Jayme Pendergraft >> Good afternoon, and welcome to today's WISE webinar; Ticket to Work for America's Veterans. My name is Jayme Pendergraft, and I'm the director of communications and outreach for the Ticket Program Manager. I'm pleased to introduce our moderator for today's webinar, Derek Shields. Derek has spent the past 28 years working in the areas of disability employment, accessibility, and reasonable accommodations. He's also president of ForwardWorks Consulting, a professional services firm specializing in disability inclusion, veterans' integration, and using transition services. Derek has a master’s degree in management and Disability Services from the University of San Francisco. In addition to his contributions to the Ticket program, he's also co-founder and advisor of the National Disability Mentoring Coalition. Derek, thanks for being with us today. Take it away.

Derek Shields >> Thank you so much, Jayme, for the gracious introduction, and welcome everyone to today's Ticket to Work for America's Veterans WISE webinar. We appreciate you being with us. As Jayme said, my name is Derek Shields, and I'm with the Ticket Program Manager, and I'll be serving as today's moderator. With that in mind, I do appreciate the opportunity to also be joined by Debora Wagner, who I'll introduce shortly, who will serve as our presenter. And I'd be remiss if not to mention that after working 18 years with the military health system, and at times working in DOD and Veterans Affairs collaborations, it's important to thank all those who have served our nation, and my appreciation also goes out to veteran service organizations and all the important work that they do in support of veterans. With that, we'll cover some important topics and then get going with today's presentation because we have a lot to cover. 

First off, please know that all attendees will be muted throughout today's webinar. When asked, "How do you want to join the meeting's audio?" Please select the system default option. This will enable the sound to be broadcast through your computer. Please make sure your speakers are turned on or your headphones are plugged in, so you can access that sound. Next, if you do not have sound capabilities on your computer or just prefer to listen via telephone, select the connect with phone audio button on the previous slide in the dial-in option. You can dial 1-800-832-0736 and then enter an access code. That code is 4189148#. You can also use the Join the Meeting Audio via Receive a Phone Call option, that's shown on the image on the screen now, and then entering that same number and access code. 
Now let's review the Adobe Connect platform that we use for these sessions. First, you will notice different boxes on your screen; these boxes, we call them pods. We have the presentation pod; that's where the slide deck appears and is the largest portion of the screen. Below that is an open space; you can place the captioning pod there if you're using closed captioning. We'll talk about that in a second. The top right corner is the Q&A pod. And then below that is the Web Links pod. We'll talk about all of them in more detail, but we first want to talk a bit about accessibility and real-time captioning. 

Real-time captioning is available and is displayed in the captioning pod, which can be placed below the slides, as I've mentioned. You can show or hide the captioning display and can also choose the text size and text color combinations to best meet your vision preferences. To open this closed captioning feature, please 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; that's in that lower right corner pod. You can also access captioning online in a separate viewing window. That choice is totally up to you and your preferences. Next, if you're fluent in American Sign Language and would like support during today's webinar, please use the ASL user guide that provides instructions to connect with an interpreter through the Federal Communications Commission Video Relay Service, or VRS. The ASL user guide can be found in the Web Links pod under the title ASL User Guide; that's item Number 5. 
Okay, we are here today to ensure that your questions get answered, and you may have them about the Ticket Program or the different disability benefits available for veterans. Please send your questions to us at any time throughout the webinar by typing them into that Q&A pod in the upper right. We'll then direct these questions to our guest speaker today. We will have two breaks for questions; one in the middle and one towards the end, so please send us those questions and we'll do our best to get to as many as possible. If you are listening by phone and not logged in and you prefer -- you can email us those questions at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 
Okay, we do have some other available resources that we think you'll find very useful, and these are found in the Web Links pod in that lower right corner. To access these, select the topic of interest and then access that resource by selecting an opening. It's important that you peruse those, and we'll mention them throughout the event to reinforce that we have resources available that you can do a deeper dive in or perhaps bookmark for a later time. Next, we do have archived events, and today's webinar will be recorded and added to that location within two weeks. That will be placed on the Choose Work website. That URL is http ://bit.ly/WISE_ondemand. 
Now, that's a lot, so if you weren't able to follow that, but you have access to the Web Links pod, go to that Number 7, and you can access WISE On Demand. That link, as well as others, are in that Web Links area, and we recommend using it. When you do get to WISE On Demand, you'll find this webinar in two weeks' time, but also access previous sessions that might be of interest to you too. 

Now, we do hope that everyone has a great experience today. However, we do understand technical difficulties can occur. Please use that Q&A pod to send us a message, or if needed, you can email us again at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. Our team is ready to assist you with those technical challenges. All right, as I said, my name is Derek, and I'm the moderator today with the Ticket Program Manager team. I am joined by Debora Wagner. Debora has spent 25 years working with legal services and law school clinical programs. Throughout her career, she has presented on benefits issues, including post entitlement and return to work issues for attorneys, vocational rehabilitation professionals, individuals with disabilities, and their families too. She is frequently invited to present on the intersection of VA benefits and Social Security benefits, with a focus on how work impacts benefits for veterans; clearly, why we've invited her with us to be, again, with us today. 

From 2016 to 2022, Debora held the statewide network of Work Incentives training and technical assistance for benefits planners in the state of Ohio. In December of 2021, Debora joined the Cornell University staff where she continues to provide Work Incentives training and technical assistance for veterans. We so appreciate having Debora with us today. And before I hand it over, just a quick overview of the content that Debora will cover. Yes, we are here to learn about benefits for veterans. Before we dive into that, we're going to cover Social Security's Ticket to Work Program and how it has helped many Ticket holders or beneficiaries, including veterans, in planning and achieving their work goals. Next, Debora will cover those benefits for veterans, and that's divided into two segments. First, a segment focused on disability benefits from Veterans Affairs and then disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. After that, there's a segment on your path to financial independence, where Debora will share tips about how to smoothly transition to the civilian workforce. And in the final section, who can help you achieve your work goals? We're going to hear how the Ticket to Work Program, specifically employment team members, can really help veterans get started on that journey to self-sufficiency. So clearly, we have a lot to cover. And with that, I'm going to hand it over to Debora to begin the presentation. I'll be back with you all in a little bit for our first Q&A. Debora.

Debora Wagner >> Thank you so much, Derek. I'm so happy to be here. My name is Debora Wagner. As Derek said, I'm with Cornell University, and I get to train today on one of my favorite topics, which is helping veterans with disabilities in their journeys to employment. So thank the Ticket to Work Program manager for inviting me to do this session again. I had such a great time doing it last year. So let's start by taking a look at a success story. 

