Ray Cebula: Good afternoon everybody, this is Ray Cebula from the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University and welcome to today’s webinar. We’re going to be talking about the Ticket to Work, about returning to work, and we’re going to be focused on beneficiaries who are blind or who have visual impairments today. I’m going to take you through some of the technology that you may be using, it’s a very, very simple process that we’re using today, and I say that from a non-techy point of view, if I can do it, you can do it. What you have on your screen, you’ve been set up as a default screen, so what you have at this point is an audio box in the lower left hand corner of your computer screen. That’s going to allow you to adjust the volume. If you are talking on a telephone, you don’t need to worry about that box, if you are listening through your computer’s speakers, you may want to adjust that volume, you may want to adjust that volume at some point. You may also want to check the speakers on your computer, and you might want to turn those up, that might help you with your volume as well. If you are having audio problems, up in the right hand – I’m sorry, the left upper corner – of your screen, there is a tools bar, and if you click on tools, then click on audio, then click on audio set up wizard, you can follow the prompts, and that might help you fix that problem. Now we want to hear your questions, we want to hear what you think, and we have an interactive screen here for you. There is a chat box in the middle of your screen that is moving, if you can see that moving at all, and you can submit a question by putting your cursor in the bottom line of that box, typing your question, and hitting send. That’s going to get your question to the moderator, it’s going to get your question on the screen, and we will take those questions at appropriate times during the session. One very important aspect of today’s session that we want, and for all of our sessions, we want to talk to you about accessibility, and the accessibility of webinars. We’ve been doing webinars for a long time, but it’s still fairly new, and we’re very, very concerned that our webinars are available to everybody. And this is the first time we have done a webinar directed at an audience comprised of folks with blindness and visual impairments. So what we want you to do is let us know how this experience was for you, let us know whether it was good, let us know that it was horrible for you and did not work for you. But if you are letting us know that it was horrible and does not work for you, what we’d really appreciate is any steps we can take or any programs or systems that you’re aware of that might help us make this a better experience next time alive. So please, let us know that information. What are we going to talk about today? We’ve got a long agenda. I am your host, playing Bob Barker today. We’re going to talk about work incentive planning and assistance and the WIPA projects and how they might help you on your journey back to work. We have Ron Mulvaney from the Illinois Assistive Technology Program to do that. Ron is also going to talk to us about the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives, a part of the Ticket to Work program includes employment networks and how they can assist you in reaching your employment goal. And we have Ellen Farnham from Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind who’s going to speak to us about what the EN can potentially do for you. Rita Howells from the Illinois DHS DRS Bureau of the Blind Services will talk to you about vocational rehabilitation’s role in all of this, and what they can do, and how both VR and ENs can help you through this process. Oh my god, T.J. Schlouski, I hope I said that right, from the Illinois Assistive Technology Project, is also going to be talking with us about what that project can do. Assistive Technology could very well be the key to the success of somebody’s return to work program. And then we have my good old buddy, Alan Goldstein, who’s a Senior Attorney with Equip for Equality in Chicago and is the PABSS, the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security recipients, project manager. We’re going to show you some other resources, and then we’re going to take the time to answer some of your questions. When you are submitting questions, please know that we will take some questions that we have time for; we’re not going to be able to take questions from all of you, because we don’t have that time. We prefer not to have questions that address a particular issue you are having at the moment, those are personal issues and we would rather have you address those to the call-in center. And throughout we’ll be prompting you for those questions and giving you information about where you can get further information. And what can we expect from today’s seminar? Clearly information on the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives, we have some experts, some planners, and some users, who are going to help you with that information. Answers to frequently asked questions, why should I work, what’s going to happen to my benefits, where can you get more information, we’re giving you general information today, folks. The information that you need so that you can get yourself in a program to return to work is very specific to your situation. So we’ll make sure that you’re able to access that information. We have a couple of people who are going to share their stories with us and how they used the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives in order to get back to work. Now, I think, what did I just do? Did I hit the wrong button here? I’m always hitting the wrong button. No I don’t think I did. But give me a moment. Alright, what we’re going to talk about – we’re going to let Melanie Porter talk to us now. She has agreed to share her success story with us and is going to take a few minutes to tell us about her journey back to work. So Melanie if you’d take it away? Melanie Porter: Sure, thanks Ray. And hello everybody. I was delighted today when I asked to join this webinar, because I was thinking about what it would be like if I was an audience member sitting on the other side, listening to presenters, again, talk about all of the benefits of the different programs, or what it means to go back to work. And I thought, in situations where I’ve been there, sometimes where it might be helpful to hear from somebody who might have some of the same questions or concerns that I may have. And so I knew that that this was a chance for me to connect with some of you, knowing that a lot of the questions that I had are probably similar to some of the questions that you had. I am an individual who is legally blind, and I wasn’t sure if working was going to be right for me, and so as it got to that point to make that decision, as I got towards the end of high school, I had developed a relationship with my state VR agency, and in my particular case, it was the Commission for the Blind, and I was working with them to get services, ranging from computer skills and typing, understanding how to use zoomtext, which is a magnification software, my closed circuit tv, and worked with them closely through my Bachelors, and continued as I got my Masters degree. At that time I was receiving SSI, I had then transitioned to getting SSDI, which some of you may be receiving right now, and knew that I had to make a decision of going back to work or staying on the disability roles. So some of the questions that I had asked myself was, you know, what does that mean for me to go back to work? What if I can’t work? You know, are there going to be things in place that are going to help me if I didn’t make the right decision? And what are my benefits? And, you know, how do I go about finding a job? And what happens if I can’t get to work? Or what happens if people don’t realize what it’s like to work with somebody who may have special needs? Those were all things that I had thought about, and as I started thinking more and more about that I realized that those were some of the challenges that I was going to have to face, regardless, if I worked or not. Just going out in the world everyday and some of those things that we’re all concerned with, we’re going to apply to the workplace as well. So I decided to take a different approach and think of all the benefits it could bring. For example, I knew that in college meeting people was something that I had enjoyed, learning from different people, hearing their different perspectives, and having that opportunity to learn more from different people was something I could get in the workplace, as well. In addition to that, I knew, as many of you do, that getting those checks every month, is nice, but having more money and being financially independent could be even better. So that I could take those vacations that I wanted to, that I could