Social Security Administration
Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel Quarterly Public Meeting
November 14-15, 2001

November 14, 2001 - Day 1

Deborah Morrison, Designated Federal Officer, called the meeting to order at approximately 9:30 a.m. and turned the meeting over to the acting Chair, Thomas Golden.

Presenter: Thomas Golden, Acting Chair, presiding
Topic: Welcome, Introductions and Review of the Agenda

Attendees
Advisory Panel Members
Thomas Golden (acting Chair) Richard Burkhauser, Kris Flaten, Frances Gracechild, Chris Griffin, Larry Henderson, Jerome Kleckley, Stephanie Smith Lee, Bryon MacDonald, Stephen Start and Susan Webb. Sarah Wiggins Mitchell, Chair, joined later in the day.

Advisory Panel Staff
Marie Strahan, Executive Director, Tamara Allen, Bernie Wixon, Theda Zawaiza and Gordon Richmond.

Presenters:
Kalman Rupp, Office of Policy, Social Security Administration
Ken McGill, Associate Commissioner, Office of Employment Support Programs

Members of the Public Present:
Loretta Donovan, Tim Nee, Chad Newcomb, Clyde Terry, Judi Drew, Paul Mendez, Paul Scribner, Sidath Panangala, Martha Pitt, Danzelle Cutler, Mark Green, Mary Satterfield, Joe Hickman, Andrea Harles, Katherine Mario, Jennifer Perry

Presenter: Stephanie Smith Lee, Panel Member
Topic: Draft Adequacy of Incentives Advice Report

Presenter: Kalman Rupp
Topic: Office of Policy Implementation Update, Lewin Evaluation Design

LUNCH BREAK

Social Security Administration Implementation Updates
Presenter: Ken McGill
Topic: Status of issuance of Ticket Program regulations, employment network recruitment, Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach program, Employment Support Representatives, youth and transition, training, and second round of regulations

Maximus Update
Presenter: Mary Satterfield
Topic: Update on employment network recruitment fairs

Motion: The Panel moved, seconded and passed and motion to write a letter to the President encouraging the administration to expedite the issuance on the Ticket Program Regulations.

Motion: The Panel moved, seconded and passed a motion to write a letter to Commissioner Barnhart in strong support of the quick roll out of the ESR model across the country.

Presenter: Sarah Wiggins Mitchell
Topic: Swearing in of Commissioner Barnhart, meeting with Social Security Advisory Board

Motion: The Panel moved, seconded and approved a motion to extend the meeting from 4:00 - 5:00 to allow the Design and Evaluation and Planning and Operations committees to meet.

Top of Page

November 15, 2001 - Day 2

The meeting reconvened at approximately 9:00 a.m. with Sarah Wiggins Mitchell, Chair, presiding.

Update on the Health Care Provisions of TWWIIA
Presenter: Joe Razes, Senior Project Manager TWWIIA Implementation, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Topic: Medicaid Infrastructure Grants (MIG) conference, MIG and demonstration to maintain independence grant solicitations

TA Partnerships for the Medicaid Buy-In
Presenters: Melissa Whitman, Consortium for Health Systems Development (CHSD)
Amy Porter, Project Director, Connecticut MIG
Mike Cheek, American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)

Topic: History of how TA centers evolved, background and current projects of CHSD, Connecticut MIG, background and current projects of APHSA TA project

Business Meeting
Presenter: Sarah Wiggins Mitchell
Topic: Minutes

Presenter: Marie Strahan
Topic: Administrative Update

Committee Reports
Presenter: Steve Start
Topic: Panel Planning and Operations Committee: panel plan, operating procedures, future meeting dates/locations

Motion: The Panel moved, seconded and approved a motion to move the February 2002 meeting from Tampa FL to Washington DC.

Presenter: Christine Griffin
Topic: Dispute Resolution Committee: appeals process in draft regulations, restrictions on P&A agencies, expert roundtable on legal issues

Motion: The Panel moved, seconded and approved a motion to hold a one- day expert round table on legal issues and implications of implementation of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act.

Presenter: Thomas Golden
Topic: Design and Evaluation Committee: Ticket evaluation design, statistical updates on Ticket implementation, adequacy of incentives report, 1 for 2 demonstration, work incentive upgrades, program interactions and unintended consequences

New Business
Presenter: Marie Strahan
Topic: Annual Report

Presenter: Theda Zawaiza
Topic: Strategic Partnerships

Presenter: Sarah Wiggins Mitchell
Topic: Agenda items for February meeting: invitation to commissioner, three year plan, operating procedures, New Freedom Initiative, Section 8 vouchers and the Ticket, One- stop career centers, immigrants and refugees, update from CMS, final reports on AOI and 1-for-2, discussion on final regulations, update on outcome of transition projects

Lunch Break

Presenter: Steve Start
Topic: Future Panel meeting dates

Presenter: Susan Webb
Topic: Proposal for issuing Tickets to beneficiaries who request them prior to issuance of the final regulations

Motion: The Panel moved and seconded a motion to request that SSA issue tickets to beneficiaries who request them prior to the issuance of the final regulations. The motion was withdrawn.

Motion: The Panel moved, seconded and approved a motion to send a letter to the Commissioner to recommend that tickets begin to be issued by January 31, 2002 regardless of the status of the final regulations.

Presenter: Bryon MacDonald
Topic: 1-for-2 Expert Roundtable

Public Comment

Presenter: Pat Wright
Topic: Lack of information and training for parents and families regarding the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act

Presenters: Fraser Nelson, Phil Fornaci, Jane Brown
Topics: Bureaucratic and reporting impediments to successful implementation of the PABBS program, PABBS budgeting process problems, authority and restrictions on activities of PABBS grantees

Presenter: Paul Siefert
Topic: The 1 - for 2 Demonstration and Induced Entry

Presenter: Katherine Mario
Topic: New York Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities and the Ticket Program

Presenter: Mathew Sapolin
Topic: Reporting requirements in the BPAO program

Presenter: Susan Prokop
Topic: Adequacy of Incentives Study and definition of work for Medicaid buy-in, 1-for-2 demonstration

Presenter: Bruce Meyer
Topic: Medicare co-pay for people with psychiatric disabilities

Motion: At approximately 5:40, the Panel moved, seconded and passed a motion to adjourn.