EN Essentials Learning Events
The Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program began hosting EN Essentials learning events on July 12, 2023, for Employment Network (EN) staff seeking to enhance their EN performance and compliance with Ticket Program policies. The learning events build upon the initial EN Service Provider Foundations training and feature new resources, best practice strategies and other helpful information.
EN Essentials events are presented via Microsoft Teams. To participate, ENs can join the events using login information they will receive by email prior to the event. There is no need to register in advance.
Archived materials for each event (audio, transcripts, and webinar presentations) are posted on this page.
Please direct any questions or comments to ENOperations@ssa.gov.
Past EN Essentials Events:
April 9, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: Building Successful Employer Partnerships
This session offers ENs key perspectives, resources, and tips for building direct relationships with employers to place Ticketholders into jobs and careers. Several ENs, such as EmployReward Solutions (ERS), partner with DirectEmployers, a nonprofit association formed by Fortune 500 companies searching for ways to reduce employee recruiting costs. DirectEmployers offers a community messaging platform and a disability recruitment and connection specialty, at no cost to an EN or VR seeking to place candidates into employment. A representative from DirectEmployers, a member employer, and ERS discuss how they work together, the benefits of their collaboration, and ways ENs can get involved. The employer, Concentrix, also discusses their talent sourcing approach and successful outcomes from the collaboration.
Access the materials here:
January 16, 2025: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET: Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR) and SSA-222 Security Awareness Certification
This event provides a review of EN responsibilities regarding the 2025 APOR and Security Awareness Certification. We discuss how to review, sign, and submit the Security Awareness Form SSA-222 and Addendum. We also discuss how to accurately answer each question and complete the APOR using SurveyMonkey.
Access the materials here:
- Presentation (PDF)
November 13, 2024, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: From Intake to IWP: Building Relationships One Individual at a Time (EN)
If you're looking for new resources and ideas for working with Ticketholders, this event introduces the new Intake Guidance and Worksheet that offers in-depth information for conducting and documenting a Ticketholder intake discussion and provides a fillable worksheet that ENs can download and complete. Along with this new resource, you'll also get tips and ideas from CareerSource Central Florida’s EN staff as they share how they engage with prospective clients, inform them about the purpose of the Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program and establish a committed, two-way relationship right from the start.
Access the materials here:
October 9, 2024, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET: EN Essentials: Connecting the Dots When Serving Youth and Young Adults
This event explores how one Employment Network (EN) braids funding and services to encourage competitive employment and long-term employment success for youth with disabilities ages 16 through 24. Based on a Ticketholder success story, this event features how families, educators, service providers and Vocational Rehabilitation can come together to address barriers and opportunities for students who transition from school to full employment.
Access the materials here:
July 10, 2024: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET: EN Essentials: Requesting and Negotiating ADA Accommodations
This training reviews employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and effective methods for ENs to assist Ticketholders in requesting and negotiating accommodations for successful interviews and workplace tasks. This session is presented by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).
Access the materials here:
June 12, 2024: 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET: EN Essentials: Marketing Tactics to Promote Your Employment Network (EN)
This event is the second of two sessions featuring information from the new "Employment Network Guide to Marketing". This session highlights popular marketing tactics and features a panel of EN leaders who share strategies they have used to build Ticket Program awareness, increase Ticket assignments, and develop relationships with employers and other partners. We discussed websites, social media, email, events, media, and Ticket Program marketing resources.
Access the materials here:
May 15, 2024: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: EN Essentials: Spring into Marketing and Start with a Plan
This event is the first of two sessions featuring information from the new Employment Network Guide to Marketing. The guide is designed to aid Employment Networks (EN) in marketing and promoting their services to prospective clients and stakeholders. This session covers the research and planning aspects of developing a marketing plan, including identification of audiences, situational analysis, mission, branding, goal setting and objectives.
Access the materials here:
April 10, 2024: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: EN Essentials: At Your Service: Who to Contact on the TPM Team
This event covers how Social Security’s Ticket Program Manager (TPM) is at your service! We discuss team roles, tips for engaging with specific departments and who to contact if ENs have questions.
Access the materials here:
March 13, 2024: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: EN Essentials: Taking a Deeper Dive into Payments
This event covers EN payment complexities including top reasons for payment denials and ways to prevent and resolve them. We also discuss what happens to EN payments when a Ticket is unassigned and review top payments-related resources.
Access the materials here:
February 14, 2024: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET: EN Essentials: Employment Network Payments Refresher
This event provides a review of EN payment terminology, important resources, how payment processes work, and how to submit a payment request.
Access the materials here:
November 14, 2023: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: EN Essentials: 2023 Round-up: Request for Application (RFA) Changes
This session covers information to ensure Employment Network (EN) staff understand their responsibilities under the 2023 EN RFA. The presentation includes a link to a new resource that outlines the substantive changes made to the RFA since April 4, 2022. The presentation also covers how Social Security will announce and implement RFA changes in the future.
Access the materials here:
- Audio Presentation (MP3)
- Presentation (PDF)
- Transcript (PDF)
- Resource: 2023 Employment Network Request for Application (RFA) Revisions (ssa.gov) (PDF)
- Resource: Frequently Asked Questions: Request for Application (RFA) Changes Related to Services and Supports (PDF)
October 18, 2023: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: Managing your EN Services and Supports Review
This session covers the procedural aspects of the annual Services and Supports Review. We discuss when to expect the Review, what to prepare and submit, how to submit the information, and what to expect after the Review.
Access the materials here:
September 20, 2023: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET: Putting the Ticketholder’s Individual Work Plan (IWP) into Action – IWP Part 2
This session covers Ticket assignment and amending the IWP as the Ticketholder moves toward their employment goals. Learn about additional compliance metrics for IWP completion, the importance of ongoing communication and required documentation for the annual EN services and supports review.
Access the materials here:
August 23, 2023: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET: Preparing Successful Individual Work Plans (IWP) - Part 1
This session covers how to use Ticketholder Intake information to create an IWP that has clear and measurable goals. Learn how to complete the Discussion Summary, identify the services and supports a Ticketholder needs, and obtain required signatures.
Access the materials here:
July 12, 2023: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET: Optimizing Ticketholder Intake
Intake is an important first step in developing relationships with Ticketholders. The purpose of the Ticketholder Intake process is to determine the Ticketholder's eligibility for the Ticket Program and decide jointly whether your EN is a good fit for them. Get tips and details on how to build rapport and conduct a thorough Ticketholder intake discussion to capture key elements for creating an Individual Work Plan (IWP) that has clear and measurable goals.
Access the materials here: