Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program Initial Evaluation Report

Although the director was initially advised by other service providers not to participate
in TTW, CCSA staff indicated that the organization has experienced excellent outcomes with
Ticket holders. CCSA staff note that it has had an easier time placing SSA beneficiaries than
it has had placing SVRA clients because the former appear more motivated to work. CCSA
has placed its TTW clients in a variety of jobs, ranging from professionals and top-level
executives to janitors and truck drivers. CCSA staff estimate that they currently have 60 to
70 Ticket assignments and the organization is eagerly accepting more.
4. Employment and Employer Services (EES)
EES developed a service model generally similar to the models of ABIL and CCSA.
EES provides primarily job preparation and placement services. The EN offers weekly job
club meetings where clients practice interview skills and discuss employment issues. Staff
also provide services such as resume assistance, job search, and minimal computer training
for beneficiaries seeking data entry and clerical positions. The EN does not provide
vocational/job readiness training or long-term rehabilitation services.
In deciding whether to serve a potential TTW client, counselors assess their ability to
work full-time in jobs that pay at least $7.00 per hour. EES will not accept Tickets from
applicants looking for part-time work or judged unlikely to succeed in the workplace; these
applicants are referred to a more appropriate service provider, such as the Illinois SVRA.
Staff did not believe that participation in DI versus SSI affected a clients’ ability to succeed.
5. Glick and Glick
Glick and Glick, like the two ENs described immediately above, adopted a strategy of
providing job placement assistance, including interview skills, resume development, and
referral to potential employers. Staff determine potential matches by comparing the client’s
skills and interests with an extensive database of available positions categorized by the
location, skill requirements, job description, wages, benefits, and hours required. The
company has this data source from the employee-recruitment business it operated before
TTW existed and that it continues to operate now as its primary enterprise. However, as a
national EN, Glick and Glick conducts all staff-client interactions by phone or mail. Staff
schedule interviews for Ticket clients, inform Ticket clients of upcoming job fairs, and
provide up to four or five job leads at a time. The EN does not focus on serving clients with
any particular characteristics; the main issue is a beneficiary’s desire to work. As we will
discuss later, the only change in Glick and Glick’s service model since it started operating
was a change in scope for financial reasons, moving from a national EN to one serving only
the state of Florida.
6. Integrated Disability Resources (IDR)
IDR is a multi-faceted job placement and support agency that primarily serves
individuals on long-term disability who are referred by insurance companies. Working with a
network of vendors across the country, IDR provides job placement, vocational
rehabilitation, peer support, and other services as needed. IDR also assists beneficiaries with
childcare, transportation and other support. Some services are provided directly by IDR
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V: Case Studies of Eight Experienced TTW Providers