The Fine Art of Fading

Last month, we discussed stabilization and promised to give you more insights into fading, a key step to a worker’s independence. During the newly-employed worker’s first weeks on the job, you observed their learning traits, interpersonal skills, and job routines to determine what they required to be successful. Before the employee can be completely successful in their new position, though, your role will evolve to accomplish the ultimate goal: success without you.

So, the big question is how do you go about making that graceful exit?

Fading…I’m Fading…!

Dorothy melts the Wicked Witch of the West, Wizard of Oz,
William W. Denslow, illustrator, 1900.

Think of the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz melting away.  Minus the wickedness part, of course, you want to melt away or gradually fade into the background. Fading is actually important to your employee’s success. Since the ultimate goal has always been for the employee to be employed without your support, your fading efforts will become your new priority soon after your employee learns their basic tasks and gets the lay of the land in the workplace. In other words, you’ll need to create a fading plan soon after your employee is hired. 

Strategizing Your Fade

Eight strategies for fading offered by Teresa Grossi, Ph.D., of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, include:

• Supervisor and coworkers should be involved right from the start; 
• Fade systematically;
• Fade toward the natural cues; 
• Fade toward the natural supports;
• Fade your proximity and accessibility to the worker;
• Move to less and less intrusive types of assistance and prompts;
• Increase the amount of time between cues and prompts; and
• Institute self-management strategies and self-reinforcement strategies.

When you’re fading, you will be decreasing your time coaching, mentoring, and/or modeling, while your employee will be increasing their independence and their ability to rely on natural supports and self- management strategies when needed.  

Want to see some examples?  

Though this video mentions creating a fading plan on Day One, we actually recommend putting together a plan for fading even before the employee starts their new job.

Fading, Not Disappearing

The process of fading may sound simple, but it’s really a fine art. Timing is key. Fading too fast results in the worker making more errors and requiring a longer period of training. Fading too slowly fosters the worker’s dependence on you, which also increases the training time. 

Stay alert and watch for the cues. You want the employee to rely less on you and more on the supports they have through family, friendships, associations with fellow employees and supervisors, and associations developed through participation in their community. When you suspect that your employee still needs support, but you also think it’s time to help them test their independence, try something other than side-by-side support. Consider adapting the task, designing a new approach, using graphics, or creating a support other than yourself.

Collecting Data Is Key

Collecting data is key to determining and demonstrating the employee’s success. The job tasks determine the data you will collect. Writing a task analysis, when needed, at the start of the job is the first step to charting progress. For some employees, you may need to record the number of times during a day he/she correctly completes a task, while for others you’ll note the length of time they need to do a task. A job/task analysis will help identify stumbling blocks and allow planning for adaptation to training strategies.  You’ll use the task/job analysis to collect probe data, which is used to find out how the worker is doing without any intervention, prompts, or reinforcement. 

You’ll also collect data when you’re training one-on-one and you need to identify where a worker is having difficulty performing specific steps. (Need more information on collecting data? Enroll in Indiana Employment Specialist Training. Our August/September course begins August 7! Or save the date for November/December training, beginning November 5.)

Data should be meaningful, simple to use, easy to read, and easy to interpret. Data:

• provides a record of the worker’s performance.
• assists with objective evaluation of performance.
• shows areas for fading and from continued training.
• calls attention to areas that may need different training methods, adaptation, and self-management systems.
• can be used as a reinforcement tool for the worker.
• can be shared with the employee and co-workers to ask for assistance, feedback, and new ideas.
• serves as an accountability tool to funders, management, and families.

As an employee achieves their goals and accomplishes their tasks, you should modify the fading plan to further reduce the time you are spending either with the employee or on their behalf. (And don’t forget to update the ESRP!) As your communication with the employee and/or business diminishes, you can check in with the employee or supervisor via phone or a random visit.  

Remember, the Wicked Witch of the West (“Fading…I’m fading!”) as you slip out of the scene! 

Resources and References 

• Stabilization Notification Form
• Transfer to Extended Services Form
• Fading Job Site Supports Video Presentation, Teresa Grossi, Ph.D. 

Stabilization--STAT!!

You may have heard doctors on TV medical shows screaming, “I need something, STAT!” You probably knew from their voice and expression that they wanted something right now. Well, yelling, “STAT” for job stabilization is not exactly best practice and may actually be more harmful to the individuals we support every day.

