." So, we are proud of Hazel too, and other folks like Hazel that are trying work and moving to full-time employment to be effectively full members of our community through contributions of employment. 
And for those that are positioned, and you want to read more about Hazel's success story, you can check it out in the Web Links pod. It is number 12 there. Or you can go to the Choose Work! website to read her full story as well in our success story section. This is a great one and perhaps it will help you or someone else you know find a vision like Hazel did and make it happen. So, that is Hazel's story and we appreciate you checking out her pathway to financial independence. Well, Pat, it looks like we're back to our second Q&A session. 

Pat >> We are. And that was a good story. Thank you. We've got some more questions. And it looks like a lot of them are about some of those safety nets you talked about. For example, one person says, "That Trial Work Period sounded good. But what happens when that's over?" 

Derek >> Thanks, Pat. Yeah, thank you for the question. It's a good one. You know, after you complete the Trial Work Period, like I mentioned this, but I didn't really go into the details of it. This other Work Incentive, the Extended Period of Eligibility is available. So, this is a 30-months -- excuse me -- 36-months period that follows the Trial Work Period. So, you have those nine months of Trial Work Period followed by 36 months of that Extended Period of Eligibility. That Work Incentive we call the EPE, it's a safeguard during which time Social Security will evaluate the work that you're doing and the earnings based on those SGA levels. And they'll determine your eligibility for benefits. So, I mentioned this but, you know, Social Security in 2023 will use that $1470 for individuals who are not blind and $2460 for those who are blind. More importantly, if the mindset is, okay, I've got nine months of the Trial Work Period and then during that Extended Period of Eligibility, those 36 months, you will receive benefits for all the months during which your work and earnings are below the SGA level and you continue to have your same disabling impairment. The same reason you qualified for the benefits. So, if you are below the level, you know, you're not earning above those SGA levels, then you can still receive the benefits. But SSA will consider whether other Work Incentives can apply in those situations. So, there might be some other safety nets or flexibilities for you. But it's important to know if you're below, you get the benefits. If you're above SGA, you don't during that 36-months period. 
But one of the examples that's available for another Work Incentive during that 36-month period is whether the cost of certain what they call Impairment-related Expenses or services that you need to work exist. And if you have those impairment-related expenses, you could deduct them from your gross earnings. And it gets a little bit more complicated because if you have gross earnings, that means before taxes, and let's say you're earning $1490 gross earnings. Well, that's $20 above the current SGA amount for individuals who are not blind, and in this case, we're not blind. So, well, then we would not be eligible for the benefits. But if we had an Impairment-related Expense, I needed this to work, this could be transportation cost, it could be some type of work-related equipment and I pay it for it, then I could reduce my gross earnings through the impairment-related expense and drop it from $1490 to let's say $1400. Well, that's $70 below SGA, I'm still going to be covered in that situation to maintain my benefits payments and my healthcare coverage. So, it's a very long and maybe sounds complicated answer but it shows that Work Incentives don't necessarily need to stand in isolation, you can use different ones at different points, and you also probably want to work with somebody who can advise you on this and it's not always easy to figure it out yourself. I think there's one other part to it that, you know, like the first time you work above SGA, so you don't have the Impairment-related Expense keeping you below SGA but you're above it. Social Security decides at that point that you no longer meet the requirements, you know, and at that point, your disability can be considered what they call ceased. So, Social Security will pay the benefits for the month that the end is happening. And for the following two months, a bit of a grace period, but then, you know, you go into that Extended Period of Eligibility at that point because you're basically earning above SGA, and it's working. You're moving from being on benefits to earning more and you have a path for advancement. So, it's kind of a very long answer but I hope that it gets back to the person's question about what happens after that Trial Work Period is over. There's a lot of possibility and a lot of other Work Incentives that are out there to use. 

Pat >> Thanks, Derek. I'd say that this next question is probably -- I think you said that there was one that was FAQ number 6. This one might be FAQ number 7. And it's probably a concern of many people. It says, "I've heard that I'll lose my health care right away if I start working. Is that right? Is that true?"

