Louisiana Work Incentive Planning and Assistance
Project Description:
The challenge of disseminating accurate information about work incentives programs and issues related to such programs to Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities must be met by extensive networking and state-wide collaboration among organizations that assist these individuals in entering or re-entering the workforce. The complexity of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) employment support rules has lead to many myths and misunderstandings of what work incentives are and how to access them as part of a successful plan to obtain gainful employment.
The Human Development Center (HDC), in collaboration with the Advocacy Center of Louisiana (AC), through their proposed Southeast Louisiana Work Incentive Planning and Assistance project (SELAWIPA) and the volunteers of America of North Louisiana (VOANLA), will improve on the current Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach (BPAO) program through a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) grant from SSA. The ultimate goal of LAWIPA is to assist SS beneficiaries with disabilities succeed in their return to work efforts by offering assistance to enable them to make informed choices about working and whether or when to assign their Ticket to Work, and how available work incentives can facilitate their transition to employment.
This project brings together organizations with demonstrated records of improving the lives of individuals with disabilities through advocacy, service and systems change. LAWIPA's Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWIC) will provide work incentives planning and assistance directly to beneficiaries with disabilities who are potentially eligible to participate in Federal or State work incentives programs and conduct outreach in collaboration with SSA's Program Manager for Recruitment and Outreach (PMRO). CWICs will partner with agencies such as, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, DOL One-stops, Local Education Agencies, and Employment Networks in every geographic area of Louisiana.
Working collaboratively as WIPA grantees, LAWIPA and SELAWIPA will have the outreach capacity to offer WIPA services in every parish (i.e., county) of the state and offer linkages to a vast array of resources and services.
Keyword(s):
Benefits Work Incentives Social Security SSDI SSI
Core Function(s):
Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training
Area of Emphasis
Employment-Related Activities
Target Audience:
Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
None
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Mulit-County
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
