How Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) Can Help People Who Receive Disability Benefits

Social Security disability beneficiaries age 18 through 64 have access to a wide variety of free services through Ticket to Work service providers.

Follow the Choose Work Blog this summer 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 Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security - or PABSS - may be able to help you reach your work goals.

The PABSS Program provides legal support, advocacy and information to help you resolve disability employment-related concerns. PABSS can help you for free if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

In more detail, PABSS support may be able to help you:
•    Remove unfair barriers to employment;
•    Protect your employment rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, such as those for reasonable accommodations;
•    Protect rights to transportation;
•    Protect access to housing assistance;
•    Obtain vocational rehabilitation and employment related services and supports;
•    Secure job support from community agencies, including Employment Networks providing services under the Ticket to Work program; and
•    Understand Work Incentives and issues with your disability benefits.

You can find PABSS services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the five US territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands) and the Navajo and Hopi reservations (Arizona, New Mexico and Utah).

The PABSS program serves disability beneficiaries age 14 through full-retirement age, which varies according the year in which you were born.  They also serve veterans who receive Social Security benefits due to a disability.

To find PABSS in your area, visit the Ticket to Work Find Help Tool and search by your zip code. On the results page, select "Legal Services (PABSS)" under "Provider Type" on the left-hand side. Then click the "Update Results" button. Visit this blog post for more tips on using the Find Help Tool.

To learn more about how PABSS services may be able to help you, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM through 8:00 PM EDT.