So Jeff had a motorcycle accident and it caused some serious injuries, including losing the use of his right arm. A Marine Corps veteran, Jeff began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance and spent the next eight years focusing on his recovery. After learning how to navigate his daily life with a disability, he decided to attend college. He connected with his state's Vocational Rehabilitation program, and they helped him with college expenses and disability accommodations. Jeff went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. His VR counselor then referred Jeff to a Ticket Program service provider to answer questions about how working would affect his disability benefits. The information he learned about Work Incentives reassured him that he could try working without suddenly losing his Medicare and SSDI. He accepted a position as an employment training counselor. And I love this story, and some of the other stories we'll share today because they show that with the right services and the right supports, veterans can be very successful in employment.

So let's talk about the Social Security Ticket to Work Program. So whether you're getting SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, based on your own work record or maybe off the work record of a parent or a late spouse, you have a disability, or if you're getting SSI, also known as Supplemental Security Income, because of your disability, you may be eligible for the Ticket to Work. So it doesn't matter if you have SSDI or SSI. They can both make you eligible for the Ticket to Work. So what is the Ticket to Work? It is a free, voluntary program. So I would get calls from clients all the time, and they'd say, "I got a letter about the Ticket to Work, but my doctor says I can't work yet. Do I have to use this?" No, it is voluntary. And I always reassure them that when they are feeling well enough and they're ready to pursue employment, the Ticket to Work will be there for them. The program offers career development for people ages 18 through 64 who get a Social Security disability benefit and want to go to work. And again, it does not matter if that disability benefit is SSDI or SSI. Both programs make you eligible for the Ticket to Work. So how can the Ticket Program help you? Well, it can do things like help you figure out if work is even right for you or what type of work you would be interested in. It can help you prepare for work, and that's essential; things like working on your resume, practicing those interview skills, getting yourself ready to go to work. They can help you find a paid work opportunity and provide ongoing support services to ensure that you're successful at work. And if you'd like to learn more, there is a tool; what is Social Security's Ticket to Work Program? And that is Web Link Number 8 in the Web Link section. There's also a self-guided tutorial, and that's link Number 9 in the Web Link section. 

So let's talk now about benefits for veterans. This is really important information. I've tried to integrate the information about VA benefits and Social Security benefits, and so we'll also talk about what happens to this veterans' benefits when veterans go to work. So benefits that we're going to be talking about today are offered through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We're going to be talking about two disability benefit programs. They offer cash benefits, compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and pension for veterans with non-service-connected disabilities. Then we're going to talk about some Social Security disability benefits for veterans, including SSDI and SSI. And then we'll talk about some resources to help you find help and assistance with these different programs. 
So the first thing to know about VA benefits is that every veteran has to go through a process to establish eligibility. And in order to be eligible, you have to have served on active duty. So if you served in the reserves or the National Guards and you never were on active duty, you may not be eligible for benefits offered through the VA. In addition to having that active duty requirement, veterans must also have what they call good paper, and this has to do with the character of discharge that a veteran has. So we're looking to see what that character of discharge is on their paperwork. It's called a DD-214; that's the document you get from the military when you leave, and it will have the character of discharge on there. And the VA rule says you have to have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. And so if you have an honorable discharge, you're probably going to be eligible for VA benefits, no problem. If you have an under honorable conditions discharge, you're probably going to be eligible for VA benefits. But if you have a bad conduct, or a dishonorable discharge, or an uncharacterized discharge, you may have to get that straightened out before you could be eligible for VA benefits. And there are processes to do that. One is to go back to the branch of service where you served in the military and ask them to do a character of discharge upgrade, or if it's been more than 15 years since the date of your discharge, you could ask for a correction of your military records. But you could also just simply ask the VA to look at the details of your discharge to see if you could still qualify under one of their exceptions. So even if you do not have one of those good discharges, do not give up hope; there are ways to still become eligible for veterans' benefits. 

And then the last requirement is that you have to have a minimum period of service for most of the VA benefits. And for most of them, it's two years of service before you would become eligible for these VA benefits. The other thing I want to point out is the definition is much broader than you might think. So I know we think of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, but it could also be cadets from the military academies, it could be people who served in the Coast Guard, or who were commissioned officers from the National and Oceanic Atmospheric Association, or even officers in the Public Health Service. So there are lots of different people who qualify as a veteran. So let's talk about the first VA disability cash benefit that we're going to talk about. And this benefit is called compensation or disability compensation. And this is for service-connected disabilities. Now, I think when people hear that, service-connected disabilities, they think that it's got to be like combat-related, right? And absolutely. If you were injured in combat, that would be a service-connected disability. But it also includes other types of injuries or illnesses that start while you're in the service or that happen while you're in the service. So to have a service-connected disability, you have to show something that happened to you in the service, you have to show a current disability, and then you have to show a nexus or a connection between what happened to you in the service and your current disability. And if you can prove those requirements, you can qualify for compensation benefits. 

Now, it's not an all-or-nothing system. The VA will actually rate disabilities. They have a schedule for rating disabilities. And they rate a number of different medical conditions from zero percent disabling, meaning you would get no cash from the VA for compensation, all the way up to 100%. So depending on what your rating is, we'll determine how much you get paid in compensation benefits. For veterans who are rated at 30% or higher, they can actually get additional money from the VA for certain family members, like their dependent spouse, their dependent children, and even their dependent parents. So the higher the rating, the more money the veteran will get, and the more dependents there are, the more money the veteran will get. In almost most cases, veterans can work and keep their compensation benefits. I would say there are two common exceptions to that that I've seen in my practice. One of those is that veterans cannot have a mental health condition rated as zero, sorry, as 100% disabling if they're able to work at the substantial gainful employment level, which is 100% of the federal poverty level. So if a veteran could work at that level, then they would be reducing their rating. It doesn't mean they would lose compensation, but they might be paid, for example, as if they were 80% disabled instead of 100%. Another time when this comes up is for veterans who have what's called Total Disability on the basis of Individual Unemployability, also called TDIU, or just IU for Individual Unemployability. And for these veterans, the VA says, even though your service-connected disability or combination of disabilities is rated at less than 100%, they prevent you from pursuing substantial gainful employment; again, 100% of the federal poverty level. So we're going to go ahead and pay you as if your rating were 100%. We're going to take a leap of imagination. We're going to pay you at the 100% rate, even though if we look at the schedule of rating disabilities, your rating would be lower. And so for those veterans, if they're able to go to work and work at that substantial gainful level for 12 months, the VA can reduce their disability rating back down to their scheduler amount. Again, they're not going to lose their benefits, they're going to still have compensation; they're just going to get paid less because they'll reduce that disability rating. 

