Employment Services and
Supports - Understanding
the Role of the CWIC
September 2014
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Learning Objectives
After this training, CWICs should be able to:
1. Identify the 5 main roles CWICs play to promote
employment with disability beneficiaries.
2. Describe strategies for helping beneficiaries clarify their
employment/earnings goals.
3. Describe strategies for helping beneficiaries determine
what specific services, supports or accommodations
may be necessary to achieve the employment goal.
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Learnings Objectives Continued…
4. Clearly explain the TTW program, state VR agency
services, and other vocational services and supports to
beneficiaries.
5. Describe strategies to connect beneficiaries with the
specific services and supports needed to achieve the
employment goal.
6. Describe strategies for assisting beneficiaries to resolve
common problems related to work.
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What is the CWIC’s role in promoting
employment with disability beneficiaries?
CWICs promote employment by performing 5 major roles:
1. Helping beneficiaries identify, select or clarify their
career goals;
2. Helping beneficiaries determine what services, supports
or accommodations are needed to achieve the career
goal;
3. Explaining Social Security’s Ticket to Work program and
other vocational services and supports available to
individuals with disabilities in the local service area;
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CWIC’s Role Continued…
4. Connecting beneficiaries with the specific services and
supports needed to obtain and maintain paid
employment; and
5. Assisting beneficiaries with disabilities to resolve
problems related to work, higher education, occupational
skills training and work attainment or continuation of
work.
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Role 1: Helping Beneficiaries Identify, Select or
Clarify their Career Goals
Does the beneficiary already have a clear employment
goal?
• ASK! Some beneficiaries have substantial work histories
and know what type of work they want to do.
• If the beneficiary is working with the State VR agency,
there will be an IPE. Request permission to get a copy of
the plan or speak with the VR counselor.
• Check for involvement with an EN, job placement agency
or supported employment provider. Ask for permission to
get a copy of the employment plan or to speak with the
assigned staff person.
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Role 1 Continued…
What if the beneficiary has no idea what they are able to do
or what types of jobs are even available?
• Social Security does NOT expect CWICs to provide career
exploration, career counseling, vocational assessment or
exploration services.
• CWICs do need to know what type of career exploration
and vocational assessment services are available within the
community.
• CWICs must be prepared to directly refer beneficiaries to
the various agencies based upon need. CWICs must take
the time to conduct research to gather this information.
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Where to Get Help with Career Counseling and
Vocational Assessment
The State VR agency will offer (or pay for) these services,
but they are NOT the only source. Other places to check
include:
–
–
–
–
Employment Networks (ENs)
Goodwill Industries
One-Stop Career Centers
Look for vocational services offered by faith-based groups (Catholic
Charities, Jewish Family & Vocational Services, etc.)
– Veteran’s services (VR&E, Vet Reps at State Employment Agency)
– Private-for-profit groups such as staffing agencies, private
rehabilitation providers, etc.
– Online resources http://www.careerinfonet.org/explore/
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Making Referrals for Career Counseling
• Investigate local agencies to find out what is available,
how to make referrals and how to apply for services.
• Make sure you know the cost of the services, what
potential payment sources are available and the eligibility
criteria.
• Provide specific information to beneficiaries about how to
request services.
• Follow-up to make sure the beneficiary made contact.
Provide assistance if problems arise.
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Employment Goals that May Require
Extra Probing & Counseling
CWICs should watch for these situations:
• Employment/earnings goals that are extremely low –
below the TWP guideline or low enough that the SSI
payment is barely reduced or not reduced at all.
• Employment/earnings goals that are right at or below the
SGA level.
• Employment/earnings goals that would result in the
beneficiary being worse off financially than remaining on
benefits alone.
• Employment/earnings goals that would result in the loss
of critical Medicaid waiver services.
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Role 2: Helping Beneficiaries Determine what
Services, Supports or Accommodations they
Need to Achieve their Career Goal
Beneficiaries often require assistance to prepare for
employment and then secure a job. Common indicators of
need for employment services/supports include:
– No work since entitlement to benefits or many years since
last work effort.
– Multiple brief work attempts.
– Lack of marketable job skills or outdated job skills.
– Low educational attainment.
– Lengthy job search (more than 1 year) with few interviews
and no offers.
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Role 2 Continued…
Start by having a frank discussion about what the person
needs to achieve the career goal and what barriers exist
that could impede progress.
• Help the beneficiary conduct online research to find out what various
jobs require in terms of skills, training, certifications, education,
experience, etc. This may have been done if the beneficiary has an
open case with VR or involvement with EN.
• Don’t forget that conducting a job search also requires skill. Lots of
people need help with resume development, learning how to
interview, using online job posting services, etc.
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Role 2 Continued…
Beneficiaries who require workplace accommodations
may need help arranging and paying for these supports.
• Start by helping beneficiaries think through what kinds of
accommodations might be needed if the employment goal is achieved.
• If the beneficiary has an open case with the state VR agency, find out
what they are able to arrange and pay for. Keep PASS and/or IRWE in
mind as possible payment mechanisms.
• Conduct research in your area to gain information about agencies that
help with accommodations, including assistive technology.
• Make referrals for services as needed and follow-up with the
beneficiary to make sure the referral is acted upon.
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More about Role 2
Not all barriers are related to lack of education & training, inability to
conduct a successful job search, or accommodation needs. There are
lots of other issues than can also impede progress such as:
• Lack of reliable transportation
• Lack of child/elder care
• Unresolved health issues
• Criminal record, pending criminal charges, or poor credit history
• Communication barriers (ESL, deaf beneficiaries)
• Lack of access to technology or inability to use technology
• Family or personal crises
• Unstable housing
• Poor social skills
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Remember your Role!
