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WILL'S CORNER, OKLAHOMA
(The Best Kept Secret In Oklahoma)
The Office of Handicapped Concerns
2712 Villa Prom
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107-2423
www.state.ok.us/~ohc
Toll Free 1-800-522-8224
E-Mail william.ginn@ohc.state.ok.us
Volume 3, Issue 1 January, 2002
STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT YOUR TICKET TO WORK
Ten thousand Oklahomans who are recipients of SSI and SSDI Social
Security Benefits are slated to receive their tickets to work in the
month of January, 2002. The remaining ninety thousand tickets are
scheduled to be sent out some time before summer begins. We are
going to have some decisions to make when we receive these
"tickets", and we may need some information to help us make the best
decision for us and our families.
Will's Corner ran an article on the federal Ticket to Work
legislation in the October, 2000 issue entitled To Work or Not to
Work. Just to recap that article, we said that SSI and SSDI Social
Security beneficiaries will be able to return to work if they choose
and possibly still qualify to draw some of their Social Security
benefits. We discussed that Social Security disability beneficiaries
have usually gone through an extensive effort to prove that they are
not able to work in order to qualify for benefits. It is only
natural that these same persons should be a little wary of returning
to work. If they show they are able to work, won't they endanger the
cash benefits they are receiving from Social Security and the
Medicaid insurance they receive from the Department of Human
Services because they have been determined "disabled" by the Social
Security Administration? These are very real questions that
beneficiaries have.
In the April, 2001 issue of Will's Corner we discussed House Bill
1484 up for consideration in the Oklahoma legislature. This piece of
legislation sought to make returning to work for the Social Security
beneficiary more attractive by allowing them to buy into Medicaid
insurance if they were not able to get insurance coverage where they
worked. Many people, if they returned to work, would not qualify for
medical insurance at their new places of employment because of a
pre-existing condition they had when they began employment. Again,
this is a real concern. House Bill 1484 did pass the Oklahoma
Legislature and was signed by the Governor. It is my understanding
that to implement this legislation, we will need more money for the
Healthcare Authority to fund Medicaid insurance for individuals who
wanted to buy into the program.
Oklahoma has been chosen as one of the initial thirteen states
nationally to pilot the ticket to work program. This is the reason
you will be receiving your ticket. As we said, when we receive this
ticket there will be some decisions for each of us to make. The
first and most important decision will be if we want to use the
ticket. Do we or do we not want to return to work? This is a
decision that could take some effort and could require some
research. You may not have thought about it. You may have presumed
that you were not able to work. You may be offended that someone is
even proposing the idea. Whatever your reaction, when you receive
this ticket, it will be an opportunity for you to do some thinking
about yourself and your family. Your doctor may have some
information for you regarding your physical or mental ability to
return to work. You may want to weigh your Social Security cash
benefits against what you would make if you worked. There are many
angles to consider. One incentive that Social Security has approved
is that persons who are using the ticket to work will not be subject
to the continued disability review based on medical while they are
in the program to return to work. We all know that periodically
Social Security beneficiaries must undergo a review of their
condition to see if they are still disabled. This review is
suspended for those using the ticket to work while they are
receiving the services to enable them to return to work. Social
Security has already built into their system some work incentives to
encourage beneficiaries to return to work, and these incentives
continue to be revised to attract people into consideration of
returning to work. You may call your local Social Security office
with specific questions about their work incentives in the process
of making a decision of whether or not returning to work is good for
you. You may want to contact someone at the OBPAP in deciding
whether or not to use the ticket to work.
