Full Circle Employment: https://fullcircledc.com/home | Twitter: @FCESDC
Facebook: @FullCircleDC
Amy Wallish is the CEO of Full Circle Employment and a Certified Benefits Counselor. In this video, she explains how one can become a Certified Benefits Counselor. It takes ~ (1) year to do all the work. There are (2) options for the education requirement. Either Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) or Cornell University.
Amy provides a very high-level overview of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Planning & Assistance Programs (WIPA). If you're already at least a little familiar with both programs I'm not sure this video will add much. I wanted to give individuals and families a solid foundation. Future videos will be focused entirely on a given program.
Ticket to Work is best suited for individuals who are receiving either SSI or SSDI and want to find & keep work. The "tickets" are served by Employment Networks (ENs). There are over 450 ENs across the country. They do not all do the same thing. You will want to interview them to determine if they can fill your need. To find an EN go to https://choosework.ssa.gov/index.html and select "Find Help to Reach a Better Future". You can also register for Social Security's Work Incentive Seminar Events (WISE).
Like Ticket to Work, WIPA is funded by Social Security. You will receive free benefits counseling. Or more simply, you will get help understanding what happens to your SSI, SSDI, and/or Medicaid if you start working. In some states, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) will offer Benefits Counseling. You can start as young as 14, Social Security is very interested in helping Transition Age Youth understand their options.
The biggest take-away Amy wanted you - the viewer - to have is this. Knowledge + Education = Financial Security
Knowledge - understand your benefits
Education - understand the rules and protections
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