All right, the other cash program that the VA offers for veterans with disabilities is the pension program. And the pension program is really designed for low-income veterans. So they're going to look at the household income, and the veteran has to have low income, and a low, what they call, net worth, which is like a resource test about the things you own in order to be eligible for a disability pension. And so then they're going to also look to see if the veteran served during a period of war. Now, I don't know about you, but I took American history when I was in school, and I'm betting you probably did too. And so you think you know when the United States was at war. But there's a specific list of dates established by Congress for when the United States has been in a period of war. You can find that on the VA website at VA.gov. And I always double-check to make sure I have this right because the veteran has to have at least one day of their period of service that overlaps with a period of war. Now, it doesn't mean that the veteran had to have served in combat. They may have never even left the U.S. soil or been deployed anywhere, and they just have to have served during a period of war. And then the veteran has to be disabled or age 65 or older. And there are several ways they can establish disability. If they reside in a long-term care facility, then the VA will find that they are disabled. If they've already been found disabled by Social Security, then they'll accept that Social Security disability determination to find that the veteran is disabled. Or they can go ahead and do their own disability decision using the same schedule for rating disabilities that they use for compensation, but their disabilities must make them 100% disabled. That could be based on individual employability, but they do have to have a disability or a combination of disabilities that will be rated at 100% disabling to get the pension payment. 

Now, just like with compensation, there are extra benefits for family members of veterans who are getting a disability pension. They'll pay extra money for a spouse, and they also will pay extra money for children, okay? Now, because pension is a needs-based program, if you have other income, it's going to reduce the amount of the pension payment. And so if a veteran goes to work, they will lose a dollar of their disability pension, which is tax-free, for every dollar of wages they earn, for which they'll pay taxes. So disability pension from the VA is one of the few programs that I have advised people as a Work Incentive planner, that work might not pay for them. They may actually be worse off financially when they go to work. For almost every other benefit program, I encourage people to go to work because they'll be better off financially. Disability pension from the VA is an exception. The other thing that I'd like to caution you about is that disability pension is paid and calculated on an annual basis based on projected income. So if a veteran starts working in the middle of the year and they didn't have that income included in their calculation of their annual pension payment, they're likely going to have an overpayment of their VA disability pension. So just a little caution about that. Now, in addition to cash benefits, the VA also offers healthcare. There are VA medical centers and community-based outreach clinics called CBOCs across the country. And so in almost every community in the United States, you will find some sort of VA healthcare facility. Now, in order to use VA healthcare, a veteran has to register with the VA first. And when they register, they're going to be assigned to one of eight priority groups. Those priority groups will determine how quickly they get care. It will also determine whether or not they have any co-payments for the care that they get through the VA. Now, the co-payments through the VA are very reasonable. So for most veterans, there's absolutely no or very low co-payments for the services that they get. In some cases, the VA can even pay for health care in the community from private providers. So if a veteran needs a type of care that the local VA cannot provide, or if it's very difficult for the veteran to travel to the nearest VA facility that can provide the care, they can ask the VA to provide care in the community. And with prior authorization, the VA can pay for community health care. One of the great new things that they're doing in the last few years is the VA is contracted with urgent care centers across the country. So that veterans who need urgent care don't have to go to the VA and wait at the emergency department to get that care. They can use one of the contracted urgent care providers in their community. And the co-payment they'll pay, if any, is $30. I wish I could go to urgent care and only pay a $30 co-pay. Now, if a veteran has private health insurance, the VA will absolutely bill their private health insurance for the care that they receive through the VA, whether that's at a VA facility or with one of the community providers that they contract with. The VA, however, will never bill Medicaid or Medicare. They can bill the Medicare supplement programs, but if you have traditional Medicare, they will not bill that. It's okay, you can still have that insurance. That's fine. And if you need care outside the VA, you could always use your Medicare or Medicaid to pay for those services. 

Now, the VA offers vocational rehabilitation services to veterans, and these are some amazing services. So let's talk about these. So the first program I'm going to talk about is called Veteran Readiness and Employment, or VR&E. And this is for veterans with service-connected disabilities. And that service-connected disability needs to be at least 10% disabling to get VR&E services. So what kinds of services do they provide? Well, the first one is reemployment. So if you had a specific job before you went in the service, let's say you were a teacher, and then you joined the service, and when you come back, you would like to go back to being a teacher, but maybe you need to do some additional training, you need to get your license back, they could help you with those services. Those are what they mean by reemployment services. They also have a track called Rapid Access to Employment. Some of the veterans that I've worked with have said, "I do not do well when I sit at home with nothing to do," right? "I serve my country. I'm used to having purpose. I need to have purpose. And so I want to get to work right away. Even if it's not going to be my long-term job forever, I need to have a job right now so that I feel like I have a mission and I'm not sitting at home with nothing to do." And so Rapid Access to Employment is the track there. VR&E also offers a lot of help around self-employment. So they can actually help the veteran to create their business plan. They will assess that plan for viability. They can help them with basic training on how to operate a small business, so things like accounting, and marketing, and financial stuff for small businesses. They can also help the veteran to obtain the resources that they need to start their business. For example, the Small Business Administration offers loans specifically for veterans to start their own businesses. And I'll tell you, the VR&E counselors in my area are the experts at getting those Small Business Administration loans. So that's a wonderful option for veterans who are interested in self-employment. 

They also can provide more long-term services and supports for veterans who need longer-term support in order to be successful in employment. So think things like job coaching, maybe some additional training or education; they can provide those services. VR&E also offers independent living skills. So they will provide training on how to do mobility training, how to navigate the world, because those independent living skills are essential to support people as they enter the work world. Now, in addition to VR&E, the VA offers a completely different program called Compensated Work Therapy or CWT. And this is specifically for veterans who are getting mental health care through the VA health care system. And CWT really focuses on work as being therapeutic, right? We all do better when we have something to do to occupy our time. Work is therapeutic. And that's the whole purpose behind CWT. And for veterans who work with CWT, they can do paid work experiences at the VA itself and work their way towards competitive employment in their communities. And when they're doing this compensated work therapy experience, and they're not yet to the point where they're working out in the community and earning a wage, the money that they get from Compensated Work Therapy does not count as income for veterans who get a disability pension. It also does not count as income for SSI, and it does not count as income for the IRS. It's a veteran's benefit, so it is not taxable. So this is a great program for veterans who want to try working and do it in a very supportive environment. 

And so I have a lot of veterans who've had success with Compensated Work Therapy. So, for example, if you go to a VA medical center, there's oftentimes a veteran who's standing near the door who will help guide and direct you. You know, "Radiology is down the hall to your left. You can go straight ahead to primary care." Many times those veterans are actually Compensated Work Therapy staff. So they're being paid to do that. And I've had a lot of veterans who've done that and they've really enjoyed that work. 

All right. So veterans can also get Social Security benefits. So veterans can receive SSDI and SSI. And I'll tell you, for veterans who get VA compensation for their service-connected disabilities and SSDI, I call that the golden Ticket because they have a livable income. They're usually making $4,000, $5,000, I've even seen $6,000 per month. They're not paying taxes on the income that they get from the VA, they're getting extra benefits from their dependents, from both Social Security and the VA, and they have a lot of supports and services. And for those veterans, going to work can be really well-supported because both the VA and Social Security will support them in that journey. Now, if a veteran is getting SSI, you do need to note that if they get VA compensation, it can reduce the amount of their SSI payment. But if they're getting maybe 10%, 20%, 30% compensation from the VA, they still would be eligible for a little bit of SSI too. And that's a nice combination that could also support them in employment. 

Now, if a veteran is getting SSDI and a VA pension, the SSDI will reduce the amount of their VA pension, but they could still get a little bit of a pension payment to help bring them up to a minimum standard of living. Now, you're not going to see veterans who get SSI and a veteran's pension because SSI counts that veteran pension as income. It reduces the SSI payment. And so you never see veterans getting a combination of those two benefits. Now, for veterans who are applying for benefits from Social Security, there are special rules that can fast-track their applications. So you will see faster claims handling for veterans who are rated at 100% permanently and totally disabled and getting VA compensation, and for wounded warriors; those are veterans who were injured while on active-duty service after October 1, 2001. And so for both of those populations, their applications for Social Security disability benefits move to the front of the line. And remember that if Social Security decides that you are disabled for either SSDI or SSI, then the VA can accept that disability determination when the veteran applies for a disability pension. So they can say, "Hey, we've already done this disability determination process. Social Security says you're disabled, so the VA will adopt that finding." So if you're a veteran and you're interested in applying for VA benefits, we've got a link here to help you find an accredited representative. So it's va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp. And if you didn't catch all of that, please know that it's a Web Link. And it's Web Link Number 10, if you would like to check out that resource. Also, if you are looking for a benefits counselor that has earned -- that would help you with the veterans benefits too, look for counselors who've earned the Veteran-C credential from Cornell University. So all Work Incentive planners get some basic training and veterans benefits. But at Cornell, I was given permission to create a course specifically on Work Incentive Planning for veterans. So veterans who've earned this credential have special knowledge and expertise to help veterans who get VA benefits. And they're required to get continuing education, so you know they're staying up on that information and current. So that's a great resource. If you are a benefits counselor who would like to earn the Veteran-C credential, you can visit the website ytionline.org, and find more information about that course. And so that is going to be Web Link Number 11 in the Web Links box. Please note that course is taught twice a year. The fall semester is over, but there will be a spring semester course that will start in May. 

So let's look at another story because, you know, I love this story. So this is Robert. Robert is a veteran who spent seven years in the US Army. After a surgery mishap, he sustained a spinal cord injury that left him with some limited mobility. When he was ready, Robert connected with a Ticket program Employment Network, Paralyzed Veterans of America. And together they developed an Individual Work Plan that included the goal of returning to school. While he made progress in school, Robert's EN helped him find a volunteer program at a hospital. He became a peer counselor and enjoyed helping fellow veterans get the services they needed for a smooth transition back to civilian life. He used that volunteer experience and his education to start a new career as a national service officer with Paralyzed Veterans of America. And I love those success stories. If you'd like to read more, there is a Web Link, Number 12, with details about Robert's story. And I think these stories of success are so important in highlighting how with the proper supports, veterans with disabilities can work and be successful and achieve financial independence. So at this point, we are going to stop and take some of your questions. So I'm going to invite Derek to come back and join me and ask me any questions that have come up.

Derek Shields >> Thank you so much, Debora. This is Derek. I really appreciate the content that you've covered for the types of disability benefits that are available through both agencies. And the way that you've described them provides a really good structure for us. We do have plenty of questions. I'm sure that's not a surprise, but we're doing great on time. So I'm going to go back to some of the first questions we received from the first area on the Ticket Program. We'll start there, and then we'll get into some of the other disability benefits-related questions. To be eligible for the Ticket Program, can you remind us a little bit, just that description and that definition of who is eligible, just starting out with that, please?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. So this is Debora. Anybody who is getting a Social Security disability benefit, doesn't matter whether it's SSDI or SSI, and who is age 18 through 64 is eligible to use the Ticket Program. And even if they get VA benefits, they can still use the Ticket as long as they're also getting SSDI or SSI in addition to those VA benefits.

Derek Shields >> Thanks. That's important, 18 through 64, receiving disability benefits. And when it comes to mine, there's a couple of times you've said, you know, you could receive Social Security benefits or the VA benefits; that leads somewhat to this next grouping of questions that we've had. And it's really around, you know, do I need to have the Ticket Program to find work, or can a recipient of a disability benefit access work without the Ticket Program? And there's a follow-on to that, but let's just start with that piece.

Debora Wagner >> Sure. Thanks, Derek. This is Debora again. So if you find a job and you think it's a good fit, you can apply for that job, you don't have to use the Ticket to go to work. That's not necessary. But even if you start working, you need to let Social Security know that you're working. You have to report those wages. And I really encourage folks to talk with a Work Incentives planner so that they understand how their work is going to impact their unique package of benefits. You know, Derek, when we do these sessions, I always see questions that people put in the Q&A box about what will happen to their benefits. And my best advice for those folks is to reach out to a Work Incentives planner to get that individualized information that will talk specifically about their unique set of benefits and how their work is going to impact each of those independent benefits. And I recommend doing it with a Work Incentive planner because that individualized counseling is such an important piece. And then you can make an informed choice. And when you go to work, you know exactly what to expect. And you understand what tools or Work Incentives are available to help you on your journey to employment.

Derek Shields >> Thanks, Debora. This is Derek again. So the follow-up to that, it gets to your recommendation about, you know, accessing a benefits counselor who has a credential to help here. There's some questions out there that says, "Okay, if I go to work without using the Ticket Program, do some of these work levels and, you know, different things apply to me?" Specifically, there's a couple points around the Trial Work Period and Substantial Gainful Activity. So if I go to work and I'm not in the Ticket Program, do those things still apply?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. So you do not have to use the Ticket to Work to use those Work Incentives. So you can use a Trial Work Period if you're on SSDI, whether you use the Ticket or not, either way, that Trial Work Period is there for you. And so it's important to do that Work Incentive planning so you know what to expect. Now, if you combine the Ticket to Work and get those employment supports with Work Incentive Planning and those Work Incentives, that's a pretty great combination. But you do not have to. I think some of the confusion comes from the fact that the statute that passed in 1999 was the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act. But I tell you, Derek, those Work Incentives were around before that law passed. So veterans and other people with disabilities can use the Work Incentives whether they choose to use a Ticket or not.

Derek Shields >> Thanks, Debora. This is Derek. Yeah, hard to believe we're coming up on 25 years since that law passed, but just next month that will occur. Reemphasizing, though, what Debora said here; you don't have to use the program, but make sure that if you are working, you're reporting and you're talking to a Work Incentives planner or a benefits counselor to know that impact of work. All right, so one more question about the Ticket Program, and then we'll switch over to more of the focus on the benefits. Do I have to work full-time? You know, so we talk about the Ticket Program as a pathway to self-sufficiency. Is this a program that's designed for full-time work only?

