Recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15 - October 15, recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the United States. In recognition of this celebration, we're providing some resources available to Hispanic people with disabilities.
Among all adults with disabilities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 6 (17%) are of Hispanic origin. While Social Security does not record a beneficiary's race nor ethnicity, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that at least 10% of all adults who receive Social Security benefits (SSDI or SSI) because of their disability are Hispanic.
If you receive a Social Security benefit because of your disability, are age 18 through 64 and are ready to see if working is right for you, the Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program is here to help!
There are resources available to help during every part of your journey to financial independence, including Benefits Counselors, specially trained professionals ready to explain how working will affect your benefits. Other Ticket to Work service providers offer job placement assistance and interview preparation services, as well as long-term employment support.
Your Ticket to Work
If you receive disability benefits and want to work, learn how you can take advantage of the Ticket to Work program and still keep your benefits and Medicare/Medicaid coverage while you make the transition.
Access Social Security's "Your Ticket to Work" in Spanish, as an audio file or PDF.
To find a service provider, use the Ticket to Work Find Help Tool. Using either the direct or guided search, you can filter by providers who serve people based on type of disability or by language spoken, among others.
You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line, which connects callers with trained representatives who provide personalized assistance in both English and Spanish. The Help Line is available at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers in your area.
You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line, which connects callers with trained representatives who provide personalized assistance in both English and Spanish. The Help Line is available at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers in your area.
But don't take our word for it! Read about former Social Security Disability beneficiaries who, with the right services and support, traded their benefit checks for larger paychecks and financial independence. Â
From military service to federal employment
When neck and back injuries forced Angel to leave the U.S. Air Force, he moved back to Puerto Rico to focus on his health and growing family.
With improved health and longer stretches of pain relief, Angel began looking to the future, thinking of the family he needed to support and the career he wanted to build. Working with the Ticket Program allowed Angel to explore his employment options without worrying about how employment would affect his benefits.
And thanks to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, federal contractors like Angel's Virginia-based employer, take affirmative action to hire and retain qualified people with disabilities.
Read more about Angel to find out how the Ticket Program helped him find his way to a full-time career. Â
Fulfilling career goals and giving children a head start
Vilmarie remembers the day that multiple sclerosis (MS) came into her life with no warning and no indication of leaving. The energetic 26-year-old experienced a litany of unpredictable symptoms that made her feel like she'd been hit by a storm.Â
MS made Vilmarie's life increasingly difficult and she began receiving SSDI to support her family while she focused on her health. But the isolation worsened her condition, and she knew returning to work would improve her overall quality of life.
Vilmarie worked with Ticket Program service providers to achieve her life-long goal of becoming a teacher and helping children get a head start. Read more about Vilmarie to learn how Ticket to Work quelled her fears about losing benefits while finding employment and helped her grow in a career she loves.
Stay Informed by Subscribing to Texts from Ticket to Work!
If you're interested in receiving text messages from the Ticket Program, please text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply. We'll send updates from our blog, identify steps on the path to employment and more. We hope you'll find this new way to stay in touch helpful. You can opt out at any time.
If you're interested in receiving text messages from the Ticket Program, please text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply. We'll send updates from our blog, identify steps on the path to employment and more. We hope you'll find this new way to stay in touch helpful. You can opt out at any time.
