Under the Ticket to Work Program, ENs must provide individualized services to meet the needs of each beneficiary based on his/her chosen employment goal and service needs. The beneficiary's goal should be to work at a level to reduce and ultimately eliminate dependency on Social Security disability payments and become self-supporting.  

ENs should assess beneficiaries seeking Ticket services to determine their skills, abilities, limitations, educational and employment background, interests, etc.  ENs should use this information to determine if their services are a good match with a beneficiary's vocational goals and service needs.

If the match is not right, ENs may refer the beneficiary to another EN, to the State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, the Choose Work website, or the Beneficiary Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

If the match is right and they have not already done so, the EN should confirm the beneficiary's Ticket eligibility and that his/her Ticket is assignable.

If the Ticket is not assignable, the EN should explain that the Ticket can only be assigned to one service provider at a time. If the beneficiary still wants services from the EN, the EN can inform them that the Ticket can be unassigned by submitting a written request to the Ticket Program Manager (TPM). A Beneficiary Ticket Unassignment Request Form is available on the Choose Work website.

If the Ticket is assignable, the EN should inform the beneficiary about the items covered in the section Informing Ticketholders. Additional items that should be explained to the beneficiary include the following.

• All personal information on program participants is kept private and confidential.
• EN services are provided by qualified employees, including contracted services. If medical or related health services are contracted, they will be provided under the supervision of individuals licensed by the state to prescribe or supervise the provision of such services.
• While a Ticket is assigned, Social Security conducts annual reviews to determine the beneficiary's progress in moving towards self-supporting employment. See the section on Timely Progress Review (TPR) for the criteria used for these reiews.
• Beneficiaries are expected to provide evidence of earnings to the EN, or consent to have the EN contact their employers to obtain such evidence.
• If dissatisfied with the services the EN is providing, the beneficiary can initiate the dispute resolution process available to Ticket Program participants, seek assistance from the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program, or exercise the right to unassign the Ticket.
• Work incentives are Social Security programs and rules that beneficiaries can use to reduce their countable income to continue receiving cash benefits while initially exploring work.

The sections on Intake and the Individual Work Plan provide additional information on Social Security's expectations with regard to working in partnership with beneficiaries to develop individualized service plans.