save for a home someday, if I ever wanted to go back to school or needed money for a family. And all of those things started sounding very good to me. Voice: The broadcast is now starting, all attendees can now hear you. Melanie Porter: Are we okay, Ray? Ray Cebula: Yeah, we’re okay. Melanie Porter: Okay, I was getting a message so I wanted to make sure. So as I started looking for employment, at this particular time, the Ticket to Work Program, which you’ll learn more about in a little bit, wasn't around yet. But I had worked closely with my state VR agency, was able to find employment, used one of the work incentives which you’ll also learn about in a little bit – the trial work period, and as I was working, I heard about the Ticket to Work Program. And found out I was, indeed, eligible for it. And that it’s something I might want to look into. Now for some of you who are already working, who may be working with your state VR agency, and have also received a ticket, I wanted to find out, if there was anything out there that could help me continue to get supports that I may need as I was making that transition. So I was able to make some phone calls. I found an organization that was right for me. The services that were available fit it into my particular needs at the time. And I was able to continue working. It’s been about ten years now I have been at the same management and technology consulting firm for -- for about the past seven years. And I am in a very comfortable play where I am making more than I could've ever imagined had I stayed on the disability roles. It has been extremely rewarding to meet people and to also, be an advocate and to help build awareness within workplace where I am right now. Helping share my story with others. Helping to educate people, you know how it might be different to work with people who may learn a little bit differently. All of those fears that I had about going into meetings and, would I be able to read documents, and to take notes, and keep up with my colleagues. I learned these things are things I have learned to deal with as a result of working and have been very happy. And so for all of you that might have these same questions, I realize work may not be right for everybody right now. Down the road, it may be something to consider. And the Ticket to Work Program is something that is there for you, that is voluntary. And by picking up the phone today, after you get this information, calling the Ticket to Work helpline, speaking to your work incentives planning and assistance coordinators, talking to anybody that you can to get information to help you make an informed decision if this is right for you, I would encourage all of you to do that. As you learn more about the program, you can find that independence that I have to be successful. Hopefully we may from hear -- hopefully we may hear from one of you on a future webinar or at a future event. And Ray, I just wanted to thank everybody for letting me share that, and I’m happy to answer any questions at the end. Ray Cebula: Okay, thank you very much Melanie. That was great. And I encouraging to some of our participants today. What we are going to do now is try to control my computer. Talk to you about why you should work. You know, there are lots of reasons to work. Melanie talked to us about her reasons for deciding to work. Earning more income is clearly one of those reasons. Social Security benefits and SSI does not provide a whole lot of money to people. And having more income is always a good thing. So that is one of the most obvious reasons. But gaining independence is another. What we deal with, a lot, as advocates and benefits planners, are people living in poverty or very close to that. That is not an independent state of being. That is truly a state of dependence. And working allows you to gain independence. You can make more choices, more doors open for you because of your activity and because you are out in the world. Learning new skills. Melanie discussed going back to school. That is clearly learning new skills. Going to a trade institution, that is clearly new skills. Anything you might need to go back to work, we’re going to show you how you might be able to get that. So learning new skills is one of the reasons for returning to work. And meeting new people. Very important aspect. You know, from my own point of view, I mentioned my good buddy Alan in Chicago. I live in Boston. How did I meet Alan in Chicago? I met Alan in Chicago because I work. I am sitting here right now, in Ithaca, New York, at Cornell University, because I work. So meeting lots of new people. I met my spouse while I was working. Lots of opportunities open because we work. Now, what are some of the common concerns that people have? Some of those frequently asked questions that we’re going to try to talk about today? And Ron will talk to you about them very quickly. Will I lose my benefits? You know, both healthcare and cash? Well, the likelihood is that you'll only lose your benefits, your cash benefits, when you’ve replaced them with earnings. For an SSI recipient, you’re not going to be worse off, you’re always going to be better off. Healthcare? I can’t talk to all of you about the healthcare situation, because I don't know what state you're from, but in many, many states healthcare is not a significant issue anymore. Medicare extensions that comes with the ticket to work. The Medicaid buy-ins that are available in now 44 states make losing your healthcare next to impossible. How do I get the skills and experiences I need? We have ENs with you - employment network, they are going to talk to you about that. We have someone from the VR agency in Illinois, they will talk to you about what they can do to help you get the skills and experience you need to reenter or enter the workforce. And then that big question that is lingering out there - What if it doesn't work? What if I have to stop working? Well, the Ticket to Work Act allows an easy access if you have to stop working. We’re going to talk to you about that as well. So it’s not that difficult to get back into the system if you do need to do that. So with that being said, I am going to turn this over to Ron Mulvaney who is with the Illinois Institute of Technology Project. And will begin talking to you about work incentives planning and assistance. And Ron, if you’ll let me know when you need to have the slides switched, that would be great. Ron Mulvaney: All right Ray, thank you. Can you hear me okay? Ray Cebula: A little low, so if you could almost scream, that would be great. Ron Mulvaney: Okay, well I am not used to being not heard so -- [ Laughter ] I am Ron Mulvaney, and I am the director of the Illinois Assistive Technology Program, Work Incentive Planning and Assistance Project, in Illinois. And go to the next slide while I’m talking, if you will. You know, the WIPA projects, across the United States, there's one in every state in the United States and there’s a project that represents the county that you live in. They are approved by Social Security, so it's not like we're doing it on our own. We are recognized and supported by the Social Security Administration. So that we can help you have an informed choice about going back to work. And I like to say that people like to work – or that we like to work -- ahead of the curve with Social Security instead of being reactive and working behind the curve with Social Security. So if you know what to expect up front, which the WIPA programs or projects can help you do, then that’s going to give you a head start. And as we’re going to talk about a little bit later, alleviate some fears and concerns as you move towards self-sufficiency and a better life for yourself. The WIPA staff, they’re called community work incentives coordinators, they all hold certification through Virginia Commonwealth University and public benefits. He So they are well-trained and they are supported by Virginia Commonwealth staff, called technical assistance. So if we don’t know an answer, we certainly know who to go to to get the answers that you need so that you can move towards self-sufficiency, and again a better situation in your life. The CWICKs, again the community work incentives coordinators, are trained to provide information about the Ticket to Work and the work incentives, and they have a very comprehensive list of work incentives that are available and can be applied to both Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Insurance recipients. We can answer questions about work and how you will be affected, how your benefits will be affected. And we can help you find the resources, such as Ray spoke about earlier, and Melanie spoke about, about the employment networks and division of rehab. We can get you connected to those programs so that you will have all the supports, all the employment team, if you will, so that you can move towards a better life for yourself. And this is