>> Good afternoon, everybody. This is Ray Cebula, I'm with Cornell University's Yang-Tan Institute, and I want to welcome you to today's webinar. We are talking about work incentives today. We will focus on mental illness. We have had several webinars in the past focusing on other disabilities. Today we are working with mental illness as our emphasis; however, much of what we're going to talk about is going to be relevant to all people with disabilities who are looking to return to work. Today we're doing something a little different. We have a special guest with us today. And what I want to do is talk to her immediately, and she is Megan Riggs. She's from Gaithersburg, Maryland, and there's her picture up on the screen right now. And she is a Ticket to Work success story. If some of you have been with us in the past, you've seen a video of Megan talking about her story, and how, her return to work, and some video of her doing her ballroom dancing. So Mike, if you can unmute Megan so we can have a chat. Okay Megan, I think I just unmuted you. I guess I can do this when I have that little ball in my hand. So Megan, thanks for being with us today. It's, we're talking with a bunch of folks who might be thinking about going to work, or are in the process of going to work, and your story is going to help them. So Megan's from Gaithersburg, Maryland. And Megan, can you tell us a little bit about your history with disability?

>> Oh, well first I want to say thank you for having me. It's really a pleasure to be here and to be able to talk about this, which is actually a very sticky topic. And it even is sticky for me, even though it's what I've been through. And so my disability actually is a mental disability, and I started this journey when I was working full-time and I had a breakdown, and I was no longer able to work. And because it actually happened for me when I was working, that was really kind of traumatic for me, about trying to go back to work. And I always knew I wanted to go back to work. When I had it I was probably, like, 24. And that's really way too young to, to stop working and to kind of not be doing anything. And so I went onto disability, and about a year after being on disability I got a Ticket to Work in the mail. And I said, you know what? I'm going to try it. So I called up to get all the information, and to see about the different places that I could give my ticket to. And I ended up choosing TransCen as my employment network, and the great thing about it was, anyone who's on disability is going to be obviously very concerned about what happens to their benefits, and how long you can keep em, and what happens to your money. And if it doesn't work out, are you going to be able to continue to receive your disability. And with TransCen, they gave me a benefit counselor, and she went through and explained to me basically everything in detail. Filling out forms, what would happen to my benefits? What happened once I started working? If I stopped working, what would happen? And then they gave me a employment counselor. And so she helped me with my resume, going on job interviews. Any questions that I had. And she actually gave me support while I was still working. So even when I started working full-time, if I had any questions or any problems with anything, I had definite people to go to.

>> Okay, Megan. You said that you were on benefits for a year when that ticket came in. What about that ticket made you think that going back to work would be a good idea?

>> Well, I think it came, and it said about, it gave a little bit of information about it, and exactly what it was, and that you could go in to work. And I was, I always wanted to work, I liked working. It wasn't that I didn't want to continue to work. So that part really made me [inaudible]. Once I was able to call the TransCen, 'cause that's who I spoke to, and they went through the counseling, and about what would happen to my benefits, then that really gave me the extra push because I wasn't going to lose my benefits until I was making a certain amount of money continuously. So that was a good thing to know.

>> Yeah. And when you were working with TransCen, were they just talking to you generally about how things work, or were they focused right on you?

>> No, they were, anything was specifically designed towards me. So obviously my background is a little bit different than other people's in terms of what I went to school for. And so they focused on exactly what I needed to do to get back into the scientific field, as well as tailoring my resume for scientific positions, and how to contact those people in those, kind of in the know, to let them know that I was looking.

>> Yeah. And did their explanations make you comfortable about what would happen to your benefits and your healthcare while you were trying to go back to work?

>> Their explanations definitely did, because everything was there, kind of plain, written out in black and white, how they explained how it would work. And they really worked it out for different [inaudible] that I asked about. You know, what happens if I stop working? What happens, you know. And different things like that. Questions about if I worked long enough that my disability had stopped, you know, my, the benefits stopped. And then for some reason I had, I could not work any longer. What would happen, and the process going back. And they actually went over that with me too.

>> Okay. So you had all of the safety nets carefully explained to you before you started.

>> Correct.

>> Yeah, okay. And was that journey to work a smooth one for you?

>> I think it was as smooth as it, as it could be. Obviously doing something, not totally new, but something that's different, in that you had problems with in, in the past, is a little bit scary. But knowing that you have people there for you, and you're not doing it alone, definitely made it easier.

>> Okay. When you say you weren't doing it alone, does that mean that TransCen, you know, had regular appointments with you, or were they available as you needed them?

>> I did have regular appointments. I preferred to do as needed, but I could always email if I had a question or call. Or if I wanted to stop by and drop in for something, that was always, I was never turned away. It was, they were, it was a open door policy.

>> Oh, good, good. And any bumps along the way that you could share with us?

>> Well the only bump that I had, where I can say that I definitely know what they told me is true, is that I was working, and I went off of benefits, and I got laid off. And exactly like they said, as soon as I called them and let them know, I asked them what the process was. And they were like, just tell us, send us things, you know, you're lay-off notice, and all of that. And my benefits started right back up without any problem. And we went through the process again.

>> Okay. Kay, for those of you who are listening, we are going to talk about all of these steps that Megan's talking about, in detail. But right now we just wanted to have her share her story with you. And can you tell us what you're doing for work now, Megan?

>> Right now I actually have transitioned out of the scientific field, and into my own business. So now I'm an entrepreneur, and I have my own fitness company where I teach different fitness classes, including Zumba, to different populations.

>> Okay. And anything exciting happened after you go to, and, after you went to work?

>> One of the best things that happened after I went back to work is that I had the confidence to get online and to start looking for a different relationship, a romantic relationship. And I actually met my fiancé online, and like I said, we're engaged and we're planning a wedding from two, in two years.

>> Great, congratulations. I always share my story about meeting my spouse at work as well. So that's really good. Megan, how do you think work has helped with your recovery?

