Advocacy Center Will Soon Have Increased Capacity to Assist with Employment Issues

The Advocacy Center has learned that two programs that had been terminated by the Social Security Administration, will be reinstated.  Both are focused on assisting people with disabilities secure, regain or maintain employment.

The goal of the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program (WIPA) is to assist beneficiaries of Social Security to understand how going to work impacts their Social Security benefits.  Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWICS), who are employees of the Advocacy Center, are trained and certified by the Social Security Administration to provide advice and follow along service to help beneficiaries understand how work impacts SSA benefits and how work incentives can improve their success in employment.  CWICs help beneficiaries make informed decisions about working by developing a work plan that includes the use of SSA work incentives. CWICs also help the beneficiary understand the impact of work on state and federal programs, such as Waiver programs, housing, and other support services. 

DO YOU NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING HOW WORK AFFECTS YOUR SSI OR SSDI BENEFITS? THE WIPA PROGRAM WILL BEGIN ON AUGUST 1ST. 2013. STAY TUNED FOR ADVOCACY CENTER'S WIPA TOLL-FREE NUMBER. 

Another program that suffered a hiatus in funding, but that is now back in business is the Advocacy Center’s Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security program or PABSS.  PABSS focuses on:

*  Providing information and guidance to Social Security beneficiaries who have an overpayment that exists as a barrier to employment. (Meaning they were paid too much by the SSA and now need to pay it back.)

*  Assisting people with disabilities who want to enter the workforce or who want to maintain or regain their job, but who need an accommodation in order to do so.  PABSS  helps such people state their need for accommodations in a way that will get them the results they need.

*  Assisting people who believe they have been discriminated against by their employer to file complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

*  Working toward systemic changes that will help people with disabilities to have more and better opportunities to work in the competitive work environment. 

The PABSS program will get restarted as soon as possible, but no later than June.

We are delighted that our funds to do this important work have been reinstated. 

For more information on AC's WIPA and PABSS programs, contact us at 1-800-960-7705 oradvocacycenter@advocacyla.org.