a webinar, called a WISE Event webinar. But we also host these on-sites throughout the United States. So if you contact your local WIPA program, which there’s contact information within this webinar, so you can find out how to attend one of the webinars in person. So, the main thing I can say about the WIPA project, and importantly the Ticket to Work program, is it is a process and we are here for the long haul to maintain a relationship with you so that you can move at your pace towards reaching the highest level of self sufficiency. Ray if you could go to the next slide please. The next slide please? Thank you. Hello? Ray Cebula: Are you seeing it, Ron? Ron Mulvaney: No, I am getting a connecting to host slide. Ray Cebula: Oh, alright, the next slide, do you have the PowerPoint printed out. Ron Mulvaney: I actually have it on my sidebar. Hold on a second. Ray Cebula: Okay, cause I am moving the slides. Ron Mulvaney: Okay. Bear with me just a minute folks. Ray Cebula: Yup. Ron Mulvaney: Technical glitch. The last thing I spoke about was the WISE events in person. And I wanted you to also know, when you get ready to go to work and look at your work options, you can learn more about the work incentives that apply to you. And there's a lot of information that may not apply to you because, as I will talk about the minute, there are two distinct programs out there. There is an SSI program and an SSDI program a lot of well-meaning individuals those mixed together. So a community work incentive coordinator and the employment network in the division of rehab can help you sort that all out and help these work incentives and the systems in place apply to you as an individual. You can build that employment team that I spoke about. Get the supports around you to move forward so you can get your questions answered. Like Melanie said a while ago. She went and asked questions and talked to people. And she developed that employment team for herself. And that is what it is about is putting the supports in place. And most importantly, stay positive and look for opportunities. My business mentor told me a long time ago, he said, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. So if you prepare and use all of these resources to prepare yourself and get the skills you need, when that opportunity comes along, you can consider yourself lucky. Okay? The next slide, Ray. The Social Security Disability Benefit Program. There are two of them, like I said there’s a Social Security Disability Insurance Program and there is also the Supplemental Security Income Program. They each have their own set of work incentives and they are quite unique. So the WIPA programs, the community work incentive coordinators can do a plan for you so that you understand exactly what work incentives apply to you and they can help you apply them so that you can create a transitional approach towards getting that job. It is not a leap. It is a transition. So the work incentives are there to help you transition towards a better life for yourself. I have course there the bottom slide down this page, if you receive both benefits – Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income – you are what we call concurrent. And the CWICK, the community work incentives coor --- the work incentives planning and assistance program --- can help you understand how you can follow both sets of work incentives. Next slide, Ray, please. Ray Cebula: Okay, for those of you following along with PDF, we are on slide 13 at this point. Ron Mulvaney: Okay. And I am running off of my own slide, Ray, cause I can’t follow you right now. Common concerns. Ray spoke a little bit at the concerns a while ago. I talk to people all the time that have fears and concerns about going to work. And many of them have sent me cards after I’d worked with them saying, where were you 15 years ago? I wish I would have known you sooner. Thank you for all of your help. The bottom line is, it is legitimate to have fears and concerns. So you are wanting to know what risk for starting a new job, job-training, or going back to school. We can help you understand and have an informed choice about what’s going to take place when you go back to school. And there is no negative effect to getting training and preparing yourself for more work. You’ll get to maintain your benefits and keep training and pairing for that better job. Next here I am concerned about my SSI check, will it be reduced? Jeopardizing my SSDI entitlement? We will talk to you about your case and how to make the most of the work incentives while you move towards self- sufficiency. I am going to talk a little bit about a blind work expense for individuals that receive SSI and meet the statutory blind definition through Social Security. It is a very comprehensive work incentive that allows you to keep more of your SSI check when you go back to work. Also, under the SSDI program, there is a higher SGA level, so that a person can work and make more money before they start getting into a situation where their SSDI check is reduced. So I will explain more of that in a little bit. So we can help you with these concerns and some of these fears over these issues. What happens if I get into an overpayment situation? And how can I prevent this from happening? As I said long ago, I like to work ahead of the curve. I like to help people and if you look at the third word in the name of program – planning. Work Incentives Planning and Assistance. We’re going to help you plan to know when you are eligible, when you're not eligible for your checks. And as Ray said, you'll always going to have more money and we’re going to have those checks replaced by a paycheck so that you can plan for when you're not eligible to avoid having an overpayment situation. And this is an introduction, folks. It is not something that you have to recall every bit and piece that we tell you today. You have to understand that we are here, available to work with you on a one on one basis until you understand it. So, don't put pressure on yourself that you have to write down every note and remember everything today because you can make that call, and we can make things an awful lot less scary for you when you understand these rules and how they apply to you. Next slide, Ray? I believe David is going to be next, huh Ray? Ray Cebula: Yes he is, slide 14. David Benny: Thank you, Ron. I appreciate the opportunity to be here and to talk to all you today. I only have a few minutes, they tell me, so I will talk fast. I am David Benny. Folks around here call me D.B. I am attorney, licensed by the Supreme Court of Illinois to practice in the State of Illinois. I was sworn in as an Officer of the Court on November 6, 2008. Now for the past year -- two years or so, I have been a solo practitioner, in a little town called Newton, Illinois. And if you’ve never heard of it, don't worry. Most haven’t. I run my own office with help of my sighted office manager who is on my payroll. He is paid through my office. At the moment, I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 active cases, in seven different counties of this rural part of southeastern Illinois. Just in the past year or so, I have been in seven different courtrooms dealing with mostly criminal cases, everything from speeding tickets to serious felonies. And in fact, last December, my office received a great shot in the arm. We finally got to take a criminal case to a jury trial and we won. Naturally, that got us a lot of attention in this part of the world. And just as an aside, the foreperson on that jury happened to be the Director of Special Education for Southeastern Illinois. What a coincidence that was. You can imagine how good it felt for myself and my office when we got verdict handed down and helped somebody go free that didn’t deserve to be in jail. Anyhow, I take court-appointed cases, but most of my clients pay me. They are private clients and none of my clients, currently, are blind or sight impaired. I will tell you why that is important to me at the end here. Let me give you a little background about where I came from. At this time, just three short years ago, I was finishing up my seven years of schooling at Southern Illinois University. My only income was SSI. I lived in a little one bedroom apartment in subsidized housing in Carbondale, Illinois. Today I own my own home, which by my standards, is a nice home; my own vehicle, a Chevy Impala; and I run my own office. All through college and my transition to private practice, I received services through VR here in the state of Illinois. And without the assistive technology training, employment training, and all of the others benefits that have been discussed and will be discussed today, there is no way I would be where I am today at this point of my career as a 28-year-old attorney in private practice. Our Bureau of Blind Services was particularly helpful. They were my EN, employment network and they were