• CWICs do not provide employment services or supports. Social
Security does not expect you to teach beneficiaries how to conduct a
job search. It is not your job to provide job development or job
placement services.
• Your job is to help beneficiaries think about what they need to be
successful in employment and then CONNECT beneficiaries with
agencies that can meet those needs.
• You are also not the VR counselor. You help connect beneficiaries
with VR services and you help them understand and navigate that
system. You may even advocate with the VR counselor on behalf of
the beneficiary. Your job is to work in collaboration with VR services
to help the beneficiary achieve their employment/earnings goals.
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Role 3: Explaining the TTW Program and Other
Vocational Services and Supports
TTW and State VR Agency • If the beneficiary has an open case with VR or is currently working
with an EN, don’t assume that the beneficiary understands the TTW
program – go over it anyway.
• Be prepared to explain how the state VR agency works to
beneficiaries with open cases and those you plan to refer. Make sure
you know what services VR provides or pays for, how eligibility is
determined, what the application process entails, etc. The objective
is to help the beneficiary have realistic expectations.
• Remember that customization is key - not every beneficiary is a good
ticket candidate. A beneficiary may have unmet needs even if he/she
has an open VR.
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Role 3 Continued…
Other Vocational Services and Supports • Do research to gain an understanding of different vocational services
such as sheltered employment, supported employment, transitional
employment, traditional job placement, etc. It is important that
CWICs understand how the vocational service array works in order to
make appropriate referrals.
• Make sure you have a current list of local ENs and employment
services providers. You need to know what services these agencies
provide, who is eligible, and how to apply for services.
• Don’t forget about the ENs that process ticket payments and return a
portion of the payment to the beneficiary to pay for items or services
needed to achieve or maintain employment. This can be a great
option for some beneficiaries.
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Role 4: Connecting Beneficiaries with the
Services and Supports Needed to Obtain and
Maintain Paid Employment.
• Simply providing beneficiaries with a list of agency names and phone
numbers is not sufficient to promote employment outcomes.
• CWICs may need to make written referrals to agencies, call contact
persons in other agencies to resolve problems, support the
beneficiary with arranging the initial appointment, and be available to
answer any questions posed by the provider agency or the
beneficiary.
• If the beneficiary is capable of making all arrangements
independently, the CWIC should still follow-up to make certain the
contacts are made and no assistance is required.
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Role 5: Assisting Beneficiaries to Resolve
Problems Related to Work
No matter how carefully we plan, problems invariably arise. CWICs
should remain available to the beneficiaries they serve to help with
solving problems that impede progress toward employment.
The CWIC role generally consists of:
1. A friendly or sympathetic ear.
2. Help processing or thinking through the problem - exactly what
is the issue and how was it caused?
3. Brainstorming on possible solutions.
4. Providing information and referral services targeted at problem
resolution.
5. Providing support and encouragement.
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Role 5 Continued…
Common problems that CWICs should help with include:
Problem: Denial of service or termination of service by state VR agency,
EN or other provider agency.
Solution: CWIC explains appeals process and provides support in making
an appeal and/or connects the beneficiary with advocacy services.
Problem: Beneficiary is dissatisfied with the type, quality or quantity of
services provided by state VR agency, EN or other provider agency.
Solution: CWIC helps beneficiary clarify what the complaint is and
provides information about lodging complaints or acquiring advocacy
services.
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More Common Problems
Problem: Beneficiary needs help requesting, arranging or paying for an
accommodation.
Solution: CWIC assists beneficiary to problem-solve, possibly assists with
PASS or IRWE, or refers to Protection & Advocacy. If there is VR
involvement, the CWIC should refer the beneficiary to the VR counselor.
Problem: Beneficiary is struggling to complete an educational or training
program.
Solution: CWIC helps beneficiary investigate supports available to
students with disabilities. If there is VR involvement, the CWIC should
refer the beneficiary to the VR counselor.
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Employment Services and Supports
and the BS&A
BS&As are required to contain a section that addresses employment
services and supports the beneficiary needs in order to achieve the
employment/earnings goal. This section should contain the following
information:
1.
2.
3.
Description of any employment related services the beneficiary is
already receiving.
Identification of any unmet needs related to achieving the
employment goal with information about where/how to access
services designed to meet these needs.
Brief explanations of services or supports you are suggesting to the
beneficiary with instructions for accessing these services.
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Employment Services and Supports
and the WIP
• Make sure to add any action steps related to accessing appropriate
employment services and supports to the WIP.
• Action steps in this section should address ANY employment barrier
or unmet need. Action steps should be developed based on the
results of your survey of employment barriers and should correspond
with the information provided in the BS&A section on employment
services and supports.
• Follow-up to make sure the beneficiary follow-up on referrals and any
problems are resolved.
• Revise the WIP as needed when action steps are completed and new
actions steps arise.
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Customization is Key!
• Each beneficiary is unique and will have a different set of
employment barriers or unmet needs.
• The CWIC’s job is to ask questions, help the beneficiary think about
employment support needs and offer assistance with getting needs
met. Your job is to connect beneficiaries with appropriate services!
• If you are only using template language in all of your BS&As and WIPs
about employment services and supports, you are missing things.
• Remember that the TTW program does not make sense for all
beneficiaries. Don’t go into detail about Ticket unless it is a good fit.
• Ask about unmet needs even if the beneficiary has an open case with
the state VR agency.
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Remember the questions that should be driving
the WIPA services you provide!
• What is the next step along the road to employment for this person
and what can I do to help him/her commit to taking that step?
• What information do I need to provide to this beneficiary at this
juncture in order to facilitate progression along the employment
continuum?
• What specific services or supports can I provide at this point in time
to help this beneficiary move forward down the road to employment
or at least not lose ground?
• What community partners do I need to coordinate with to enhance
the effectiveness of my efforts to promote employment with this
person?
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