Social Security disability beneficiaries age 18-64 have access to a wide variety of free services through Ticket to Work service providers.
Follow the Choose Work Blog this summer for our bi-weekly blog posts to learn how each type of Ticket to Work service provider can help you on your path to financial independence.
Ticket to Work service providers are people or groups that can help you find your path to work or maintain success on the job.
There are five different types of service providers, including: Employment Networks (ENs), Workforce Employment Networks (WF), State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies, Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) Projects and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security. This blog post explains how Employment Networks - or ENs - may be able to help you reach your work goals.
Employment Networks offer support services that can help SSDI and SSI disability beneficiaries prepare for, find and maintain employment. ENs can help you if you want to work toward replacing your benefits with income from a job.
Services ENs provide may include:
• Career planning
• Job leads and job placement
• Ongoing employment support; and
• Benefits counseling
Some ENs serve people with a specific type of disability; others offer only certain types of services.
ENs can also help people receiving Social Security disability benefits who are currently working. Under an arrangement called Partnership Plus, you may receive services from a state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, find work and then receive ongoing services from an EN after you are on the job. Read more about Partnership Plus in this blog post or this factsheet.
While some ENs only provide services in their local communities, others provide services across one or more states, or even nationwide. Beneficiaries can work with some ENs in person, some over the phone and some via email or a website.
Ready to find an EN that can help you meet your work goals?
Search for an EN using the Find Help Tool. If you want to find an EN in your area, type in your ZIP code. You can also filter search results by disabilities served. If you know the name of the EN, you can also type it or part of the EN's name to find it.
The Choosing the Right Employment Network for You fact sheet can help guide you through the process of picking an EN. You can also use the Finding an EN and Assigning Your Ticket Worksheet to keep track of the ENs you have contacted and important questions to ask them.
To learn more about ENs, assigning your ticket and more, you can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM through 8:00 PM EST to answer your questions.