my Ticket to Work provider. When I first broached the idea of opening my office here in Newton, they were behind me 100%. In fact, if I try to credit all the individuals and entities who helped me along the way, we’d be here all day. So let me just move along. I guess the point I want to stress most today, is that, if we, as blind persons put forth the effort, and make use of the programs and benefits available to us, we can and will be successful and productive in whatever our chosen field. I don’t speak of myself and my “accomplishments” in order to draw praise or credit to myself, but rather to demonstrate that if I myself can succeed in a small rural community in a private law practice, which is difficult to do, even for someone with sight, then others can do it as well under hopefully less demanding circumstances. And the self gratification. I want to stress the self gratification that comes with living the American dream and along the way helping other people better their lives, that feeling of satisfaction is priceless, no matter how much money you make, although, getting paid for services rendered feels good too. And that brings me to my last point. And take this to heart because I really mean this. I told you earlier that my clients are all sighted. There just aren’t many blind people in my part of the state. And not one other totally blind lawyer in private practice in this area, so far as I know. A lot of people who come to me for help never dealt much with blindness or even known someone who is blind. Yet, these people, rather than going to the next lawyer in town, trust in my abilities and believe in me enough that they entrust their freedom, marriage, property, etc. to me, pay me their hard earned dollars, to protect their legal interests. All of this despite the fact that I am blind as opposed to Joe Q lawyer down the road, who is sighted. And why? Because, if we, as professionals who happen to have a disability, if we demonstrate that we can get the job done, the sighted world, and I assure you because I know it is happening right now, the sighted world can and will look past our disability. They will focus on our ability and they will give us a chance. With that, I thank all of you. It is truly an honor to be called a success story at 28 years old. And I truly hope that you all take something positive away from what I’ve said and done to this point and what will be discussed the rest of this webinar. I’ll turn it back over to Ron Mulvaney. Thank you. Ron Mulvaney: Thank you, David. That was really good. We really appreciate it. I have the honor of working with David and being a community work incentive coordinator at the time. I respect you greatly, David. I appreciate you coming and participating. What I want to talk about now is the Ticket to Work. We’ve thrown the name around a little bit, but I want to talk and clarify it just a little bit. We are on slide 16. It is free, the Ticket to Work is free. And it is a voluntary program. So it is your choice whether you participate or not. It is your choice whether you pick up the phone and make that first call. But just keep in mind, our services are free. And, you get to participate. It is for individuals ages 18 to 64. And the prerequisite is that you have to be receiving Supplemental Security Income and/or Social Security Disability Insurance. Next slide please. There is a series of questions with answers here on this slide. And I'm just going to go through those because it spells out the Ticket quite well. What does Ticket to Work Program do? Well the question is, I am ready to make some money. It is more of a statement than it is a question. I am ready to make some money, what do I do? Well, the ticket to work and the work incentives can help you improve your earnings. It can help you make more money. And you'll have an informed choice and know how to go about doing that before you take your foot off of first base and move towards second base. The second one here. I am in need of personal fulfillment. Working will really boost my self-esteem. It will gain my confidence, if I could go to work. Well, our program can provide stability and assurance while you pursue your employment goals. So it’s not like you have to run out into nowhere with no support. We are there to support you all the way. I am afraid that I will lose my benefits and I won’t be able to get back on them. Well, we can give you peace of mind, understanding the work incentives up front as you progress in the program. And, by the time you reach the SGA level, like Ray said long ago, by the time you lose your benefits, it is going to be replaced by a paycheck, and we can help you plan for that and know exactly how to expect that to happen. I'm afraid I won’t be able to get back on my benefits if my job does not work out. Ray talked about this, alluded to it. There is a program called expedited reinstatement. Which allows a person that has worked their way off of benefits to get back onto their disability benefits without going through a new application. An I’ll talk about that a bit more about that in a few minutes. But it is the fast track. It is another safety net that exists for you. And we can work with you to understand that up front. And then, I am overwhelmed. You know, who can help me get started and stay with me through the entire process? Well, you can connect with people as Melanie said a while ago, she called and asked questions. She developed that employment team. So we are here to help you develop your plan. Okay? The next slide please. How does the Ticket to Work program work? Well as I’ve said, it is free and it’s voluntary. It is for adults from ages 18 to 64 that are eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits. The paper ticket that you’ve received in the mail, if you’ve lost that ticket, you do not have to have it. There is a number, we can call – make the call – to the call center and they can get your ticket assigned to whatever employment network or division of rehab you choose. The bottom line here is, the employment network that you choose knows how to get your ticket number assigned to them so that they can give you the supports that you need. To get started, call the ticket to work helpline. Or visit the ssa.gov/work to find the WIPA program near you. And as I said there is a ticket -- there is a WIPA program in every state in the United States ready to help you move towards a higher level of self-sufficiency. Next slide, Ray. The actual work incentives on slide number 20. What are they? Well, you’ve got the illustration here of a person standing on a little island and success on another bigger island, and there are all of these puzzle pieces. Well, I thought about that when I was trying to decide what I was going to talk about for this slide. And I thought, it really is. It is a bridge. The WIPA program helps you figure out what pieces of the puzzle you need to build that bridge so you can move from your current situation into a higher level of self sufficiency. Success. I want to point out here that success breeds success. And your first attempt of going to work, it might fail because it may not be the right situation. But, you get to try different jobs, as I’ll talk about in a few minutes. And as a result of that, it’s a process, and building that bridge can stay with you until you find the right situation and the right job so you can move forward with your life. So, again, this is an introduction. But understand it is a process to get across that opening to get to your level of success. The next slide, Ray. Work incentives have many advantages. Work incentives provide you with a safety net as I spoke about a while ago, to get new training and new skills. To improve the skills you already have, pursue education, to try different jobs as I just spoke about, start a brand-new career, and to gain confidence. Get self-esteem. To, you know, build that positive situation for yourself so that you can move forward and create a better life, as Melanie spoke about a while ago. And David did a great example of that, as well. The next slide. Some of the common work incentives, and I’m going to talk about two very specific work incentives in a few moments. But, the common work incentives associated with SSDI and SSI are on this page. With the SSDI in the first box, it talks about the trial work period. And the trial work period gives a person nine months to make as much money as they want to make and keep all of their SSDI checks. The trial work period mentioned need not be consecutive. So let’s say you work a couple of months, and then you stop work. You haven't used trial work period months in the months that you did not work. So the work incentives – community work incentives coordinator -- can help you understand how to apply these complicated rules. And then once you are through your trial work, then there is an extended period of eligibility that allows you to maintain a connection