>> Well for, for anyone who definitely has a mental illness, one of the biggest things is when you're not getting out, you get stuck, and you stay stagnant, and you stay in those same thoughts. And being able to get out and go to work, and to do other things instead of what I would do in the house, which would be nothing, is definitely a great help. And then also, in the field that I'm in now, where I help people in my business, that also helps me. So it's a, a really nice cycle, whether you're actually one on one, working with people, you're working with people in a group atmosphere, or even you're just a cashier. You're still helping people make their purchases, and you're contributing to society. And so that definitely helps me continue to leave the house and to work on my mental health.

>> That's very, very, very nice. I did have another question, and I just forgot it. Oh, I know what it was. How, if you, if you would be standing in front of all of the people here today, who are thinking about using that Ticket to Work, or thinking about going to work and taking a chance, what would you tell them?

>> I would tell them that you really have nothing to lose, that you're not going at it alone. There's lots of people that are going to be behind you to support you, because all they want is for you to succeed. They're not taking your money away when you're making a little bit. They're taking your money when you're making enough that you can fully support yourself. And you don't really need it. And so there's nothing better than being able to be on your own, and to know that you can continue to survive. So I would say, you're not taking a chance. [Crosstalk] that's the guarantee.

>> Definitely worth the risk, and it appears that those safety nets that we've been talking about did actually work for you.

>> Correct.

>> Alright. Hey, anything else you'd like to add, Megan?

>> Nope, I don't think so.

>> Do you still have your puppy?

>> I don't, no. I don't. [Crosstalk] marathon, so yeah.

>> Okay. Alright. And are you still dancing?

>> I am still dancing as best I can.

>> Oh great. I won't.

>> With work and everything like that.

>> Okay. When we give everybody information to the website later on, Megan's success story will be there. And you should give a watch at Megan doing some fancy ballroom dancing, like Dancing with the Stars right on socialsecurity.gov. Okay. Megan, thank you very, very much. I know you have to go to work.

>> Alright. Thank you so much.

>> Okay. Be good. Take care.

>> You too.

>> Okay. I again want to thank Megan for spending time with us. She told you everything that we've been telling people for years, and coming straight from a participant's own lips. It, it's a very powerful story that she can tell, and I do encourage you to watch her story because she has come a long way from benefits to working, to her own business, and to getting married. So we have a real success story, and again, thanks Megan for sharing that story. Now we have to get back to business. We are going to talk about how the webinar works, and we are then going to get into our topic. We have a link for you. Jamie is going to put that in the chat box, but this link will get you to an accessible PDF, and a text only document for today's session. And it is cl.ly/1A1iL2C3H27. Once again, that's cl.ly/1A1iL2C3H27. And that will be in the chat box for you so that you can access that at any time. You have a webinar console on the right hand side of your screen. That's going to allow you to participate in today's webinar, to ask questions. And our panelists are going to be available to answer some of your questions. There are lots of you out there, and we hope to get to some of those questions. Be we will, at the very least, let you know where you can get your questions answered. So what you need to do is click on the box, the little arrowhead next to Q and A. It's going to open the Q and A box. Type in your questions, hit send. And Jamie is going to get your questions, And she's going to pass those on to me. And we'll get to those after each presentation. You have been connected today through your computer's speakers. If you do happen to have any problem with connections, Jamie just told me there are some thunder storms going through the Virginia area. So if you do lose us, you can quickly click on, if you're having audio problems, click on the audio conference box up at the top of your screen. It's going to open this big box here. Click use phone, I will call in. And then you will receive today's phone numbers and access codes. And we have those for you. Today's toll free number is 1.855.749.4750, and the access code is 645603953. Now write that down before you lose your connection rather than just your audio. That number is 855. 2, sorry, 855.749.4750, 645603953 is your access code for that number. Where am I going? I'm trying to get, oops, I'm going the wrong direction. We are striving to make our webinars accessible to everybody who wants to participate. It's very important to us that you let us know if you're having any difficulty whatsoever. And more importantly than letting us know that you're having a problem, if you do know of a fix of the problem that you're having, know of a program, know of a step that our web team can hit, can take to avoid the problem that you're having, let us know about that as well. Again, we want everybody to have a good experience. Let us know either by using the Q and A box today, or the websites that we're going to give you later on. We've talked about that toll free number, it's up on top of the screen again in case you do lose your audio. For closed captioning, the website is www.ilr.cornell, edu/edi/captions. cfm?activity_id=4836. And a webinar PowerPoint accessible PDF and text are located with the link you received today, and at that link that Jamie has posted in the chat box. Today's presentation, a transcript and audio recording will be available in about two weeks online. And that's available at www.ilr.cornell.edu/ edi/m-wise-webinars.cmf. Give the web team a couple of weeks to get it up. You will also find other webinars on that link so that you can listen to some prior webinars that discuss different topics. The question and answer period, we will have today after each speaker does their thing. And we do want you to type those questions into the question and answer box. If you want to send them to us via webinars@choosework.net, we can also receive them there. If we finish today's webinar and a question comes to mind, you could always write us at support@chooseworkttw.net. So today we are going to talk, we talked with Megan already. We're going to talk about some common myths, and we have Kendra Berry and Tina Schiel [phonetic] with us, who are going to talk about the ticket programs and employment networks. They are both from Aspire in Indiana. But you need to know that even though they are talking about their program in Indiana, the benefits and the work incentives that they're going to be discussing are available to everybody, regardless of where you live. We're going to provide you with lots of other resources today. And again, we'll be answering questions as we can. We do not expect to answer all of your questions simply because there are way more of you than there are of us. So before I let you meet Ben, what I have is a couple of questions for you. We always make all of our attendees work for us before we give them any information. So we have some fairly simple questions, just so we know who you are, and where you are, and how you heard about us. And the first one is: How did you learn about today's webinar? Was it via email, Facebook or Twitter, the website, a family or friend, your work incentive and planning assistance agency, or some other way? And if you do choose F, some other way, drop a note in the Q and A box and let us know what that other way was. I'll give you some time to get your answers in. Never fails that my phone rings during a webinar. Alright. We're going to close that one down. I have to wait 20 seconds to getcha to our next question. 10 seconds. Got a good percentage of you. Thank you very much. The more answers we get, the better things work for us. The second question: What do you hope to learn from today's webinar? Something about the Ticket to Work, work incentives for SSI recipients, work incentives for SSDI recipients, employment networks and vocational rehabilitation, legal protection and advocacy, or some other issue. And again, if you pick other, please drop a note in that Q and A box letting us know what you want to hear about. Your ideas have given us topics that we've developed into webinars for the future. And if we've done that in the past, we'll do it again. And the answers are coming in fast and furious. Alright, I'm going to close that down. And we have to wait another 20 seconds. Okay. Thank you once again. Here's an easy and quick one. What is your gender? Male or female. That's always a quick one, so we'll stop that when we get our good percentage number. I have to give 10 seconds left. Okay. And number four: What is your age? 18 or younger, 19 to 25, 26 to 40, 41 to 55, 56 to 65, or 66 and older. Alright. You guys are really quick. Thank you very much. 10 more seconds.

