Effective Dates: 03/03/2022 - Present Previous | Next

TN 3 (03-22)

DI 55005.001 General Questions about the Ticket Program Manager's (TPM's) Role in the Ticket to Work Program

CITATIONS:

Social Security Act as Amended in 1999 §§ 1148(d)(1) and (3) and 1148(e);
Public Law 106-107; and Regulations 20 CFR 411.230 through 411.245

A. What is the TPM?

TPM is a private or public organization that has entered into a contract with SSA to assist the agency in administering the Ticket to Work program. SSA uses a competitive bidding process to select the TPM.

B. What are the ticketholder communication responsibilities of the TPM contractor?

1. Conducts outreach to SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients who are eligible for the ticket program (called ticketholders)

TPM manages an ongoing, nationwide effort to inform ticketholders on the advantages of participating in the Ticket to Work program. The TPM contractor:

  • •

    conducts a telephone marketing program to inform ticketholders about the Ticket to Work program.

  • •

    maintains websites, uses social media, and produces blogs that provides program related information to ticketholders.

  • •

    conducts work incentive seminar events to educate ticketholders about the Ticket to Work program, work incentives, and other back-to-work and poverty-related issues.

2. Conducts a national beneficiary satisfaction survey

TPM conducts a survey that measures ticketholders’ satisfaction with their EN. The results of the survey are in the EN profile that ticketholders receive when they have a ticket available for assignment.

3. Facilitates ticketholder access to ENs

TPM assists SSA in developing and executing strategies to facilitate ticket-eligible beneficiaries' and recipients' access to ENs capable and willing to serve them.

4. Provides timely and accurate communication

TPM operates a helpline call center that assists ticketholders:

  • •

    to understand the effects of work on benefits;

  • •

    to access ENs that may meet the caller's needs; and

  • •

    by referring them for further assistance and counseling to Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) programs.

Field Offices, beneficiaries, and recipients may access the helpline contact information at Choose Work,Your Ticket to Work, and the SSA work site.

C. What are the program management responsibilities of TPM?

The TPM contractor:

  1. a. 

    Recruits, evaluates, and monitors ENs and assists them in completing all necessary enrollment documents. (For more information about ENs, see DI 55010.001.)

  2. b. 

    Reviews and, if necessary, makes recommendations for corrective actions on individual work plans (IWPs), and amendments to those plans. (For more information on Employment Plans, see DI 55020.001.)

  3. c. 

    Facilitates and monitors active ticket participation by ENs.

  4. d. 

    Administers and supports the ticket assignment process. The TPM verifies that ticketholders are eligible to assign or reassign their tickets and updates the disability control file (DCF) to reflect changes in ticket status. (For ticket status, see DI 55025.001B.)

  5. e. 

    Administers and supports the EN payment process.

    The TPM contractor:

    • •

      reviews EN payment claims for accuracy and completeness;

    • •

      secures additional evidence as needed; and

    • •

      submits claims with payment recommendations to SSA. (For information on EN payments, see DI 55060.001B.)

  6. f. 

    Conducts ticketholder progress reviews. (For information on progress reviews, see DI 55025.025.)

  7. g. 

    Helps resolve disputes that arise between ticketholders and ENs. (For information on resolution on disputes, see DI 55075.005.)

D. Additional roles of the TPM.

TPM assists with:

  • •

    program evaluation,

  • •

    financial reporting and accounting,

  • •

    special studies,

  • •

    conference planning (e.g., for ENs and prospective ENs), and

  • •

    training activities.

E. TPM limitations

Within the service area covered, the TPM's contract prohibits the TPM from:

  • •

    directly participating in the delivery of employment services, VR services, or other support services to ticketholders; and

  • •

    holding a financial interest in an EN or service provider that provides services under the Ticket to Work program in the TPM's designated service delivery area.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0455005001
DI 55005.001 - General Questions about the Ticket Program Manager's (TPM's) Role in the Ticket to Work Program - 03/03/2022
Batch run: 03/03/2022
Rev:03/03/2022