Below is a selection of material from the Social Security Administration (http://www.ssa.gov) about its return-to-work programs for people with disabilities. First is a description of Project ABLE, which helps to match employers and job seekers. Next is an SSA publication entitled "How We Can Help with Vocational Rehabilitation." At the end is information on providers other than state VR agencies from which consumers can choose to receive services that are reimbursed by SSA. Jamal Mazrui National Council on Disability Email: 74444.1076@compuserve.com ---------- Project ABLE--Able Beneficiaries' Link to Employers What is Project ABLE? Project ABLE is a national resume bank which provides employers an easily-accessible applicant pool of qualified job-ready individuals who are ready, willing and very interested in working. The resume bank operates through the joint efforts of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Social Security Administration (SSA), Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies. The goal is to provide employers convenient access to quality human resources while providing training and employment services to eligible people with disabilities. Why Project ABLE? A diverse workforce give organizations a competitive advantage by enabling them to better meet the needs of their customers and hire from an expanded labor pool. People with disabilities are the nation's largest minority, yet many employers have indicated that they cannot always find candidates with disabilities when vacancies occur. Project ABLE provides that link. Further, various tax incentives are available to businesses that hire people with disabilities. You can learn more by contacting the IRS at (800)829-1040. How Does It Work? Project ABLE is a resume bank of persons receiving Social Security or SSI disability benefits who want to work and are qualified for various positions. State certified VR and VA counselors evaluate potential candidates and make the initial determinations to verify their "job-ready" status and basic qualifications for the chosen positions in the labor market. The counselors complete a simple enrollment worksheet, attach the candidate's resume and enter the data in the Project ABLE resume bank. Employers access Project ABLE by telephone, fax or E:MAIL to obtain the resumes of these highly-motivated individuals. How Can Job Seekers Enroll In Project ABLE? Social Security beneficiaries who wish to enroll should contact their local State VR or VA agency. Counselors will assess them to determine if they are currently ready for enrollment. If a person is not currently ready for enrollment, the VR or VA agency may be able to offer training or other services that will help him or her qualify for a job. How Do Employers Access The Project ABLE Resume Bank? As vacancies occur, employers send a position description or job announcement to Project ABLE staff at OPM. After the matching process (usually within 24 hours), OPM will respond by forwarding the resumes of qualified individuals. Employers can initiate the process using the following options: By telephone: (757)441-3369 or (757)441-3362 By fax: (757)441-3374 E-mail: projable@opm.gov Federal employers can dial OPM's Automated Applicant Referral System at (912) 757-3150. Project ABLE is worksheet #6. A valid agency identification code (ID) is needed to access the system. If you wish to gain access and do not have an ID, call OPM at (912)744-2085. For More Information: Contact SSA's Project Leader, Regina Sajauskas at (410)965-5381, (410)966-6210 [TDD] or E:MAIL to Regina.L.Sajauskas@ssa.gov ---------- Social Security Administration How We Can Help With Vocational Rehabilitation SSA Publication No. 05-10050 June 1997 ICN 460280 ----------------------------------------------------------------- How Social Security Can Help With Vocational Rehabilitation ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Social Security Administration (SSA) can help people with disabilities get the vocational rehabilitation services they need to return to work or to go to work for the first time. We can put them in touch with agencies that provide services such as job counseling, training and job placement. SSA doesn't provide these services, but we can help pay for them when certain conditions are met. We can continue to assist a person with a disability even after he or she goes to work. There are special provisions of the law, called work incentives, which help the individual to continue working. These work incentives allow us to continue cash payments and health insurance coverage even though the individual has returned to work. This pamphlet provides more information about how SSA can help people with disabilities successfully return to work or go to work for the first time. Referring People With Disabilities To State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies ----------------------------------------------------------------- When a person files an application for disability benefits, specially trained employees at the state Disability Determination Services (DDS) office review the application to see whether