to your benefits even if you’ve worked above the SGA level. You can go right back onto your benefits for three years without losing your eligibility. And then the third section here is about the SSI program. And the SSI program has a totally different set of work incentives. There’s earned income exclusion, and there's a general income exclusion that allows you to make $85 before your SSI check is reduced at all. And we can help you understand how these work incentives apply to you. The expedited reinstatement program that I spoke about. That applies to SSDI and SSI beneficiaries so that you can understand that once you completed and worked above the SGA level, and you are no longer receiving a check, if you have to stop work due to your disability or condition, then you can go right back on your benefits without going to through the application process again. And then finally, on this page, as long as you are working with an employment network, or a division of rehabilitation and following the work rules, you do not have to have medical reviews while you are following the plan, as long as you’re meeting timely progress. Okay? Next slide, Ray. Special work incentive call the blind work expense. This is a very comprehensive work incentive that allows the person to deduct a whole series of expenses, even if they're not connected to your disability. The blind work expense allows a person who has a service animal to deduct service the animal expenses such as vet bills and care for the dog. Transportation to and from work, federal and state and local income taxes. Social Security taxes. Attending care services. And, visual and sensory aids, and translation of materials into brail. And we can help you understand how these apply. So it allows you to keep more of your SSI check as you are going to work under the SSI program for individuals that meet the blind definition through Social Security. The next slide is about substantial gainful activity, for individuals that receive Social Security Disability Insurance. And there is a higher SGA level for individuals that receive SSDI benefits. The non-blind SGA level is $1000, the blind SGA level is $1,640. So this gives you the ability to keep more money as you go to work, and again, the community work incentives coordinators in your state can help you with this understanding of these work incentives. Ray, do you want me to go over the next slide for questions? Ray Cebula: Well, what we are looking for, again, if you do have questions, use that chat box but putting your cursor in the empty space down at the bottom. Type your question in. Hit send. And if, again, what I want to give you some information, if you do have a question after today's session, please feel free to use the Ticket to Work helpline. That number is 866-968-7842, for voice, or 866-833-2967, for TTY. And we’ll turn it back over to you, Ron. [Silence] Ray Cebula: Ron, are you with me? [Silence] Ray Cebula: Okay. It looks like we’ve had a little bit of technical difficulties. So what I am going to do is take over for a moment. And we’re going to talk about building your employment team. And we are -- actually Ron’s done. This is my fault. I'm not having a technical issue. I'm having a problem with my paperwork. We are going to move now, thank you Ron very much, that was actually great and very, very helpful. Ron Mulvaney: Hey Ray, this is Ron. I lost connection on the landline and I had to call back in. I apologize. Ray Cebula: Okay, not a problem. I think this might be your last slide. Ron Mulvaney: Slide 26? Ray Cebula: Slide 26. So if you want to finish that up, we’ll be all set. Ron Mulvaney: I will, I will. Ray Cebula: Okay. Ron Mulvaney: Sorry about that. Nothing like a technical glitch, folks. You know, we’ve all spoke about the employment team, and we’ve talked – Melanie talked about it, you know, David talked – spoke about it a while ago. But the employment team is listed here. The employment networks. They don't get paid unless they help you go to work. The vocational rehabilitation program. They are paid to help you rehabilitate yourself and prepare so that you can go to work. And rehabilitation is a very widely used word. Okay? The work incentive planning and assistance program. The WIPAs throughout the United States are trained help you with these difficult benefits issues so that you can understand complicated regulations. To the Social Security Administration, your local Medicaid and Medicare. All of these programs, we can help you understand how to understand them and to work your way through the red tape, if I can use that term. As a state protection advocacy beneficiaries in the past or Social Security beneficiaries, you know, you're going to hear from Alan Goldstein here and a little bit. They are available to help you if you have legal issues, overpayment issues, if you have problems in the workplace with the accommodations and other issues. They are here to help you. And a very well put together program. And then within the Social Security organization, there’s the area work incentive coordinators who, are the WIPA’s goes-to if there have issues with Social Security, and they can help us get what we need so that we can help you in a much quicker fashion. And then, at each Social Security office, there is the work incentives liaison. And those are the folks that the WIPA and the community incentive coordinators talk to about getting benefits plan queries which is a special report that we receive from the Social Security Administration so that we can verify your benefits. This employment team is in place so that the supports are there with you so that you can move through this process. Again, I cannot stress enough that this is a process of moving from where you are now to where you want to be. And we are here. Utilize us. It is by far the best job I have ever had. I take it very seriously. And we really appreciate the opportunity to get this message out to you today. Ray, thanks for having me, I really appreciate it. Ray Cebula: Alright, Ron, and thank you very much. And I bet you I had scared Ellen half to death when I was moving her way ahead. What we are going to do now is talk about what an employment network is and what an employment network can do for you and how they can assist you with your return to work. And I am going to turn things over to Ellen Farnham who is with the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. Ellen, take it away. Ellen Farnham: Well, Ray, thank you. And thank you everyone and what great stories we have heard. And this can be you. Your success is what you want it to be. David and Melanie's success is what they wanted it to be. And yours is yours individually. As Ray said, I name is Ellen Farnham and I from the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, and we serve visually impaired and blind individuals in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. What I like to do is just remind you of how to go about contacting your employment network. Everyone has their ticket. You can go online or call and get your certified work incentive coordinator and just request who are the employment networks that are in your area. And I’m just so thankful that you have all put together a special webinar for blind and visually impaired individuals because there are so many employment networks in your area that focus, and their strength is on working with people with a visual impairment and really that’s who you want to work with because they get it and you get it as well. Next slide? And it’s very, very important for you, as a ticket holder, to make sure that this is the relationship. It is a relationship and a partnership that you have with the employment network, the VR counselor, the WIPA advocate -- all of these partnerships, and it’s your journey to get to work. So you want to make sure – and it’s like going to an interview. You’re interviewing this employment network provider. How have they worked with the people that are visually impaired and blind? How many people have they helped? What kind of companies do they work with? What kind of jobs are available? And again, keep in mind, not everybody has the same job. Your job is going to be based on your strength. So when someone says to you, what kind of job would you like, you don't just say, oh I can do anything. No one can do everything. Keep in mind that the job that you want should be what you are happy with and what you want to do. Ask them these questions. How often do they communicate and meet? Communication. This is your job. Your future. Make it work for you. Because as the old saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. And you’ve got to make sure that this is the right organization for you. Interview – if you have the option – interview other employment networks if you have the option. Then you can see if they might be a better match for you. This is almost like a dating game. You have got to make sure that this is going to work for you. Cause it’s your future. Next slide. Ray Cebula: Okay, for those of you following along with PDFs, we are moving to slide 30. Ellen Farnham: And again, when you call the employment network in your area, if you are working with an agency that serves visually paired and blind and they are not an employment network yet, encourage them. And who knows, that might be a job for you. That you might be the workforce development manager and you might be able to work yourself in for a job. But explain what the employment network will do for you, is explain how the program works. It is going to discuss, you’ll have an individual work plan that you will discuss your work goals. What do you want to do? Again, this is about you. This is not about the employment network. It’s not about the employer. It is all about you. So be very honest. Talk about your peers. That is okay. Because this is an individual, the employment network provider is an individual that will help you. The more they know about you, the better they will be able to assist you in preparing you to get that job that you would like. Next slide? And again, on the individual work plan, you will go through and you will assign your ticket to the employment network agency. However, keep in mind, like a job, you go on a job and you are at the job. And it is just not working for you. You know, with an employment network, you're not getting paid right now. So you have the choice to say, this just isn't working right now, so you can unassign your ticket. And again, it is very professional. You're not going to hurt anyone's feelings. But just be honest and upfront. You know, work with Social Security. We all work together, because, at the end of the day, we want you to be employed. Next slide? Some of the other services that employment networks provide, they’re going to work with you to develop your resume. What’s the best format for your resume? What the interviews skills are? Do you disclose your disability upfront? You don't disclose your disability upfront because you disclose your strengths. Why are you there? You are there because you have this ability. Focus on your abilities, not your disabilities. And then we will go over -- all the employment network providers do go over job accommodation information. And as Ron and everyone who said, there’s tax incentive information. It’s a team approach. Next slide. Employment networks also have relationships with organizations in their communities. So they are working with individuals, human resource people, they go to job fairs, they take you to job fairs. They’ve got relationships with organizations that they have for you so that when you submit your resume, it is like an employment agency. You submit your resume to an employment agency, and they are going to look for a job that suits your background and your skills. Again we focus on your abilities you’re your strengths. And even if you have done volunteer work, that is so very powerful, we list that on your resume because that is good job experience. You have the experience. And, if it is a customer service position, if it is a computer specialist, if it is a teaching position, if any position that we have a relationship with. So again, you’ve got a lot, a lot, a lot of information here and a lot of people that are willing and ready to work with you. And we want you to succeed. And we want you to have your success story the next webinar that we have. Ray Cebula: Thank you very much, Ellen. That was great information. And just for those of you that are still interested in that phone number, if you have specific questions, the ticket to work helpline can be reached by dialing 866- 968-7824, for voice, and for TTY< 866-833-2967. And thanks again Ellen, and we want to now move on to Rita Howells who’s with the Illinois Bureau of the Blind Services and she’s going to talk to you about what state VR agencies can help. And once again for those of you following along with the PDF, we’re on slide 34. Take it away, Rita. Rita Howells: Good afternoon everyone. Can you hear me all right? Ray Cebula: A little bit louder if you could. That would be fine. Rita Howells: Is that better? Ray Cebula: That is better. Rita Howells: Okay great. Hi, I am Rita Howells. I am with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency in Illinois. And I am also blind myself and was on SSI prior to coming to the agency that I now work for. And that was over 30 years ago. There was a lot of fear about going to work and when my benefits were going to be cut off, and so forth. And I'm telling you, it is worth it to go to work. I now work for a living. And, I tell people I have two dependents that I have to support. One is MasterCard and the other is Visa. And I couldn't do that without earning, you know, a substantial wage. So, I very much encourage you to participate in these services because, it can result in an employment outcome for you and you'll make a lot more money than just receiving a SSI or SSDI check. So the resources are there. So I guess we are going to move on to the next slide. The VR services that can be provided to you. These are nationwide. And the Bureau of blind services have different names. Some agencies stand alone as Bureau of Blind Services, or Commission for the Blind, they may be called. Or some are associated with the bigger human service agency. So, there are supports vocational services throughout every state. They just may be called by a different name but there will be something like blind services. And we receive federal and state match money to work with individuals who are severely visually impaired to help you get through the process that it’s going to take to result in an employment outcome. That could be direct employment, that could be training and education, it just depends on what you want to do to get to your vocational goal. And the services that we can provide is finding -- helping you to find a job or to retain a job. We teach people to use adaptive technologies and assistive devices such as, you know, talking devices, devices with large print capability and so forth. We work with employers to help them understand how persons with severe vision impairments can maintain a job. As a matter of fact, people who are severely impaired have a better attendance record. They are more reliable, motivated, dedicated employees because they want that job, they want to keep that job, they want to keep that living wage. So I guess we’re going to go on to the next slide. Okay, Ticket to Work and VR services. When you use your ticket, you provide that to the vocational agency. And you and your counselor develop a rehab plan. In Illinois, we call it the individualized plan for employment. And when you both agree on what services you need, then those services are provided. And we utilize that ticket for the services, to sponsor the service. There is when you apply to the VR agency, in whichever state that you’re in, you are under what we call presumptive eligibility. That means you are automatically eligible for VR services. And that gets you through the process faster. Okay. Your ticket, when you are working with the VR agency, your ticket is considered “in use” and that means that, again, you are automatically eligible for services and continuing disability reviews are suspended. So, you won't be reviewed by Social Security while you are in process of participating in vocational rehabilitation. Okay. The VR agency will make a referral to the work incentives coordinators, and I strongly encourage you to work with your VR counselor and the work incentives coordinators because there is a lot of fear out in the visually impaired community. There is a lot of misunderstanding from family members that, you know, if you do anything related to work activities, you know, you are going to lose your benefits. That is just not the case. There are so many work incentives out there for you. There are so many individuals to help you transition, as Ron was saying, to employment. And again, there is a higher substantial gainful allowance, SGA, for persons who are blind who are on SSDI. Okay, slide 37. You and your counselor will work with, you can transition to an employment network once the VR agency has closed your case. The process when we have open cases with individuals who are in an employment plan. We are trying to get you through that plan, through that process to competitive gainful employment. And then, we close the file. And that is how we get credit for working with the individual. And then we report that for our funding down the road. So the process is for us to get in, provide the services, and then get you through that process to result in employment. And then we are wanting to close the case. Don't let that scare you. You can always open a case back up or you can work with an associated employment network for supports follow-up, you know, once you are employed. There's also a lot of