>> Let's see. My name is Jayme Pendergraft. And I'm with NDI Consulting. And I will be serving as your moderator today. There are a couple of different ways to access today's webinar. To manage your audio functioning, you can use the audio option at the top of your webinar console. And this looks like a microphone or telephone icon. You're all muted right now, and you're in listen-only mode. This will -- if you choose listen-only mode, I'm sorry. This will enable the sound to be broadcast through your computer. So please make sure your speakers are turned on, or your headphones are plugged in. If you do not have sound capabilities on your computer, or you prefer to listen by phone. You can dial into our toll-free number, which is 1-800-832-0736. Our access code is 8458462. We do try to make every webinar as accessible as possible. It's very important to us as a project. And we know that there are always ways to improve. So if you have any suggestions for us, feel free to let us know. We do have real-time captioning during this webinar today. It will be at the very bottom of your screen, under the presentation slide. There in the captioning pod right underneath. You can also access our captioning online today. And I will go ahead and read out that link. To access the captioning online, you can type in http://www.captionedtext.com forward slash client forward slash event.aspx? customer ID equals 846 ampersand event ID equals 2915912. We will have a question and answer session during today's webinar. To ask questions, please use the Q&A pod. You'll see that to the right of your -- of the slide. And it's labeled Q&A. Just type your questions in there, and we will do our best to get to them. We will, unfortunately, not be able to get to all of your questions during this webinar. So we will provide references to our call centers, who can then help answer some of your questions. If you're listening by phone and you're not logged into the webinar. You can also ask questions by emailing webinarsatchoosework.net. I also want to note that the webinar is being recorded. And the archive will be available within two weeks on our website, at www.choosework.net. While we're reviewing our question and answers slides right now, I'd like to call your attention to our resources pod. This is in the bottom right of your screen. And it includes a couple of links that are important for today's webinar. We do have a webinar question and answer policy. And that's available online at https://chooseworkttw.net/assets/upload/webinars/2016/wise underscore webinar underscore Q ampersand A underscore policy.dpf. We also have the -- today's materials available online. And you can download an accessible PDF or text-only document. If you have any technical difficulties during today's webinar. We ask that you use the Q&A box to send a message to one of our question and answer monitors. Or email Nakia Matthews at nmatthews@ndi hyphen inc.org. We have a pretty big agenda today. We are -- we have our team from Indiana Works and the State of Indiana on our call today. As we talk about choosing a service provider that's right for you. Kendra Berry is going to join us from Indiana Works to talk about exploring your work goals. We'll then talk a little bit about Social Security disability Benefits and the Ticket to Work team. We'll then learn about your Ticket to Work employment team. And some tips for choosing a service provider that's right for you. We'll then talk some about how you find a Ticket to Work service provider. And the type of long-term employment supports that are available. We'll cover some other resources. And then get into the question and answers that I'm sure you'll all have throughout the webinar. At this time, I would like to introduce Kendra Berry. She is the supervising community work incentive coordinator with Indiana Works. Kendra will tell you all about what a community work incentive coordinator actually is. She graduated from Purdue in 2004, and began working with developmentally disabled adults. She has worked as a case manager in a community mental health center. And since 2007, she has been providing benefits counseling to individuals aged 14 to retirement. Helping them understand how working will impact their Social Security Disability Benefits. So Kendra, I would like to go ahead and turn it over to you.

