Crisis Statement Many Social Security Disability Beneficiaries want jobs now, and the Administration must take responsibility to ensure that all parts of government are working together to solve the immediate crisis. The current do-nothing Congress and Social Security’s top leadership are failing Social Security disability beneficiaries who work or want to work, and the White House must act now to bring all parties together to find a solution. The Commissioner of Social Security, Michael Astrue, recently announced that he plans to shut down Social Security’s vital employment support counseling services for its disability beneficiaries who make it into the workforce. Social Security has funded these mandated counseling services nationwide since 2000.
Social Security Commissioner Astrue to the US Congress March 9, 2012:
“Absent Congress’ reauthorization of these programs, we plan to stop them when the FY 2011 grants expire.”
These employment support counseling services will end either June 30 or September 30, 2012 because of his decision.
Just as the economy is starting to improve, the Commissioner of Social Security is shutting down Social Security's Work Incentives, Planning and Assistance counseling programs (WIPA) and its Protection and Advocacy for Social Security Beneficiaries counseling programs (PABSS).
Shutting these programs down means that thousands of Social Security disability beneficiaries who are planning to work, or who are working today, will have severely limited access to the correct federal and state rules and procedures for their work and benefits situation. With the shutdown, disability beneficiaries will have little to no help with complicated return to work rules when they encounter employment / SSA-related problems.
Background: Work Incentives Planning Assistance (WIPA) grants go to local non-profits and other agencies to support outreach, education and benefits counseling services to Social Security disability beneficiaries about work incentives and services for finding, maintaining and advancing in employment, including the Social Security Ticket to Work program.
WIPA grantees inform beneficiaries on the impact that employment will have on their disability income and medical coverage, and address real fears that individuals have about going to work at the risk of losing their health care coverage.
The Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program was created in 1999 to protect the rights of beneficiaries as they plan to work and take jobs. PABSS provides information and advice about obtaining vocational rehabilitation and employment services; information and referral services to beneficiaries on work incentives; advocacy or other legal services that a beneficiary needs to secure, maintain, or regain gainful employment including investigation and remedy of complaints of employment discrimination and other civil and legal rights violations.
Despite this extensive set of duties and growing demand for services, the WIPA and PABSS programs have been flat funded at the same levels since 1999.
Take Action: Rapid Response! Together, we can help stop the planned national shut down of the Social Security WIPA and PABSS employment support counseling services.
We request that President Obama ask the Commissioner of Social Security Michael J. Astrue and the U.S. Congress to lead, collaborate, and stop the counterproductive closure of these programs at the wrong time for our growing economy.
There is opportunity as the economy improves to demonstrate that, as Americans with significant disabilities, we are part of the U.S. economic recovery plan. A Rapid Response Letter Template is available below for your use.
Key Request to President Barack Obama: - “Like taxes, Social Security work rules are complicated! We request that you extend the current SSA WIPA and PABSS employment support counseling services for SSA disability beneficiaries for 18 months, as the Congress deliberates and reauthorizes the WIPA and PABSS employment support counseling programs.”
- Contact President Barack Obama through Gene B. Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy at gsperling@who.eop.gov.
Rapid Response Letter Template: Edit and use this template to send your personal messages to President Obama (via Gene Sperling).
[Date] Dear Mr. Sperling,
Our improving economy must be accessible to Americans with a significant disability like me.
I ask you to act now to stop the shut down, and to help continue Social Security’s Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program. Please work with Social Security and Congress to promote and ensure the program’s Congressional reauthorization.
Social Security Commissioner Astrue alerted Congress March 9, 2012 that he will shut down the WIPA Program on June 30, 2012 unless Congress acts to reauthorize the WIPA program. Commissioner Astrue added he will shut down the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program on September 30, 2012.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) sent a draft bill to the House of Representatives and the Senate early in January, 2012; no bill has been formally introduced to date. Without Congressional action, SSA plans to shut down the WIPA program, although SSA may have Administrative funds to extend the program while Congress takes action to reauthorize the program.
Social Security work rules remain complicated! Social Security disability beneficiaries need the WIPA program when they pursue their employment and economic self-sufficiency goals. WIPA Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs) provide beneficiaries with accurate information to enable them to obtain employment, and reduce dependence on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cash benefits.
CWIC counseling can ease a beneficiary’s fears of unsuccessful work attempts, loss of necessary health care, and can help with other case specific issues during transitions to employment and self-sufficiency.
As an American with a disability [or as a consumer of the WIPA program],
[Insert your Personal Comments / Experiences Here].
I request you to please help stop the shutdown of the WIPA and PABSS programs. Collaborate with Representatives and Senators to approve legislation that continues these invaluable programs that support employment and add taxpayers to our workforce.
Thank you for your time, review, and consideration of this matter.
Respectfully Submitted:
[Your Name]
[Your Home Address]
[Address Line 2]
[Phone Number (Optional)]
[E-mail address (Optional)]
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