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Video Transcript
Music
MEGAN:
I believe it was around January of 2008. I kind of got sick and I took another position and from that position I ended up getting fired. And, uh I had a mental breakdown so my disability is a mental illness. And it took a lot of time for me to get everything back together I ended up actually having to file bankruptcy. It was really great for me that I was introduced to the disability program. After so many months in the disability program you can get a ticket to work and then that will help you actually get back into working but it also allows you to get medical assistance which helps you for me uh... to be to able to see psychiatrists and doctors and get my medicine and everything like that. Staying at home is not as fun as it looks, um but also it's not me. I’m twenty seven so I don't want to be at home my whole life and I have a lot of things to do. Um so that that really made me want to get back to work because that's what I should be doing that's what I want to be doing. The first thing I received in the mail was my Ticket to Work and with that it included some websites and pamphlets about what the program was and places, uh, you could go and people you could get the tickets to you and so I found actually TransCen and I called them.
TRANSCEN COUNSELOR:
Megan came to TransCen about a year ago. Um she and she was seeking a job in the IT uh DNA synthesis field Uh and she you knew exactly what she wanted to do and she worked with our employment counselor in developing her resume fine-tuning her interview skills identifying employers and after only a few months she was able to obtain employment actually as a temporary agent uh... doing what she wanted to do.
MEGAN:
one of the big problems or concerns that I had Was would I lose my disability benefits if I started working and then I couldn’t continue to work and then I would have to start all over again.
TRANSCEN COUNSELOR:
So at that point she connected with me for benefits counseling and I was able to walk her through uh...what how her benefits would be affected by that. She receives social security disability insurance so she was happy to learn that She had what are called trial work period months and she was able for nine months to work at a full-time position and not have any decrease in her benefits she still received full benefits.uh... after those nine months were over she had an additional three months called her grace period months and after those months are over uh...she has an additional three years Where, ah, her disability check will only be suspended based on her earnings and if she's not able to keep the job she can go uh, return to his social security disability benefits
MEGAN:
It made me feel supported that I could do it and I could try and If it didn't work I could come back but I could keep trying. uh, the job that I do is a document control specialist and the easiest way to explain that is it's part librarian so people return things to me and I check them out Uh, and it’s part teacher because when the return things to me I check it to make sure that it’s correct and if it's not I ask for them to redo it.
TRANSCEN PRESIDENT:
What made Megan a success in her job search first and foremost was her willingness to go back to work and our job after that really is how can we support her to make that happen.
TRANSCEN COUNSELOR:
I’d classify Megan as a success story in that she was able to do what she wanted to do where she's continuing to work now and she’s earning enough that she's going to be working her way off of the disability benefits she's happy in what she's doing and as long as she’s happy We are very happy for her.
MEGAN:
The impact has been great. uh, I have a year left to pay of my car and then it's mine (laughs) forever and kind of get my life back under control I’m looking to move out on my own, uh, and just making a lot of good choices that are good for me and just moving forward.
Music
MEGAN:
One of the biggest things I like to do is I like to competitive ballroom dance. And also when I, uh got into my disability.I gained a lot of weight so that wasn’t as fun for me as it could have been. And so now it’s getting more fun and I’m enjoying it, I like the costumes, uh so that a big thing that I do.
Music
MEGAN:
And now I have a lot of focus. I’m not going to say that sometimes I don’t fall back into the abyss but now I know And I’ve received the tools from TransCen. For myself and from the people They have put me in contact with To pull myself out and to keep going.Uh, I don't think that I will ever not fall back but I don’t believe that I will never keep moving forward. This is a program that can help anyone no matter what your disability is no matter who you are or where you live. This is something that can help you move forward and continue on with your life.
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Published in 2011
From the front of a classroom at the senior center where she teaches Zumba, Megan Riggs watched one of her students approach. Deliberately, Mrs. J. made her way through the room full of participants as they chatted and caught up on the week’s events. It had been six weeks since the class was introduced and already something had changed. Together, they cultivated an energy that wasn’t there when they began. Mrs. J was glowing. Between the sweat on her brow, the color in her cheeks and the smile that engaged her features, Megan could see a light had been ignited. Mrs. J patted her neck with a towel and said, “I didn’t think I would be able to do this class with my health the way it’s been. Now I know I need to do it. Would you consider teaching more classes?”
The request came as a tenth class was added to Megan’s roster. Her new business, Dance4 Life & Health, LLC, provides a range of fitness classes for seniors who want to adopt a healthy lifestyle. It is growing faster than she expected. Megan reflected on how lucky she is to be earning money doing something that makes her feel alive. It is a personal achievement few can claim, and one she would not have imagined possible six years earlier.