The Oklahoma Benefits Planning and Assistance Project (OBPAP) was
established to do benefits planning and assistance for Oklahoma
Social Security beneficiaries who were attempting to decide if
returning to work would be good for them. They can give you an idea
of how your SSI or SSDI would change as a result of making whatever
money you were making at any given time. Benefits counselors can
also advise you how returning to work would affect other programs
you may be receiving such as low-income housing, daycare, and
Medicaid. In some instances, counselors may come to your home with
information if you request it. Benefits counselors are located in
all parts of the state. If you live in northeast Oklahoma, contact
Ability Resources at 918-592-1235 or 1-800-722-0886 (V-TDY). In
northwest Oklahoma which includes Oklahoma City, contact
NAMI-Oklahoma at 405-230-1900 or 1-800-583-1264. In southern
Oklahoma, contact Progressive Independence at 405-321-3203 or
1-800-801-3203 (V-TDY). A statewide number for benefits planning is
at the National Center for Disability Education and Training at
405-325-8130 or 866-608-8873 (toll free and V-TDY).
If you do decide to return to work, you will have more decisions to
make. Do you want to work full time or part time? What type of work
would you like to do? What training will you need to do that work?
Your ticket to work is only as good as the effort you are willing to
put into self-appraisal. No one else can do this for you. This is
what you do for yourself. It is a gift to yourself, and the effort
you put in up front will pay off. I want to work full time in the
social service field at a desk job which does not require travel. I
will need a four-year college degree in any of the humanities with
preference to courses in psychology/sociology. I will need a car to
get to work. Personalize your own planning to fit your needs. When
you have identified your needs, you will know how to approach
programs representatives and what to ask for. But, at this point, we
have another decision to make. We know that we want to use our
ticket and that we want to return to work. Now we will have several
choices of providers to use as our employment network, EN for short.
As of the writing of this article, we have five Oklahoma-based
providers of employment services for Oklahoma Ticket to Work ticket
holders. We have four other employment providers who are based out
of state but are willing to serve persons in Oklahoma. The local
employment providers are Hope Community Services in Oklahoma City,
Employment Resources, Inc. of Tulsa, Goodwill Industries of
Southwest Oklahoma in Lawton, Pros and Associates in Oklahoma City,
and Rehabilitative Services counselors throughout Oklahoma. In order
to make the best decision of who can serve us, we need to know our
needs in order to meet our personalized employment objective.
Different providers are willing to do varying things for us. If I am
going to need training to accomplish my employment objective, I am
going to ask that provider up front if they are willing to send me
to school. Whether or not I choose that provider will depend on
their answer to my question. I may need a job coach to be successful
at my employment objective. Will that employment network provide me
with a job coach temporarily until I know my job well enough to do
it on my own? There is no substitute to asking probing questions
based on the realistic employment outcome I have set for myself.
Also there is no substitute to staying in close touch with my
employment network about my changing needs. Yes, I can change my
mind. I may find after receiving some preliminary training on the
human body systems that I do not want to become a medical
transcriptionist after all. I want to share that information with my
provider as soon as possible in order to revise my employment
objective to something that is better suited to me. Oh, and one
other note-when I choose a provider or change providers, it is my
responsibility to inform Maximus of my decision so that my provider
may be paid. (Maximus is the national agency contracted with Social
Security to administer the Ticket to Work program.)
I may have agreed on a specific vocational objective with my
employment network provider and agreed on the specific things I will
need in order to achieve that objective. My provider agreed to pay
for my transportation to the local Vo-Tech but now is saying that
the transportation is my responsibility. I have attempted to settle
this dispute unsuccessfully. What do I do now? The Ticket to Work
program has built into it a component of protection and
advocacy-someone who will advocate on my behalf with my provider. If
my provider is the Department of Rehabilitative Services, my
advocate will be the Client Assistance Program right here at the
Office of Handicapped Concerns. If I have chosen one of the other
employment networks, I may approach the Disability Law Center in
Oklahoma City for advocacy. These organizations can assist me in
settling disputes with my provider and in suggesting things I can do
to get my employment needs met.
Whether or not I use my ticket to work is my choice. How I use my
ticket is my choice made with agreement from my employment network
provider. All ticket holders will not receive the same services.