the person's medical condition qualifies him or her for disability benefits. At the same time, they also evaluate the person's rehabilitation potential. If it appears that the person may benefit from vocational rehabilitation services, they refer the applicant to the state vocational rehabilitation agency. SSA sends information about the applicant's medical condition and work history to the rehabilitation provider. Rehabilitation counselors evaluate this information. They may contact the person to obtain further information and may request that the individual come in for an interview. At that time, the counselor will try to find out more about the person's interests and employment goals. Clients are given an opportunity to discuss how the counselor can work with them to achieve their job goals. If the counselor believes the vocational rehabilitation agency can provide the rehabilitation services that are needed, the counselor and client will jointly develop a written plan describing the job goal and the services the vocational rehabilitation agency will provide to reach that goal. This written plan is tailored to the needs of the client. Use Of Alternate Vocational Rehabilitation Service Providers ----------------------------------------------------------------- SSA first refers persons to the state vocational rehabilitation agency for consideration. If the state agency is unable to serve the individual, we may refer that individual to an alternate participant in our vocational rehabilitation program. An alternate participant is any nonstate public or private agency that is qualified to serve Social Security disability beneficiaries. Such providers must be licensed, certified or accredited to provide vocational rehabilitation services within their state and meet other requirements that assure us they can provide clients with the necessary help. SSA pays these alternate providers for the costs of their services under the same conditions that apply for state vocational rehabilitation agencies. Paying Providers For Vocational Rehabilitation Services ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Social Security Act allows SSA to pay for vocational rehabilitation services they furnish to people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments based on disability or blindness if certain conditions are met. The vocational rehabilitation services must result in the person's return to work for at least nine continuous months at a substantial earnings level. The earnings levels change from year to year. Check with your local Social Security office for current information. Types Of Vocational Rehabilitation Services ----------------------------------------------------------------- Vocational rehabilitation providers furnish a wide variety of services to help people with disabilities return to work. These services are designedto provide the client with the training or other services that are needed to return to work, to enter a new line of work or to enter the workforce for the first time. Examples of the types of services that may be offered by vocational rehabilitation providers include: * various types of tests and assessments to evaluate the client's physical or mental condition, skills and abilities; * counseling and guidance, including counseling to family members; * wheelchairs, specially modified vans, prosthetics and other devices to help restore the individual's availability to work; * training; * transportation; * job placement; * post-placement services; and * other goods and services necessary to achieve the planned job goals of the person's rehabilitation program. Refusal To Accept Rehabilitation Services ----------------------------------------------------------------- Most people with disabilities want to work and will cooperate with the rehabilitation provider during the course of their rehabilitation program. However, the law provides for the suspension of Social Security benefits if a person fails to cooperate with the rehabilitation agency without a good reason for doing so. If a rehabilitation provider offers services to a person with a disability, the person must accept the services to continue receiving Social Security benefits unless we determine that there is a good reason for not accepting services. Benefits While Participating In A Vocational Rehabilitation Program ----------------------------------------------------------------- A person who medically recovers while participating in an approved rehabilitation or training program may continue to receive benefits until the vocational rehabilitation program ends if SSA finds that the program is likely to help the individual become self-supporting. This continuation of benefits is available to persons who participate in either an approved state or private vocational rehabilitation program. Social Security Work Incentives ----------------------------------------------------------------- Once a person with a disability has returned to work, special rules called "work incentives" will help serve as a bridge from reliance on benefits to financial independence achieved by returning to work. With