Description of Service
A thorough and individualized analysis of the interaction and impact of SSI, SSDI, JFS, PERS, SERS, private disability plans, child support, subsidized housing, food stamps, etc. income on competitive employment.
Per Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) guidelines, Work Incentives Planning (WIP) 
services “are utilized to provide information on how participating in vocational rehabilitation services and returning to work can positively impact the person’s earning potential. WIP takes into consideration current benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance/Supplemental Income, Medicaid/Medicare coverage, Veteran’s benefits, housing assistance, Medicaid Buy-In for People with Disabilities, food stamps, and other public assistance programs. WIP services also provide information on work incentives such as the Ticket to Work, Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), Trial Work Periods (TWP), Student Earned Income Exclusions (SEIE), and Plan for Achieving Self-Sufficiency (PASS) plans. The [desired] outcome of the service is to give a person a comprehensive overview of how working affects benefits and how work incentives can be utilized to maximize earnings.” Capabilities also provides Work Incentives Coordination (WIC) services, which “are utilized to assist in coordinating and resolving benefits issues such as, but not limited to, reporting income; applying for and documenting work incentives; resolving over-payments, etc.”
Through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), a similar service can be provided under a Medicaid waiver: Benefits Education and Analysis. This service “provides information to individuals, families, guardians, advocates, service and support administrators, and educators about the impact of paid employment on a range of public assistance programs, including but not limited to supplemental security income, social security disability insurance, Medicaid buy-in for workers with disabilities, Medicare continuation benefits, veterans benefits, supplemental nutrition assistance program, and housing assistance. A maximum of four benefits education and analyses may be funded through the individual’s waiver in a waiver eligibility span.”
What does the Service Look Like?
Whether you’re first entering the workforce, changing careers, or receiving new/different benefits, it can seem daunting to understand how your earnings could be impacted. This service, formerly known as a Benefits Analysis, will provide information on how your Social Security benefits could be affected by working. We will provide different scenarios with varying wages and hours per week to show a wide range of potential employment outcomes. Detailed information on other programs you may be receiving will be evaluated as well. Once the service is completed, an in-person or virtual meeting is scheduled with you and pertinent members of your team to review the findings and answer any questions based on the information provided. Our goal is to provide a unique resource that is easily understood and tailored to your specific needs and circumstances.
Benefits
For the Job Seeker: Our benefits planning services guide people through the complex process of understanding their Social Security benefits by providing a streamlined, easy-to-understand explanation and summary of the results of the service.
For the Employer: As we assist more individuals with becoming educated about their benefits and entering back into the workforce, employers will see an increase in quality candidates who are eager to seek employment and who will be dedicated to the role they are applying for.
For the Funding Source: In addition to OOD and county boards of developmental disabilities, local agencies and organizations are able to partner with and utilize Capabilities as a valuable resource; we provide in-person and virtual informational sessions to their individuals and families/payees to inform them about our benefits planning services.