Stabilization, in layman’s terms, is the point at which an individual has reached their greatest level of independence on the job. Although they may not do every task perfectly every time, they have reached their maximum ability. (Note that stabilization may look different for every employee. Some employees, for instance, may still need some assistance at certain tasks but with that accommodation, they’ve reached stabilization.) 
Stabilization occurs when 1) the coaching and modeling you’ve provided to an employee has helped them learn their tasks and workplace culture, and 2) when natural supports are in place.  

Since there’s a Milestone payment affiliated with stabilization, many employment specialists are often in a rush to move a job seeker along, so they can bill for the work they’ve done and move on to the next step. But challenge yourself to step back and think before screaming, “Stabilization - STAT!”  Trust us: You have plenty of time.

Slow Down! Devote Time to Those First Steps

After the job seeker you’re supporting finds a job that seems to be a good fit, they’re ready to use their skills and talents. Your first steps, as an employment specialist, are to support this new employee with learning new job tasks, performing daily duties, and following policy and procedure. Your next steps include supporting the employer as they train the new employee. You’ll also be helping the employee learn the workplace culture and helping the employer and employee as they build natural supports.

The new employee may need assistance getting to know people in their workplace. They may need to understand different work styles of co-workers and supervisors. There may be unwritten rules of the workplace that you’ll need to spell out. Some off-site skills, such as addressing transportation needs to get to and from work, could be fundamental to successful long-term employment. These essential items can be overwhelming to some, and yet, second nature for others. So, take time to address each need as it surfaces.

During the first four weeks or 30 days of employment, take time to make keen observations and listen to an employee’s needs. Take each hurdle they face as a mere “bump in the road.” Address those needs and challenges as creative goals that will increase the individual’s confidence.

Putting those goals in writing to demonstrate how you will support that person is the thrust of the Employment Support and Retention Plan (ESRP). (See “Helpful Links,” below.) The ESRP is where you will continue to identify those areas of support the employee needs to achieve independence. This is also the time that you will identify and discuss how you plan to support that new employee through the strategies and techniques that you will use. Remember that the focus of these first weeks is always progress and never perfection.

And another reminder: You don’t have to do this all alone. Let workplace co-workers and supervisors help support, teach, and coach the new employee. (See the Shared Solutions post, “Don’t Alienate Your Natural Supports.”) Your presence and expertise can make the difference not only for the new employee, but also for the business. You are the professional consultant to the business, supporting their decision to hire the individual and making this partnership work for them, too. 

The Signs of Stabilization

How do you know when your new employee has achieved stabilization?  Per the VR Manual (p. 29), ask yourself:

1. Has the employee made significant progress in gaining independence on the job during the period of supports?
2. Do you have evidence that supports have faded, even if fading has not been entirely linear (i.e., periods of ebb and flow)?
3. Is there strong potential for the individual to become more independent, resulting in additional fading* of supports?
4. Is the employee meeting the employer’s performance standards with as little support as possible and as is likely for that individual?
5. Why do you believe the employee has achieved their highest level of independence? What other evidence do you have?
6. Are you confident that an employee receiving supported employment will be able to maintain their job with appropriate extended services?

Adapted from the VR Manual of Employment Services, (Version 5.0, February 2019, page 29).

Tah Dah!

Stabilization means that even if the individual doesn’t do every job task perfectly every time, they’ve reached their greatest level of independence on the job. Just remember: DO NOT RUSH THIS! Be certain you are ready for your “tah dah moment.” With supported employment services, you have up to 24 months to provide support to your new employee!

 

When the employee has reached stabilization, you’ll complete the Stabilization Notification Form. On this form, you’ll share what you’ve done; any anticipated changes to the schedule, routine, or needs; and/or any additional needs for accommodations, modifications or assistive technology items. Once all team members and your VR counselor are in agreement and sign off on the form, your new employee has achieved stabilization! That’s when your 90-day clock starts. At the end of those 90 days, you may bill for Milestone 3.

Reaching stabilization is a huge deal! You assisted your newly-employed job seeker in learning their tasks, adjusting to their new role, and finding natural supports in their workplace. Over the next 90 days of their employment, your focus will shift from overseer to observer. 

Celebrate and do a TAH DAH with your new employee, because, together, your work was AMAZING!

*Stay tuned. We will discuss the fine art of fading in a future post.