these incentives, the individual can continue to receive cash payments and health insurance coverage (for a period of time) until he or she is able to work regularly. There are different work incentives for persons who receive Social Security disability and SSI benefits. There are also special work incentives for persons who are blind and for students with disabilities. The purpose of all of these work incentives is to provide support and assistance to people with disabilities while they attempt to work. Some of the ways that these incentives help people with disabilities to work is by allowing them to: * test the ability to work for a specified period of time without losing any benefits; * deduct from earnings the cost of certain impairment-related work items or services needed to work in determining whether earnings are too high to continue receiving benefits; * continue Medicare coverage if disability benefits stop because earnings are too high; * continue to receive SSI payments until the earnings we count exceed the SSI limits; and * continue Medicaid coverage if the person depends on Medicaid to work even if earnings exceed the SSI limits until the person's earnings are sufficient to replace lost benefits. For More Information ----------------------------------------------------------------- Persons with a disability who want to work do not have to be referred to a rehabilitation agency or wait for an agency to contact them. They may contact the rehabilitation agency in their state directly at any time. Your Social Security office will be glad to provide the location and phone number of the nearest office of the state vocational rehabilitation agency. Individuals then can let the agency know of their interest in receiving rehabilitation services to help them return to work. The address and phone number of the state vocational rehabilitation agency also can be found in the phone book. For more information about how work may affect disability benefits, call or visit any Social Security office. You may wish to ask for our publication Working While Disabled—How We Can Help (SSA Publication No. 05-10095) or If You Are Blind—How We Can Help (SSA Publication No. 05-10052). You can find the address and phone number of your local Social Security office in your phone book. You also can call our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. any business day. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our toll-free "TTY" number, 1-800-325-0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. business days. ---------- In March 1994, the Social Security Administration (SSA) amended its vocational rehabilitation (VR) regulations to provide more opportunities for people with disabilities to receive the employment and rehabilitation services they need to return to work or enter the workforce for the first time. These regulatory changes allow SSA to refer Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income recipients who are blind or disabled to VR service providers in the public and private sectors if the State VR agency does not serve these individuals. The option of serving SSA beneficiaries will continue to be offered first to the States. However, if SSA does not receive notification that the State has accepted a beneficiary for services or extended evaluation by the end of the 4th month after the month of referral, we may arrange for an alternate provider to serve that individual. As with the State VR agencies, an alternate participant can be reimbursed for the costs of the services it provides to SSA's beneficiaries if such services result in the person's return to work at the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level for a continuous period of at least 9 months. For calendar year 1997, the SGA level is $1,000 per month for beneficiaries who are blind and $500 per month for non-blind beneficiaries. During 1996, SSA mailed a presolicitation notice to more than 500 potential providers who had previously contacted us regarding participation in our program. We also published a synopsis of this notice in the Commerce Business Daily and issued a press release to ensure that other potential providers were informed of the opportunity to take part in SSA's VR program. Later in the year, we released a Request for Proposal (RFP) describing the requirements of our VR program and requesting interested potential VR service providers to submit proposals. By this time, the mailing list of potential providers had grown to 4,000. (We released copies of the RFP to 4,138 potential alternate participants.) As part of their proposals, potential alternate participants were required to specify the type of impairment(s) and geographic area(s) they can serve. Once SSA signs a contract with an alternate participant, the Agency will use this information to provide the alternate participant with an electronic monthly listing of beneficiary referrals who meet the provider's service criteria. Using information from this listing, an alternate participant will be able to contact beneficiaries of its choice to offer a rehabilitation program. The alternate participant