>> Thanks, Jayme. My name is Kendra, as Jayme just introduced. And I am here to talk to you about exploring your work goals. As Jayme said, I help people understand how work will impact their benefits. And you guys listening into this presentation shows that you are ready to start thinking about going back to work. So let's start with what your work goals are, and some questions you should consider. Take some time to think about what type of work do you like to do? And what are your interests? There are a lot of agencies and programs out there that can assist you with finding a job that's a good fit for you. Something to know about the Ticket to Work program and all of the assistance you can receive, is that there is no placement. They are not going to just put you into a temporary job and leave you there. The point of the program is to help you find a job that's a good fit for you. Something that takes your disability into consideration. And also something that you want to do and will be able to do long-term. So, another question to consider is what kind of job do you want now? Versus what job do you want five years from now? Another benefit of the Ticket to Work program is that you can use the services. Not only to help you find a job right now. But to hopefully help you find a career. The goal of the services is for -- not only for you to get back into the workforce. And to get back out there interacting with people and feeling better about yourself. But also to get you to work your way off of your benefits, if that's your goal. And what we're going to talk about -- excuse me. Through this presentation, is all of the services available to help you reach what your work goal is. So take some time to think about these questions. What are your long-term career goals? Right now, you may just want to get back into the workforce and start working part-time. But think about what you would like to be doing five years from now. Maybe even ten years from now. Do you want to work at home? Do you want to work in an office? Are you more of an indoor person? Are you an outdoor person? When I was thinking about all of these things. What kind of job I wanted to do. I would never consider myself an outside person. So I definitely would not be considering landscaping, or snow removal, or anything like that. And it's important to think about that. Because there are so many jobs available out there. You can listen to some of the previously archived webinars and learn about different jobs available. There is a whole webinar dedicated to different government jobs that you can have. Is that something that you're interested in? So when you're thinking about going back to work, consider all of these questions. Another big one to think about is do you want to be self-employed? Or do you want to work for someone else? There are a lot of people interested in starting their own businesses. And there are a lot of additional resources out there for people who are self-employed. So it is definitely something important to consider. Because when you decide to go back to work. Social Security views self-employment differently than they do when you work for someone else. And as we go through the assistance you can receive through the Ticket to Work program. We'll explain to you how you can get help understanding how Social Security will view things. And I know that this is a lot of questions. But as Jayme said to you, you can go online. You can access the website. You can go back to this presentation and view the archived presentation. And go over everything again. But you're doing great taking this first step to getting back out into the workforce. After you get a sense of the kind of job that you want, ask yourself these questions. What type of training or education do I need to reach my goal? Do you already have the training and education? Do you want to return to a job that you did previously? Or, maybe due to your disability, are you interested in getting training and going into a new field? There are multiple agencies out there that can assist you with that process. In getting the education and training you need to change your work goal. Will you need assistance at your workplace? Whether that's special equipment, a job coach, a special schedule. There are a lot of different groups out there that can help. Whether you need personal assistance on the job, or a job coach. A job coach is someone who will not only help you find and get the job that you want. But to also assist you with keeping that job. They are there to answer questions. To help you work with the employer and your other coworkers, to help you keep that job. Do you have a particular job in mind? Or do you need help finding a job? Because when you go through the different agencies that work with the Ticket to Work program. Whether it's vocational rehabilitation or an employment network, you need to know what type of assistance you need. Some of you listening may have your resume ready. You may be ready to hit the road running. And some of you may need some help in preparing a resume, in practicing interview skills. Maybe even in getting some interview clothing. And that's okay. The more you know about what services you're interested in, the better you're going to find an agency that's a good for you. So do you need help with your resume or interview skills? Do you need help to understand how working will affect your benefits? I am with one of the WIPA projects. And I cover three quarters of Indiana. We explain how work will impact not only Social Security benefits. But also food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, HUD. All assistance that you're receiving. We explain how the different assistance programs look at your earnings, and how they'll be counted. And it -- a lot of times, it is important to get that counseling before you go to work. If you don't understand how Social Security or Medicaid is going to count your earnings. You could be surprised when you start working. And all of the services that not only myself, but Tina and Sandy are going to be talking about today. They're free to you. The Ticket to Work gives you access to all of these different services to help you get a job and get back out there. So let's move on and talk about the Social Security Disability Benefits and the work incentives. In doing this, we're going to talk about the two main disability programs through Social Security. The first disability program is Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. And this is for people who have worked in the past and paid taxes. Paid into the system. And they're receiving Social Security benefits against their own work record. Or for people who became disabled before the age of 22. And are receiving against a parent's work record. The other type of Social Security disability is Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. And this is for those of you who maybe, you haven't worked a lot in the past. Or you just didn't work the five years before you became disabled. So you didn't -- you aren't collecting against things that you paid in. And the reason it's important to understand the difference between the two programs. Is because there are different work incentives associated with them. I am going to go back for a second. And let's talk about some of the SSDI work incentives. For those of you on SSDI, the first work incentive, there's a nine-month trial work period. You can go to work and earn as much as you want for the first nine months. And continue to receive your SSDI check. And what that gives you is a safety net. To see, are you able to handle employment? Are you able to handle the job that you want to do. And it allows you to test out your working ability. After the nine-month trial work period, you have a three-year extended period of eligibility. And during the period of extended eligibility, it says that, depending on what your earnings are. You will receive your check if your earnings are below a certain level. And if they're above it, then your check would not come. It's another safety net that's available to you. A lot of you listening had heard some of the crazy myths out there. That going to work will cause your benefits to stop immediately. And you've heard horror stories from, you know, friends of friends of friends, of people whose benefit stopped. The point of this program and the Ticket to Work program in general. Is to let you know that you have not only assistance in understanding how work will impact your benefits. But also assistance in helping you reach what your goals are. So let's go back to looking at SSI. And how is Social Security going to look at your work earnings? The federal benefit rate this year for SSI. And that's the maximum amount of SSI you can receive -- is $733 a month. Let's say you go to work, and you're working about 30-32 hours a week, part-time. You would earn around $885 a month. Social Security doesn't count the first $85 you earn. And after that, they count half of your earnings. So of the $885 you earned, Social Security is going to count $400. So they subtract that $400 from the federal benefit rate of $733. And your new SSI check is $333. And that scares people. They think, oh my goodness, my SSI check dropped. But if you get $333 in SSI, and you earned $885, you have $1200 at the end of the month. Versus before you started working, when you only had $733. For 99% of people receiving SSI, going to work is going to be beneficial for you. And you will end up with more money. The other benefit to working while receiving SSI is that you are paying taxes. You are paying into the system, and earning credits to become insured under the SSDI program. So that in the future, say you work your way off of benefits. But in the future, your disability causes you to be able -- unable to work anymore. You could've earned enough credits to become eligible for SSDI, and receive more money monthly. So it really is beneficial to go to work. In addition to the monetary benefits, there are a lot of other interpersonal benefits to think about. When I talk to people, when they call and they tell me that they're thinking about work. There are a lot of different reasons that they give me that they are thinking about work. Let's look at that Ticket to Work program and see what some of those reasons are. Only you can decide if work is the right choice for you. And if you're listening in on this call, then it's already something you're thinking about. The call -- the point of this presentation is to give you examples of the different assistance that you can receive. In not only finding a job, but in keeping that job. We are here to help you understand that you're not alone. And that if you have any questions, we are here to answer them for you. So why should you choose work? When people call me, a lot of the reasons that I hear over and over and over again. Are that people want to earn more money. They need to pay their bills. They owe people money. They have overdue bills. Getting back to work will give you more money. Whether it is during that nine-month trial work period. Where it allows you to receive your check and work. Or whether it's like the SSI example. Where you end up with almost $500 more a month by working. You can get more money by returning to work. Not only that, but you can become more independent. If you don't have to ask to borrow money from friends or family. If you don't need to have a roommate anymore because you have more money in. It gives you that feeling of independence. And it gets you out into the -- not only workforce, but into the community, to meet new people. When people call me to discuss getting benefits counseling started. A lot of times they express that they're just lonely. That, you know, they became disabled. And now they just spend all of their time, either at home or going to and from appointments. And that they want to get back to work. Because they want to interact with not only coworkers, but people on the bus. And just people in the community. So it's a great reason to want to go to work. I actually work at home, and it's a good fit for me. But for some people, working at home is terrible. They don't like the isolation. Because it can -- it can get lonely. So when we are -- go back to thinking about what's a good fit for you. That's a good example. If you really want to get out and meet new people, then maybe working at home isn't going to be a good fit for you. And that's something to consider. Another reason to choose work is to learn new skills. Like I mentioned before, you may not be able to go back to what you were doing before because of your disability. And that's okay. Like I mentioned, vocational rehabilitation and employment networks are going to be able to assist you. Not only in determining what you would like to do now. But maybe in getting that training and education you need to change your field. And that doesn't have to be going to college. It could be going through a computer training program. It could be doing a typing test, if you are interested in becoming an administrative assistant. There's a lot of options out there. But there's also a lot of reasons why you should be thinking about work. And you should know what's most important to you. So that when you sit down with either a job coach or your vocational rehabilitation counselor. You can explain to them. What is your biggest motivator for wanting to find a job? The Ticket to Work program is a free and voluntary Social Security program. When it was initiated years ago, Social Security sent out this ticket. And it was this red, white and blue form. And people didn't understand what it meant. They thought that it meant Social Security was going to force people back to work and stop benefits. And that's not it. The Ticket to Work program gives you access to different agencies that provide benefits counseling. Job coaching. Education assistance. Help with meeting your work goals. The Ticket to Work program also offers career development for people aged 18 through 64. Who receive Social Security Disability Benefits. So career development would be some of the things I've talked about. Like deciding what job is a good fit for you. Or deciding, if you need additional training and education, what does that look like? They're there not only to help you find that job, but to keep that job. You really should think about the long-term goal. Where do you want to be in five years? Don't think about, you know, oh, I'm disabled. I can't work. No. Think about what you want to be doing. And the Ticket to Work program is here to help you reach that work goal. Taking the next step. Gathering information and resources is key to planning your journey toward employment. The Ticket to Work and work incentives can help make your journey a smooth one. So we are going to go on to talk about, in-depth, the different agencies associated along your Ticket to Work journey. And all of the support available there to help you work. Gathering information, you are starting that now. You are hopefully taking notes, listening to this. There are different website that you can visit. You can call the Ticket to Work helpline. This presentation will give you access to the starting point of your journey. Who to contact, who you should contact first. And what your next step should be. The Ticket to Work helpline, you can call them if you have any questions about working. They are going to be able to get you connected with your WIPA project. The Work Incentive Planning Assistance that I'm part of. Or your employment networks, or EN's. They are going to be a great starting point. And you can reach them by calling 1-866-968-7842. Or for TTY, 1-866-833-2967. You can also visit www.choosework.net. And visiting that website is a great place to start, I think. Because you can click on your state and find contact information for different agencies within your state. If you don't have access to a computer, or that sounds a little overwhelming. Definitely call the Ticket to Work helpline. And they'll be able to talk you through the next steps for you. They can also send you information in the mail that just is related to your state. Different agencies within your state to contact. So you have a few different options available to you in taking the next step. But again, congratulations on being on this call. And learning about all of the different agencies and assistance that's out there. So now that we've talked about the Ticket to Work and the services it can offer. Let's look at the different agencies that you can work with while going through the Ticket to Work program. And this is a whole lot of acronyms on your screen. You see this WIPA in green. And WF in pink, and VR in yellow. EN in blue and PABSS in purple. And you're probably saying, what do these mean? So let's take a minute and go through all of the different assistance that you can receive through these programs. Who can help you achieve your work goal? The Ticket to Work program offers you a choice of service providers. And that starts with employment networks, or EN. And these are going to be the agencies you can work with one-on-one. To find a job that's a good fit for you. You're also going to hear about workforce EN's, or the WF's. And Tina is going to give you information on how that is different than the regular EN's. We're going to hear from Sandy, who's going to talk to you about state vocational rehabilitation, or VR agencies. And in some of your states, they may be referred to VRF's. They are a different agencies you can work with in finding education support, training support, and job coaching assistance. I'm going to come back on the line and give you a little bit more information about work incentives, planning assistance, or WIPA projects, that WIPA. Explain to you how benefit counseling can assist you in getting out there and getting the job that's good for you. And I'm also going to give you information on protection and advocacy for beneficiaries of Social Security, or PABBS. And this is the agency that helps whenever there is a conflict. Either with an employer, with an agency. Or, if there is ever an issue of discrimination. But we'll talk more about that. I'm going to hand the phone back over to Jayme. So she can introduce you to your next presenter.