Helpful Links

Stabilization Notification Form

Employment Support and Retention Plan Form

Employment Services Authorization Request Form 

VR Employment Services Manual 2019

Fill In the Blank: Resources for VR Forms and Updates

In case you missed the February VR Forms and Employment Services Updates webinar and trainings, or if you just need a refresher, here is a recap.

New and Revised Employment Services 

Documentation has gotten so much easier!

Changes to Work Experience

Work Experience is now an hourly service (it's no longer tiered A,B,C), and includes:

• an arrangement (planning time and effort) of the work experience,
• on-site observation of the participant,
• discussion with the VR participant of their likes, dislikes, and what was learned,
• discussion with the VR participant about next steps, and
• documentation

VR no longer requires an employment service provider to be on site for 75% of the time during a work experience. The amount of supportive time on the work experience should match the needs of the participant.

Youth Extended Services

VR is introducing a new service for MSD participants 14-24 years of age. Youth extended services:

• can extend up to 4 years or until age 25 once stabilization is achieved. 
• requires that providers investigate and use natural supports or other funding sources if available.
• can only be used if these services are required in order to maintain competitive, integrated employment.

More Employment Services Update Resources

• Employment Services Update Webinar, February 2019 

• Employment Services Update Webinar PowerPoint 

• Updated Employment Services Manual (version 5.0, February 2019) 

Forms (They're Easier; We Promise!)

How-to Videos for the New VR Forms

Need more instruction on how to fill out the new VR forms? Visit this YouTube VR Forms playlist for details on completing each form. And in case you hadn't heard, VR has added two new forms to make your job easier: the Monthly Progress Report and the Authorization Request Form.

Sample New Forms

To get a sense of how the new forms play out in the employment process, you can see examples for VR participants Amy Sample, Don Dolittle, and Angie Chen on VR's  "Sample Employment Services Forms" page. There you can see how employment specialists and VR counselors use each of the forms for various types of participants. Forms included in the examples are: 

• authorization request, 
• monthly progress summary,
• Discovery Profile, 
• job development and placement plan, and 
• stabilization and notification form. 

Note that during the course of any participant’s Discovery and job development process there will be many more monthly summaries than you see included in the examples.

Finding Forms

You'll find the gold mine of forms on VR's website. Using this link, scroll down to "Employment Service Forms."  And don't forget to bookmark the page!

Supported Employment: What It Is, What It Isn't, What It Should Be

This month’s post returns to supported employment basics. 

Under order of selection, Indiana VR must first serve individuals who are most significantly disabled (MSD). That means that most, if not all, of your job seekers will be individuals designated as MSD and, as such, they will need supported employment. From the Indiana VR Manual of Employment Services: “For individuals with a MSD, it is best practice for VR to routinely provide an authorization for SE upon job placement.”

It’s vital, then, that as an employment specialist or VR counselor you understand what supported employment is and what it isn’t, and that you know how and when to use supported employment for your job seekers.

Tom-ay-to, Tom-ah-to? Nope!

Let’s start here: Supportive employment is NOT the same thing as supported employment. "Supported employment" is actually set forth in federal law, but you won’t find the term "supportive employment" in employment law or a waiver manual of services. Supported employment is a tool of your trade as an employment specialist, so it’s important that you use the right terminology.  (Okay, so glad we got that pet peeve off our chests.)

Need a reminder as to just what supported employment actually is?  According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy, supported employment is “assistance such as job coaching, transportation, assistive technology, and specialized job training that enables individuals with significant disabilities to obtain and retain employment.” Supported employment facilitates competitive work in integrated settings for job seekers with significant disabilities: 1) who aren’t usually selected for competitive employment, and 2) who, because of the nature and severity of their disability, need ongoing support services in order to perform their job.

It bears repeating that integrated and competitive are both key components of the supported employment definition. Supported employment does not take place in segregated, enclave environments or on mobile work crews comprising only workers with disabilities.

For more information on how the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 define supported employment, refer to p. 17 of The Hoosier Orientation Handbook on Employment.

Putting Supported Employment to Work

So now that you know what supported employment is, here are a few pointers on how to ensure success.

Point #1:  Talk about supported employment to make it available.

As an employment specialist or consultant, you will be communicating with your VR counselor throughout the Discovery process about the support needs of your job seeker, which will include conversations about appropriate supported employment services.  When you, the VR counselor, and your job seeker meet, you’ll list supported employment as a service on the individual plan for employment (IPE).  Keeping supported employment at the forefront of your discussions paves the way to authorization.

