| About P.A.B.S.S.:
Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security
There’s a new service on the path to employment
in Pennsylvania - PABSS — Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries
of Social Security. PABSS was established through a federal grant
as a result of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement
Act of 1999 to ensure that protection and advocacy services are
available to beneficiaries of Social Security who work or want to
work.
Too often, people with disabilities who would like to contribute
in the workplace and in the community do not explore their employment
options for fear of losing medical and cash benefits. In enacting
the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999,
Congress recognized that the cost of this barrier to employment
for people with disabilities was too high to both the individual
and society - a life in poverty for the individual, and, for society,
an untapped workforce at a time when workers are needed.
Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (or
PABSS) and the Benefits Planning, Assistance & Outreach (or
BPAO) are two new federally funded programs established in the Ticket
to Work & Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. Both programs
are designed to assist Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities,
who are working or who want to work, to take advantage of the work
incentives available to make the transition from beneficiary to
worker with only gradual or minimal impact on cash and medical benefits.
The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 was
signed into law on December 17, 1999. Passage of this law represents
the most significant advancement for people with disabilities since
the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The express
purposes of the Act are to improve training and placement services
to individuals with disabilities who want to work, and to encourage
States to limit barriers to employment for people with disabilities
by expanding access to health care coverage available under Medicaid
and Medicare.
In addftion, the Act authorizes federal grant funding to States,
through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (formerly
the Health Care Finance Agency (HCFA)) and the Social Security Administration,
to (re) structure and shape a service/information delivery system
that enables people with disabilities to truly live and work in
their communities. There is a strong mandate for people with disabilities
to take an active role in the design and implementation of these
new systems.
PABSS’ role is to identify and correct systemic barriers that
impede access of people with disabilities on SSI and/or SSDI to
vocational and rehabilitation services, employment and support services
necessary to facilitate their (re) entry to the workplace. PABSS
will also assist with advocacy or legal assistance with return to
work issues.
For more information contact: Pennsylvania Protection & Advocacy,
Inc., 1414 North
Cameron Street, Suite C, Harrisburg, PA 17103, 800-692-7443(V),
877-375-7139
(TTY), 717-236-0192 (FAX), ppa@ppainc.org
(Email), http://www.ppainc.org
(Website)
Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries
of Social Security FAQ
What is PABSS? Why PABSS? Who qualifies for PABSS?
PABSS — Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social
Security - is Pennsylvania Protection & Advocacy, Inc.’s
services for Social Security beneficiaries, who want to work at
a level that may stop cash benefits from Social Security.
The purpose of this project, which is funded by the Social Security
Administration (SSA), is to protect the legal rights of Social Security
beneficiaries in their efforts to return to work.
You do, if... You are a Pennsylvanian with a disability and are
receiving SSDI, SSI, Medicaid or Medicare, and: you need information
about how returning to work will affect your benefits; and/or you
are having trouble getting rehabilitation or other employment-related
services or supports necessary for you to return to work, including
reasonable accommodation for your disability at your place of employment.
Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security or
PABSS is a new federally funded program established by the Ticket
to Work & Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (Public Law
106—170). The express purposes of the Act are: to provide
health care and employment preparation and placement services to
individuals with disabilities; to encourage States to expand Medicaid
availability to workers with disabilities; to expand Medicare availability
to workers with disabilities; and to obtain necessary services and
supports to obtain and retain employment and reduce dependency on
cash benefits.
What can PASS do for me? How do I contact
PABSS?
- Provide information about the programs, services, and supports
available to help you return to work;
- Provide information about the numerous work incentives that
may be helpful in your efforts to obtain meaningful employment;
- Refer you to professionals who can explain how returning to
work will affect your benefits and help you plan for the future;
- Provide you with technical assistance if you encounter problems
in obtaining the services and support you need to return to work;
- Provide alternative dispute resolution regarding conflicts you
may have with service providers or employers as you strive to
return to work; and
- Identify and correct systemic barriers that impede access to
vocational and rehabilitation services; and barriers to employment
and support services necessary to facilitate (re)entry to the
workplace.
Call 1-800-692-7443 or 717-236-8110 (TDD: 1-877-375-7139 or 717-346-0293)
to contact the PABSS office or reach us at: ppa@ppainc.org.
The PABSS Program is available to conduct training seminars
on the employment rights of Social Security beneficiaries; an overview
of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999
(Public Law 106—170); and the current work incentives implemented
by Social Security, particularly those incentives recently passed
under this Act.
This publication was made possible through an agreement with the
Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration
has reviewed this publication for technical accuracy only; this
should not be considered an official Social Security Administration
document.
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