Family Support for Young Adults with Disabilities
As a parent or guardian of a young adult with a disability who is ready to enter the workforce, we recognize you play an important role in supporting them as they transition from school to work. Families help young people with disabilities make informed decisions, plan for their future, and help them set realistic expectations for employment.
Social Security’s Ticket to Work program supports career development for people ages 18 to 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work. The Ticket program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.
Family Resources
To guide parents, guardians and other family members in helping young adults with disabilities move into the workforce, the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth offers Understanding the New Vision for Career Development: The Role of Family. This guide helps families work together on youth self-exploration, career exploration and career planning and management.
The Ticket to Work program also helps young adults who get Social Security disability benefits prepare for work, find and keep jobs. Ticket to Work encourages people with disabilities, including young people, to work toward their employment goals. Ticket to Work service providers offer career counseling, skills training, job placement and many other services and support to help people with disabilities pursue their work and career goals.
Parents of young adults with disabilities are often concerned that their adult children will lose their Social Security benefits and healthcare (Medicare or Medicaid) if they work. As a Ticket to Work participant, young job seekers with disabilities are able to work without automatically losing disability benefits and return to benefits if they stop working. Social Security has special rules, called “work Incentives” that help bridge the gap between disability benefits and financial independence. There are also safeguards in place to protect healthcare benefits.
If your adult child with a disability receives Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI), then Ticket to Work may be the ideal next step on their path to employment and financial independence.
For more information, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers. You can also search for providers online using our Find Help tool. For more information about Social Security’s Ticket to Work program, visit www.choosework.ssa.gov