will notify SSA once the alternate participant and the beneficiary have agreed in writing to a rehabilitation program. At this point, the individual is reserved to that alternate participant and SSA will remove the beneficiary's name from consideration by other alternate participants. We received 500 proposals in response to this solicitation and are now evaluating the proposals to determine which VR service providers meet the requirements spelled out in the RFP, including documentation of the alternate participant's qualifications as a VR service provider and compliance with Federal procurement regulations. Upon completion of these evaluations, we will enter into negotiated contracts with all providers who meet these requirements. The first contracts have been awarded, and reviews continue with the remaining proposals. It is important to note that this is not a competitive procurement with limits on the number of contracts awarded. Since SSA's goal is to expand the pool of VR providers who can serve our beneficiaries with disabilities, we will enter into contracts with as many qualified VR providers as possible. We will update the Alternate Participant Listing as more contracts are awarded. We should also note that we are not involved in actually providing VR services or in determining which services should be provided. SSA's role in the VR process is to link beneficiaries with VR service providers. The decision to offer services, the type of services to offer, and any other factors influencing the rehabilitation program are decisions that are made by the VR provider and the client. We intend to re-open a period for new proposals from potential alternate participants later this year. To be placed on the mailing list for future selections contact: Charlotte Simpson at (410) 965-9496. The mailing address is: Social Security Administration Office of Acquisition and Grants 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21207 ---------- The following lists the Alternate Participants who have been awarded contracts to serve disability beneficiaries referred to them by SSA under its Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Reimbursement Program. SSA has contracted with these alternate participants to provide services to beneficiaries who are not being served by the State VR Agencies. More information regarding the role of Alternate Participants in SSA's VR Program can be obtained by viewing the Alternate Participant Program Fact Sheet. Alternate Participants are listed by States in Alphabetical order. The listing also shows the service area for which each Alternate Participant is qualified to provide services: Arizona National Institute for the Disenfranchised, Inc. 2222 North 24th Street Phoenix, AZ 85008 Service Area: Arizona, Southern Nevada Dorothy Kret & Associates P.O. Box 2909 Tucson, AZ 85072-2909 Service Area: Arizona California The ARC San Francisco 1500 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Service Area: California Goodwill Industries of Orange County, CA 410 North Fairview Santa Ana, CA 92703 Service Area: Orange County, California Hughes Rehabilitation Services 1890 North Garey Avenue Pomona, CA 91767 Service Area: Southern California Michael A. Frank & Associates 83 Scripps Drive #300 Sacramento, CA 95825 Service Area: California Judith Najarian 6464 North Palm Suite 101 Fresno, CA 93704 Service Area: California Rehab Data, Inc. dba Laurence Gordon Associates 300 East Magnolia Blvd. #301 Burbank, CA 91502 Service Area: Southern California, Los Angeles Rubicon Programs Incorporated 2500 Bissell Avenue Richmond, CA 94804 Service Area: California San Diego State University Foundation 5250 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182-1934 Service Area: San Diego County, California United Cerebral Palsy Assn. of Stanislaus County 950 Tenth Street Suite 8 Modesto, CA 95354 Service Area: California Vocational Rehabilitation Services County of San Mateo 550 Quarry Road Belmont, CA 94002 Service Area: California Vocational Visions (Saddleback Community Enterprises) 26041 Pala Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Service Area: California Alameda County Vocational Program 14234 Catalina Street San Leandro, CA 94577 Service Area: California Integrated Resources Institute 18552 MacArthur Boulevard Suite 208 Irvine, CA 92612 Service Area: National Florida Boley Centers for Behavioral Health Care, Inc. 1236 Dr. M.L. King Street North St. Petersburg, FL 33705 Service Area: Florida Lutz-San Filippo One Purlieu Place Suite 280 Winter Park, FL 32792 Service Area: Florida Hawaii Faith Lebb/Career Development Center of Hawaii, Inc. P.O. Box 546 Aiea, HI 96701 Service Area: Island of Oahu, State of Hawaii Hawaii Rehabilitation & Placement Specialists, Inc. Five Waterfront Plaza, Suite 320 500 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96813 Service Area: Hawaii Illinois Cornerstone Services, Inc. 777 Joyce Road Joliet, IL 60436 Service Area: Will County, Illinois Jewish Vocational Service One South Franklin Street Chicago, IL 60606 Service Area: Chicago Occupational Development Center 2016 Warehouse Road Normal, IL 