Social Security - Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program

To comply with the Ticket-to-Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA) which was passed in December 1999, and reauthorized by the Social Security Protection Act of 2004, which requires the SSA to establish a community-based work incentives pl

The purpose of these projects is to disseminate accurate information to beneficiaries with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) about work incentives programs and issues related to such programs, to enable them to make informed choices about working and whether or when to assign their Ticket to Work, as well as how available work incentives can facilitate their transition into the workforce. The ultimate goal of the work incentives planning and assistance projects is to assist SSA beneficiaries with disabilities succeed in their return to work efforts.

Applicants applying for cooperative agreement funds may include State or local governments (excluding any State administering the State Medicaid program), public or private organizations, or nonprofit or for-profit organizations (for-profit organizations may apply with the understanding that no cooperative agreement funds may be paid as profit to any awardee), as well as Native American tribal organizations that the Commissioner determines is qualified to provide work incentives planning and assistance to all SSDI and SSI beneficiaries with disabilities, within the targeted geographic area. These may include Centers for Independent Living established under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, protection and advocacy organizations, Native American tribal entities, client assistance programs established in accordance with Section 112 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, State Developmental Disabilities Councils established in accordance with Section 124 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and State agencies administering the State program funded under Part A of Title IV of the Act. The Commissioner may also award a cooperative agreement to a State or local Workforce Investment Board, a Department of Labor (DOL) One-Stop Career Center System established under the Workforce Improvement Act of 1998, or a State Vocational Rehabilitation agency. Cooperative agreements may not be awarded to any individual, the Social Security Administration Field Offices, any State agency administrating the State Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Act, any entity that the Commissioner determines would have a conflict of interest if the entity were to receive a cooperative agreement under the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program or any organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 that engages in lobbying (in accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. 1611).

WIPA projects serve beneficiaries who are age 14 and older, and receive any of the following benefits based on their own disabilities: • Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits; • Childhood Disability Benefits; • Disabled Widow(er)s Benefits; • SSI based on blindness or disability; • Medicare under the Extended Period of Medicare Coverage (for former disability beneficiaries performing substantial work); • Medicaid under Section 1619(b) of the Social Security Act (for SSI beneficiaries ineligible for payment due to work income); • A State supplementary SSI payment (even if the beneficiary is not due a Federal SSI payment); or • Medicare coverage based on disability and Medicare qualified government employment.

Cooperative agreements are awarded to organizations to: (1) Provide statewide work incentives planning and assistance, including information on the availability of protection and advocacy services, to all Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries with disabilities, and to conduct ongoing outreach to those beneficiaries with disabilities and to their families that are potentially eligible to participate in State or Federal work incentives programs. (2) Disseminate accurate information to beneficiaries with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) about work incentives programs and issues related to such programs, to enable them to make informed choices about working and whether or when to assign their Ticket to Work, as well as how available work incentives can facilitate their transition into the workforce. Cooperative agreement funds may not be used for construction or major renovation of buildings.

Funds are usually granted for a period of 12 months. Funds are obligated annually and generally for a five-year project period.

OAG provides a Notice of Cooperative Agreement Award as official notice for approved applications. The notice indicates award amount, the purpose of the award, award terms and conditions, the budget period, the anticipated project period, and the awardee's cost sharing requirement.

Generally, 3 to 6 months after the closing date established in the Federal Register announcement.

Cooperative agreements can be continued via formal continuation application, which is subject to approval. If an application is recommended for approval for 2 or more budget periods, the awardee must submit a formal request for funding continuation each year. Continuation applications are evaluated prior to a recommendation of additional funding.

There are no formal appeal procedures. If an application is not approved, the reasons will be stipulated in the denial notice.