Social Security's work re-entry program has been deemed ineffective by experts
The Ticket to Work (TTW) program, a federal initiative that helps people with disabilities return to work, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. This program, which remains active and continues to evolve, provides free and voluntary career development services to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries aged 18-64.
The TTW program offers a range of resources such as job training, reasonable accommodations education, and access to employment networks. While specific recent metrics on outcomes are not detailed, the ongoing emphasis on enhancing services, adding new workplace accommodations, and adoption of technology to improve user experience implies continuous efforts to improve program impact.
The program encourages voluntary participation, which helps tailor support to individuals’ goals and conditions. Alternative programs, focusing on more personalized or community-based services, complement TTW’s broad federal approach and seek to address more specific individual needs for improved effectiveness and independence. Organizations like Work Opportunities Unlimited provide customized job placement, training, and support services designed to foster independence and integration in chosen environments for people with disabilities.
In 2020, Tarnisha Averette, a person with Lupus, discovered the TTW program through Allsup's employment company. Prior to this, she was receiving disability benefits paying $425 a month. With the TTW program, she was able to maintain her benefits for up to twelve months while working. Today, Tarnisha is working with Amazon as a driver and dispatch associate, earning $20 per hour. She has paid off her debt and is saving money due to her improved financial situation.
The Social Security Administration is undergoing reform to support the 8.7 million Americans out of work due to medical conditions or disabilities. The reform includes reevaluating the TTW program, a back-to-work program for individuals collecting Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. The results of the RETAIN program, run by the Department of Labor, are scheduled to be released in December, which aims to identify people who've left work for medical reasons and get them back to work without going on disability.
While the TTW program has been criticized for its perceived small impact, proponents argue that it has the potential to save the Social Security Disability Insurance trust fund over $400 billion if the 20% of individuals on disability who see themselves returning to work within five years do so. However, only 0.8% of beneficiaries give up their benefits because of work.
In conclusion, the TTW program continues to be a key federal initiative helping disabled beneficiaries return to work through free, voluntary services and networks. It is continuously refined with added workplace accommodations, technology improvements, and expanded condition coverage to better serve participants. Alternative programs offering tailored, community-based employment and training services complement TTW’s broad federal approach and seek to address more specific individual needs for improved effectiveness and independence.
Science and health-and-wellness intertwine in the TTW program as it seeks to improve the lives of people with disabilities dealing with medical-conditions. The program's services, such as job training and reasonable accommodations education, support beneficiaries in managing their conditions while venturing into employment.