Derek >> Yeah, thanks, Pat. That is the one that we hear a lot. You know, it's probably, you know, the number 1 myth about the Program and so working does not necessarily mean losing access to federal or state healthcare benefits because there are all these protections in place. So, you know, the short answer is there are protections in place to avoid that from happening. And so, all those other Work Incentives we've discussed, they help people who work and receive disability benefits, keep those important benefits until certain things happen or certain things accrue, the Trial Work Period, an Extended Period of Eligibility. In some cases, the benefits can be in place for years. And so, they don't leave immediately. We encourage you to explore all this, you know, further. We do have a fact sheet that talks about Medicare and Medicaid employment supports. You can, you know, look up that one in our fact sheets on our website. It's a good one to check out in the library. And it will tell you that you can have access to health care. I would also encourage you to check out WISE On Demand, number 7. We have a couple of great recordings on Medicare and Medicaid employment supports that go into those details because they're different, depending on if you're on SSDI or SSI. And you want to make sure that you get the background on both. But I think what we need is to empower ourselves with facts, not myths, people can work and keep health care, that's what the Ticket to Work program was all about. 

Pat >> Good summary. Thanks, Derek. Hey, this one is kind of hints of something you've already covered. They want to know what happens if they start work and then their disability gets worse. "What happens if I can't work anymore, and I've already lost my benefits? It took me forever to start receiving benefits and I can't wait that long." 

Derek >> Thanks, Pat. This is Derek again. Yeah, I mean, that sounds like there's a concern in there and I appreciate the person who's asking the question because disability isn't always a steady state. And this is probably a thought that others have had. And I will answer it here but I also would encourage you, you know, if you have questions that this is the type of question you can reach out to a beneficiary support specialist at the Ticket to Work Help Line and, you know, talk about these as well. But what happens if I can't work anymore, and I've already lost my benefits? We mentioned Expedited Reinstatement. But let's revisit it because I'm not so sure that I connected the dots as well with the person asking this question. Social Security has around 20 Work Incentives and one of them is this Expedited Reinstatement Work Incentive. And it's inside of our Web Links pod, it's link number 11. And so, to those of you that, you know, the individual that asked the question, I'd encourage you to select that link and read the details. This is that safety net. So, if something happens and you're off of benefits but your disability worsens, the Work Incentives was put in place to allow you to try work knowing that if something changed you can get back to receiving benefits again without waiting. And that's the concern people have. It took me so long to access the benefits. I can't wait that long again. I want to be able to live. But Expedited Reinstatement happens quickly so you don't have to go through the long wait process when you applied for the first time. And it should allow you the confidence to know that if you do try work and for whatever reason it's not the right fit, you have a fast track back whether that's your disability what we call returning or flaring up or perhaps other realities of trying to work, it just doesn't match over a long period of time. So, check out link 11 in the weblinks pod, you can learn more about Expedited Reinstatement on the Choose Work! website and you can talk to folks at the Help Line as well. Or at your service providers, that employment team, you can talk to them about it too because it would help dispel another myth. So, it's a great one. And if you have that concern, you should also know you're not alone. A lot of folks feel that way. That's why Social Security created that work incentive. 

Pat >> Thanks, Derek. You have mentioned when you were talking about Hazel that she had to find out how working was going to affect her benefits. How do I know if a service provider can explain that to me? 

Derek >> Thanks for the question. Yeah, this is Derek again. Some service providers are going to be better positioned to do certain services and supports for you. You know, Hazel, I mentioned, you know, she had a counselor, you know, so there's different service providers that have different strengths. If you're interested in finding benefits counselors, these are the individuals that may work at the WIPAs, the Work Incentives projects that I've talked about. Some of those benefits counselors could also be available with a Vocational Rehabilitation agency, and even some Employment Networks have certified benefits counselors. What we recommend if you like using online tools is to use the Find Help tool at choosework.ssa.gov. You could do a direct search in there. So, you go in and you fill it out. There are some required options. You put in things like your ZIP code. But you can actually search for a benefits counselor and look for what those results are. And then, you know, find out when you're eligible to receive their services. That means you're actively looking for work, you're interviewing or you're just starting work. And you could reach out. So, if you're actively seeking work, as Hazel was, remember Hazel was working part-time, she was contemplating full-time employment, and then she talked to the benefits counselor about what the impact of full-time employment would be. Well, that's the time that you can do that. So, we encourage you to use the Find Help tool to explore that. If those online search tools aren't your thing, that's what the Ticket to Work Help Line is there for, you can reach out to them. We'll share those numbers one more time before we wrap up. But it's important to know that the benefits counselors can help and give you advice on your path to employment, they're there, they're a key part of your Employment Team. Use them like Hazel did to increase your confidence.

Pat >> I've got a simple one for you. You said that Hazel assigned her Ticket. Can you define what assign a Ticket means? Is that a permanent thing? 

