Affiliations: Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC, USA | Department of Economics, University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: David Stapleton, Mathematica Policy
Research, Center for Studying Disability Policy, 600 Maryland Ave. SW, Suite
500, Washington, DC 20024, USA. Tel.: +1 202 484 4224; E-mail:
dstapleton@mathematica-mpr.com
Abstract: This article examines the participation of Social Security
disability beneficiaries in the Ticket to Work (TTW) program through December
2004. On an absolute scale, participation is very low, and perhaps much lower
than many had hoped. Participation is not low relative to the historical rate
for program exits due to work, however, and certain groups of beneficiaries
participate at higher rates than others. A large majority of participants
assign their Tickets to state vocational rehabilitation agencies (SVRAs),
predominantly under the traditional, cost reimbursement payment system. Most
SVRA administrators indicate that they have not made major changes to the way
they serve their beneficiary clients as a result of TTW. These findings suggest
that, through December 2004, TTW does not represent a significant departure
from the past. Participants with Tickets assigned to ENs are substantially more
likely than those with Tickets assigned to SVRAs to earn at a level that will
lead to program exit. This finding likely reflects the strong incentives that
ENs have to serve only those with a high likelihood of exiting the rolls, but
might also reflect greater EN focus on achievement of high earnings.
Keywords: Disability, Ticket to Work, employment, vocational rehabilitation
