PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland resident Burt Rosen has been diagnosed with 2 types of cancer. But he said he feels a weight has been lifted from his and his wife’s shoulders since they learned about the Ticket To Work program.
The little-known Social Security Administration program helps people on disability, like Rosen, return to work without losing their full Social Security benefits while working over a 9-month period. He said the only downside to the program is that most people don’t know it exists.
Social Security Ticket To Work program
“Financial stress is huge for people with chronic illness or cancer or anything like that. I mean, I woke up in the hospital so many nights thinking, ‘How am I going to pay for this?'”, Rosen told KOIN 6 News. “And what the Ticket to Work program does and what Social Security disability does is it gives you a little bit of a safety net.”
Diane Winiarski, the director of Vocational Case Management for Allsup Employment Services, said people are not aware of this program or its benefits.
“First of all, it’s a completely free and voluntary program. No pressure. And anyone who has paid into their FICA taxes is eligible if they have a disability, or they get injured, and they’re receiving a Social Security benefit,” Winiarski said. “They have a ticket.”
Despite being around since 1999, she said only about 30% of the beneficiaries are aware of the program.
The Ticket To Work program aims to help people living with disabilities and chronic illnesses overcome barriers in the workplace. Rosen said the program has given him more financial freedom — and a sense of independence.
“It just makes your life better. If you can remove a stressor from your life when you’re undergoing a lot of health stress, it absolutely helps your mental health. It helps my attitude and makes me feel better,” Rosen said. “Going back to work makes me feel wanted, makes me feel valuable, and makes me feel like I’m able to contribute. So, it’s been a huge help for my mental health.”