61761 Service Area: Illinois Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Evaluation and Developmental Center 500-C Lewis Lane Carbondale, IL 62901 Service Area: Illinois Indiana Blue River Services, Inc. 405 North Capitol Avenue Room 108 Corydon, IN 47112 Service Area: Indiana Bona Vista Programs, Inc. 1220 East Laguna P.O. Box 2496 Kokomo, IN 46904-2496 Service Area: Indiana Crossroads Rehabilitation Center, Inc. 4740 Kingsway Drive Indianapolis, IN 46205 Service Area: Indiana Hillcroft Services, Inc. 114 East Streeter Avenue Muncie, IN 47303 Service Area: Indiana Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana 1635 West Michigan Street Indianapolis, IN 46222 Service Area: Indiana Iowa On With Life, Inc. 715 SW Ankeny Road Ankeny, IA 50021 Service Area: Iowa, Nebraska Progress Industries P.O. Box 1449 Newton, IA 50208 Service Area: Iowa Kansas Developmental Services of NW Kansas, Inc. 2703 Hall Street Suite 10 P.O. Box 1016 Hays, KS 67601 Service Area: Kansas Kentucky LifeSkills, Inc. 2420 Russellville Road Bowling Green, KY 42101 Service Area: South Central Kentucky Louisiana Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana, Inc. P.O. Box 13006 New Orleans, LA 70185 Service Area: Louisiana Massachusetts Berkshire County ARC, Inc. P.O. Box 2 Pittsfield, MA 01202 Service Area: Massachusetts CRC Services 813 Williams Street Suite 212 Longmeadow, MA 01116 Service Area: Massachusetts, Connecticut Michigan Hope Network 3375 South Division Avenue Grand Rapids, MI 49548 Service Area: Michigan Peckham Vocational Industries, Inc. 2822 North Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Lansing, MI 48906-2923 Service Area: Michigan Goodwill Industries of West Michigan, Inc. 271 East Apple Avenue Muskegon, MI 49442 Service Area: Michigan Minnesota MED-VOC Associates, Inc. 1200 Osborne Road Minneapolis, MN 55432 Service Area: Minnesota, Wisconsin Montana Flathead Industries P.O. Box 1916 Kalispell, MT 59903 Service Area: Montana New York Cayuga County Chapter NYSARC, Inc. dba Comprehensive Technology Center 180 North Street Auburn, NY 13021 Service Area: New York Darlene J. Fittizzi-Tanski MS CRC 40 Crammond Street Albany, NY 12205 Service Area: New York Gateway Community Industries, Inc. One Amy Kay Parkway P.O. Box 5002 Kingston, NY 12402-5002 Service Area: New York North Carolina Johnston County Industries, Inc. P.O. Drawer 1688 Smithfield, NC 27577 Service Area: North Carolina Ohio Goodwill Industries of Ashtabula, Inc. 621 Goodwill Drive - Ashtabula County Ashtabula, OH 44004 Service Area: Ohio, Pennsylvania Jewish Vocational Service 1660 Sternblock Lane Cincinnati, OH 45237 Service Area: Greater Cincinnati, Hamilton County Richcreek, Bailey Rehabilitation Services, Inc. dba New Hope Vocational Services 1636 West Jackson Street Painesville, OH 44077 Service Area: Ohio Oregon Stonebridge Rehabilitation Associates, Inc. 1820 SW Vermont Avenue Suite G Portland, OR 97225-1945 Service Area: Oregon, Washington Pennsylvania The Association for Habilitation and Employment of the Developmentally Disabled 3300 Trindle Road Camp Hill, PA 17011 Service Area: Pennsylvania, Delaware Allegheny East MH/MR Center, Inc. 4126 Rear Butler Street Pittsburgh, PA 15221 Service Area: Eastern Allegheny, Western Westmoreland Counties Good Shepherd Work Services 1901 Lehigh Street Allentown, PA 18103-4790 Service Area: Pennsylvania Goodwill Industries of Mid-Eastern PA 310 North Wyomissing Avenue Shillington, PA 19607 Service Area: Pennsylvania Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corporation 2350 West Westmoreland Street Philadelphia, PA 19140 Service Area: Pennsylvania Tennessee Goodwill Industries-Knoxville, Inc. 5508 Kingston Pike P.O. Box 11066 Knoxville, TN 37939-1066 Service Area: Tennessee Texas Alfred & Vasquez Associates, Inc. 10850 Richmond Avenue Suite 340 Houston, TX 77042 Service Area: Houston Citizens Development Center 8800 Ambassador Row Dallas, TX 75247 Service Area: Texas United Cerebral Palsy of Tarrant County, Inc. 1555 Merrimac Circle Suite 102 Fort Worth, TX 76107-6587 Service Area: Fort Worth & Arlington Virginia Fairfax Opportunities Unlimited, Inc. 6295 Edsall Road Suite 175 Alexandria, VA 22312 Service Area: Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland Sheltered Occupational Center of Northern Virginia dba SOC Enterprises 750 South 23rd Street Arlington, VA 22202 Service Area: Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland Washington Cascade Rehabilitation Counseling, Inc. 4601 NE 77th Avenue Vancouver, WA 98662 Service Area: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin Diversified Industrial Services 13008 Beverly Park Mukilteo, WA 98275 Service Area: Washington TRAC Associates 2601 Elliot Avenue Suite 4160 Seattle, WA 98121 Service Area: City of Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond Wisconsin Career Counseling Services of America #1 Career Centre 19020 Emerald Drive Brookfield, WI 53045-3610 Service Area: Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota Portal Industries, Inc. 420 Tenth Avenue P.O. Box 65 Grafton, WI 53024-0065 Service Area: Wisconsin ---------- End of Document