Point #2: Supported employment doesn’t mean someone can’t.

Don’t jump to the conclusion that an individual’s need for ongoing supports means he or she is not suited for or capable of doing that job. Skills acquisition and supportive workplace and offsite supports require time. For an employment specialist, this means developing a strategy for effective instruction, natural supports, and ample staffing. For a VRC, this means providing additional authorized hours based upon training needs established in the Employment Support and Retention Plan. Don’t give up simply because a person needs help. Remember why they knocked on your door in the first place.

Point #3: Give it time.

Skills acquisition and supportive workplace supports take time. Indiana VR advises (Manual, p. 13), “this initial authorization for SE services should generally be, at minimum, 30-60 hours, covering a time period of no less than 3 months.” Supported employment is not a rush to “place-train-and-close.” Remember, Indiana VR’s current employment service model can provide funding for supporting a worker for up to 24 months.

You should provide additional hours of supported employment until the new employee achieves stabilization, and this doesn’t always occur in the first three months. Some new workers, for instance, experience a honeymoon period for several weeks. Everything seems fine until a co-worker becomes annoyed with your client’s constant on-the-job chatter, and suddenly there’s a blow-up. Or, your new hire is having problems picking up skills until, three months after her start date, you find the right combination of supports and your new hire blossoms and becomes a star employee. Be patient.

Point #4: Supported employment also works with other challenges.

Providing supports to employees experiencing mental health issues?  There has been substantial research about models that successfully use supported employment for people with a variety of mental health challenges (schizophrenia, bipolar, depression). Scroll through the IPS Employment Center’s website, which describes the eight principles of the Individual Placement and Support model.  Or, read through the positive stories of real-life people in “Work is Recovery,” from the Center for Evidence-Based Practices from Case Western Reserve University.

Additional Resources, References & Trainings

“Supported Employment Resources,” VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. 

“Supported Employment: What Is It?” (2012). Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

“Supported Employment: A Conceptual Overview,” (1988). The Center on Human Policy at Syracuse University

Since we’ve only scratched the supported employment surface here, we’ve decided we need to do a “Supported Employment 2.0,” follow-up post. In that one, we’ll explore the nitty-gritty how-tos of providing employment supports both on and off the job. Watch your inbox.

Our Employment Training webpage will also have news about “Strategies for Effective Supported Employment,” (formerly Advanced Supported Employment).  We’re planning to offer two Strategies trainings in 2019!  

• Winter training begins with online modules, January 14 through March 15, with face-to-face meetings at Easterseals Crossroads in Indianapolis on February 27 & 28.  

• Or, if you’d rather wait until Summer, join us online June 28 through July 26, with face-to-face meetings, at Easterseals Crossroads on July 11-12. 

Save the dates, and we’ll keep you posted!

…………………………………………………

It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month  

On August 11, 1945, President Harry S. Truman approved a Congressional resolution declaring the first week in October “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, the word "physically" fell off to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. Congress expanded “National Employ the Handicapped Week” to “National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” which is recognized now each October. To learn more about the NDEAM’s mission and activities, click this link: https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/

Neighborhood Mapping

You’ve already explained the Discovery process to your job seeker, family, and other significant support people. You made sure you are clear about what you will be doing and about their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. You also made sure the information you received about the job seeker is current and accurate.

What's next?

Take a Look Around

We previously blogged about the home visit, sharing examples of a “Meet and Greet” along with “Tips and Tricks for Making You and Your Job Seeker More Comfortable.” Need a refresher? Review “’What’s Up?’ An In-Depth Look at the Meet and Greet.” When scheduling the home visit, you could also arrange with your job seeker to do some neighborhood mapping.  


What is neighborhood mapping? It's simply taking a tour of your job seeker’s immediate neighborhood and nearby community. You may want to tour the neighborhood prior to your first home visit or as an activity with the job seeker or both. Your choice. The idea is to look for businesses that might be an employment option, a work experience opportunity, or a place to try a situational assessment. 

Ask yourself, “What types of businesses are near the home?” Are they industrial, retail, hospitality? Are they mostly big box stores? If there are no businesses within a reasonable distance from the job seeker’s home, how far would he or she need to travel? Another important observation to make is the “culture” you can see and feel in the neighborhood. Does it feel friendly? Do people greet one another or keep to themselves? Is there an appreciation for well-kept lawns and clean streets? 