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Okay, and our last question. We know that there are lots of you logged on today. But what we don't know is how many people are actually watching your computer terminal. So besides you, how many people are with you watching your computer screen? It gives us a better number of how many people are actually tuned in. And there have been known to be webinar parties in the past. Okay. Thank you very much for that. 10 seconds.

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Alright. Okay. And Mike, I'm going to pass the magic ball to you, so if you could queue up Ben's video, that would be great.

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>> [Inaudible] community involvement. These are some of the benefits that work provides. By working, you could earn more income, meet new people, and learn new skills. This is the Ticket to Work Program. How can it help you? Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary program from Social Security that provides you employment support services to help you go to work while still providing access to Medicaid and/or Medicare. It can help you go to work, which can give you a greater sense of purpose and help you give back to your community. With [inaudible], you will be able to replace your cash benefits with your earnings from work, putting you on the road to financial independence, with the peace of mind that your benefits will be available to you if you need them due to your disability. Meet Ben. Ben qualified for the Ticket to Work Program because he's aged 18 through 64, and received Social Security Disability Insurance. If Ben received Supplemental Security Income, he would also qualify for the program. Ben wanted to work, but needed to understand how work would impact his benefits, especially his healthcare. Ben did some research and found out that over 316,000 thousand people with disabilities have participated in the program. After doing more research, he decided that Ticket to Work was just the ticket he needed to be successful in going to work. When Ben contacted the ticket helpline, they talked to him about supports from Social Security he could use to go to work. He found that, with Social Security's Ticket to Work and work incentives, he might be able to work while keeping his Medicaid or Medicare with the peace of mind that if he needed to stop working due to his disability, there would be a fast track back to restarting his benefits. With the ticket program, Ben had a choice of service providers, employment networks, and state vocational rehabilitation agencies. He was able to select one of these service providers to work with him one on one to help him reach his work goals. Both could offer him specialized services, and he could choose which was right for him. ER agencies work with individuals who need more significant services. The services that Ben could receive include benefits and career counseling, education, training, and job search support. EN's are private or public organizations that may help with career counseling and assistance with job placement, and more. Different EN's offer different types of services, so Ben could pick an EN that was just right for him. Ben also had the option to receive services from his state ER agency, and then when those services end, he could work with an EN to receive additional services that would help him find a job, or keep an existing job. Ben took some time to think about his options and decided to assign his ticket to an EN. Ben's commitment to participate in the Ticket to Work Program forged the partnership between him and his service provider. They both agreed to work together, and shortly developed a plan that was just for him. His plan defined his work goals and described the specialized services the EN would provide, or arrange for, to help him meet his goals. Ben's road to employment through the ticket program is a two-way street. In return for assistance in getting a job, Ben pledged to Social Security that he would take specific steps determined by the plan he developed with the EN within time frames set by Social Security. To work at a specified earnings level, or complete certain educational or training requirements. Taking the agreed-upon steps toward employment, with time frames set by Social Security is called making timely progress. By taking these steps, Ben was able to fully take advantage of the support and protections the Ticket to Work Program provided. You can be like Ben. The Ticket to Work Program is here to help you become and stay employed, meet new people, and gain fulfillment and financial independence. We know it's a big step, but there is so much help for you all along the way. The ticket program offers many tools and resources to help learn about starting your journey to financial independence. Are you ready to work? Call the Ticket to Work Helpline at 1.866.968.78432. For TTY, call 1.866.833.2967 to talk to one of our knowledgeable representatives. Or visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work to learn more. Good luck on your journey to financial independence. We are ready to help you on your way.

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>> Okay. Thank you, Mike. Now Ben's story sounded an awful lot like Megan's story. She mentioned a lot of the same things, that she had a specific plan made for her, and followed along with that plan. And there were people there helping her every step of the way. So why choose work? As Megan indicated, it's more money. She was not terminated from benefits, did not lose any benefits until she earned income that was sufficient for her to support herself. That's a great thing. That's partly due to the fact that she was working with TransCen, who are benefits planners, and make that happen. So with the right employment team, and the right members on your team, the plan is to make sure that your income will at least replace the benefits that you would receive. Gaining independence. Megan no longer has to report to several different agencies what she's doing, when she wants to move, how much she's earning. She has independence now. She has gone from employment, she took that independence a step further to self-employment. Meet new people. We heard Megan tell you, she has recently gotten engaged. She's going to be married, and met her husband through work. So there's a lot more to this work stuff than just earning money. Learning new skills. Megan also told us that she initially went back to work in the science field, the field she was in before she became disabled. However, she's now an entrepreneur, doing fitness education. She learned new skills. We can take that Ticket to Work and in your plan, get you education, some hard skills if you want to be a plumber, an electrician, something that, hands on work. Or some computer skills if software or potentially home employment is your goal. This plan that we'll put together, as Megan said, will be made for you, to meet your needs. Now there are two types of benefits programs that we're going to talk about very quickly, because it's very important that you know what benefit you're receiving, so that we can put the proper plan together for you. The first program is Social Security Disability Insurance. It's known as SSDI, and it is an insurance program. People who work and have FICA taxes withheld from their wages purchase insurance with those taxes. And after a specific period of time, while working, depending upon your age, you will become insured for disability insurance benefits through the Social Security Administration should you need them. The other type of benefits are Supplemental Security Income benefits, or SSI. Now, this is a great deal different. These two benefits are worlds apart. SSI is a needs-based welfare benefit. So the result is, there tends to be less money paid, on average, and people need to have lower incomes and very low resources. An individual can have 2000 dollars in countable resources. A couple can have 3000 dollars in countable resources. So this is a low income program. It does not require a work history. But as you learned from Ben, doesn't matter which benefit you receive, you can always use the Ticket to Work and the work incentives programs. There are some folks out there that are known as concurrent beneficiaries. And those people are the people that receive both SSDI and SSI. Those folks also have both Medicaid and Medicare. What happens is, if your insurance benefit is lower than your state's maximum SSI payment, then SSI will step in and make up the difference if you're otherwise eligible. The work incentives sound similar. The work incentives apply to SSDI and they apply to SSI. We need to know which benefit you receive so when we're putting your plan together we can apply the correct work incentives to the correct benefit. Mike, we've got some real bad staticy stuff going on in the background. Listen in to that. [Background noise] Okay, I am going to, while Mike's working on that, turn you over to Kendra Berry right now. She is with Aspire Indiana Works. So Kendra, if you could take it away.