>> Great. Thank you so much, Kendra. And thank you for that great information. We'll have a bunch of questions, I'm sure, for you at the end of our call today. I would like to take a moment to introduce Tina Skeel. Tina is the Director of Employment Services at Aspire Indiana. And they are an employment network. And she's going to tell you a little bit about what that is in a few minutes. Tina has held a variety of supportive employment positions. That have included case manager, employment consultant, program manager. And now she's the director of employment services. Aspire Indiana was one of the first EN's in Indiana. And she was an early trainer for the Ticket to Work program rollout. And has been actively working with EN's to develop and enhance employment programming. Tina has joined us quite a bit as a presenter in the past. And Tina, thank you so much for joining us again. And I will turn it over to you.

>> Excellent. Well, thank you for having me. Once again, we want to thank everyone who is on this call. You definitely are making the right step towards becoming self-sufficient. And being a participant in the Ticket to Work. So again, thank you for being a part of this presentation. So let's get started and talk a little bit about employment networks, or EN's. You're going to hear us talk a lot about EN. So those words are interchangeable. So as Jayme said, I currently work as an EN within the state of Indiana. But we're going to talk about a lot of EN's all across the United States. So what is an EN? An EN is a private or public organization that contracts with Social Security. To provide free employment services to people who are eligible for the Ticket to Work program. Now, they can provide a number of different services. And it's going to be important to really find out what services each EN provides. So for instance, an employment network could provide career counseling. They may set up specific plans or goals, to work with you on such things. And I think, Kendra, you alluded to earlier, maybe taking specific types of tests. Kendra referred to taking a typing test, to kind of see where your skills are. They might do some job shadowing. They might do some additional skills testing and interest testing. So there are a lot of career planning activities that employment networks can provide. They may also provide job leads and job placement. Many of the employment networks have very close connections with local, state, or even national companies. So they may actually have that shoe-in to the employer that you're looking to get connected with. Next, they may have ongoing support. So, an EN doesn't just get you a job. They help you keep the job. They are there when those job-related things come up. And can be there as a support for you. Lastly, they may also provide benefits counseling. Now, this is on top of what the WIPA projects do, as well. So you will have two folks that you can go to, to have that conversation about benefits planning. For instance, an employment network may actually help you with reporting income to Social Security. Or other entities such as Medicaid, or even HUD. So let's go on to the next slide. As I alluded to, each EN is a little bit different. So it's important that you really research the EN's in your area that provide services. So for instance, some EN's only provide services at their -- in their local communities. Now other EN's may provide services in one state, or even multiple states. There are even EN's that are nationwide. You will work with some EN's in person, and some over the phone. Some EN's actually use email and even websites. It will help you to ask the question, how will you typically meet with me? Will you meet in person? Are we going to meet over the Internet through video-conferencing? How are we going to meet? But we're going to discuss this a little further in the presentation. So hold on, and we'll give you some additional tips on what questions that you can ask. Now, in the initial slide, Kendra referred to another type of EN. She referred to a workforce EN. Sometimes these workforce EN's are called state EN's. You may be familiar with workforce development. That is typically what we refer to as a workforce EN. So the workforce EN's are EN's that are also part of the state public workforce system. They provide access to an array of employment support services, including training programs. For instance, there are several programs for veterans and youth. For instance, there's a JAG program for youth, as well. So those programs, those specialized training programs, are available at the state level for the workforce EN's. A Ticket to Work participant who assigns their ticket to a workforce EN, would either work with the actual workforce EN. Or they actually might work with another provider through that workforce system. For instance, you can see on the slide the specific conversation around job -- American job centers. So let's go on to the next slide. And I'm going to hand it back over to Jayme, to introduce our next presenter.

>> Thanks so much, Tina. And thank you for that helpful information. Our next presenter is Sandy Widener. And she is a supervisor for Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation. And she's going to explain exactly what that means. Sandy has been in the disability field since 1989. And she is a certified employment specialist, and holds both a technical and professional certificate in human services. She has had a variety of jobs in the disability field. Including job coach, crisis monitor, advocate, case manager, placement specialist, employment specialist. And she has now worked with the vocational rehabilitation system for the last eight years. So Sandy, thank you for joining us. And take it away.