Point A to Point B and Back Home

Neighborhood mapping also involves exploring transportation options by thinking about the following questions: What is available in the area? Is there a bus line? How often do buses run? How early do they pick up in the morning, and how late do they run each day? Do ridesourcing companies (e.g., Uber or Lyft) cater to the area? Is there a bike lane? Is there a train? What safety concerns might be present in their neighborhood? Is there a sidewalk? Do they have to cross a busy street to catch a bus? Is it safe to walk the neighborhood alone? Are there Crime Watch signs posted? 

Keep a List

During the home visit, you may have asked for names of neighbors who may know the job seeker well. Exploring the neighborhood with the job seeker will help you identify those neighbors who could be beneficial to the job seeker’s quest for employment. 

When you first met with your job seeker you also probably learned about activities the job seeker regularly participates in, such as grocery shopping, classes at the YMCA, or community gardening. Touring the neighborhood with the job seeker can verify participation in activities, as well as help you identify additional places, resources, and services that can provide opportunities for Discovery activity planning. During that drive around the neighborhood, your job seeker may also talk about other people they know, like the trainer at the YMCA or the hairstylist at the local salon. That may give you an opportunity to connect with more people who know your job seeker.

Employment specialists can track neighborhood mapping information by recording the business names on their smartphone, taking pictures, or creating a list with good old paper and pencil.  


Our thanks to Goodwill Michiana for allowing us to share some examples of neighborhood mapping from northern Indiana.

The Golden Ticket

I've got a golden ticket.
I've got a golden chance to make my way.
And with a golden ticket, it's a golden day.

You can offer job seekers the golden ticket by simply providing a service you already do! You may have heard of the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work program. However, you may also have more questions than answers or have heard some concerns. Shared Solutions has information and answers!

What is the Ticket to Work?

The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program provides choices, opportunities, and support to help people with disabilities obtain and keep a job. The program also supports the financial independence of participants—helping them reduce or even eliminate their reliance on government benefits.

People eligible to use a Ticket may not actually have a paper ticket. Social Security is letting some job seekers know they’re eligible and will mail them an actual ticket, but you can assure your job seekers that as long as they have a disability and are receiving either SSI or SSDI, they’re eligible to participate in Ticket to Work—even if they don’t have a paper ticket. (See more about eligibility later.)

Essentially, Ticket to Work allows any job seeker receiving Social Security benefits to choose certain employment providers, known as Employment Networks (more on Employment Networks later), to help them find successful employment. This is especially important now, since Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is operating under an order of selection, which means that some job seekers may not be able to receive services through VR. Ticket to Work gives eligible job seekers the chance to prepare, search for, and work at a job even if they’re on a deferred list for VR services.

Who is eligible to use the Ticket?

People eligible to participate in Ticket to Work have a disability, are between the ages of 18-64, and receive monthly cash benefit payments through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

How does it work?

In this program, ticket holders “assign” their ticket to an approved employment service provider. They can select an Employment Network (EN) or Indiana VR (if they’re an Indiana resident). If either VR or an EN accepts the Ticket assignment, they will provide appropriate services to help the Ticket holder find and maintain employment. Social Security says services can include education and training, resume development, benefits and career counseling, job development, job coaching, and any other ongoing support services necessary to achieve the work goals that the job seeker and EN agree to in the Individual Work Plan.

Ticket holders also agree to maintain a certain level of earnings over a specific period. They will be working toward a goal of self-sufficiency; however, that could be a long-term goal (up to 5 years).

What’s in it for the Ticket holder?

While participating in the program, Ticket holders can safely explore work options and find the right job without immediately losing cash benefits. They can also use various Social Security work incentives to maximize their income until they earn enough to support themselves.

A Ticket holder can:

• go to work without automatically losing benefits,
• return to benefits if he or she has to stop working,
• continue to receive health care benefits, and
• be protected from a medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR) while making expected progress with work or educational goals. (While other job seekers receiving Social Security benefits can also use work incentives, Ticket to Work participants have an advantage because their CDRs are suspended, so they can work without fear of a medical review.)

 What is an Employment Network?

An EN is any qualified private or public entity that enters into an EN agreement with SSA under the Ticket to Work program. ENs and Ticket holders work together to create a written Individual Work Plan (IWP).