Employment services will be individualized according to the needs
and objectives of the consumer. If you have some specific questions
about the Ticket to Work Program in Oklahoma, you may call Nikole
Anderson at the Social Security office in Shepherd Mall in Oklahoma
City at 405-605-3001 ext. 3002. You may also contact Maximus which
is the national agency contracted with Social Security to administer
the Ticket to Work program. Maximus may be contacted toll free at
1-866-968-7842. Ask to speak to an employment network coordinator.
Returning to work for someone who is drawing Social Security
disability is a big decision. It will not be the right thing for
some beneficiaries while for others it will open up opportunities
they had not previously known.
NEWS FLASH FOR JOB SEEKERS
The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services is announcing
their contribution to the latest in job seeking and job recruitment
technology for the State of Oklahoma. They have joined in
partnership with Profiles International, Inc., an innovative method
of connecting applicants and employers internationally.
They are making this available to their clients and all other people
in Oklahoma with disabilities to place their information in the
database as soon as possible. Soon it will be announced statewide
and applicants from Workforce Oklahoma and other placement agencies
or applicants looking on their own will also begin using the system.
As the database of applicants is building, Oklahoma Department of
Rehabilitation Services will begin calling on employers all over the
state of Oklahoma to begin using this system for their employment
needs.
To utilize this job matching system, your first step is to go to the
website: www.okdrs.jobfit.com. You will be led through simple
instructions to compile relevant information about your education,
training and experience. This will automatically create a digital
resume that is designed to make it easy for employers to find your
specific job related attributes and create a professional resume for
you to use in the future.
The system does not end there. You will then complete a survey that
will provide you and employers with information about your strengths
for certain positions. It is very important that at this stage you
answer honestly and from your own feelings. Do not try to anticipate
what an employer would want you to say. What is a positive attribute
in one job is a negative in another. For instance, some jobs would
be better suited to a person who would like to work around, with and
for people while another job would be better suited to a person who
can work alone where there is no personal involvement with others.
The survey will provide you with a printable report that will give
you a better understanding of yourself and your professional
relationships. The survey will take at least an hour to complete but
it is well worth the time it takes. Do not let any of the questions
discourage you. Remember, not everything is required on all jobs.
When you finish, you will also have an excellent career development
tool. It will show you where your strengths are and in what
occupations you would succeed. It will give you a direction if you
are considering training or education.
Employers want to hire people who have the right set of
requirements. Employees want to work in a job that is fulfilling and
enjoyable to them. By completing the information the employer wants
to know to make a good decision, you will be presenting yourself to
employers in the best possible light for a good match for both of
you. The system will choose matches based on education, training,
experience, work traits and preferences. Both of you win!
The website also offers you a place to look at employers and jobs
that are listed on the database. Remember this is new and employers
are just beginning to be contacted. Their first question will be,
"How many applicants are in your database?" Make sure your
application is among them. Watch the employer database grow as word
spreads across Oklahoma.
Soon the database will be a tool for employers to use to see what
the work force in Oklahoma has to offer new and established
businesses. This can be a way to attract businesses to Oklahoma,
which means more jobs for everyone.
If you have any questions, call Marilyn Burr, Office of Handicapped
Concerns, at 405-521-3756 or 800-522-8224.
Marilyn Burr is the author of this article. Marilyn is a new
Disability Program Specialist at the Office of Handicapped Concerns
where she specializes in the field of employment for people with
disabilities. Marilyn was hired in the position of Thelma Rex who
recently retired after many years of service.
SHARE
What do you think of when I say share? If I share with you, we pool
our efforts and resources for the benefit of both of us. If we
share, we both do some giving, and we both do some receiving. We are
able to accomplish things that we would not have been able to do
working as a single individual. If we share, there is something
between us that transcends the material. After traveling to Lawton,
Oklahoma, the word "share" has come to mean all this and more to me.
I have seen lots of people sharing of their time and abilities to
benefit themselves and others, and that's why I have been inspired
to share with you so you can pass on to others in your own
communities. Sharing is certainly a key to opening up the resources
of the human spirit.