>> Thank you very much. I appreciate the introduction. And thank you all for joining in to learn more about voc. rehab. Basically, vocational rehabilitation services is an agency to assist individuals wanting to obtain, prepare for, or to maintain employment. So every single thing that state vocational rehabilitation handles is centered around employment. The state VR agencies furnish a variety of services. It's hard for me exactly say, we provide this, or we don't provide that. Because everything that we provide is so specific to each and every individual's case, so to speak. The services are designed to meet whatever that need might be, based on a person's vocational goal. Based on certain limitations they may have. We may be able to come up with some assistive technology, or devices. Or strategies to help somebody reach a goal that they didn't think it was possible for them to reach. And so, working with the state vocational rehabilitation is a wonderful way to help people reach their vocational goals. And to come up with some realistic, and usually some, sometimes very creative outcomes for certain individuals. We also help people return to work. A lot of times after a person has become disabled, they are not exactly sure what they can do. Maybe they had been working in the field for quite some time. And they're no longer able to do that job anymore. So they may come to state vocational rehabilitation to maybe receive some different training. As Kendra had said earlier, that doesn't always mean we're going to send everybody to college. But it could be there's a short-term training program, or an apprenticeship program. Or, you know, sometimes there's a certificate program that a person might be a good fit for. That they hadn't really thought of. And so, we're looking to enter a new line of work, or return to work. Or also, maybe it's somebody who has never worked before. And they finally have gotten to the point that they're interested in beginning that aspect of their life. Could be someone who the youth in transition services. Getting ready to exit high school, are not sure where they're going to go into the workforce. And so, we see a gamut of people. People returning to work, first-time worker, all sorts of things. Think I can advance the slide myself. I'll try that. Hey! Alright. Alright. So the services that vocational rehabilitations will offer. Like I said, it's varied so much. But basically, the services are going to be things along the lines of intensive training. Education, rehabilitation, career counseling, job placement, and benefits counseling. So I'll kind of go through those a little bit more in-depth. I talked a little bit about some of those. But as far as rehabilitation, a lot of the rehabilitation services could be medical rehabilitation. It could be assistive technology, like I said. It could be prosthetic devices. It could be a van modification. Might be a home modification. Could be a prosthetic device. Lots of different things to help the person. And like I said, it will be varied, depending on what that person's coming to us for, for that need. And, you know, what we can provide in relation to what it is that they wanted -- that they want to do. The job placement assistance, we're here to help people find jobs. I can speak about what we do specifically in Indiana. Each state has different providers that they work with to provide that one-on-one service. I know in Indiana, what we typically do, is when we find and determine a person eligible for services. If we determine that they also need that one-on-one assistance. We call them employment specialists, or a job coach, or placement specialist, or a consultant. We will send a referral to one of the agencies that we work with, that we have contracts with. To assist that person with that one-on-one service. Getting to know them, helping them with their resume, doing job readiness activities. Sometimes doing some activities, we use the term discovery in Indiana, to learn more about that person. And what it is that really is going to make a good career fit for them. We may do some interest inventory, some testing. A lot of those things. We try not to just put a person into a job simply because we -- they want to work. And we found an open opportunity. We want to make sure that it's a career fit for that person. Find out what it is that they want to do, and that they're going to be very good at doing. And be satisfied, so they're going to keep that job for the long-term. And as Kendra has mentioned already, benefits counseling. That's one of the things that Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation can do. Is assist in paying for that benefits counseling, if that is needed. If they choose to use one of our service providers, we have a process called a benefits information network. And they can help gather a lot of that information about that individual. To make that process a little quicker for our wonderful folks like Kendra, there. So if you're help -- if you have questions about that with your local VR office, I would suggest calling your local office, and asking if they have that available. Or if they have a program similar to Kendra's program, here in Indiana, called the WIPA. Some VR agencies are actually two different agencies. In Indiana, we're a combined vocational rehabilitation state. And so, individuals that have -- that are visually impaired or blind. Receive the same services through the same department as everyone else that has just a disability. Is not blind or visually impaired. Some states actually split those up into two different departments. Not exactly sure why. But in Indiana, we're a combined state agency. Other states, they're split. So again, I would just contact your local area, and they will -- they'll route you to the correct area. Okay. Oops. Sorry, hold on here, guys. Alright. So now I'm going to turn it back over to Jayme. And she's going to take it from here.

>> Thanks, Sandy. And thank you for giving us that information about voc. rehab. Kendra, I will turn it back to you to talk about WIPA projects.

>> Thanks, ladies. This is Kendra again. I am going to explain to you what is a Work Incentive Planning and Assistance project, or a WIPA? When you go to the choose work website, if you choose to look up information for your state that way. You'll see the green circle with WIPA in it. The WIPA projects are organizations within your community that provide free benefits counseling to Social Security Disability Beneficiaries. To help them make informed choices about work. What that means is, if you are between the ages of 14 all the way up to retirement. You can receive free benefits counseling, if you're receiving SSI or SSDI. So WIPA offers a range of services to help you understand your options, if you choose to pursue work. A lot of people who contact us, contact us before they begin looking for a job. Like I mentioned before, there are a lot of myths out there that going to work will cause you to lose Social Security, Medicaid, food stamps, everything. Benefits counseling helps explain exactly how work will impact your situation. So the way it works is you contact your WIPA. And they are either going to meet with you virtually. Usually over the phone or in a video chat. And some of them do meet in person. But a lot of them are over the phone or through video. They're going to talk to you about what your work goal is. Ask questions. How much do you want to earn? They're going to ask what benefits you receive. And then they'll send you consents. They'll have you sign consents. So that they can verify which Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamp card. They'll verify all the assistance that you're receiving. Then what they do, is they put together a benefits summary and analysis for you. And it is usually a 6 to 10 page document, that explains exactly what benefits you're receiving through all the different agencies. And what work incentives are available to you. So if you're receiving SSDI, is your trial work period available? What is your work goal? Will you use your trial work period if you begin working at your work goal? It helps you to understand exactly what will happen once you begin working. All WIPA projects are staffed by community work incentives coordinators, or CWIC's. Who provide in-depth counseling about working, earning more money, and how working may affect your benefits. On this call today, you happen to be listening to a staff from the State of Indiana. That does not mean that all these services aren't available in your state. When you call the Ticket to Work helpline, or visit choosework.net. You can click on your state and find the contact information for your local WIPA. Your local vocational rehabilitation. Your local employment networks. So all of the things we're talking about today, although the examples may be Indiana. The same services are available in your home states. WIPA projects can help you understand the rules of specific work incentives and how they apply to you. And help you decide whether the Ticket to Work program is right for you. When we do benefits counseling here, we help people to understand what's going to happen to their benefits. We show them how Social Security will count their earnings. And we help them understand that there are some ways to lower their countable earnings and Social Security work incentives. For both SSDI and SSI recipients, Social Security will take into account any out-of-pocket expenses you have, related to your disability. So if you have to pay for glasses, or you're paying medication co-pays, doctor visits co-pays. If you have to pay for a prosthetic device, or a new wheelchair, or repair for a wheelchair. Anything you pay out-of-pocket can be used to lower the countable income. The Social Security will subtract an amount from your earnings. So it's great to understand all of the work incentives available to you. And the WIPA offers benefits counseling to you for free. WIPA projects help you understand the potential benefits of employment of the person who receives disability benefits from Social Security. While dispelling the myths about working. When you call and talk to us, we will help you understand that, yes. We know that you've heard some of these crazy myths that you're check's going to stop as soon as you go to work. Or you're going to have to owe back-money. We help understand -- help you to understand -- how Social Security counts things. To hopefully make it easier for you. We'll help you analyze how work and earnings may affect SSI, SSDI, and other public benefits. And help you understand the services provided by a state VR agency or an EN. And how they might fit best with your needs. Like I mentioned, a lot of people get benefits counseling before they begin working. And when you call your WIPA, not only will they do the benefits counseling. But they'll also give you information on who your local state vocational rehabilitation is. Where the office is located. What the phone number is. They'll help you understand how to report earnings once you begin working. Provide you with your local Social Security office information. Your local Medicaid information. And how to submit your earnings to those agencies. They'll also give you contact information for different employment networks. For some people, like Tina said, those are going to be local employment networks. For other people, we give contact information for some of the national employment networks. Because every employment network offers different services and has a different reach. So depending on what your goal is, one provider may be a better fit for you. And WIPA can help walk you through that process, as well. Let's move on to understanding what is Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security, or PABSS? Again, if you go to the choosework.net website, you will see a purple triangle with PABSS written in it. And the PABSS program helps people with disabilities who receive Social Security Disability Benefits and had a disability related employment issue. So what does that mean? The PABSS advocate can provide you with legal support, advocacy, and information to assist you to resolve employment related concerns. And some examples of this can be if you have a problem with your EN or VR service. And don't believe that they provided you with what they should have. PABBS could help you to solve that problem. If you are currently working, and you believe that you're being discriminated against. PABSS can connect you with legal support. And provide you with advocacy in understanding what your rights are as an individual with disabilities. Not only those examples, but so many more things. The biggest thing that I like to explain is the advocacy portion. Because not only are they going to advocate on your behalf. But they're going to teach you how to stand up for yourself. And how to understand what your rights are. Whether it is related to working. Whether it's related to your disability. They'll help you to understand. The PABSS services may include navigating organizations and services to support your efforts to work, and protect your rights. Such as appealing decisions of a VR agency or an EN. So if you disagree. Say you're not found disabled by one of the agencies, but you disagree. That's something that PABSS could assist with. You can find their contact information by either calling the Ticket to Work helpline. And asking for PABSS information. Or visiting the choosework.net website. Clicking on your state and looking for the purple diamond. I think I called it a triangle earlier. A diamond. PABSS can also assist you with requesting reasonable accommodations in your workplace. College classes, training course, and licensing programs. So an example of this would be, if you need to sit when all of your coworkers stand at their position. That's a reasonable accommodation because of what your disability is. And I'm going to pause here for a second and let Jayme jump in with a question about PABSS.

>> Thanks, Kendra. Actually it's a question about all of these great service providers that we've talked about. We have heard from an EN. We've learned about workforce EN's, a VR agency, and yourself at the WIPA. And you also told us about the PABSS. These are a lot of really great services. Kendra, can you tell me how much all of this costs?

>> All of these services are free through the Ticket to Work program. That is the best part of the Ticket to Work program. It allows you to access all of these different agencies, and all of the different services throughout the agencies for free. So when you call, whether it's the Ticket to Work helpline, or visit the choosework.net website, you can find information for your local agencies. And you can, whether you need PABSS assistance right now. Whether you want to start with benefits counseling. Or whether you want to call vocational rehabilitation and set up an appointment to further your education. You can find the contact information and get all of these services started for free.

>> That's great. Thank you so much, Kendra. I'll let you get back to your presentation.

>> Thanks. Let's finish up here with the PABSS information. The reasonable accommodations, not only could it be if you need to sit, versus standing. It could be if you need to take extra breaks because of your disability. Or if you're in class and you need to have someone take notes for you. All of those things can be reasonable accommodations, depending on what your disability is. And it's okay to need that assistance. And it's okay to ask for that assistance. PABSS can help you not only learn what's a reasonable accommodation. But can help you learn to advocate for yourself and get those accommodations. Other disability based legal issues that are barriers to employment, such as transportation. So they can assist you with finding specialized transportation. Or making sure that you have access to different agencies that can provide that assistance. And with that, I am going to turn it over to Tina. Who's going to talk to you about choosing the right service provider.

