Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program Initial Evaluation Report

informed beneficiaries that state VR agencies were typically the organizations most likely to
have the money to invest in equipment, college assistance, training or other special needs,
and that local ENs were most likely to specialize in immediate job placement assistance.
Potential clients could email TakeCharge if they had further questions after reviewing
the website information. The interviewee indicated that, at the time of initial interview,
TakeCharge received about three to four emails per week. She also indicated that, by the
nature of the questions, it appeared that beneficiaries interested in TakeCharge were very
bright and savvy. They asked questions pertaining to Trial Work Period months and the
amount of money they had to earn in order to receive payments from TakeCharge.
The interviewee noted that TakeCharge would have liked the Program Manager to be
able to provide more descriptive information about ENs and how they operated. Cash
payments to beneficiaries were not on the list of services the Program Manager used to
describe and market ENs via the Program Manager website. TakeCharge had to describe its
services as “other.” The interviewee believed that the Program Manager’s prescribed list of
services that ENs could choose from was too narrow and that ENs should have been given
more flexibility.
Outcomes and Claims for Payment. As noted previously, TakeCharge had 30 Ticket
assignments at the time of initial interview in late June 2002. TakeCharge was among the
ENs with the largest number of Ticket assignments at that time, but had not yet submitted
any claims for payment.
Program Administration. The TakeCharge interviewee noted few issues in
administering TTW. She did report experiencing some confusion over the process for
unassigning Tickets and determining inactive status. She said that the Program Manager was
unable or unwilling to give advice to ENs regarding the actions they should take, or how the
24-month review process would be conducted. She also recommended that, in the EN
trainings run by the Program Manager, the Program Manager suggest to ENs that they
provide beneficiaries with some incentive to submit their pay stubs.
c. Status at Follow-up
Service Delivery. TakeCharge has not changed any aspects of its service delivery
approach since initial interview. The EN has, however, begun to enter into agreements with
two state VR agencies (Wisconsin and New York) to serve their clients. Under the terms of
the agreement with the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), TakeCharge
will decline Ticket assignment for clients expected to consume $10,000 or more in DVR
services. These individuals will be served exclusively by DVR (or jointly with another EN).
For individuals expected to consume less than $10,000 in DVR services, TakeCharge will
accept Ticket assignment. When Ticket outcome payments begin, and for their duration, the
Ticket holder will receive $125 each month. AAA TakeCharge will receive $45 a month for
DI clients and $30 a month for SSI clients. DVR will receive the balance of the payment. A
similar agreement has been discussed with the New York state VR agency, but has not been
finalized.
B.3
Appendix B: Provider-Specific Case Study Summaries