>> Thanks for [inaudible]. My name is Kendra, and I'm a community work incentive coordinator with Indiana Works. So when Megan was talking about benefits counseling she received, your community working benefit coordinators are going to be the people that can assist you with that. They will explain to you the work incentives available. [Inaudible] Can everyone hear me okay? Because the static is [inaudible]. [Background noise] May is National Mental Health Month, as we discussed, and we're going to start with going over some of the common mental illness myths that are associated with returning to work. The first myth is that many mental health problems only affect a few people. When I talk to beneficiaries I work with, they tell me that they feel like they're alone, and that they don't think anyone can relate to what they're going through. In 2011, one in five American adults experienced a mental health issue. That is 20 percent of American adults. So when you feel like you're alone, look back at these statistics and know that you're not. One in ten young people experienced a period of major depression, and one in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness such schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Before becoming a community work incentives coordinator, I was a job coach for a mental health center. And so I was working with adults with serious mental illnesses, to help them find employment. We weren't a temp agency, and we helped people find jobs that they wanted to do. And this ranged from people who have just had, you know, one depressive episode to people who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age. So no matter what you're dealing with, you can find a job out there that's going to be a good fit for you. And I, we are a couple slides ahead. The second most common mental illness myth is, people with mental health needs, even though [inaudible] as well, cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job. And this just isn't true. I know that your symptoms can sometimes feel overwhelming, but that does not mean that you can't have a fulfilling job. People with mental health problems can be just as productive as other employees. And employers who hire people with mental health problems report good attendance and punctuality, as well as motivation, good work, and job tenure on par with, or greater than, other employees. So no matter what you're struggling with, it doesn't mean that it has to hold you back, and you can find a job coach and they can help you find an employer who understands what you're going through and will work with you. One of the things that Tina will talk about after me, is how an employment network can help you. And I know one of the questions I get asked a lot is, how do I explain why I've been out of the workforce? Or, what if I have to take a day off? And the job coach can help prepare you to answer these questions that an employer might ask during an interview, and help you feel comfortable with the thought of returning to work. When employees with mental health problems receive effective treatment, it can result in lower total medical costs, increased productivity, lower absenteeism, and decreased disability costs. So this means that you're not going to be a liability to the employer, and that your mental illness doesn't have hold you back from returning to work. The third myth that we'll discuss is that there's little hope for people with mental health problems. Once a friend or family member develops mental health problems, he or she will never recover. And I know that this is something that you may have even heard from friends or family members, or you feel like people have given up, and you shouldn't. Studies show that people with mental health problems get better, and many recover completely. Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their community. There are more treatments, services, and community support systems than ever before, and they work for many people. So not only are there newer and better medications out there to help manage some of the symptoms that you have on a daily basis, but you have more support systems. Going back to work with your ticket to Work will start with talking with someone about what your goals are. Then we'll talk, you'll talk with a benefits counselor like myself about the work incentives available to you and the different safety nets that they can provide. And then you'll work with a job coach, who will help you create your resume and prepare to interview with employers. And then continue to provide you support once you find a job. So you have a lot of people that will be able to assist you in returning to work, and help you deal with the symptoms that you may be dealing with. So now that we've discussed the common myths associated with mental illness returning to work, what is the Ticket to Work Program? Ray talked about SSDI and SSI, and the programs are very different and have work incentives associated with them. So what you'll want to do is, get in contact with the Ticket to Work Helpline, and get set up with a benefits counselor. The Ticket to Work Program was initiated years ago, and people received a ticket in the mail, an actual paper ticket. But they thought that it meant Social Security was going to force them to go to work, and it was scary. And people just, they put it away, they filed it appropriately, they even threw it away. And the Ticket to Work Program is nothing that you should be afraid of. The Ticket to Work Program give you the opportunity to get connected with different agencies to find a job that's going to work for you. The Ticket to Work Program is free and voluntary, and it assists SSDI and SSI beneficiaries age 18 through 64, who have a disability, to go to work, enter the workforce for the first time, or increase their current work hours. It provides you with the safety net you need to find a job that's a good fit. The representatives at the Ticket to Work Helpline, to help you understand how the program can work for you, and get you connected with different agencies. For more information, call 1.866.968.7842 or for TTY, 866.833.2967. Or visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work. And whether you call or go online to find out more information, the fact that you are attending this webinar presentation today is the first step. You are obviously interested in learning what is available to you and what services are out there, and this is the first step for you. So all you have to do know is just call the line or go online to get connected with someone in your area. When you're ready to work, the Ticket to Work Program can help you in a few different ways. One of the most common things that people say is that they're ready to earn more money because they just can't live off what they're receiving. The Ticket to Work Program, and the work incentives available through Social Security, can help you to improve your earning potential. You heard from Megan, who told you that, you know, going back to work didn't cause her to lose everything immediately, and that's true for both SSDI and SSI recipients. You will have a safety net, and even if you do decide to try working full-time, and your benefits do stop after a period, there's a work incentive known as expedited reinstatement, that if your disability causes you to be unable to work in the future, it allows you to get back onto benefits immediately. So that you don't have to go through that long application process and waiting period again. If the reason you're interested in working is because you want the personal fulfillment that comes with it, the Ticket to Work Program can provide you with the assurance and stability you need to feel confident while you pursue the employment. Having the benefits program, the counseling done for you, and having a job coach at your side will really help you along the way, because you aren't alone. And if something comes up, or you have questions, you'll have someone to ask that. If you want to be able to get benefits back, if your job doesn't work out, Ticket to Work Program puts you on the fast track back to receiving benefits. That expedited reinstatement work incentive that I mentioned is available, and it will protect you. So it gives you a long period where, if working just doesn't work out, or if your symptoms increase and you just can't handle that level of work, you're not going to have to reapply for everything. If you're overwhelmed and you don't know where to turn, don't worry, you aren't alone. The Ticket to Work Program connects you with the people, the resources, and the services you need to develop a work plan. When you're ready to work, building your employment team is the best way to begin. You have options to help you get started. You can speak with an expert at the Ticket to Work Helpline, and I'm going to repeat the number again because really, you should write it down, and it is going to come in handy for you. Whether it is you decide to call today, or you decide a week from now or a month from now, keep the number. You can call the Ticket to Work Helpline at 866.968.7842, or for TTY, 866.833.2967. You can learn more about the Ticket to Work. Read the blog, or view, listen, or read real success stories at www.socialsecurity.gov/work. Now only can you watch Megan's story, and see a video of her showing her dance moves, but you can follow along with other stories as well. Because again, it's common to feel like you're alone, and to feel like, if this is just overwhelming when it's ready, when you're ready to return to work. And it's helpful to see other people who have been there, and hear what steps they took to meet their work goal. You can also find employment networks that meet your needs, or find the contact information for your state locational rehabilitation, or BR agency. And Tina will be talking to you in just a minute about the services that the employment networks can offer to you. It's going to be really important, once you have these services, to stay connected to your employment team as you explore your work options. So Ray, I'm going to send it back to you, I guess, to see if there's any questions.