Pat >> This is Derek. Thanks, Pat, I appreciate an easy question once in a while from you. It's actually another one that we hear a lot too. So, it's a good one. It's not a permanent thing. Like so if you as a beneficiary or you have the ticket, you're a ticket holder, when you and an Employment Network agree to that relationship to work together, you're assigning your ticket to that EN. The EN is reporting that to Social Security that you have a relationship and you've agreed to that and you developed your work plan. So, that means that there's an agreement to work together. It's also not a permanent agreement. So, if something happens and you're like, you know, this EN isn't right for me, then you can un-assign your ticket. The Employment Network would receive word from you that you don't want to work with them anymore. They would report to Social Security that your ticket needs to be unassigned. And that would allow you to go back into, you know, the Find Help tool, or call the Ticket to Work Help Line to explore and find another EN that would, you know, perhaps be a better match for you. So, it's not a permanent thing. There's a lot of flexibility in there. But, you know, I encourage you to seek the relationship and have the interview from both sides, you know, does the EN feel right, are they going to provide the things that I'm looking for? Do they have experience with my disability? Or do I want to work with somebody who has more experience and maybe they have people that live with my disability as well so they'll be better positioned to support me? That's your choice. So, not permanent. And if you do choose to change then that ticket can be un-assigned. 

Pat >> Thanks so much, Derek. Unfortunately, we've run out of time for questions. So, I want to thank you for providing so much information about the intricacies of how the program can actually help folks who want to work. I know it will be useful whether people are thinking about working or looking for work or are already working. So, much appreciated. 

Derek >> Thanks, Pat. 

Pat >> So, Derek already told you about the Ticket to Work Help Line. But because it's such an important research, I'm going to repeat that information. The Help Line has trained and certified support specialists who can give you information about your personal situation that we just can't provide on a national webinar. Feel free and please do call them at 1866-968-7842 or you can call via TTY at 1-866-833-2967. The lines are available Monday through Friday, 8 to 8 Eastern Time. I also strongly suggest that you look at our website. Derek's mentioned choosework.ssa.gov multiple times. But you'll find many more details on the website about the Program and Work Incentives. For example, this morning I did a quick search and I found more than 65 articles, blogs, and documents that specifically reference Work Incentives. If you'd like to learn more about our monthly webinars, think about subscribing to our e-mail updates. That way you'll find out about each one's topics and be among the first to register. The link will take you to a page where you can sign up. You might also want to subscribe to our blog. Our weekly blog posts share information about the Ticket Program, Work Incentives, service providers, and other topics. There's still another way to get information about the Ticket Program. You can opt-in to receive text messages. Just text "ticket," T-I-C-K-E-T, to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply and you can opt out at any time. It's important to note that if you do need to contact Social Security's Office of Employment Support, that's the office that manages the ticket program, please do it electronically instead of by postal mail. You can e-mail them at support@choosework.ssa.gov. And just a reminder, please don't include any personally identifiable information like your social security number. And, of course, you can always call the Help Line. 
So, we'd love to have you join us for our next webinar, Working from Home with Ticket to Work. You don't want to miss this one. Derek and I both work from home. So, you'll get tips from Derek on such things as what to do when you're on a Zoom call and the Navy's Blue Angels do a fly over your house. And I can tell you what it's like when you forget to put your dog in a soundproof room. So, it will be on September 27th, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Registration is now open at choosework.ssa.gov/wise. Or you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line to register. 
Now, I'm guessing that a lot of you are using or would like to use the internet to look for jobs. We want to make sure you're aware of a program that can help you access the internet if you need financial help. That program is called the Affordable Connectivity Program. It's sponsored by the Federal Communications Commission or FCC. That program helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work or school or health care. It provides eligible households the discount on broadband service and connected devices. It provides a discount of up to $30 a month toward the internet for eligible households and up to $75 a month for homes on qualifying tribal lands. To find out if you're eligible for the program and discover how it will apply, go to fcc.gov/acp. Also, it's important to remember or to note that individuals who receive SSI are pre-qualified for eligibility. 
Finally, these webinars are for you. If you have ideas for future webinar topics, please let us know. You can provide your feedback by taking our survey. A link will pop up after the webinar. You can find the survey in the Web Links pod or by visiting the Ticket Program website at choosework.ssa.gov/ surveys/slides. I want to thank you for taking the time to be with us today. I definitely appreciated your questions. And I hope we've given you some information that you'll be able to use in your own situation. This concludes today's webinar. Thank you.