Today I am visiting with Gordon Avery of the Heartland SHARE food
distribution program in Lawton, Oklahoma. Gordon is a man who
believes in what he is doing, and now that I see his work, I can see
why. Heartland SHARE is a private, non-profit organization with
distribution sites across Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. SHARE
programs are located across the U.S. and in several foreign
countries. As we said, SHARE is a food distribution program manned
by volunteers and using volume buying to reduce grocery costs to the
consumer. It is not a government program, and neither is it a
charity. "Gordon, I hear you people are really working in southwest
Oklahoma to bring affordable food to elderly and disabled people in
Lawton and surrounding communities."
"We offer affordable food to all participants. It is true that
elderly, disabled, and low-income persons especially benefit from
low-cost food, but in truth, the program is open to anyone. Our
motto is, 'If you eat, you qualify.' We have individuals who
participate who have upscale incomes and we have poor people as
well. All these people share a common desire to receive quality,
brand-name food at affordable prices."
"What do you call affordable prices?"
"We distribute food in what we call a SHARE. A SHARE menu varies
from one month to the next but usually includes frozen meat and fish
items, fresh fruits and vegetables, and staple items such as dessert
and bread mixes. We charge $17.50 at this particular distribution
site for the same food that would cost you roughly twice that amount
if you purchased it at a local grocery store. How's that for a
savings to you?"
"Well, it's great, but where's the catch Gordon?"
" We don't have a catch, but we do ask you to do two hours of
volunteer work in your community for each SHARE you purchase. You
save money on your groceries, and you pass on your volunteerism to
help others. Everybody benefits."
"Yes, but Gordon, I have no idea how or where to volunteer."
"You might read to an elderly or disabled person. You could pick up
trash at a public park. You could sing in your church choir. We
define volunteerism as anything you do for someone else outside your
family without pay."
"Can I use my food stamps towards the purchase of a SHARE?"
"We accept food stamps."
"Are there SHARE sites in Oklahoma other than here in Lawton?"
"As we said, we have SHARE food distribution sites all over
Oklahoma. You may call the main office in Topeka at 1-800-932-2028
or visit the website at www.heartlandshare.com to find the
distribution site nearest you."
"Gordon, tell me about your site here in Lawton. How and when did
you get started?"
"We began in April, 1998 when a woman wanted to bring the SHARE
program to Lawton. We had assistance from the home office in Topeka
and the SHARE program in Oklahoma City. From that initial beginning,
we have grown to a program of fourteen office volunteers with
between 1200 and 1500 hours of volunteer service per month. We
distribute about 312 SHARES per month in Lawton and surrounding
communities."
"So how do you pay the rent and utilities here in the office?"
"We also have a separate food pantry for veterans, and sometimes
veterans organizations donate money. Some SHARE participants donate
money to keep our office open and the bills paid."
"You mean you run this whole program on volunteer efforts and
donated money?"
"Isn't it wonderful? People helping people is the name of the game."
"Does this site offer any other services?"
"Yes we do. Since this is Lawton and Ft. Sill is nearby, we have the
food pantry for veterans as a separate program from the SHARE. We
distribute Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, and we
distribute a truckload of donated food to sixteen feeding sites in
Lawton including the Salvation Army, the battered women's shelter,
and Teen Challenge. Between August and October of this year we
distributed donated food to provide the raw material for 43,000
meals to needy citizens. As I said earlier, these efforts are in
addition to the SHARE program which we have been talking about."
The Heartland Share program is a private, non-profit organization
headquartered in Topeka with distribution sites all over Oklahoma,
Kansas, and Missouri. SHARES are distributed once per month
consisting of a varying menu of food items for roughly half the
price I would pay in a regular grocery store. In return for the
savings on my grocery bill, I agree to volunteer two hours time in
my community for every SHARE I purchase. Heartland Share is not a
government program nor is it a charity. There are virtually no
qualifications to be eligible. Their motto is 'If you eat, you
qualify.'