Why would a person choose the Ticket to Work program? Why would your agency think about offering this program? Here are a few reasons:

• The job seeker is not able to obtain VR services due to OOS.
• The job seeker chooses not to use Vocational Rehabilitation.
• The job seeker goes through VR but does not qualify for extended services. This could include people with mental health challenges or those with physical disabilities—job seekers you may not currently be serving.
• The EN receives “milestone/outcome payments” linked to the earnings of their now-employed Ticket holder. These payments give ENs a revenue stream so they can continue working with job seekers who are not MSD and who may be deferred for VR services.

Ticket partners

Indiana also offers Partnership Plus to Ticket to Work recipients. With this program, both VR and an EN can receive compensation for the same Ticket holder. The VR agency can accept a Ticket to provide services to the Ticket holder under their employment program until the VR successfully closes the case. Then, the EN accepts the same ticket to offer long-term supports.

The EN helps the beneficiary achieve Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level earnings, but Partnership Plus ENs do not usually provide pre-employment or job placement services. Instead, they provide job stabilization, retention, and career advancement supports. To ensure some savings to Social Security, Partnership Plus excludes Phase 1 milestone payments to the EN (see the table below) if the Ticket holder already has a job at the time of VR case closure.

Resources

Watch “Meet Ben!” an easy-to-understand introduction to the Ticket program for potential ticket holders. In addition, employment service providers can use the video to educate beneficiaries.  It explains the key benefits of participation in the Ticket to Work program. 

Considering becoming an Employment Network? Review the “payment-at-a-glance” table and additional resources below. The table outlines the potential revenue an EN can realize based upon certain outcomes OR milestones. (Click on Payments at a Glance to see a larger copy of the table) 

Keep in mind that Social Security selects ENs based on the services they can offer to potential Ticket holders, so you’ll want to answer the EN application questions carefully.

To learn more about Ticket to Work or about how to become an Employment Network, visit these websites:

• https://yourtickettowork.ssa.gov/about/index.html 
• https://www.ssa.gov/work/overview.html 
• https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/ticket-to-work

You can also call the Ticket to Work information line at 866-968-7842.

The Center on Community Living and Careers can provide customized consulting to community employment providers wondering about how becoming an EN might help them reach more job seekers.  For more information, call CCLC at 812-855-0169 or refer to our employment training and consultation webpage and flyer.

Pre-ETS: Singing the Same Tune

You may be working with high school students, teachers, or families who are already receiving Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), or you may be getting questions from students and families who are curious. Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation funds Pre-ETS and works with the agencies and community employment programs that provide services to schools. Your agency may be included among the existing Pre-ETS providers. Currently, not all schools and communities are offering Pre-ETS, but the list is growing. Students receiving these services may learn more about potential career paths or even get some work experience before they leave school!

Altogether Now!

With the implementation of VR’s order of selection last summer, the applications and eligibility process can be confusing to students, teachers, families, (and us too!).  We’ve all had questions about how order of selection affects participation in Pre-ETS services, and when to refer a student to VR. 

As a result, VR created a fact sheet for educators, which the Center on Community Living and Careers shared with teachers along with a decision flow chart to clarify how order of selection affects Pre-ETS. (Side note: Half of our center works with you and all-things-employment; the other works with secondary teachers and all-thing-transition. We’re a versatile group!) Since Pre-ETS is really a blending of both worlds—education and employment—we thought you might want to see that same information. Review the fact sheet and flow chart, below. They certainly helped us understand all of the moving parts!

Fact sheet: Pre-Employment Transition Services & Order of Selection

Flow chart: Pre-ETS flowchart 

Resources for Your Conductor

While we’re on the subject, does your agency provide Pre-ETS services? If yes, share the following information with the person running the show! 

The Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) works with state VR programs and their partners to effectively implement the requirements of WIOA, including Pre-ETS programming. They house a number of resources you can use to implement required activities, as well as clarification and information on relevant topics like internship programs. 

Here are a few we’re pretty excited about:

• CRP Pre-ETS Guidebook: Strategies for CRPs to Collaborate on Pre-ETS: This handbook provides a comprehensive look at providing Pre-ETS, from factors to consider when hiring staff, to tools and resources for each of the required activities. 

• Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act: This fact sheet provides general information to help determine whether interns and students working for “for-profit” employers are entitled to minimum wages and overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). 

