OREGONS

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• OREGONS
• WORK INCENTIVES NETWORK
• (WIN)
• Dispel Myths
• Create Opportunities

This presentation is sponsored in whole by the
Oregon Competitive Employment Project. The
Oregon Competitive Employment Project, which is
part of the Oregon State Department of Human
Services, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
Services, is funded through a Medicaid
Infrastructure Grant from the U.S. Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CFDA
11-P-92415-0/04). Consumer Workshop
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Todays Workshop

• Well Discuss
• How the Work Incentive Network (WIN) works
• How to access WIN services
• Myths and FACTS about benefits and working

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The Competitive Employment ProjectMission
Statement

• To enhance the quality of life in Oregon by
  achieving, maintaining and advancing the
  competitive and inclusive employment of persons
  with disabilities.

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Oregons Work Incentive Network (WIN)

• WIN is a service that helps people with
  disabilities
• MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS about work and benefits
• USE WORK INCENTIVES to achieve employment goals
• NAVIGATE THE BENEFIT SYSTEMS when working

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The WIN Model A continuum of services

• Interested in working, but no job goal
• General Information and Referral
• Identified a job goal, but not working yet
• Comprehensive Intake and Work Incentive Analysis
• Secured job
• Implementing Work Incentive and Reporting Earned
  Income
• Life changes
• Ongoing support with using Work Incentive and/or
  wage reporting assistance

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The WIN Model A continuum of services

• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• (The Generalist)
• Information and Referral Specialists (IRS)
  provide
• General work incentive information and community
  service/vocational referrals
• Conduct a Comprehensive Intake when needed
• Connect to a Work Incentive Coordinator and
• Provide ongoing support to those working and
  utilizing work incentives.

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The WIN Model A continuum of services

• WORK INCENTIVE COORDINATOR
• (The Specialist)
• Work Incentive Coordinators (WIC) provide
• In-depth benefits and work incentive planning
  assistance, including a written Work Incentives
  Analysis
• Assistance strategizing the use of various work
  incentives
• Assistance utilizing work incentives and
• Ongoing support to those working and utilizing
• work incentives.

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WIN SERVICE AREAS
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Working with Planning for Work Program

• WIN and the Planning for Work project work
  together to create the best possible system for
  people who want help with benefits
• and work incentives planning.

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Additional Parts of the WIN Model

• A Training and Technical Assistance (T/A) Center
  that provides training, certification and
  assistance to WICs and IRSs
• Ongoing outreach and informational training for
  consumers, service providers, agency staff,
  community partners and other stakeholders and
• An integrated outcomes research program.

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ACCESSING WIN SERVICES

• If you know someone who could use WIN services
• Fill out and fax the WIN Referral Form or
• Give the person a WIN brochure so he/she can call
  and request services or
• You can call and request services on behalf of
  the person.
• Meet the IRS and WIC for your area
• Contact the WIN staff in your area to do onsite
  informational sessions for your company/agency.

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Some Basic Terms You Will Need To Know

• SSA Social Security Administration
• SSI Supplemental Security Income
• SSDI Social Security Disability Insurance
• WORK INCENTIVES Both federal and state-specific
  programs that assist people with disabilities in
  return to work efforts

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Todays Workshop

• Goal is NOT to make you experts in benefit
  program work incentives and work rules

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IT TAKES A TEAM TO REMOVE THIS BARRIER

• You cant do your job AND be a Work
  Incentive Expert...
• BUT YOU CAN
• Let people know there are WORK INCENTIVES
• that support their employment efforts
• Recognize MYTHS and communicate FACTS and
• Encourage people to connect to WIN for more
• individualized analysis.

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THE BASICS SSI PAYMENT AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

• SSI - Cash
• Disabled by SSA definition
• Little to no assets under 2,000 for an
  individual, 3000 for a couple
• Little to no income and
• Benefit Amount in 2008 is 637, 956 for a
  couple, reduced by other income.
• SSI Health Care
• Medicaid.

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 1 I will lose my SSI if I go to work
• FACT 1 Work Incentives let you keep some of
  the SSI cash benefit when you work!
• Basic Deductions SSI reduced 1 for every 2
  after first 65/85
• Additional Deductions let you keep more IRWE,
  BWE, SEIE, PASS

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 2 If wages cause SSI cash benefit to go
  to 0, theres no way to get it back
• FACT 2 You can stay in eligibility status even
  when you dont get a cash check!
• 1619(b)
• Expedited Reinstatement
• Needed only if benefit terminates due to
• earning over annual 1619b threshold

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 3 If I go back to work I will lose my
  medical
• Fact 3 You can keep medical when you work!!
• SSI/Medicaid--1619(b)
• Employed Persons with Disabilities Program (EPD)
  Oregons Medicaid Buy In program

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THE BASICS SSDI PAYMENT AND HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM

• SSDI Cash Benefit
• Be disabled by SSA definition and
• Be insured or draw off insured worker who is
  disabled, retired, deceased. Amount varies based
  on work history. No asset test.
• SSDI Health Care
• Medicare (after 24 month waiting period).