The programs for active seniors at Dance4 Life & Health are designed to facilitate social interaction by offering modified Zumba in a dance party atmosphere. Megan Riggs is committed to helping seniors reap the mental health benefits of fitness by creating new bonds and friendships through Zumba. For more information, visit www.Dance4LifeandHealth.com.
In 2008, clinical depression robbed Megan of the energy and momentum that she needed to thrive. When she became sick, she lost her job and struggled financially. Depression afflicted Megan with fatigue, body aches, sleep disturbance, weight gain, and a sense of hopelessness that made it hard to function. It was a horrid experience; one she did not want to repeat. But she knew with a chronic illness like depression, her symptoms were likely to return.
Clinical Depression is a medical illness that affects one’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, and physical health. It is a life-long condition in which periods of wellness alternate with recurrences of illness. 25 million Americans will have an episode this year alone, but only one-half receive treatment. If untreated, episodes commonly last anywhere from a few months to many years.
According to the World Health Organization, depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and represents a global public health challenge. Depression is treatable in most people.
For more information, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.
Along with Megan’s personal trials came a side-dish of wisdom. Her experience with treatment and the role of employment in her recovery gave her insight into the connection between emotional well-being and physical health. It is a truth so fundamental for her that she developed a passion for helping people reap the benefits of a productive, healthy lifestyle.
“If illnesses keep people from getting out and being socially engaged, they can become isolated,” she explains. “I help seniors strengthen their hearts and tone their bodies while building relationships.”
For someone with a debilitating illness, getting out of the house is no simple matter. Megan’s story illustrates what it is like to live with a chronic condition. The road to recovery is littered with relapses and obstacles that make people want to give up. Those who learn from their setbacks and develop tools that help them through the next set of challenges end up in a better place. With good treatment, and a structured day, Megan was able to develop the tools she would need for long-term recovery.
When Megan was unable to work in 2008, she began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI allowed her to focus on getting the treatment she needed to reach the next step in her healing process. When she was feeling better, Megan had a strong desire to go back to work. But she was concerned about what would happen if her symptoms recurred. Giving up SSDI felt like a substantial risk.
Megan needed help understanding how work would affect her disability benefits. She decided to visit Social Security’s Work Site and read about rules called Work Incentives. Work Incentives make it easier for adults with disabilities to explore work and still receive health care and some cash benefits from Social Security. Megan was able to test her ability to work during a nine month “Trial Work Period” (TWP), while still receiving cash benefits. After the TWP ends, a 36-month “Extended Period of Eligibility” (EPE) begins. During the EPE, most people with a disabling impairment get benefits for months in which they earn less than $1,070 (Social Security’s definition of “Substantial Gainful Activity” amount in 2014). Social Security disability beneficiaries (age 18 through 64) are also eligible to receive employment support services through the Ticket to Work program. Authorized providers known as Employment Networks (ENs) and State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies provide these services for free through the program.
Benefits counselors (also known as benefits advisors) are professionals who can explain how Work Incentives apply to you. Professionals who have completed Social Security-sponsored training that qualifies them to offer benefits counseling are known as “Community Work Incentives Coordinators” (CWICs).
Some ENs, and community-based organizations known as “Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Projects” (WIPA), have CWICs on staff. A CWIC can help you make an informed decision about employment. To find a provider that offers benefits counseling, use the “Find Help” tool. Use the filtering feature to pinpoint services tailored to you. Select “Work Incentives Counseling” on the services menu to refine your search. Those providers that offer benefits counseling will display if you select "Benefits Counselor on Staff."
Megan learned more when she called the Ticket to Work Help Line and received a list of ENs that could help her. In 2010, she connected with TransCen, Inc., an EN in Rockville, MD. She was grateful to find attentive professionals who answered her questions and introduced her to resources that could help her succeed in the workforce. Megan met with a benefits counselor, who began by addressing her concerns about the risks connected with going back to work. Megan was relieved to learn that she would not lose her benefits as soon as she went back to work. She would have time to determine whether full-time employment was right for her.
“I’m not going to say that sometimes I don’t fall back into the abyss. But now I know I have the tools I need. I know that I will keep moving. Ticket to Work can help you... move forward with your life”.
TransCen worked with Megan to develop an Individual Work Plan (IWP), a road map designed to help her reach her employment goals. She received career counseling, help with interview skills, assistance with resume writing, and help identifying employers. With a Bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science and Biology, Megan was well equipped for the job she landed months later at a biomedical research company. She regained the focus she had lost, along with a greater sense of control in her life. Megan made progress at work and by 2011, earned enough money to leave SSDI cash benefits behind. She had more choices when she no longer was forced to rely on a fixed income. Megan resumed competitive ballroom dancing, a hobby she loved, recovered her physical health, and went back to the social lifestyle she missed.
With the right support, Megan found her path to a better future. Find yours! To learn more, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 866-833-2967 (TTY).