>> Thank you, Kendra. So, choosing the right provider. I told you earlier that we would talk about some questions. And this really is the opportunity to get a baseline. On how to figure out how to navigate which EN or VR agency is right for you. So the first and most important thing is, take your time. Take your time, be confident about whoever you choose. There isn't any type of time frame. You're not locked into any kind of timeframe on how long it takes you to assign your ticket. Once you decide to move forward with your ticket. Really take the time to be confident about your provider. Make sure that you understand the effects of your benefits. How work will affect those benefits, and how to plan for that. Kendra talked about the work incentives earlier that are available to individuals. So really taking that time to work with the WIPA project. And your EN or VR provider may be able to offer that benefit counseling as well. So take that time to really understand. Social Security has worked very hard with the Ticket program. To ensure that people are making educated decisions about moving forward with employment. Kendra alluded to also the fact that there are a lot of myths out there. So we want you to be fully educated as you move forward. And really be able to access those many work incentives that are available. I always advise that people also take the time and call several different employment networks. Even though we are an employment network, I really encourage people to look and research. Take a look at the Internet. See what's out there. Get to know all of those different EN's in your area. For example, in Indiana, there's over 100 EN's that provide services here. So there are a lot of choices to be made. So take your time, do your research. Understand your benefits before you assign your ticket. So what questions should you really ask? First of all, I really advise that folks pay attention to asking the questions about what kind of guidance they offer participants. We talked a little bit about research or about interest testing. We talked about opportunities to get some additional training or resources. So do go back and find out, do they offer guidance for participants of the Ticket to Work program? Also, do you serve others who also have my disability? For example, an EN that provides mental health services may have a better understanding of mental illness. And the accommodations that are specific to mental illness. And how to work with some of those barriers that folks may incur as part of going back to work. So understanding what their specific skill set is. Who they typically serve. The next piece is, what types of jobs has that service provider found for other people? So other job seekers. For instance, there are some employment networks that really specialize in certain areas. For example, there is a EN that specializes in work-at-home activities. And there are other EN's that specialize in say, careers around industry. For example, truck driving. Or they may have a special connection with say, call-centers. So find out what that EN specializes in. And we're going to talk about -- a little later on. Jayme's going to talk about a special resource that you can utilize. That will help you kind of go through all this information about the employment network. And help you be able to make a better decision. Because like I said, there are a number of employment networks out there to choose from. And you want to make sure that that employment network fits you. And there really isn't too many -- there isn't really such a thing as too many questions. So don't be afraid to ask questions of that employment network. It's better to ask the question than not to ask the question. So the next part of this is what do you need help with to achieve your goal? As you meet with the potential service providers, be sure to ask the following questions. First of all, the services that you need help with. For example, if you need help with writing a resume. Or you need help with interviewing skills. Or even benefits counseling, you want to make sure that they offer those services. You also might want to ask how they're going to provide those services. For instance, they may have a online resume writing tool. And that may not be the easiest tool for you. You may prefer in person activities. So make sure and ask those questions. The next thing is, why are you looking for help in these services? Now, why would this be important? It's important that the employment network understands what you need, in order to be able to provide it. For instance, I have had people call our services and ask for job training services for truck driving. We don't offer job services for truck driving. But I was able to refer them back to that workforce EN that we talked about earlier. And they were able to link that person up with those necessary services. The last thing is, can this service provider help you achieve your work goals? Okay. So you want to make sure that the service provider that you pick is able to help specifically, in the area that you want. So for instance, if I want a job at -- in my home, kind of like Kendra has. Will that EN help me get that type of job? So with all this said, keep these things in mind. As you look at service providers, you need to ask the question. So, do I really want to work with an employment network? Or do I want to work with a VR agency? So that's question number one. Then the next thing is really that first touch. Did the staff seem friendly and willing to work with me? I think everybody has had that experience where they have called someplace. And the person on the line, maybe wasn't as friendly as we had hoped them to be. That may or may not be an indication to how well they provide services. I encourage people to get on the website. See if they have staff pictures. Or if they have descriptors, like bio sketches of their staff. Get to know who might be providing services to you. The next question is, does the EN or VR agency provide all the services that you need? So, for instance, I like face-to-face service. If that EN is not willing to meet with me face-to-face, I'm probably not going to pick them. I also like to have the opportunity to do resume writing and practice my skills. So again, you want to make sure that that EN services are what you want. The next question is, how does this service provider compare to other service providers? So I alluded to the fact that we're going to talk about a very, very special tool here in just a minute. Called the beneficiary worksheet. This is an opportunity to sit down and put each EN side-by-side and do some comparisons. So deciding what services you need and making sure that that's the right one. Again, is super important. Do you know anyone who has used these services? You know what. The best way to find out how good a service is, is ask somebody who has used their services before. Ask friends, ask people in your area. Has anyone utilized this service? That could be a really good indication on how good their services are. So I'm going to bring it back to Kendra. Kendra --

>> I'm here.

>> Okay.

>> Oh, technology, it's fun, fun. So now that Tina's talked to you about all the things to consider when you are ready to choose a service provider. How do you actually find a Ticket to Work service provider? If you're ready to look for one, you can use the find help tool to find a service provider. To do this, visit the find help tool online at www.choosework.net/findhelp. Using this website is going to be the best way to find different providers in your area. When you first use the find help tool, you can use the same search to create a customized list of service providers for you. The list generated from your search may not have a local office near you. But they do serve your zip code or state. So when you -- when it gives you this big list of service providers in your area. Like Tina and Sandy explained to you, you can search, start looking, in your local area. There may be local offices that you can meet with in-person to find services, schedule appointments. It's also going to provide you with the agency that provides services in your state. And they may be located at two states over. They could be located across the country. It's going to give you the choice of looking at all the different employment networks. Now that you've listened to almost this whole presentation, you know some things to keep in mind. Jayme is going to give you information about comparing the local EN's and the state EN's. And just the different agencies. You can still work with them over the phone or by email. They may have a local office that isn't listed in the directory. The best way to find out who's going to be a good provider for you, is to call them. You can call the local agencies. You can call the statewide ones. It will be the easiest way to find out, do they offer the assistance you're looking for? Do they offer services locally, in-person? Or are they going to do things over the phone? You can get all your questions answered by visiting their websites and talking to them on the phone. That'll help you to choose the provider that's going to be a good fit for you. And I am going to pass this over to Jayme. Who is going to talk to you about these long-term employment supports.

>> Thanks so much, Kendra. And we're actually going to continue to just demonstrate our employment team here. And Tina and Sandy are going to talk with you some more about long-term employment supports and what we call Partnership Plus.

>> Thanks, Jayme. This is Sandy. I'll go ahead and take the lead on this one. Partnership Plus is kind of a -- like you said, it's a partnership model between vocational rehabilitation and the employment networks. Many times, individuals with disabilities will start their journey towards returning to the workforce. Or obtaining a new career, with vocational rehabilitation. And then, once vocational rehabilitation gets to a certain point in each person's case. Then that's where that -- it goes into, like, a 90 days after a person is employed. That they would be looking for those long-term supports. So, I'll switch it over here and kind of go into a little bit more detail. And it says, if you found help with a VR agency, your case may be closed approximately 90 days after you start working. A lot of times, people want to focus on that 90 days. And that may or may not be the case for every single person. Each person that vocational rehabilitation works with, when we assist individuals. And helping them find employment. Our goal is to get them to the point that we use a term called stabilization. And that just basically means that they're working at the level that they're going to be working at. At their highest level of potential. So you know, a person may need a lot of support when they first start a job. And that job coach or that employment specialist might be working with them 100% of the time. And then, kind of fading away those supports as time goes on. In Indiana, we typically work in a -- at a time period, it's about a 24-month period where we consider it ongoing support. So we have about a two-year time period from when we place an individual on a job. That we're hoping that at the end of that, that they are going to be stable no sooner than 90 days. But it could take a little longer than the 90 days. For most individuals, they're going to catch onto the job very quickly. Their job coach is going to fade away from them pretty soon. Because we would hope that those natural supports, those supervisors and coworkers. And maybe peer supports on the job is going to start taking over those roles of assisting individuals with disabilities. And that employment specialist will be working on that hand-off with that supervisor or HR manager. Or whoever is going to kind of take over that with that person. But the goal is to get them to the point that they're at their highest level of independence. Which is usually 90 days. But could be longer for some individuals who need those long-term -- or those intensive supports. So we'll partner with the employment networks. Because eventually we're going to --our services will end eventually, when the person gets to that point. But once a person gets to that point, they may need long-term assistance, even beyond what VR can assist with. And so, the employment networks can -- I would -- I kind of want to say, they'll pick up the ball from there. We kind of do a hand-off between once VR case is closing that individual. If that person still needs additional supports. And Kendra's talked about some of the support that person might be looking for. Maybe if they've had that job for a while and they're looking for some career advancement. Maybe a new job has opened up within that place that they're working at. And they want some additional training to be able to be qualified for some new positions. Or maybe their disability has changed. Or maybe their limitations have lessened. Or maybe they've finally gotten a piece of equipment that is now enabling them to do something different. Rather than either going back to VR, if has done that hand-off with the employment network. That employment network, hopefully, would assist them in moving up into a better paying job. Higher wages, maybe more responsibility. Or it could be simply a different job, as talked about earlier. But that arrangement, as far as VR closing the case and moving on to an employment network. In Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation, the VR counselor will sit down with an individual and help plan that. We can bring up local employment networks. We can talk about the ones that maybe are not local. If they feel the support over the phone is sufficient for them. Like Tina said, some people want somebody to meet with face-to-face. Other people don't really need that. And so, we'll go over those employment networks that serve that area. And then they'll make that selection. And then we notify Maximus behind-the-scenes that that has been selected. And we'll also contact that employment network and let them know that that referral would be coming. So that's typically how we did here in Indiana. Let's see here. There we go. Sorry about that. And so, like I said, after VR services has ended, we'll ask them to make a choice of their employment network. And that --this kind of sets up longer-term success. So sometimes people get scared when they think, oh, my VR case is going to be closed. I'm on my own now. I'm just out here doing it all by myself. And that's not the case. You know, a Social Security recipient can certainly assign their ticket to any employment network of their choice. And like Tina was saying, it's important to research what's going to be a good fit. So having those conversations with their counselor before that case is closed is going to be key in this model. So Tina, you want to take it over from here?