>> Yeah, Kendra. We do have a couple of questions. By way of review, what age qualifies for the Ticket to Work?

>> The Ticket to Work Program is available to people age 18 through 64. So most of you listening should be eligible for the Ticket to Work Program.

>> Okay. And is it only for people with mental health disabilities?

>> No, the Ticket to Work Program is available to people receiving SSDI or SSI, based on whatever disability that they have. And that could be anything from blindness, to mental illness, to an amputation. It just depends on their disability.

>> Okay. And we have one good question, I think is going to be worthy of review, and you did mention it. Megan said she got laid off, and got her benefits back real quick. Could you explain that again, how that worked?

>> One of the work incentives available is called expedited reinstatement. And one of the most common fears that people have is that they're going to go to work, their benefits will stop, and if they get sick in the future, or their symptoms get worse, or something happens to the job, that they'll have to apply for Social Security and wait, and it could take years. And it took them so long to get their benefits, they're afraid. Expedited reinstatement is a work incentive that allows you to, if you're unable to work because of your mental illness or because of your disability, it allows your benefits to get started immediately the following month from your work stopping. And you have six months of payments while Social Security re-looks at your case to make sure that your disability is the same. So it provides you with the protection to get your benefits started immediately, and not have to go through that long application and waiting process.

>> Okay. Thank you very much, Kendra. And we did want to thank the website mentalhealth.gov for some of the information concerning those myths that Kendra discussed. Thank you very much, Kendra. And we're going to move on right now. And Tina Schiel, who also works at Aspire Indiana, is going to take over and talk to us about some additional services that are available to you. Tina, take it away.