mentoring programs that exist. If you can find another blind person, doing the job you want to do, such as the career connect program through the American Foundation for the Blind, or talking to your VR counselor, it really helps to find someone else who is blind, who is doing that job so you can talk to them about how they did it. How did they get through the rehab process? What do they need? What is the assistive technology that they use? Okay. I am going to stop. Ray Cebula: Okay, thanks a lot, thanks a lot, Rita. And I understand you have to leave us now that you are finished, and I’d like to thank you for participating today. Rita Howells: Okay, I'm okay. I can hang on. Ray Cebula: Okay. Before I introduce TJ, I want to read those phone numbers to you once again. The Ticket to Work helpline number. I did transpose two numbers last name. The Ticket to Work voice-line is 866-968-7842, the TTY number is 866-833-2967. And we will be giving you those numbers again at the end of the presentation. And TJ is with us today - let me just move the slide back - with the Illinois Institute of Technology program and he is a specialist for the assistive technology program. And I want to give him the floor now to tell us what he can share. TJ Schlouski: Thank you very much for. Yes, my name is TJ Schlouski and I am a resident certified assistive technology specialist working for the tech program here in Illinois. What I am going to do today is real briefly touch upon different types of assistive technology that would benefit individuals that are visually impaired or blind. Cold you go ahead and progress to the next screen? Ray Cebula: Absolutely, we are on slide 39 at this point. TJ Schlouski: Okay. Real quick. Basically, the question I always get is what is assistive technology? And specifically, what is assistive technology that focuses on people that are visually impaired or blind? And basically, what I always, kind of like the canned answer that I always give is basically it is software or physical access devices that can be either low tech or high-tech that allow individuals independence through technology. Now that is a pretty broad definition. And when it comes to technology, it can pretty much span whether it is low tech or high-tech. Real quick examples of what low tech assistive technology could be for those that are actually blind. Everyone knows and loves their good old Perkins brailler or signature cards, or white canes, or locater dots, I mean, you can even go as far as saying low tech devices could be considered handheld magnifiers, whether they be optical or whether they be digital. Also, low tech devices could be considered closed captioned televisions or CT TVs. They are kind of in between because they could be considered high-tech because they are big, they do cost a lot of money, but, what they actually functionally do is low tech. Then we span into the high-tech section where we start talking about big bucks when we want to buy a technology that will help us become independent. This is when we start talking about screen readers, screen magnifiers. Note taking devices. Refreshable Braille displays. Applications that do OCR – that’s optical character recognition. That would be for an individual that uses open book that scans pieces of mail and their computer will read back to them what was scanned in. Talking GSP’s. Digital talking book players. Or accessible cell phones. Now, the assistive technology specialists tend to be able to work with the individuals and, based upon what their vocational goal is, would be able to tell the individual what type of AT will help them become independent or what AT is going to best help them reach their vocational goals for when they are looking to be employed or are employed. And if could go ahead and go to the next screen. Just real quick, I wanted to describe what a screen reader is. And a lot of times individuals, kind of they are presumptuous o. what the screen reader can do. And basically, a screen reader is used by somebody who is visually impaired or low vision. And it is software that interprets what is displayed on the screen through what is called text to speech. The text to speech is going to be very useful for individuals that are completely blind or that are low vision. Some general types of screen readers that are available, that hopefully people are using today for this webinar, are JAWS, which is Job Access With Speech window-eyes, there is Voice-Over, which is a Mac version of the screen reader, some people may be using a little bit less known screen readers like Supernova, or HOWE, for the old school guys. System Access To Go or open-source screen reader which is called NVDA. Let's go ahead and go to the next screen. Next we’re going to talk about some screen magnifiers. The screen magnifiers are going to be focused mainly for individuals that are low vision. Now, a screen magnifier is going to take what is being displayed on the screen and give the individual the ability to customize how it is being displayed. Whether it’s going to allow them to magnify it, to a comfortable magnification level, or if it is going to give them the ability to change the color contrast. Whether that's the reverse color contrast, blue on yellow, black on white, so on and so forth. Now, some other screen readers to give the ability to have, excuse me, some screen magnifiers do give you the ability to have the ability to have screened reading capability. One example of that would be ZoomText or Magic. Now those are programs that would allow for an individual who has the limited time to where they can actually view the screen and, over a significant amount of, couple hours or so of reading, the eyesight starts to degrade and they won't be able to read the screen as well as they would if they had just started reading. And so, what that will allow them to do is it will allow them to actually have the computer be able to read what is being displayed on the screen. Now, do tell, those screen reader applications are not as good as the ones that are dedicated, specifically, for that. But, for individuals that are low vision, and, as their vision starts to fail, or decrease, the more and more they use their vision, this is just a helpful aspect for them to be able to view and still use – still read -- what they need to get at. And like I mentioned before, we already did talk about the ZoomText Magic. Some other applications are Supernova which is actually Supernova Magnifier. So when it comes to screen magnification, there are a ton of free and shareware zoom applications that people can try. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money. So you can go out, and if you wanted to, you can Google magnification software and there will be a good amount where you can just try it, see if you like it, and then, if you liked it, then you can also go out and take a look at some of the other demo versions of the software. When it comes to assistive technology, because of the price, a lot of the manufactures are very nice where they allow individuals to download demonstration versions to try them out before they have to spend a lot of money to purchase those. Next slide. And we are done. Ray Cebula: I think we are done, TJ. Thanks an awful lot. We are now going to talk about the protection and advocacy program for beneficiaries of Social Security. And I am very pleased to introduce my old buddy Alan Goldstein from Equip for Equality in Chicago. Take it away Alan. Alan Goldstein: Great, thank you, Ray. And I am happy to be part of this. I appreciate everyone who’s taking part. So if we can go to the next slide. 43. I am going to talk a little about services from protection and advocacy agencies. Just brief background. Every state in US territory has a protection and advocacy agency that advocates for people with disabilities throughout that state, all types of disabilities. We designed, PADS services are part of the P and A services, we help people who are not Social Security beneficiaries too, but for purposes of this conference, we do help people who get SSI , SSDI, or both. So there is no charge for our services. Our services are free. And even if you don't have a ticket or haven’t assigned it, as long as you have a disability, a P and A may be able to help you. And addition to providing casework and advocacy, we also do outreach and training. For example, last year, we did approximately 50 presentations and outreaches reaching over 2800 people. And one of our partners, in a lot of these – or some of these – were the guild for people who are blind and visually impaired as well as the Chicago lighthouse. Okay, next slide please. So slide 44. These are some of the services we provide. We advocate for workplace accommodations or for vocational services either from an employment network or from the state’s VR agency. We also provide information, referral, and advocacy services around benefits or other employment related issues. And we help people remove barriers to work and overpayment. And just brief examples of some cases. For example, one case we involved was a two-day hearing for an individual who is deaf-blind, and wanted VR to fund her in dog-training to do animal massage. We also advocated for VR for an individual who was visually impaired and wanted to open a barbershop, and were successful in getting funding for that. And we’ve also handled discrimination cases. We’ve had a case for a nurse with retinitis pigmentosa, who needed accommodations to read equipment. We had several cases where someone with stargots condition who was terminated from his employment after being, for his vision wasn’t [discernible] with his supervisor. We’ve handled many service animal cases in a variety of settings. Next slide please. Going to slide 45. Oh that’s other resources. I guess I am almost done. Ray Cebula: Yes, you’re almost done, Alan. Alan Goldstein: Okay, just real briefly, just a breakdown of cases. About 40% of our cases in 2010 were VR or other employment network issues. 