>> Thanks. So after the services is -- has ended. As Sandy stated, VR services are time limited. So this is an opportunity to continue your progress, your financial stability, by braiding those services together. And to continue the Ticket to Work program. It is your choice to receive these additional services. Sandy alluded to how the process kind of works here in Indiana. But no matter what state you're in, the one thing that you need to really pay attention to is when your case is closed with vocational rehabilitation. Has your ticket been assigned to the employment network of your choice? So if you decide to continue those services, you want to make sure and work with that EN that you've picked. That you've had a discussion with your VR counselor with. And are working towards taking that ticket and working with the employment network. So just as a double-check, check in with that employment network. Make sure that your ticket has been assigned. And start working together on those next steps. It really is the one way to that financial independence. So on slide 45, you can see a basic summary of the steps through vocational rehabilitation, on to the employment network. So at the initial stage, vocational rehabilitation is helping you explore those employment options. They've done some pre-employment workforce development. Which may include that benefits counseling. The career counseling, education and training, and job search support. They have probably linked you up with an employment provider who's helped you with finding a job. May or may not have helped you find a job, specifically. Then at that point, when your case is getting ready to close out. That is the point where you start having that discussion with the vocational rehabilitation counselor. Talking about what employment network you're interested in. And then making that linkage. As Sandy said, typically within our system. The vocational rehabilitation counselor assists with that bridge to the employment network. And a lot of times here in Indiana, the employment networks are also vocational rehabilitation providers. So you may have already received services through vocational rehabilitation, and through a provider within your state. And then, that provider may also be an employment network. So you might be working with the same person. Now, that doesn't mean that you necessarily have to stay with that provider. If you've gone through vocational rehabilitation and completed it. And you find an employment network that you would like to get linked up for those long-term supports. That's okay too. Do your research again. Remember those employment networks are there for that long-term job retention. Or even continuing to develop your career. They may look at things like job accommodations. They may look at job coaching. I think sandy alluded to, maybe there is additional tasks. Or things added to your job that you may need additional assistance with coaching. There may be some job retention services needed as well. So that's just a basic overview of how Partnership Plus works. So what can an EN help with after you've found work? So I kind alluded to all of these items on the last slide. But just kind of wanted to go a little bit more in-depth with the process. So one thing is really job accommodations. Jobs change every day. For example, at my work, we changed computer systems. And the screen reader, which I have utilized for the last three years was no longer able to work with our new system. So getting a new job accommodation was an essential piece. So an -- if I was working with an employment network. I could've worked specifically on getting a new accommodation made. Sometimes there are problems on a job site. And it might be hard to communicate with an employer. The employment network can come in and assist with being your advocate with an employer. They can also assist with staying in touch with -- now the slide said Social Security. But they can also assist with staying in touch with your state services, such as Medicaid or HUD. They may do a lot of different things besides just staying in touch with Social Security. The other thing is, they can help you stay organized. Going back to work is stressful. But that's what an employment network is there for. Things like childcare or transportation can really get jumbled up pretty quickly. And that employment network is there to help you kind of get things organized. I think one of the number one difficulties I hear people say is my transportation got messed up again. So a lot of times that employment network can come in and really help with that. Another piece is around reporting income. It's essential that you report your income to all of those entitlements that you may receive. So having an employment network can help you in that process. They can also help you find answers to questions that you may have around work. And how your benefits may be affected. So there are a whole lot of things that those employment networks can continue to do, to help you maintain your job and to continue your career. So I'm bringing it back to Jayme. Who's going to talk about the other resources. You're finally going to get to hear about the beneficiary worksheet.

>> Thank you so much, Tina. And we're going to actually turn it back to you with a quick question. We have someone out there who would like to know if their post VR-EN services cost anything?

>> Absolutely not. So all those services, the EN, vocational rehabilitation. There is no direct cost to an individual at all.

>> Great. Thank you so much, Tina. Before I get into the other resources. I just want to remind folks that you can ask questions in our Q&A box. Which is over to the right of the presentation slide. We're not going to have too much time to get to questions today. But I will tell you in a minute where you can. The helpline can contact to get your questions answered if we're unable to get to them this afternoon. So, as Tina mentioned, we do have the Ticket to Work beneficiary worksheet. This worksheet details all of those things Tina talked regarding choosing a service provider. It gives you questions you may want to ask. It gives you a section to take notes. And it will help you keep organized as you do interview those service providers. So once you get a list of service providers you're interested in. They'll help -- and you go visit them, this is the worksheet for you. You can download this online at https://www.chooseworkttw.net/library/finding hyphen EN hyphen assigning hyphen your hyphen ticket hyphen worksheet. And I know that was a really long link. So I'll tell you a real quick way to get there. If you go to www.choosework.net, you will see a link at the very top of the page. A button that says library. And this worksheet is listed in there as well. So that's a long link, but that's the fast way to get to it. We also have a fact sheet about Partnership Plus. It includes that image that Tina talked about. And tells you how that whole process works. And that's also in the library. But I will send out the direct link for you as well. So the link to our Partnership Plus fact sheet is https://www.chooseworkttw.net/library/partnership hyphen plus. And if you didn't get all that, just go to choosework.net. And across the top, you'll see a bunch of blank text on a blue background. And one of the choices is library. And both that worksheet and the Partnership Plus fact sheet are available in our library. So, as I've mentioned, we're not going to get to everybody's questions today. We only have eight minutes left. And we will try and ask the questions that apply to the most participants this afternoon. So, if we do not get to your question, or you think of a question later. You can always call the Ticket to Work helpline. They can be reached at 1-866-968-7842 for voice. Or 1-866-833--2967 for TTY. You can also visit us online at www.choosework.net. And we are on all of the official media channels. So you can like us on Facebook. That's Facebook.com/choosework. You can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/chooseworkssa. You can watch out Ticket to Work videos on YouTube. And that is at www.youtube.com/choosework. And we're also on LinkedIn. And that's at www.linkedin.com/company/tickettowork. And if you haven't had a chance to view our YouTube channel. We have some wonderful success stories available. And I encourage you to go on and listen to stories from people like you. Who have assigned their Ticket and have succeeded at workforce. I am going to open the Q&A right now. But at the end of the webinar, a link will pop up and ask you what you thought about our webinar this afternoon. If you need to go to that link later, the URL is www.choosework.net/surveys/wise. But it will automatically pop up on your screen when we close the webinar. I am going to leave our Ticket to Work helpline screen up. As we do have a lot of questions coming in. And we unfortunately will not be able to get to everybody's today. So feel free to call that Ticket to Work helpline. Okay. Tina, I am going to start with you. Do we commit to only one employment network? And how do we do that?

