Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program Initial Evaluation Report

B.14
whatsoever with SSA. Another distinction between being an AP and being an EN is that, as
an AP, the organization had direct access to SSA files. Under the Ticket program, SSA will
not provide ENs with basic information, such as the nature of an individual’s disability. ENs
must obtain information directly from the client or the local SSA field office. The
interviewee indicated that CCSA receives no cooperation or support from the local field
office, however. The interviewee notes that CCSA requests to use field office space for
meetings with clients have been denied.
The interviewee stated that he recently received information regarding the new
Certification Payment Request Process from the Program Manager. He is hopeful that the
new process will assist ENs in solving the pay stub issue.
4. Employment and Employer Services
a. Implementation and Service Delivery Approach
Although EES had not targeted SSI and DI beneficiaries previously, the organization
decided it wanted to serve this population when TTW was initiated. EES hired two staff
members who had experience working with people with disabilities to work exclusively with
TTW clients. Early on, a local P&A representative was invited to provide advice and to assist
them in understanding the issues they would encounter in serving beneficiaries. The P&A
conducted on-site seminars and provided on-going guidance.
TTW services are provided within a separate and distinct unit with its own funding
stream. EES would not have been able to participate as an EN had it maintained its
previous, non-profit corporate status. For-profit status has allowed EES to become
sufficiently capitalized to cover the start-up costs of a program like TTW, where revenues
may not be immediately forthcoming. EES hired two counselors: one with a background in
mental health issues, the other an occupational therapist. This combination, in addition to
having one female and one male counselor, provided valuable expertise and gave participants
a choice in counselors.
As noted previously, 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 members provide services such as interview preparation and skills,
resume assistance, job search, computer training for data entry and clerical positions, and job
placement.
b. Early Experience Implementing TTW
Beneficiary Outreach and Enrollment. EES began taking Tickets in April 2002. The
program did not undertake any marketing activities. All calls received were a result of the
information provided to beneficiaries by the Program Manager via mail or web site. EES had
experienced, from its perspective, a tremendous demand for its services. Early on, the
program received 25 to 30 TTW-related calls per day. Although the no-show rate was rather
high compared to the program’s experience with other populations (60-65 percent of those
Appendix B: Provider-Specific Case Study Summaries