Ticket to Work is a federal program overseen by the Social Security Administration (SSA). In a nutshell, eligible recipients of Social Security benefits (beneficiaries) receive a “ticket” which they assign to the service provider of their choice. Eligible providers must complete a stringent application process and agree to the terms set out by SSA. Upon approval for the program, each provider is called an Employment Network (EN).

Services provided by the EN must be vocationally oriented and would include employment assistance and/or any support services required for the individual to successfully reach their goal of employment.

Once the EN accepts the ticket, a plan must be written which spells out the specific services and tasks needed for the beneficiary to progress. After the plan is approved by SSA, the EN oversees and supplies all necessary services to assist the individual to successfully obtain and retain employment.

Additional questions can be addressed to the Social Security Administration or on the SSA website at http://www.ssa.gov/work/.

For more information contact: Melanie Wells at 317-704-8250 or melaniew@bosma.org