Debora Wagner >> That's a great question, Derek. So this is Debora. And not necessarily. And I think for a lot of people, starting with part-time employment is a really good place to start. Get back into the work world, you get comfortable, you learn how much you can do, you see if a job is a good fit for you. Ultimately, the goal of the Ticket is for people to be able to work their way off of benefits if that's something they're able to do. But you don't have to dive into the deep end, right? You can start with part-time work. And for some people, that may be all they can do is part-time employment. But the Ticket can help you get started no matter whether you're ready for part-time employment, whether that's 10 hours a week or 20 hours a week, or whether you're ready for full-time employment.

Derek Shields >> This is Derek. Thanks for that. I think that's helpful. It's a good place we can start, but we're looking for full-time employment over time because that is the objective of the Ticket program. This next question, there's somebody that says, "I already receive VA benefits. Can I now get Social Security disability benefits too?" Like, is that possible?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. We talked about different combinations of benefits from Social Security and the VA, and you can absolutely do that. So, for example, maybe you're getting SSDI, but you have a service-connected disability. We've got a new PACT Act, came into law a couple years ago, and more and more veterans are discovering that they may have had exposure to toxins while they were in the service, and there's lists of conditions that are presumed now to be service connected. You can go ahead and apply for your disability compensation. It's not going to adversely impact your SSDI at all. I've worked with many veterans through the years who are getting benefits from both Social Security and the VA for their disabilities.

Derek Shields >> Thanks, Debora. You know, you brought up vocational rehabilitation, and we speak to also the services that are coming out through Veteran Readiness and Employment. So we have a couple different organizations here. Talk to us a little bit about how a disabled veteran who might be receiving services from VR&E over at the Department of Veterans Affairs may actually be able to receive services from their State Vocational Rehabilitation agency, and then also could participate in the Ticket Program. Is there a scenario that you can give where all three of these entities might be providing the services and supports to help folks get to the employment outcome they seek?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. I've worked with many veterans, Derek, who've been able to go through. I had one veteran; he worked with his State VR agency to get the education that he wanted, and then he needed a little bit more specialized training. So he went to VR&E to get a certification that he wanted for the specific job he was interested in. And then he worked with an Employment Network to give him the job coaching and other supportive services that he needed in order to be able to be successful in employment. So I've seen lots of veterans combine these different providers of vocational services to achieve the maximum package for themselves and get all the supports they need to be successful in work.

Derek Shields >> Thanks, Debora. This is Derek again. And, you know, I'd like to just take a moment to thank the team members over at the VR&E, Veteran Readiness and Employment team. We've been partnering with them at the Ticket to Work Program and their employment coordinators across the country who are doing a fantastic job. So we appreciate the collaboration between agencies and support of employment opportunities for disabled veterans for sure. When you think about these different entities, is there a place that you would recommend starting? Like do I go to this agency first or this other agency? What's the recommendation there?

Debora Wagner >> I think that's a matter of personal preference, honestly. But I do know that a lot of veterans I've worked with tend to start with the VA just because it's a system that they're already involved in. It's where they go for their health care, it's where they're getting their benefits. And so they probably have contact with those VA providers first. But there is nothing that says you have to start there. You can start with your State's Vocational Rehabilitation agency. You can start with an Employment Network. It's an individualized decision based on what supports and services you need and what's available in your community.
Derek Shields >> Thanks, Debora. This is Derek again. And do you have any data that talks about how many people that are veterans are receiving services? Can you give us a frame of reference of any kind about, perhaps, receiving Social Security disability benefits and also VA benefits?

Debora Wagner >> Unfortunately, I don't have that data with me. I didn't think to look that up. I know that it's very common just based from my experience, working in the field for so long. I see a lot of veterans who are getting both. But I don't have exact numbers for you, I apologize.
Derek Shields >> This is Derek. No problem, I was just wondering. We know that it's a large percent and the services are there. What we also know is that we have an opportunity for more of these individuals to tap into either State VR services or Employment Network services. And that's why we're here today to ensure disabled veterans know about those opportunities. So with that, I think I'm going to turn this back over to you to proceed with the next segments, and then I'll be back in a little bit for our second Q&A session. So please continue to submit those questions into the Q&A pod in the upper right, and we'll get to as many as possible after Debora is done with the next section. Debora, back to you.

Debora Wagner >> Thank you, Derek. So this is Debora again and we're going to continue. And now, we're going to talk about a path to financial independence for veterans with disabilities. So veterans have so many skills that they bring to the workforce. I know when I work with veterans, sometimes they have a really hard time figuring out how that military occupational specialty, their MOS, is going to translate to the world of civilian work. So I talked to them about big skills buckets, skills that they have from just being in the military, so things like teamwork, leadership skills, dedication, and persistence, right? Integrity, flexibility, and problem-solving. And these are skills that I very commonly see with the veterans that I work with. And so I have them think about which of those skills they have, which ones they think are their real strengths, and how they can apply those skills in the civilian workforce. So sometimes it's important for veterans to try to think like an employer, right? So they need to think about what is the employer looking for and what's the value that you can add to their organization because when you're interviewing, you're going to want to talk to them about that. When you're doing resumes, you're going to want to talk about that. What's the value that I can bring to the table? So you can talk about leadership skills that you learned in the service or problem-solving skills you learned in the service. One way to speak an employer's language is to communicate the impact and the results that you've achieved in your work experience. So tell them a story. You know, it's one thing to say I was a mechanic, that was my military occupational specialty. It's another thing to tell them about a problem that you faced, and you had a deadline, and how you worked with the other people on your team to solve that problem and implement that solution quickly to meet the purposes that you were trying to achieve. So those sorts of translations from things that you did into what employers are looking for, is really, so very important. 

Employers really understand results. They want to hear the results that you've achieved, and if you can tell them about the positive impact that you're going to have on their business, you're going to really increase your chances of being hired. So talk about things like your ability to work with other people, to attract and retain customers, to improve customer satisfaction, or improve a process or a product, right? Increasing operational excellence, and this is one that I see veterans oftentimes are very good at, operational excellence, how to do things more efficiently, more effectively. They have those skills from the military. And those are skills that businesses are absolutely looking for. Boosting the performance of the organization, either your division or the entire organization, improving the organization's strategy, and maximizing the return on investment. If you can talk to them about the return they're going to get for working with you, that can be a really important part of this conversation. So think about the skills that you have, think about the experience you have, and then explain it to the civilian employers in a way that they can understand. 

So here are some tips on how to turn your military experience into a civilian career. So, for example, you might want to talk about being able to quickly solve problems and prevent them from occurring again, because that's something hiring managers want, right? So we've got an example here; when conducting after-action reviews, I focus on the most -- the root cause of the problem rather than searching for someone to blame. And as a result, I ensure we only make a particular mistake one time and that we can accurately identify and address any operational weaknesses. I will tell you civilian employers love that sort of thing, right? 
Or the next one, improving safety and reducing accidents. The example that we've got here is, having spent time on rifle ranges, handling hazardous materials, and working around dangerous equipment. I understand how to develop, disseminate, and implement safety guidelines that virtually eliminate accidents or injuries. So here we see examples of veterans taking skills they learned in the military from their experience there into skills that are attractive to civilian employers. So just a couple of examples of how to do that. 