NEW ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY LOANS
Thousands of us could use special, adaptive equipment that would
help us to function in our environment with our disability more
easily. Couldn't you use that JAWS computer program to read your
computer screen to you with your visual impairment? And what about
that accessible bathroom you wish you had in your home? Oh, and
don't forget that modified van which you needed for your son who is
handicapped, and there was no government program out there which
would pay for it? Guess what. There may be something out there for
you with low-interest loans and guaranty loans which would enable
you to pay for that much-needed equipment that, unfortunately, is so
expensive.
ABLE-Tech is the Oklahoma organization expert in the field of
assistive technology and located in Stillwater, Oklahoma as a part
of the O.S.U. Wellness Center. ABLE-Tech does public awareness,
interagency coordination, training and technical assistance, and
outreach services for Oklahomans who are disabled and need special
equipment to help them function better where they live and work.
This morning I am with Linda Jaco, the Program Manager of ABLE-Tech.
"Linda, I hear you've got some fantastic news for Oklahomans with
disabilities who need adaptive equipment, do not qualify for many
government programs, but are still unable to afford the high cost
out of their own pocket?"
"Yes, I do. I am happy to let people know about the new grant
ABLE-Tech received from the federal government with matching funds
from the state to offer low-interest and guaranty loans to purchase
assistive technology."
"When you say low-interest loans, what are you talking about?"
"We are all aware that interest rates have been varying in recent
months. Call us for the current rate."
"I understand low interest, but I frankly have no idea what a
guaranty loan is."
"A guaranty loan is a loan where we ourselves stand behind the
person qualifying and actually guarantee the bank repayment of the
loan."
"Give me an example, and maybe I can understand better."
"Let's say a person with a disability had only an SSI income. Say
this adult lived with her parents and had never established credit
in the past, but she desperately wanted computer access. With her
low income and lack of established credit, she might not qualify for
a conventional loan. If we guaranteed her loan to the bank, she
might qualify and receive the funding she needed to get that new
computer. That's what I mean when I say guaranty loan."
"So how do I apply for one of these new loans?"
"You can get a loan application two ways. Pick up the phone and call
Peggy Jenkins at BancFirst in Stillwater (1-800-446-9401), or
download the application from our website at http://okabletech.edu."
"But, Linda, there is a BancFirst right next to my house in Midwest
City. Why do I have to go through the Stillwater BancFirst?"
"Right now we are working with this one bank in Stillwater, but we
hope to expand to BancFirsts across Oklahoma in the near future."
"Sounds great."
"You asked about the steps to applying for your loan. After you get
your application and send it in to Peggy Jenkins, BancFirst has
agreed to let the consumer know within 48 hours of receiving that
application whether or not they qualify for the low-interest loan.
If the individual does not qualify for the low-interest loan, Peggy
will refer them to our private, non-profit arm for consideration for
a guaranty loan. Our board of directors, which by the way is
composed of over 50% persons with disabilities, promises to let the
consumer know within a week whether or not they qualify for the
guaranty loan."
"That sounds very consumer friendly, and I love the fact that your
board is made up of over half persons with a disability. Somehow I
feel they may be more sensitive to my situation and understanding of
my needs."
"Will, what I personally like about these loans is that they can be
used to purchase equipment and modify homes--purposes that have not
traditionally been paid for by government programs. We all know that
several programs will pay to have a lift installed on a van but will
not buy the van itself. With one of our loans, a family might
actually get the van itself as well as the modifications to the
vehicle. Loans are made for up to five years, and we at ABLE-Tech
are willing to work with an individual or family with financial
planning to see what can be done to meet their needs."
"Linda, I know there is an explosion out there of new equipment on
the market to help people with disabilities. I don't even know
what's out there, and I claim to be in the disability field."