43% of our cases were employment discrimination. 16% were overpayment or benefit issues. And about 5% were people needing accommodations in college. In 2010, we served 142 people. Every P and A is different so not every P and A will do employment discrimination. But if people do experience any legal barrier in their job search, whether it’s VR services, discrimination, getting accommodations in school, or housing, I urge you to contact your Protection and Advocacy Agency in your territory. Okay. Thank you, Ray. Thank you, everyone. Ray Cebula: Thank you, Alan. Once again, we want to share some resources with you before we get to our question and answer session. Please, by all means, if you want to get information about the Ticket to Work, about a WIPA organization, an EN, or any of the Social Security information, use the website www.ssa.gov/work. And you will find a wealth of information concerning Social Security benefits and the return to work and those members of your employment team that you’re going to want to recruit to provide you with assistance. And, as always, the call number, again for any question concerning the ticket or where to start, the Ticket to Work Helpline. The voice number, once again, is 866-968-7842, and the TTY number is 866-833-2967. And it appears that we do have a couple minutes for some questions. So we’ll take some of the questions that have been sent in. And I think I have one for Ron, if Ron’s still with us. You mentioned blind work expenses or BWEs and you were talking about the SSI program. Do BWEs exist for SSDI program? Ron Mulvaney: This is for me, Ray? Ray Cebula: Yeah it is. Ron Mulvaney: Okay. As I said I while ago, the work incentives are totally different for the SSI program and the SSDI program. So the BWEs will only exist for SSI beneficiaries. Okay? The SSDI has a higher SGA level. Ray Cebula: Alright, and might somebody be able to use some of those BWEs as ERWEs in the SSDI program? Ron Mulvaney: It is possible. Impairment related work expenses have to be connected to your disability and work. As where a BWE does not have to be connected to your disability, they just have to be connected to your work. We learned in our training, if it is worth arguing for, it is worth asking for. So there are cases where there will be BWEs that could be applied to the SSI program that could possibly applied under the SSDI impairment related work expenses, but not all. Ray Cebula: Okay, thank you Ron. And we have another question. Is low vision treated the same as legal blindness for Social Security? I'm not quite sure who is the best person to answer that. So, I think I’m gonna take that question. Social Security’s standard for blindness is very specific. And in the world of Social Security, you are blind or you are not. However, somebody with low vision may very well be disabled under the Social Security standards. Blindness is a very specific standard. So somebody with low vision who does not meet the specific blindness standard good potentially be disabled. They would then not be able to participate in the blind work expense or that higher SGA level. That is a very important point. If somebody has a condition, a visual condition, where the low vision is deteriorating, that's one of those things you’re going to want to tell Social Security right away. And it looks like we have one more for Rita from VR. And potentially Ellen if you want to chime in on this as well. How can I get support for going back to school or for training? Ellen Farnham: This is Ellen, Ray, could you repeat that? Ray Cebula: Yes, how can I get support for going back to school or for training? Ellen Farnham: Rita are you on? Rita: Yeah, I sure am. Okay, okay, support for school. First thing you need to do is apply, if we are talking college, you need to apply for the FASFA – the Free Application for Students Federal Financial Aid form, you need to fill that out. And then, you need to go to your VR agency that serves persons who are visually impaired, and work with them. There is a set of criteria that each state will have in terms of what you need to do for school. Like for example, you'll need to apply to the school you want to go to. You need to be accepted. You probably need to have an ACT score. There is a whole set of criteria. Many of our customers or clients are in college and you know, if you go to college, there is a higher earnings potential. If you do go to college and graduate from a program, the odds are that you will have a higher earnings potential. But there are many vocational programs that are just set up for visually impaired – like the vending program is a federal – it’s called the Randolf Shepperd Program. They work with you to set yourself up in your own small business as a vendor in the state, usually running vending operations or cafeteria operations depending on what’s in that state. That is run through the VR program in the state. There is so much out there for you. Ellen Farnham: This is Ellen from the Columbia Lighthouse, and we do work with the VR agencies in the Washington, D.C. area to support for vocational and career focused training, whether it be job development, job coaching, helping you with your resume, preparing you for a job interview. Ray Cebula: Okay, thank you. Let me see what else we have in this question box, it’s pretty full. Alan Goldstein: Actually, this is Alan, I have just one more suggestion when going to school. In the employment setting it is still encouraged, as was said before, not to discuss much about your disability. Talk about your abilities and your qualifications. In the school setting, if you think you need accommodations, I think the opposite is true. It is good to disclose early on and make sure all the accommodations are in place ahead of time. Ellen Farnham: I totally agree. Oh Rita. Rita Howells: I agree, yes. Ray Cebula: Okay. Thanks. Okay, we’ve got a very general question. How does this apply to people who are not blind but have a different disability? Very basically folks, it does apply. Some of the specific things we spoke about when Ron talked about the blind work expenses and when TJ talked about the screen magnifiers, clearly that might not be necessary if somebody has a different disability. But the Ticket to Work is the Ticket to Work and is available to any person who receives Social Security Disability Insurance or SSI benefits. And the WIPA services are still free. The PAB services are free and the Ticket to Work is available so you can connect with both VR and ENs. And it’s looking like we are coming to the end of our time. So, I want to talk about the most important question we have here. And that is, how do I get started? Now you have heard from your entire return to work team here. From the PABs agencies to the WIPAs to the Assisted Technology specialists, to VR and from your ENs. These are the folks that can create a team to help you go back to work. Where to start? This is a no wrong door program. You start by contacting any of these agencies. Those agencies will certainly get you to the most proper starting point. What you can also do is contact the ticket to work help line to find out who exactly, in your local area can provide you with these services. And once again, that ticket to work off-line is, for voice, 866-968-7842, and for TTY, 866-833-2967. For those of you whose questions we were not able to get to, please make use of that phone line or give the local agency in your area a call. I want to thank all of our presenters. You all did a wonderful job. Think all of you out in the audience for sticking with us. And remember that webinar accessibility question we asked you early on. If there is a way we can make this a more successful experience for folks with blind or visual impairments, we want to know about it. Please get back to us. Thank you for participating and I wish you a good day. Take care everybody.