>> Hi there. As Ray said, my name is Tina Schiel. I'm the director here at Aspire Indiana. And first of all I'd like to say thank you to Social Security for having Aspire and Indiana Works participate in today's webinar. Aspire is just one of over 698 employment networks, and only one of 135 employment networks that provide services to individuals living in Indiana. So there's a lot of us out there. So let's talk a little bit. We've, we've talked about this word employment network and heard a little bit about in Ben's video, but really is an employment network? An employment network, or an EN, is an organization or agency that also includes your state vocational rehabilitation agency. But they basically enter into an agreement with Social Security to provide employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and other types of support services to people receiving Social Security Disability. The disabilities under the Ticket to Work Program. So there's a number of different agencies or entities that can be employment networks. For instance, Aspire is a community mental health center, but we also provide employment services as part of our services. There are colleges and there are even businesses now that are becoming employment networks. Okay, so you have an idea of who might be an employment network, but I bet you also heard me mention that there over 698 employment networks across the United States. So you may be wondering, how do I know who is an employment network? So let's take a look at slide 30. It's easy to locate an employment network. You can find service providers in your area who can help you simply be visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/work. By using the find, the find help tool, you'll see that you can simply pull down by your, by either your zip code, or you can actually put in your zip code and the services that you're hoping to receive, and find an employment network. Or you can just click on the state. So for instance, if I was looking for an employment network in Indiana, I could simply click on the state of Indiana, and it would list all the employment networks in Indiana. You can also click on location or distance. So if I was looking at a employment network that's close to Indianapolis, I could mark in, within 30 miles of Indianapolis. It would list all the employment networks near me. You can also just enter your state. Okay. So we, we found out how to find an employment network. You've got your list of employment networks in your area. So how on earth are you going to select from all those networks. Which employment network is right for you? After you've located your employment network near you, choose one that can answer your employment questions. You may want to make sure that your employment provider services, not only provide services in your area, but you also want to make sure that they're a good match for you, and will provide the services you want and need. Some of the questions that you may want to ask include: How many people have you helped through the Ticket to Work Program? Do they have the experience you need? What kind of companies do you work with for job placement? Is there a special industry you're trying to get into? Do they have the connections that you really want? What kind of jobs might be available to you? Do those jobs match your, your goals, or how much you're hoping to earn? And lastly, one of my favorite questions is, how often will you communicate, and where will we meet? Some EN's may only meet over the phone, but others may meet with you in their office. Or even some EN's will meet at your home. You would, we really would encourage you to check out the employment network. Check out their website. Check out their social media. Many of the agencies have Facebook and Twitter nowadays. So jump on that social media. There's also YouTube clips. See what the agency is all about. We really encourage you to call them and interview them one on one. So go to slide 32. When you're calling that employment network, there's some things that we'd like you to remember. Very simple tips. First of all, the employment should be able to explain the Ticket to Work Program and the services that they provide. The employment should, the employment network should ask about your specific work goals and the intentions you have for work. Listen to how they are [inaudible] to you. Are they getting to know you? Are they asking questions about what you really want? The employment network should also talk to you about your fears, the fears that you may have. And I know Kendra mentioned it, and also Megan also discussed that in her presentation. The EN should also talk to you about fears that you may have about going back to work, particularly around benefits. Some of the biggest steps are often the very first step that you take. And one of the big questions has always been around benefits, so get good benefits counseling. Naturally, you and your EN will develop an employment work plan that includes your employment goals and the services the employment network will provide to help get you there. They, the plan will cover both long and short-term goals. So it won't just be about right now, about this job. Many EN's work very hard to look at what I call the ABC. A job, a better job, and then a career. And as we listened to Megan, we heard how she has progressed in her employment career. Alright. When you visit an employment network office, here are a few things that you might want to remember. First of all, your signature on the individual work plan assigns your ticket to the EN. Your ticket is not assigned until you officially sign that employment, the, the IWP, or individual work plan. And next, the employment network may have some routine forms for you to sign and to fill out. Those are simple forms that they need to keep in touch with you. So remember, when you go in to speak with an employment network, there probably will be just a little bit of paperwork. Next, we do hope that you will be satisfied with the services that are provided through your EN, and that your EN will provide and encourage you to continue to pursue and maintain your employment. However, we also know that sometimes things don't work out. You can un-assign your ticket at any time if you change your mind, or you decide that the employment network is not a good match for you. So remember you have those options. Lastly, remember once your ticket is assigned, Social Security is going to postpone that continuing disability review, or CDR, as long as you're making timely progress towards employment. And we heard in Ben's video that timely progress was making steps toward work. Alright. So let's talk a little bit about employment networks. As Ben stated in his video, each EN is a little bit different. However, most EN's are going to provide very specific services that include the list that you see on slide 34. Each EN will provide very different services and that's why it's so important to interview them. Again, we encourage you to do your homework to make sure that that employment network provides the services that you would like to receive. So on slide 34 are some examples of what an EN might provide. First of all, resume development. That's, that is typically all EN's will assist you with the initial resume development, and advise you on filling out a good application, remembering that the resume and the application are your first impressions in employment. Next, they can assist you with interviewing skills and [inaudible], particularly on how to explain perhaps some of those long absences from work without disclosing, necessarily, your disability. Next, they may assist you with some job accommodation information and resources. Since we're talking about mental health, I thought we'd talk just a, briefly about a common job accommodation that I've used throughout the years while providing employment services. It's as simple as setting up a specific task, such as simply being able to take a break, with permission of course, as needed. So there's no direct cost to that employer, but oftentimes it allows somebody a little bit of a break to kind of regroup and help calm down maybe some of the anxiety they might be feeling [inaudible]. The next item on the list is tax incentive information. And employment networks should be knowledgeable on the current tax incentives that are available to employers. Now while this is not a specific job development tool, it is, however, a tool that that can be used to help seal the deal for hiring. So it may not necessarily be the reason for hire, but it definitely can help you get your foot in the door. Lastly, an employment network may help with referrals to other resources in your area. For example, although Aspire is a community mental health center, we also have housing, primary care physicians, [inaudible] services, and connections with lots of other resources. Other examples of employment network service, employment network services include job leads and information on employers who hire, there's job, job fairs, recruiting events. They may also have access to resources such as computer labs, internet, email, telephones, and even faxes to fax over a resume to potential employers. The next item is job development. Now what is job development? Job development means that the employment network would either go on your behalf, or with you, to connect with area employers. And finally, one of the last services often associated with an employment network is referrals to other organizations that can help you. The employment network may be able to provide you service through the Ticket to Work after your, you have actually finished that vocational rehabilitation services process. So you initially start with your ticket assigned to the vocational rehabilitation system. And then as your case is successfully closed with your state vocational rehabilitation system, then it will be reassigned to a new employment network. And you want to make sure is that you have a smooth transition. Alright. Well Ray, I think if there are any questions, I'll open it up right now.

>> Okay. We do have some questions. We have a question on that very last point you made. You, you made a point about going to VR. Be, when you move from vocational rehabilitation to a private EN, do you need to new ticket, or do you use the one you already have?

>> That is a great question. The ticket that you currently have will be considered in use, and you will just need to have that ticket transferred to your new employment network. So it is the exact same ticket.

>> Okay. And earlier you said that if things don't work out with the EN that you picked, you can also un-assign your ticket. Does that mean you get a new ticket to assign, or is, are you assigning the old ticket to a new EN?

>> You would use the same ticket. It just is assigned to a brand new employment network.

>> Okay. And now, since they stopped mailing paper tickets, how do you find out if you actually have a Ticket to Work?

>> One of the easiest ways is to call the, or to call the Choose Work line. If you go to www.choosework.net, you can go in that way or Kendra gave you a phone number earlier.

>> Yeah. That Ticket to Work Helpline is 866.968.7842, and for TTY users, 866.833.2967.

>> Thank you, Ray.

>> Okay. And are there any self-employment option sunder the Ticket to Work?

>> Absolutely. There are numerous individuals who have been very successful at self-employment. As a matter of fact, there are a couple videos online that do a wonderful job of discussing self-employment.

>> Okay. And how bout educational assistance? Is that available using my ticket?

>> Yeah, Absolutely. It is, but it's not available at all employment networks. Again, you would need to do your homework and check to see which employment networks do offer that opportunity. Vocational rehabilitation is probably the largest provider who provides both education and employment services, but there are numerous other employment networks that provide education as well.

>> Okay. So that's part of the process of choosing which EN is right for you.

>> Absolutely. It's that homework process.

>> Okay. Now, somebody had mentioned that they were only a couple of EN's that serve their state, and they were all national EN's. Is there anything else that those people can do? Is there any other resource?

