Ticket Milestone History 1997 The Oklahoma Milestone

Ticket Milestone History • 1997 The Oklahoma Milestone Payment System was named a finalist in the Harvard/Ford Foundation Innovations in American Gov’t competition and as a result • The House Social Security Subcommittee incorporated the Milestone Payment System into the Ticket to Work to address concerns of service providers/EN’s that Ticket payments are backloaded and risky.

Grading the Ticket on the Milestone Essentials • Customer Centric valued outcomes, services, length (B+) – Ticket focus is on good wages and long term retention • Consumer Choice/Control over the funding flow (C-) – Customers can reassign Ticket to Vendor who gets better outcomes – BUT No decision support for making this choice like the Okla. “Vendor Performance Report Card” – If Vendor/EN participation rates are low - may not be a choice • Collaborative Stakeholder Planning and Evaluation (C-) – SSA held focus groups and regional meetings • Contains Creaming Countermeasures (F) – Reverse Risk Referenced Rates-SSI more difficult= lower rate - this is the opposite of a good Milestone system – the Adequacy of Incentives (AOI) study will evaluate higher payment rates for higher risk, tiered payment system • Based on proven Concepts - (C-) Using Milestone payment system but little effort to mine Supported Employment and Choice Projects knowledge base. AOI study should correct this.

Employment Network Risk • SSA Beneficiaries have been determined unable to work and therefore are high risk • No funds were appropriated for the Ticket payments come from projected SSA savings when beneficiaries lose their checks. • Ticket payments are not based on service cost analysis but on SSA break even analysis. • SSA does not expect the Ticket to serve every beneficiary, more like 1 out of 200. The Cream. • SSA Adequacy of Incentives study will evaluate higher payments for higher support needs, more difficult cases. To be completed 2003 or 2004.

Ticket EN Payments (2002)

Possible 1 Stop Ticket Responses – Option 1 No Risk/Cost - Integrate Ticket response with VR - 1 Stop is point of first contact and orientation for Ticket Holders. – Option 2 Low Risk/Cost - Ticket Service Facilitator - Provide a group orientation, assistance in use of resource room, job club/job placement/referrals and tracking. – Option 3 High Risk/Cost - Go it alone sign up with SSA as an EN, SSA payments go to 1 Stop.

Option 1 -Integrated with VR • Ticket Holders invited to Ticket Orientation meeting by VR and 1 Stop • Regular Ticket Orientation meetings at 1 Stop to brief beneficiaries on the Ticket, the benefits of working, SSA Work Incentives and VR services, Meetings conducted by VR staff • VR Application and referral to local VR Counselor • 1 Stop is an additional source of job leads when Ticket holder is ready for employment.

Option 2 - 1 Stop Service Facilitator • 1 Stop Service Facilitator system developed in Colorado to ensure access to services for people with significant disabilities • Could be funded with State VR or SSA Milestone payments • Hire a Service facilitator to help: – with Career Exploration, Interest Inventories, and utilization of 1 Stop resources – Gather benefits and VR application information, – Develop a basic benefits plan using Work World – write a referral summary for VR counselor – assist VR counselor and customer w/ job search

Option 3 - Go it alone • 1 Stop can apply as an Employment Network (EN) with SSA • SSA will make payments directly to 1 Stop when Milestones are achieved • Assume that only the Milestone payments will be paid • The only new services will be an SSA intake/information gathering function up front and ongoing tracking/case management with quarterly billing for up to 6 years.

For More information on the Milestone Payment System: www. Milestone. Management. com Questions? email Dan O’Brien: deobrien@aol. com or deobrien@drs. state. ok. us