• The Path to Independence: Mobile Apps to Support Transition-Age Youth: Tips from the Pacer Center to support students with disabilities. 

• For these resources, and many more, check out the WINTAC site: http://www.wintac.org/topic-areas/pre-employment-transition-services/resources

And a one, and a two, and a….Sing out, Louise!

A Wealth of Savings Options

Until recently, people with disabilities had very few options for saving money. To protect their supports or health care from Medicaid or Social Security, individuals would choose not to work or would opt to work minimal hours. Sadly, we were keeping people poor. 

Workers with disabilities—just like everyone else—not only have the right to work, they also have the right to self-sufficiency. For many people that involves asset building, or the use of strategies that can increase wealth and savings and that can improve the possibility of owning things of value, such as a home or a business. Asset-building programs focus on long-term development for individuals and families. For more information on assets and asset building, see Prosperity Now’s frequently asked asset questions. 

Improving on the Piggy Bank

Fortunately, there are now several savings programs and work incentives designed just for workers with disabilities to help them develop their wealth, save for emergencies, move up the economic ladder with an education, own a house or a business, and become more stable and independent. 

Here are a few ways a job seeker can save money for future investments or self-sufficiency goals: 

• A Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) is a work incentive designed to help Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients work. It allows people with disabilities who receive SSI to set aside resources and/or various kinds of income for a specified period to use toward a work goal or to start a business. To qualify for a PASS, an individual must: 
• have a realistic work goal, 
• have a specific savings/spending plan for work-related items or services and specify how those items or services are related to employment, 
• have a clearly identifiable accounting of the funds set aside in the PASS, and 
• follow the PASS plan as agreed upon with SSA. 

         See the PASS fact sheet for more details.

• An Individual Development Account (IDA) is a special savings account matched by federal and state dollars ($4 to $1). IDAs can help low-income individuals and families save money for training or education, purchasing or rehabbing a home, buying a vehicle, or starting a small business. An individual who has a job, earns income, and who is a member of a household with an annual household income of less than 200% of federal income poverty guidelines is eligible for an IDA account. For more details and resources, see the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority’s webpage on IDAs. 

• An ABLE account is a special savings account that allows individuals with disabilities to save up to $15,000 per year while still keeping their Medicaid and other benefits. Eligible individuals who are working may be able to keep more of the money they earn by saving to and spending from an ABLE account. See the ABLE fact sheet for more information and resources. Indiana’s ABLE program is known as INvestABLE ( there are now ABLE programs available in many states). Find details about INvestABLE fees, investment options, and benefits at https://savewithable.com/in/home.html 

• A Special Needs Trust is a trust that allows people with disabilities to save assets. There are different types of Special Needs Trusts. Some are funded through an inheritance, back payment from Social Security, or money from a personal injury settlement. Other trusts can be funded by workers with disabilities themselves, with their own earnings. Special Needs Trusts are often set up by an attorney, but for Hoosiers, the Arc of Indiana also has a Master Trust I and II. Just as with ABLE accounts, Special Needs Trusts can allow people with disabilities to maintain their eligibility for government benefits. For more information about minimum deposits, how funds can be used, and the difference between trusts, see the Arc Master Trust guide or consult an attorney. 

We Knew You Would Ask

There has been some question as to whether a person should choose an ABLE account or a Special Needs Trust. People with disabilities who are eligible may be able to have both! Some advisors recommend that ABLE accounts, many of which have a debit card option, be used for smaller savings amounts and for routine spending, and that Special Needs Trusts be used for longer-term savings. 

If you are working with families or individuals, help them ask questions when they’re comparing and contrasting savings and investment options. 

And While We're on the Subject

April is Financial Capability Month (who knew?). The National Disability Institute, the LEAD Center, and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) are joining forces to present a webinar, "Advancing Financial Literacy for Individuals with Disabilities." Per NDI's website, participants will learn about:

• Consumer protections provided by MSRB rules for ABLE tax-advantaged savings accounts 
• New materials from the FDIC to build financial capability for adults with disabilities 
• Favorable tax benefits for people with disabilities from the IRS 
• Financial literacy requirements in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) from the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) 
• Challenges and opportunities to improve financial capability and inclusion for individuals across the spectrum of disabilities from disability leaders

The details:
Advancing Financial Literacy for Individuals with Disabilities

April 18
1-3 p.m., Eastern Time
For more information and to register: https://www.realeconomicimpact.org/news/?id=1665