>> Well, there's actually a way to partner with multiple employment networks. What I advise people is. If they're interested in a couple -- of working with a couple of different networks. They should have that conversation with both employment networks. So I mentioned earlier that it's possible that a EN specializes in, say, stay-at-home type work. But you need some additional services upfront, more face-to-face. And they may provide only over the internet. You could have a discussion with sharing actually employment networks.

>> Okay. Thanks, Tina. And what happens if I don't like my EN? Can I assign my ticket to a different employment network?

>> You always have the option to do that. We really encourage folks to try to find the EN that best matches their needs. So again, it's about research. But if you get into a employment network and you're just not happy with their services, it's okay. You can reassign your ticket. But please -- the biggest piece is letting that EN know that you're reassigning your ticket.

>> Alright. Thanks so much, Tina. Kendra, I have a couple of questions for you. We've talked a little bit about work incentives this afternoon. Can you tell us what those are?

>> Work incentives are the safety nets that Social Security and the government in general gives you to try working. So the examples of the work incentives are, like the trial work period for people with SSDI. That allows you to work nine months, but still get your Social Security check. There are also work incentives associated with Medicaid and Medicare that allow you to keep your insurance. There is a work incentive associated with HUD that can allow you to work and continue to have your HUD assistance. So work incentives are something that when you receive benefits counseling. Whether you get that through the WIPA project or through an employment network. You will learn what work incentives are available to you, based on your specific situation.

>> Thanks so much, Kendra. Sandy, we have a lot of questions coming in about training. Are there any -- is there any organization out there that can help with continued education or training? Either for advancement in the career I already have, or for finding a new job?

>> Sure. Vocational rehabilitation is just one avenue to assist with training. And if there are other resources that a person would be eligible for in addition, we might partner. For example, if somebody is interested in going to college. And they qualify through the federal government's Pell Grant program. Then the amount of money that VR might kick in would be commensurate with any unmet need that the Pell money wouldn't already have covered. The workforce development system has a lot of training opportunities. Again, we have on some occasions partnered. Where they might pay tuition for a particular person. And then vocational rehabilitation might've picked up an additional cost. And we've partnered in that respect. Again, it really depends on each person. It depends on the type of training program they're looking for. What's available locally. It also depends on the labor market. It depends on what that person's vocational goal is. You know, one of the things of vocational rehabilitation is we don't pay for training just for somebody to take training. We have to tie it to their vocational goal. So it's very important to have that -- those conversations with your counselor. And make sure that we're doing a good job of determining, do you want a job in the hospitality industry? Do you want a job in the law industry? Are you wanting a service-based job? All of those different things. And then, if they do want that, then what's it going to take to get there? And if a training program is required, to assist that person in reaching that vocational goal. Then vocational rehabilitation might consider that something that is vocationally relevant. And it's vocationally necessary. And could possibly be part -- could be written into their vocational plan. However, like I said, if those means can be covered. Maybe it's a transition student and the high school has a career counseling programmer. Or a dual credit program through the high school. Then maybe the school would pick up part of that. And VR might, you know, just be providing the vocational counseling guidance portion of it. So it's really hard for me to say yes, these are what's available. But look at your local school systems. Look at your vocational programs. Your short-term apprenticeship programs, workforce development. I'm probably forgetting a lot of other training opportunities. But I would say, if -- when in doubt, again, go talk to vocational rehabilitation. And find out what can be offered per each person's case.

>> Thanks so much, Sandy. Tina, I have another quick question for you. Throughout this presentation, we've been talking about assigning your ticket. Could you tell us what that means?

>> So, in order to assign your ticket, you simply call an employment network. And tell them that you are interested in assigning your ticket. They will make the phone call and assist you in assigning it. You can also call the Ticket to Work helpline, at 1-866-968-7842. And they can also assist you.

>> Thanks so much, Tina. Okay. I'm going to take the next couple of questions. We have some folks out there looking for the link to the beneficiary worksheet and the Partnership Plus fact sheet. So I am going to encourage you to go to choosework.net and visit our library. So all you have to do is visit www.choosework.net and select library. The direct link to the worksheet is www.chooseworkttw.net/library/finding hyphen EN hyphen assigning hyphen your -- y, o, u, r -- hyphen ticket hyphen worksheet. And the link to the Partnership Plus document is www.chooseworkttw.net/library/partnership hyphen plus. And again, if you just go to choosework.net and select library from the menu at the top. You'll be able to access all of those document -- both of the documents and a couple of others. You also have several questions coming in about how to find one of these service providers. And there are a couple of ways you can do that. Kendra talked a little bit about the find help tool. Which is available on choosework.net/findhelp. You can also call our Ticket to Work helpline at 1-866-968-7842 for voice. Or 1-866-833-2967 for TTY. And they'll be able to provide you with a list of service providers in your area. And answer any questions that you may have. Since I know we had a lot come in today. So with all of that being said, I'm going to ask one more question of our presenters. And Kendra, what's the next step I should take?

>> The next step is to think about all the information that you've heard today. And decide what you want to do. I really think the best way is to visit the choose work website. Go to www.choosework.net and learn about the services and how to contact them in your area. Again, if you're more comfortable, you can call the Ticket to Work helpline number that's listed on our screen. And if you have additional questions, those are going to be the best ways to get the answers for them. If they can't answer the question for you. They're going to connect you with your WIPA, with your EN, with your state VR. So it is going to be the best way. But it's great that everyone has joined us today to learn about all these services. I hope it's been helpful.

>> Thank you so much, Kendra. I do want to thank everyone for joining us today to learn about the service providers that are available to you. And I hope that we have provided helpful information. I would love to thank Kendra, Tina, and Sandy for giving us a wonderful presentation. And I'd also like to thank the technical team in the background. Who have been working hard to answer all of your questions. And again, contact the Ticket to Work helpline if you have additional questions. And I apologize for keeping you late. Have a fantastic afternoon. Bye, everyone.