So let's look at another story. And this is Angel's story. So Angel sustained neck and back injuries during his service in the U.S. Air Force. He medically retired and began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance. Angel was later diagnosed with thyroid cancer and by his own admission was overwhelmed by the weight of his disability and illness. But with treatment, Angel was able to beat cancer and to start thinking about work. From a friend, he learned about a company looking to hire information technology or IT professionals to support the U.S. Department of Defense. Angel was offered the job but had questions about how that full-time employment could impact his disability benefits. Through the Ticket to Work Help Line, he connected with an Employment Network that provided him with free benefits counseling. He learned about Work Incentives and how work would impact his benefits. With this information, he had the confidence to accept the job offer. And this is the piece I was talking about earlier; getting that benefits counseling or that Work Incentives planning is such an important piece of the puzzle. You can have the skills and the training, and you can land the job, but if you're afraid of what's going to happen to your benefits, you're not likely to be successful in employment. So figuring out that piece of the puzzle and making informed choices is really the key to long-term success in employment. 

So who's going to help you achieve your goals? What are some resources available to help you on this journey? So as you're thinking about transitioning to the civilian workforce, you may have questions and need support. And again, if you're getting a Social Security disability benefit, whether it's SSDI or SSI, and you're age 18 to 64, you could connect with a Ticket Program service provider. They could help you to develop goals that you can achieve and establish the steps that you need to take in order to maintain employment in your new career. So Ticket Program service providers can help you to identify the type of career you might enjoy and the transferable skills that you can take from your military experience and use in that civilian workforce. So through the Ticket Program, you have access to a variety of Ticket Program service providers. This includes the Employment Networks, but also your State Vocational Rehabilitation agency. 

So what is an Employment Network or an EN? So these are private or public organizations that enter into a contract with Social Security to provide free employment services to people who are eligible for the Ticket Program. Many state public workforce systems are workforce Employment Networks. So either of these providers, whether you go with an Employment Network or a workforce Employment Network, can help you with all kinds of skills that you need to prepare for your transition to civilian work, but also to maintain successful work in that new field. So things, again, like doing resumes, interview skills, getting any additional training or education that you might need or certifications, helping you find jobs that are a good match for your skills and abilities. And then providing ongoing support services that you might need in order to be successful in that job. 

So let's look at some ways that working with an Employment Network could actually help you. So all of these services and supports are designed to help you on your path to financial independence through work. So they can help you identify work goals, write and review that resume, prepare for those interviews, request reasonable accommodations, and they can even provide benefits counseling through the Employment Network. I'll tell you the reasonable accommodations one is sometimes something that's been a challenge for veterans that I've worked with. They don't feel comfortable asking for help, or support, or any kind of special rules, but you absolutely should be asking for the accommodations that you need to be successful in employment. So that could include things like more frequent breaks, extra time off for medical appointments, maybe working in a quiet space away from other people if it's distracting to you, or any other type of accommodation that you might need in the workplace to be successful. Now, State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies can also provide a variety of services that help people with disabilities return to work, enter new lines of work, or even enter the workforce for the very first time. So you can work with the State VR agency, they can offer benefits counseling, they can also offer you vocational rehabilitation training and education. And some of the state VR agencies even have separate divisions or agencies that work specifically with individuals who are blind or visually impaired. So your State Vocational Rehabilitation agency can also be a great resource to provide supports. I'll tell you in my area, a lot of people start with their state VR agency. They might get some education and training, but after they go to work, after 90 days of successful employment, my State VR agency will close their case. Those folks can then work with an Employment Network to get the ongoing supports that they need to be successful. So again, you could be pulling together supports through the VA's vocational programs, whether that's Veteran Readiness and Employment, or Compensated Work Therapy, and your State Vocational Rehabilitation agency, and you can transition to an Employment Network. So there are many different paths you can take to be successful. 

So VR can help you with a variety of things including intensive training, education, and rehabilitation. In many states, VR works with individuals who might need more significant services. They can also provide career counseling, and job placement assistance, and also counsel you, again, about how your earnings from work are going to impact your disability benefits, not only from Social Security, but things like Medicare, and Medicaid, and other benefits that you may get. And together, you can put all of those pieces of the puzzle to get all of the services that you need to be successful in your employment journey. So how do you go about finding these service providers? Where do you find them? Well, you can find a list of service providers by calling the Ticket to Work Help Line. And that number is 1-866-968-7842, or for TTY users, you can call 1-866-833-2967. The Ticket to Work Help Line is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. But you can also go to their website. They actually have a Find Help page where you can search for these providers based on where you live using your zip code, based on the types of services they offer, or maybe the type of disability they specialize in, the languages they speak, or the type of provider. So maybe you know you want to work with a specific type of provider, you can do that. And if you'd like a quick link to this Find Help page, it is Web Link Number 15 in the Web Links box here. 
One of the things you can do specifically is you can even do a search looking for providers who work with veterans. So if you are a veteran and you want to use the Ticket to Work, you can use this Find Help page and you can search for providers that specialize in serving veterans. Derek mentioned Paralyzed Veterans of America is one of those service providers, but there are others across the country. So you can use that website to help you find those providers specifically. So again, that's Web Link Number 15 in the Web Links box. 

Now, many of the American Job Centers are also going to be workforce Employment Networks. So there are almost 2,400 American Job Centers across the country and they help people with employment questions and needs. They also oftentimes are going to have veterans' representatives who specialize in providing employment services to veterans. I know in my local workforce center there are amazing people there who serve veterans and help them connect with resources and with employment. So do not forget those American Jobs Centers and those workforce Employment Networks when you're thinking about your journey to finding employment. Now, they've got great resources on this slide for you guys. So these are some online job search sites specifically for veterans. So the first one is job openings for disabled veterans. They have a job board and blog posts with helpful career information. And if you would like to use that one, it is Web Link Number 16 in the Web Links. So you could go there and look specifically for jobs and information about finding a career as a veteran with a disability. Now another online job search tool you could use is called Hire Heroes USA. And it provides free job search assistance to U.S. military members, veterans, and even their spouses. So if you're interested in using Hire Heroes USA, you can click on Web Link Number 17 to go to that website. Now, the next one is called Getting Hired. And they have a dedicated career section specifically for veteran job seekers. You can register and apply for jobs for free directly from the Getting Hired website. And if you're interested in using that website, that is Web Link Number 18 in the Web Links box. Yet another option is Hiring Our Heroes. And they have an expansive job board that features job listings for full-time, part-time, and even contract roles. And you can find Hiring Our Heroes at job link Number 19. And RecruitMilitary connects military job seekers with services that include a job board and nationwide career fairs. And if you're interested in using the RecruitMilitary website, you can find it at Number 20 in the Web Links section. So I'm going to tell you that a lot of veterans that I've worked with have had tremendous success using these veterans-focused services to finding jobs. There are many employers out there that are run by veterans that want to hire veterans that understand this transition. Excuse me. It is fall allergy season, I apologize. And so using these veteran-specific sites can be a great way to find employment. So remember, you can use any of the service providers that we've talked about. You can use the VA service providers through Veteran Readiness and Employment and Compensated Work Therapy. You can use your state VR agency. You can use Employment Networks or workforce Employment Networks, but you can also use some of these specific job search sites that are designed for veterans. 

