Ticket to Work and Transitioning to Adulthood
Are you a person with a disability who’s graduating from high school soon? Do you need help planning for your future? In January 2017, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education published A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities. This guide offers options and supports to consider as you transition into adulthood. It’s also a great resource for families of transition-aged individuals.
What can you learn in the guide?
To help students and youth with disabilities reach their post-high school goals, Congress enacted two key laws to provide transition services: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
The new OSERS guide explains the laws noted above and gives guidance on:
- Transition planning, including opportunities and programs
- Transition services and requirements authorized by IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act
- Education and employment options for students and youth with disabilities after leaving high school
- Supporting decisions made by students and youth with disabilities
The guide also includes real life examples, a sample flow chart of the transition process, and a glossary of key terms used in the transition process.
Youth in transition and the Ticket to Work program
The Ticket to Work (Ticket) program is for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits. However, one type of service provider, Work Incentives Planning and Incentives (WIPA) projects, also works with youth with disabilities as early as age 14.
WIPA projects can help you understand the Work Incentives available to you. Work Incentives make it easier for people with disabilities to work and still receive medical benefits and, in some cases, cash benefits from Social Security. Work Incentives can help you through the transition to work and financial independence. Two Work Incentives that can help you save money and afford to pay for employment-related expenses, such as tuition, training programs, job coaches tools, transportation and more include the Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS) and Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE).
It’s never too early to start thinking about your future. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives can help you transition from school to the workforce!
Additional Resources
Choose Work Blog Series: Help for Young People Considering Their Future
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
About Ticket to Work
Social Security’s Ticket to Work program supports career development for people ages 18 through 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.
Learn More
To learn more about the Ticket program, visit www.ssa.gov/work. You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket program Find Help tool.