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 4 I will lose my SSDI if I go to work
• FACT 4 Work Incentives let you keep SSDI cash
  check when you work!
• Trial Work Period (time limited)
• Impairment Related Work Expenses
• Subsidy/Unincurred Business Expense

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 5 If wages cause SSDI cash benefit to
  stop, theres no way to get it back and I lose
  Medicare
• FACT 5 You can stay in eligibility status even
  when you dont get a cash check and you can keep
  Medicare!
• Extended Period of Eligibility (time limited)
• Expedited Reinstatement
• Continuation of Medicare
• Medicare for People with Disabilities Who Work

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 6 There is no incentive for students to
  try working
• Fact 6 Students have a special rule that lets
  them keep more of their SSI when they work!
• Student Earned Income Exclusion

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 7 There arent any resources to help me
  reach self-sufficiency
• Fact 7 There ARE work incentives that will
  match funds you set aside to pay for expenses
  related to a vocational goal
• Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS)
• Individual Development Accounts (IDA)

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 8 If I work my rent will go up
• Fact 8 HUD has work incentives, too!
• HUDs Earned Income Disregard
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program

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9 MYTHS AND THE REAL FACTS

• Myth 9 Working always results in overpayments
• Fact 9 There are strategies to prevent
  overpayments
• Report regularly
• Get a receipt from SSA to document you reported
• Get assistance from WIN for help developing a
  strategy and reporting earned income

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AND WHAT THE HECK IS THIS THING?

• ITS A KANJI
• A Kanji is a Japanese Symbol.
• Kanjis have become very popular in the United
  States, especially with youth and young adults.
• The WIN kanji means FLOURISH.
• OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU FLOURISH WITH WIN!

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCES (ILR)
• 2410 SE 11th Avenue
• Portland, Oregon 97214
• [phone] (voice)
• [phone] (TTY)
• [phone] (fax)
• SAMM MCCRARY
• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• samm_at_ilr.org

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCES (ILR)
• 2410 SE 11th Avenue
• Portland, Oregon 97214
• [phone] (voice)
• [phone] (TTY)
• [phone] (fax)
• MICHAEL MALINOWSKI
• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• michael_at_ilr.org

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Oregon Advocacy Center

• Planning For Work
• 620 5th Ave., Suite 500
• Portland, Oregon 97204
• [phone] (voice)
• 1-800-452-1694
• [phone] (TTY)
• 1-800-556-5351 (TTY)

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• CENTRAL OREGON RESOURCES
• FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING (CORIL)
• 20436 Clay Pigeon Court
• Bend, Oregon 97702
• (541)-388-8103 (voice/TTY)
• (541)-388-1226 (fax)
• GENE RADA
• WORK INCENTIVE COORDINATOR
• gener_at_coril.org

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• SPOKES UNLIMITED
• 415 Main Street
• Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601
• [phone] (voice)
• [phone]
• PATRICK REED
• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• preed_at_spokesunlimited.org

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• EASTERN OREGON CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING
  (EOCIL)
• 1021 SW 5TH Avenue
• Ontario, Oregon 97914
• [phone] (voice/TTY)
• [phone] (fax)
• JENNIFER BONNELL
• WORK INCENTIVE COORDINATOR
• jbonnell_at_fmtc.com

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• EASTERN OREGON CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING
  (EOCIL)
• 17 SW Frazer
• Pendleton, Oregon 97801
• [phone] (voice/fax)
• SARAH THOMPSON
• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• sthompson_at_fmtc.com

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• INDEPENDENT ABILITIES CENTER
• (HASL)
• 305 NE E Street
• Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
• [phone] (voice)
• [phone] (fax)
• RONNIE SHAININ
• WORK INCENTIVE COORDINATOR
• ronnie_hasl_at_yahoo.com

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• INDEPENDENT ABILITIES CENTER
• (HASL)
• 305 NE E Street
• Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
• [phone] (voice)
• [phone] (fax)
• NELSON FERGUSON
• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• Nelson_hasl_at_yahoo.com

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• LANE INDEPENDENT LIVING ALLIANCE, INC.
• (LILA)
• 605 Cottage Street NE
• Salem, OR 97301
• [phone] (voice)
• CAROL SIMILA
• WORK INCENTIVE COORDINATOR
• csimila_at_lilaoregon.org

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YOUR OREGON WIN STAFF

• LANE INDEPENDENT LIVING ALLIANCE, INC.
• (LILA)
• 99 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 117
• Eugene, Oregon 97401
• [phone] (voice)
• [phone] (TTY)
• [phone] (fax)
• EMMA LEVERT
• INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SPECIALIST
• elevert_at_lilaoregon.org

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• QUESTIONS?
• CALL THE WIN STAFF IN YOUR AREA!
• For more information on
• the Competitive Employment Project
• http//www.oregon.gov/DHS/vr/cep