Ticket to Work Program: Helping People Find Their Path

(NAPSI)—As Americans celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s worth acknowledging the increased support options available to people with disabilities who want to work.   

Since 1999, Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program has helped?thousands of Social Security disability beneficiaries find their way to financial independence. The Ticket Program can connect you with free, individualized employment services to help you decide if working is right for you, prepare for the workforce, search for a job and stay employed.   

If you choose to participate, you can receive services such as career counseling, benefits counseling, job training and job search assistance from State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies and authorized providers known as Employment Networks (EN). Some ENs offer specific types of support services while others have experience serving certain populations. Adults (ages 18 through 64) who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to a disability are eligible to participate.  

If you feel ready for work, don’t let the fear of immediately losing your benefits stand in the way. Social Security rules and programs known as Work Incentives may make it possible for you to explore working while maintaining access to some or all of your benefits payments and your Medicare/Medicaid coverage. If your disability interferes, you may be able to return to benefits without a new application.   

Because each person’s circumstances are different and there are a variety of Work Incentives, job seekers are encouraged to consult a Benefits Counselor. These specially trained professionals can help you understand how employment will affect your benefits.  

This could be the year to find out what’s possible for you, Visit the website to learn from a score of Ticket Program participants who traded their disability payments for a paycheck and improved their self-confidence and financial independence with help from the Ticket Program.   

For over 20 years, the Ticket Program has helped thousands of people find their path to a better future. It can help you find yours. To learn more, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8?a.m. to 8?p.m. ET, or visit choosework.ssa.gov.  

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)