And if you don't know, there are actually preferences for hiring veterans for federal employment for certain types of jobs. There's also preferences for contractors who contract with the federal government to hire people with disabilities. And so veterans with disabilities that I know have had a lot of success getting those jobs with the federal government and with those federal contracting agencies. Now, you don't have to but just know that those are options that are also available. I think sometimes veterans think of those veterans' preferences as being just for veterans who don't have disabilities, but they absolutely include veterans with disabilities as well. So you have many different resources available to help you in your journey to employment with any services or supports that you might need to be successful in employment. There's also a new resource coming. It is the Ticket to Work for America's Veterans. You can learn more about the services and supports that veterans, that we've talked about today, have received. We talked about Angel's story, Robert, and Jeff's stories, and you can learn more about their employment journeys, but you can also learn about resources available to veterans. So information about Paralyzed Veterans of America, which offers PVA Veterans Career Live. And there are some Social Security resources, including the Journey to Success publication. They also have a Q&A section with answers to popular questions. So this is a wonderful new option, and if you'd like to find out more information about the Ticket to Work for America's Veterans, the website, specifically, you can find a Web Link at Web Link Number 21 in the Web Link box. All right, and I think at this point we are to the next question and answer session. So I'm going to invite Derek to come back and join me so we can answer some more of your questions.

Derek Shields >> This is Derek. Thanks so much, Debora, for going through those third and fourth sections of the content. Really appreciate the information that you shared and kind of bringing it all together. Just to note on that new resource with the three success stories being tied together there: Jeff, Robert, and Angel and it's important. We have a Marine Corps veteran, an Army veteran, and an Air Force veteran. All have completely different stories and yet they've been able to tap into the services, including the benefit programs and then the employment programs, and be able to find a return to work and really a second career. So, you know, we applaud them looking, you know, in different sectors and for the successes that they're having, but also recognize the service providers that were behind them being key to kind of listening and helping them create their own paths to self-sufficiency. So love that. And I just, you know, before we get into the questions, I also want to reiterate this Find Help tool. We'll bring it up one more time, but yes, you can go in there, if you're a veteran, you could select under the specializations section that you identify as a veteran. And there you can choose an Employment Network, or a Vocational Rehabilitation agency, or another employment team member. And if it matters, you can put in your zip code and find somebody that's in your backyard. Or if you prefer a virtual relationship, you can find a veteran specialist there too. So great tips. Love that. Let's now -- we did have a lot more questions come in so I hope you're ready, Debora, because we're going to dive in. So an individual identifies as having severe post-traumatic stress and is not sure if they can work. So they're asking with that disability and situation, is it possible to get support services from any of the organizations that you discussed with this unknown kind of employment potential pathway in place? What do you recommend, Debora?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. And actually any of the service providers we've talked about, the ones offered through the Ticket to Work, the vocational services through the VA, they could also help. And one of the things to remember, and I mentioned it, but you could always ask for reasonable accommodations. And so when I've worked with veterans who've had post-traumatic stress disorder, we've talked about communicating with their supervisor about any challenges that they might have in the workplace related to that diagnosis. And some accommodations that they could ask for, things like working in a space with reduced distractions. I was just talking to somebody the other day and they said, "Everybody is in these cubicles in this large open space, and I can hear everybody else, and it's overwhelming." And so they asked their supervisor if, for two hours out of each workday, they could use one of the conference rooms to have some quiet time to get work done. Could also ask for time off to get counseling, more frequent breaks, and other types of supports. And if you're not sure how to go about this, because it is, you know, one of those things that's handled on a case-by-case basis, you can visit askJAN.org, which is the job accommodations network. And they are one of the country's leading resources for help with accommodations at work. So again, that's askJAN -- A-S-K-J-A-N -- .org. 

You can also try working with the Trial Work Period. If you're getting SSDI, that's a great way to try working. Absolutely no impact on your SSDI payment, right? To see if this is something that you can really do. And if you try working, you can figure out whether or not it's something that you can do successfully. If the accommodations are enough to help you and support you. You can also go back to VR&E and talk to them about maybe independent living support services or other types of supports you might need. And if you don't succeed at first, know that you can always try working again in the future, right? How many of you are working the first job you ever had right out of school? I'm not. I don't know many people who are. So you can try later if your first attempt doesn't work. You can even think about maybe exploring a new field, which might be easier for you. And you could use the reemployment track from VR&E, in that case. And of course, the Ticket to Work Program is always available when you're ready to start work.

Derek Shields >> Thank you, Debora. Thank you very much. And while some of these tips, they, you know, certainly apply or all these tips apply to someone living with post-traumatic stress, they're also more generically available to anyone living with other disability types too. So reasonable accommodation strategies and also this idea of trying work, let me follow up on that. For somebody that's less familiar with the Trial Work Period, what's the length of that and what's this whole concept of trying work? Like, you know, is it something that everyone can do through the Ticket Program, or is that only for some participants? Can you describe it just a little bit more?

Debora Wagner >> So for anybody who has SSDI, whether they're using their ticket or not, when they first start working, they would get what's called a Trial Work Period. And they use a Trial Work Period month by earning a threshold amount. Currently, that amount is $1,110 in gross wages in a month. And so if you earn that much, you use one Trial Work Period month. And after you've used nine Trial Work Period months within a 60-month window, five-year window, you have used your Trial Work Period. Now, they don't have to be consecutive. So maybe you try one job for a couple of months, and it doesn't work out. And you take a break for six months and then you go back and try again. Only those months that you worked and earned more than that threshold amount, which again is $1,110 gross per month this year. Once you've earned more than that, nine times within that 60-month window, then you enter a new phase. But during that entire Trial Work Period, no matter how much you work, no matter how much you earn, you are still going to get your SSDI payment. And so there's going to be no impact on your SSDI when you go to work. And so that's a great safety net for people who are thinking, "I'm not sure if I can do this." Well, they actually give you an opportunity to try it without worrying about anything bad happening to your benefit. It's a really nice safety net. And after the Trial Work Period, I find that people are more comfortable with continuing to work, right? They've figured out this is a good fit for them, and they can keep working successfully. So I think it's wonderful to have that period of time to really give it a try and see if this is something that you can do.