>> So, you have the option to go to your state vocational rehabilitation system. Now there are several national, as you mentioned. So it sounds like the person who is asking the questions, there's only two listed in their state.

>> Hm-mm.

>> Probably the best bet, and Ray I'll lean it back on you. Other than vocational rehabilitation, if those are the only two popping up, vocational rehabilitation would be my third person that I would be contacting.

>> Yeah. And I think it, you know, it depends very much on what that person needs. It is possible to work very effectively with what we call national EN's, who can provide services over the phone, via web chat, or something like that. If you need more intensive services, or feel better working with somebody in person, then the state VR agency would be the place that I would go to as well. Okay. We have a bunch of other questions coming through. Is there any educational level that you need that qualifies you for the Ticket to Work?

>> Is there any educational?

>> Requirement to participate.

>> No, there is not.

>> Okay. So the Ticket to Work for educational services could help you get a GED.

>> That is correct. [Crosstalk] do your homework.

>> Okay. So it sounds like that's before we're putting an employment team together, that first shopping spree through the EN list is going to have to happen. Now, Kendra mentioned that medical reviews were suspended while you were using the ticket. Does that include the time when you're searching for the right EN?

>> You ticket is not assigned until it's actually, until that signature is in use, or, I'm sorry, until your signature actually submitted on the plan.

>> Okay. Alright. So it's not going to stop those reviews while you're shopping, but will once you have a plan put together. Alright. Now, we have a couple of other questions that I'm going to throw out there. And I'm going to give an answer, but I want both Kendra and Tina to chime in. One person wants to know if they have to tell their prospective employer about their disability. And the answer to that is no. You do not have to reveal your disability. And there are certain questions that an employer cannot ask until they have made you an offer of employment. So during the interview process, it's perfectly up to you as to whether or not you want to reveal that disability. If you want some information specific to your state, 'cause state laws vary a little bit, you want to talk to the protection and advocacy agency. And you can also find that the same way you find ENs, using that find help tool that Tina discussed. And that, it's, it would be the Disability Rights Center, the Disability Law Center, something to that effect. And they can talk to you about your state's specifics. Did anybody else have anything to add to that?

>> I would absolutely concur with what you said. I think that all individuals should use the resources that are out there. The ones that Ray mentioned are right on target.

>> Okay. And we also had someone who has both a mental and physical disability and says my fear is that I will be excluded when interviewing due to my physical disabilities. What kind of advice would an EN give me?

>> Ray, what I guess as I'm thinking about that question, employers don't like surprises, but I've heard lots and lots of good, very, or good recommendations on the website that you listed, Ray. Could you give those again as a, as a reference?

>> The web, the protection and advocacy agency, yes. It's called the PABS, protection and advocacy for Social, for beneficiaries of Social Security. They are, there is one in every state, and you find that at www.ndrn.org or on that Social Security/work website. And they can provide you with all kinds of information about what your rights are. And of course, you know, when you're in a situation where you have a physical disability, you can't really hide it. So everybody's going to know, very likely, that you do have a physical disability when you walk into that office. It's, now you can, the issue is not are you disabled. The issue is, can you perform the basic duties of the job, with or without accommodations. So that it may very well be a question for somebody if you are using a wheelchair. An employer may ask you, well how would you do this task, given that that shelf is seven feet over your head. You know, how would you do that task? And you might have to explain something like that. Now, with a disability it, the disability on its face cannot exclude you. That is illegal. Now I realize that's tough to decide and determine, but that's what the protection and advocacy agencies are there for. So for that person, I suggest chatting with them before you go to the interview, to see what they suggest and what your rights are as to how much somebody can ask you during that interview, and how much information you have to give them. We also had somebody asking about federal employment. Can the Ticket to Work be used for federal employment? And the answer to that is pretty much, oh yeah. You know, and the Social Security Administration has been pretty good at hiring lots of people who have used their Ticket to Work as well as other federal agencies. And Jamie wanted me to do a little commercial for the webinar coming up on July 30th, where federal employment will be one of the topics that we are going to discuss. Someone's asking if we feel we've been discriminated against by an EN, or by an employer, what can we do? That's another issue. If you feel you've been discriminated against, or treated improperly, that's what the PABS, the protection and advocacy for beneficiaries of Social Security offices are there for. They're also free services provided as part of this entire return to work program that you can speak to. Many of you might be familiar with the CAP project, the client assistance projects that help folks in disputes with the state VR agencies. The PABS program can assist you in disputes with your EN. They can help you negotiate your return to work plan. If you're, if you are having a dispute over which piece of equipment is going to suit your needs, the PABS agency might be able to provide information to the EN to help better explain why you need that particular piece of equipment, when the EN is offering you something that won't help quite as much. Okay. I think we are getting close to me having to get onto other resources for the moment. And what I'm going to do is go through those, and if we have time at the end we'll get on with other questions. So thank you very much, Tina. And we will look at this next slide. Look at the other resources that are available. Now these resources are more numerous than what we normally do because we are focusing on mental health. So we want to look at mentalhealth.gov, which is a government website, but it's also where we got lots of great information about the myths about returning to work. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is there for you if you have questions or in need of services, or just need somebody to talk to. The Suicide Prevention Line is a wonderful place for people. People that we've worked with have gotten to that sad point where they've considered suicide because something went wrong. Well not only are we all there to help, but there are other people, if things get that bad, that you can call to receive some help and talk to somebody. SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for anybody with a dual diagnosis. That's a particular niche, you know, that might actually cause some interference with being hired, or issues on the job. They're going to be able to provide you with a lot of support. And Mental Health America, another agency that's going to be a great service just to get some information. All of these agencies are here to help you, along with the Ticket to Work and Social Security, The WIPA programs, the benefits planners, and the employment networks are all here to help you get back to work, or to provide you with information that you may need if something goes wrong, or if you just need somebody to talk to. Now, if you, or someone that you know, is suicidal, or is emotionally distressed, that nation Suicide Prevention Hotline can provide you with services 24/7. Trained crisis workers are available on their lines. These are totally confidential calls, and they are toll free. And what happens is, when you dial, their little phone system is going to get you to the center nearest you. They provide counseling services as well as mental health referrals, if you need some ongoing assistance. And you could reach them at 1.800.273.8255, that's 1.800.273.8255. SAMHSA, we talked about them, a treatment referral helpline. So for folks with mental illness and substance abuse issues. And they specialize in getting these folks assistance that will work. They will help you locate treatment services in your, in your area, and you will be able to speak with a live person Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 8 pm, Eastern Time. And that is 1.877.726.4727. Once again, that's 877.726.4727. Mentalhealth.gov, an online, one-stop access provided by the United States Government for individuals with mental health problems. And provides you with lots of great information, provides us with lots of great information as well. Its aim is education and guidance. There's information there for the general public. There's information for health and emergency professionals. Please excuse the beagles barking in the background. There's information for policy makers. People in congress watch this website, government and business leaders. If your potential employer is wondering what they can ask you during an interview, they may very well check out this website. So it's available to you and your prospective employer to put you on an even playing field. It's available to school systems and to local community organizations. And that website is www.mentalhealth.gov. Mental illness resources. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has been around for a very long time, and they're dedicated to building better lives for Americans affected by mental illness. They advocate the services treatment. They support research, and they're committed to raising community awareness, and building a community of hope for folks in need. Now clearly, community awareness and raising awareness within the employment community is going to be very, very important, and part of NAMI's mission, as well as ours. We want to make sure that all the prospective employers out there know that people with mental illness and other disabilities are workable, and can do a job as well as anybody else. And the fact is, statistics are going to show that once an employer hires somebody with a disability, regardless of what type it is, that employer, employee is liable to stay with that employer a lot longer than one without a disability. And that website can be found at www.nami, I'm sorry, NAMI, N-A-M-I, org. www.nami.org. And lastly we have Mental Health America. Community based networks, again, helping people with mental illness live more healthier lives. They've been around for about a hundred years, have about 300 affiliates across the country, and they advocate for changes in policy on a state and federal level. Again, educating the public, both the general public, and remember some of those general members of the public own businesses and are employers. And they deliver urgently needed programs and services. They can be found at www.mentalhealthamerica.net. Where are we going to get some more information? We talked a lot about a lot of information. That doesn't mean we've been able to cover everything. And unfortunately, if we were to try to cover everything, we'd be spending a week or two together. Probably not the most comfortable way to learn. But there are always places for you to call and get more information. Socialsecurity.gov, www.socialsecurity.gov/work is a wonderful, very user-friendly website. I'm sure Tina, myself, and Kendra are on that website every day, just checking things. We can check everything we need. You can get everything you need, to help you with your return to work, from that website. All of the information you need is there. The connections to build that web team, and any other information you might be searching for, you know, that information to get you to your EN, to your WIPA project, to your PABS project. Or you can contact the helpline if you want to talk to somebody and get specific answers about your situation. And that number is 966.968.7842, or for TTY users, 866.833.2967. Okay. Well, guess we have enough time now to take a few other questions. Tina and Kendra, what is the difference between an EN and a WIPA?