"ABLE-Tech will assist you in finding the equipment to meet your
needs. You just have to be able to verbalize what your need is with
your particular disability. If it's out there, we'll find it and let
you know where to go. If you decide on a particular piece of
adaptive equipment, we'll also let you know possible funding sources
to purchase that adaptive equipment. And, of course, if you don't
qualify for that funding source, we may be able to offer you a
low-interest or guaranty loan where you can take pride in buying the
equipment yourself. What do you think about that?"
"It sounds too good to be true. Linda, here's my fear. I've got to
say it because I know people out there are thinking it. You received
your federal grant and state matching funds this year to establish
this new loan program in Oklahoma. But, let's say next year you
don't get the grant and the program falls through. Steve Stokes, our
director, always says that what the government gives, it can take
away."
"We intend to get the grant next year and each year thereafter, but
our program does not depend on new money each year. Remember that
people are going to be paying their loans off each month and that
money can then be used to finance new loans for more people. We will
recycle the money again and again to meet new needs of people with
disabilities."
"So how did you say I may get a new van?"
"Will, you must have a physical disability and need an adapted van
to qualify for our loan."
"The low-interest loan and the guaranty loan sound so consumer
friendly."
"Our board will be looking at each case in determining eligibility
for a loan. Not everyone will be approved, but we do feel that we
can be more liberal in looking at a person's situation than
conventional loans may be. We are looking at income to debt ratios
of as high as 50%."
Last year was the first year that federal funds were available under
Title III of the Assistive Technology Act to fund loan programs in
the various states. $3.8 million dollars was available to states in
grant money last year. $13.6 million was actually allocated to
fourteen states who received grants this year, and Oklahoma was one
of those states. President Bush has proposed $40 million in his
budget for grants for states to establish loan programs for
assistive technology for next year. ABLE-Tech will be submitting its
new proposal to attract more of that money to Oklahoma next year.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
1. Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2 . The most completely lost of all days is the one we have not
laughed.
3. The superior man is slow in his words and earnest in his conduct.
Confucius
A man left work on Friday afternoon, but since it was payday instead
of going home he stayed out the entire weekend partying with the
boys and spending his entire week's wages. When he finally appeared
at home on Sunday night he was confronted by a very angry wife and
was barraged for nearly two hours with a tirade befitting his
actions. Finally his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to
him, "How would you like it if you didn't see me for two or three
days?" He replied, "That would be fine with me."
Monday went by and he didn't see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday
came and went with the same results. Come Thursday, the swelling
went down just enough where he could see her a little out of the
corner of his left eye.
Quotes From Kids
Never trust a dog to watch your food. (Patrick, aged 10)
When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid" don't answer.
(Hannah, 9)
Never tell your mom her diet's not working. (Michael, 14)
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
February 22, 2002 Brown bag lunch sponsored by the Office of
Handicapped Concerns in the
Commity Room at Shepherd Mall (Villa and 23rd St. in OKC). Sharon
Buckley
R.N. is a Certified Diabetes Educator and will speak between 12 noon
and 1
p.m. about diabetes from the perspective of the individual and
family. Bring
your own brown bag lunch, and we will supply coffee and tea. RSVP
William
Ginn at 1-800-522-8224 or 405-522-6698 no later than 4 p.m. Feb. 15.
Call
now to reserve a place at our very first brown bag lunch.
March 20-22, 2002 Annual Minority Aging Conference. Clarion
Convention Center, 737 S.
Meridian OKC. Call Pat Baker for more information 405-522-3073.
March 21-23, 2002 Southern Early Childhood Conference, Myriad
Convention Center OKC
Contact Brenda Wood for more information at 800-305-7322.
March 28-29, 2002 OK-APSE Supported Employment Conference at Myriad
Convention Center
Okla. City. Call 405-325-4915 for more information.
April 8-9, 2002 Governor's Conference on Developmental Disabilities.
Tulsa. Contact
Sheree Powell at 405-521-4972.
If you have an event coming up relating to disability, let us know
at 1-800-522-8224 and we'll help you publicize.
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