Derek Shields >> Debora, thank you. I really appreciate that. We mentioned it a couple times. That description might help folks feel a little bit more comfortable in approaching trial work. Oh, this is Derek again. So let's go to our next question. This one is -- there's been a few questions around training and return to work. Two or three people identifying, "Look, I thought I was going to have one career, my injury or disability onset makes that career not possible. How do I go back in effect to the start with training and education?" What service providers can help with deep training and education? Perhaps, kind of like the first story we heard with Jeff, where he went back and got a different degree.

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. So again, the VA's vocational rehabilitation programs can help with that, but Employment Networks are also required to provide certain services, and training is included under their career planning services. So they could help you with training to support a career transition. So that could include maybe some training on soft skills like communication, maybe time management, or scheduling. And so they can put into the Individual Work Plan, the training that you are going to need to help you get the training to support a career transition. So you can use the Employment Network to make that transition. So what's important is you really need to talk to your employment team about the type of training that you are going to need to be successful and make sure that that's included in your Individual Work Plan with the Employment Network.

Derek Shields >> This is Derek. Thanks for that, Debora. Good to know there's options and connect with the programs, to figure out which one provides the appropriate training education that matches your planning needs. All right, here's another question. This one is shifting over to healthcare. Can I still get health care through the VA while participating in Ticket to Work?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. The VA health care system is completely separate from the Ticket to Work system. But you can absolutely get VA health care benefits and you can get benefits from Social Security like using the Ticket to Work. So your VA health care eligibility is going to be based on factors like do you have a service-connected disability? You served in specific theaters of war, right? And they're going to look at your income. So it's not related in any way to using the Ticket to Work. And I've had many veterans that I've worked with who continue to get VA health care even while they're working with an Employment Network through the Ticket to Work Program to help them find employment.

Derek Shields >> Thanks, this is Derek again. Appreciate that. Next subject area. We've had a few questions or comments regarding employers, you know, veteran-friendly employers and you provided some job boards and some other places with free job assistance for veterans. When it comes to that, you know, the area of veteran-friendly employers, you know, what are your thoughts on that? And then include in there, there's been a couple comments around, "Well, I don't live in an area that are hiring defense contractors," you know, like we heard with Angel's success story, like, what about remote positions as well? So veteran-friendly employers, any advice there on how to identify them but also for these folks that are in more remote regions, any ideas there?

Debora Wagner >> Absolutely. I think a lot of employers these days really recognize that hiring veterans is a good investment, right? And so I'm not going to talk about specific companies today, but there are some that definitely prioritize hiring veterans. As I mentioned, the federal government has a veterans preference for many of the positions they have open. And federal contractors are required to hire people with disabilities and that would include veterans with disabilities, in order for them to reach that goal to continue to be a federal contractor. There are also companies that offer specific programs to help veterans transition from military to civilian careers. This could include training and certification programs, mentorship, veterans resource groups, and even flexible benefits. So if you participate in Ticket to Work, your Employment Network can help you identify some employers that might be a good fit for you and your background. And if you're interested in remote work, I think there are more remote work opportunities now than ever before. And so be sure and mention that to the Employment Network that you might be interested in finding a remote position because you don't feel like there are those veteran-friendly employers in your community locally. They might be able to help you connect with one of those remote positions.

Derek Shields >> This is Derek. Thanks for that, Debora. There are different options out there. I heard you say the federal sector, of course, that's the largest employer in the country. And really employment opportunities exist in so many places, even rural locations. Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act has federal contractor requirements that include disability, but we also have veterans' requirements. And so that led to other companies. I would also look at talking to your Employment Networks, just as a tip. If you're a veteran and you're looking for a certain type of work, asking them, do they have relationships that are in your area that will help. It might not be a job placement service but are they aware of either employer associations or veteran connections that would have those because that would be of use to you. So make sure that you're interviewing the Employment Network or service provider as much as they are interviewing you. Debora, we've come to that time. We have time for one more question. So I'm going to ask you, what's the question I haven't asked? What's the topic area that might be on someone's mind right now that you could help them move from where they are to connecting with somebody that could help them on their path to return to work? Anything that you'd like to bring up and recommend as a final takeaway?

Debora Wagner >> I think the most important thing is to reach out and ask for the help that you need. Again, a lot of times when I've worked with veterans with disabilities, they're not used to asking for help, right? They help other people. That's what they've done in their career in the military. And so knowing that there are these resources that are out there to help you, whether you want to use the Ticket to Work, whether you want to use one of the VA's vocational rehabilitation programs, just reaching out, and starting that conversation, and figuring out what resources they can provide, will really help to answer your questions and help you decide if employment is a good opportunity for you because working towards financial independence is so important for all of us and that should absolutely include the people who've served our country. So thank you so much, Derek, for giving me this opportunity to be here with you today. Thank you.

Derek Shields >> Excellent. Thank you, Debora. We appreciate your expertise in being with us in support of America's veterans and in this session, Ticket to Work for America's Veterans. So now, I'm going to go to wrap up. We have a few slides and then a quick note about next month's WISE. We have learned a lot during the webinar, and as Debora just recommended, what's most important is for you, if you're interested, to reach out to start connecting with others that can help. You have different ways to do that. With the Ticket Program, we encourage you to reach out to the Ticket to Work Help Line to talk to a beneficiary support specialist who's trained and ready to hear your questions and provide some resources. You can call 1-866-968-7842. Or for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call the TTY line at 1-866-833-2967. These lines are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern. Of course, you can also visit the Choose Work website at choosework.ssa.gov. You'll find plenty of details there in our WISE On Demand area, but also you can access that Find Help tool and use that to search for your own Employment Network list. Perhaps you prefer to reach out that way. Find that at choosework.ssa.gov/findhelp. You choose how you connect with us. The important part is definitely reach out. 

Speaking of connecting with us, we also encourage you to visit our contact page at Choose Work, I just gave you that website; choosework.ssa.gov but go to /contact. And on there you could find ways to follow us on social media and subscribe to both our blog and email updates. We encourage you to do that. You also have the opportunity to get advice, and encouragement, and read stories similar to Jeff, Robert, and Angel who have achieved financial independence through the Ticket Program. You can opt-in to receive text messages. If you're interested, please text Ticket to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply. 
And last, you can always email us. We have an email for you to get information; that's support@choosework.ssa.gov. As we mentioned, we have the Ticket to Work Help Line that's available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Those beneficiary support specialists are available. Encourage you to reach out. It's a great place to start. And last, please join us in December for our final Work Incentives seminar event of the year, debunking the biggest myths about Ticket to Work. That's on December 18, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM Eastern Time. You can register online or contact that Ticket to Work Help Line and they'll help you get registered. Thank you again for attending today's Ticket to Work webinar; Ticket to Work for America's Veterans. This ends today's webinar.