>> Well this is Kendra. So WIPA Project is work incentive planning assistance. And what the WIPA does is provide benefits counseling. So the WIPA Project will not help you find a job, and won't provide you with job coach support, but the WIPA Project will help you become familiar with the work incentives available through Social Security. A lot of time the WIPA project will be the first contact that you have, so that you have all of your questions answered about how benefits will be affected when you begin looking for a job. And then Tina, with the employment network, would be who actually helps you prepare your resume, prepare for interviewing, and helps you find that job and keep that job.

>> Okay. Thank you, Kendra. Kendra, do I have to use my ticket to find a job, or can I do it myself?

>> You cannot. You don't have to use your Ticket to Work. The Ticket to Work Program is completely voluntary. It is a free program that's available to you if you want assistance in finding a job. The plus is that the work incentives are available to you no matter what. It is beneficial to you to contact the WIPA program, to know which work incentive, either you've used in the past or you have available to you now, just to help you prepare for your job search.

>> Okay. And Kendra, once again, you've been talking about WIPA services and employment network services. I've been talking about legal services, and we've been talking about vocational rehabilitation services. How much is all this going to cost me?

>> All of this is free. The Ticket to Work Program was created to help people find jobs that are going to be a good fit for them. So all of these services are free to you, whether you contact the WIPA, contact an employment network, contact the PABS, or CAP. All of these agencies will assist you at no cost. They are funded, whether through grants or through the government, and getting paid for things. Nothing will ever cost you a penny. And if someone told you it's going to cost something, then you should definitely contact someone else.

>> Okay. What we want to do right now is, Jamie told me there were a lot of questions that were very, very specific to your individual issues. And I want to do once again is ask you, for those specific issues, to contact the helpline at 1.866.968.7842, or for TTY users, 866.833.2967. During these webinar sessions we try to answer and talk about the questions that are most useful to everybody. And those very, very specific questions are simply going to take up too much time. So we are going to have a Twitter chat on May 30th, and you're all invited. Mental Health Month, a discussion on mental health and employment. #DEchat. The date is Friday, May 30th, 2014, at noontime, Eastern Daylight Time. And to sign in, you need a Twitter account. So you can sign into Twitter and follow us at Choose Work SSA. And participate by using #DEchat in your posts. It's going to be a fun and informative discussion. And you can also follow the discussion in the chat room, and that chat room can be found at http://twubs.com/ dechat. Once again that chat room where you can follow this Twitter discussion is http://twubs.com/ dechat. That is going to end today's webinar. Again, we have another webinar coming up on July 30th. If you give Mike and our web team a couple a weeks, today's session will be archived on that link we gave you earlier. And finally, what we'd ask you to do is to take a look at us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/choosework. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/chooseworkssa. And give that Ticket to Work Helpline a call, 866.968.7842, or for TTY users, 866.833.2967. Before I say goodbye and thank everybody, I want to alert you to the fact that, as you sign off, there will be a short survey that will pop up on your screen. And it's very helpful if you fill that out and let us know what you thought about today's presentation. So thank you, Mike. Thank you, Jamie, in the background. And thank you, Tina and Kendra, for some great presentations. And most of all, thank Megan for sharing her story. And we'll see you all in July. Have a great afternoon, everybody.