PASS Plans as a Vehicle

	PASS Plans as a Vehicle for Transition to Employment Case 1: Ann Step 1: Determine if the student is eligible. When Ann was 16 years old and a sophomore in high school, her benefits were reviewed to determine whether or not she was eligible for a PASS plan. She was already receiving SSI, the first criteria in qualifying for a PASS plan, but because she was receiving the full amount she was ineligible. Since she had no resource or income reducing her SSI check there was no financial benefit to writing a plan for her at that time. However, since she was eligible for SSI we knew that we should remain aware of any future income or resources which would reduce her check thereby making her eligible for a PASS plan. A few months later, Ann’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) team learned that her biological father had passed away and she would begin receiving Survivor’s benefits of $305.00 a month through his retirement account. Her SSI check would now be reduced by $285.00 a month (SSA excludes the first $20.00 of unearned income). Her team chose to write a PASS plan which would “shelter” the unearned income. Her monthly SSI check would then remain at the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) of $552.00 month. She would shelter her $285.00 a month in a PASS account to support the pursuit of her vocational goal. Impact of Unearned Income on SSI $305.00 Unearned Income -20.00 General Income Exclusion $285.00 Amount Counted by SSI $552.00 SSI at the 2003 FBR - 285.00 $267.00 Amount of SSI Ann Would Receive Without a PASS Plan Total Income = $267.00 +305.00 $572.00 Total Income with a PASS Plan $ 20.00 General Income Exclusion +552.00 SSI at the 2003 FBR $572.00* * Plus $285.00 in a PASS Account to Use to Pay Towards Vocational Goals. Events that could make an ineligible student eligible for a PASS plan: Parent dies, becomes disabled, or retires; Student graduates and is working, earning over $85/month; Parent income of a student under the age of 18 increases, which causes the student’s SSI check to decrease. Step 2: Identify a vocational goal. IDEA legislation states that at age 14 (or earlier if appropriate), schools must assist students who are receiving Special Education services to identify their “desired post-school outcomes.” IDEA also states that the Transition Service Needs, including the student’s curriculum or “course of study” should be leading them towards or preparing them to achieve these post-school goals. Ann’s IEP team began with the assumption that Ann could work in the community in a position in which she could contribute, if the job was customized to meet her needs. They spent time gathering information about who Ann was; what her preferences and interests were in regards to employment; what her support needs were; what job tasks she could perform; and what her particular contributions might be to an employer. They learned that Ann had an exceptional memory for schedules and details and she very readily offered solutions to difficulties in juggling transportation or staffing schedules in the classroom, but her IEP team did not know how this would work into specific job tasks or an actual position. From what was discovered about Ann, the team established that Ann’s long term vocational goal was to obtain a position as a Logistics Coordinator. However, Ann had limited work experience, so the IEP team decided that it would be beneficial for Ann to have some additional experiences which would provide her and her team with more information about her ideal conditions of employment. Step 3: Determine the length of the plan. PASS plans can be written for any reasonable length of time that is needed to achieve the goal. In Ann’s case, she had been eligible for a PASS plan for some time prior to the plan being written and approved. Since she had been receiving SSI this entire time, the PASS plan was written starting 6 months retroactively. This generated a sum of back payment money which was used to pay for expenses which were more than the $285.00 a month she would set aside. This particular plan ended 2 months following graduation. It was assumed that the PASS plan would be amended if her goal changed or if she needed to purchase something different. If Ann was employed a new plan would be written to reflect the procured job. Step 4: Draft the steps of the plan. In this section of the PASS plan, the team mapped out the actions or activities that needed to occur to support Ann to achieve her work goal of becoming a Logistics Coordinator. (See below for a complete list of steps). The Transition Projects staff chose to support her in some additional work experiences the summer before her exit year of high school which provided Ann and her team with more information about her abilities and support needs. In order for her to participate in employment during the summer, Ann needed transportation, someone to develop an employment site, and someone to provide instruction and support on the job Steps of Ann’s Plan Accomplishments prior to PASS submission Beginning Date End Date Began transition planning including employment 3/99 Attended PASS plan training in Polson, MT. 10/00 Attended Vocational Profile training in Polson, MT. 2/01 Began unpaid work experience 9/00 ongoing Contact Vocational Rehabilitation to apply for services 4/01 Submit PASS plan 4/01 Secure employment exploration site #1 6/01 7/01 Identify driver and summer job coach 6/01 7/01 Complete job exploration site #1 7/01 8/01 Secure employment exploration site #2 7/01 8/01 Complete job exploration site #2 8/01 9/01 Complete written Voc. Eval. (Voc. Profile) 9/01 10/01 Steps to reach goal after PASS plan approval Identify job developer 11/01 Begin job development 11/01 12/01 Begin work with assistance of job coaching 1/02 Continue working part time while in school 1/02 6/02 Graduate from high school 6/02 Secure ongoing supports through Developmental 5/02 9/02 Disabilities services Increase hours at employment upon graduation 6/02 Ongoing Step 5: Develop a budget to support the Plan. Ann’s budget illustrates how the projected amount sheltered in her plan would be spent in order for her to achieve her vocational goal. The costs need to be justified and information provided about how each expense helped Ann to achieve her goal. (The more information provided in the PASS plan to the PASS Cadre, the stronger the plan. See below for an example of a budget.) Budget to Support the PASS Plan 1. Item/service/training: Transportation - Cost: $900 for 3 months = $2,700 ($15 a day up to $300 a month; for 3 months (summer only) as the school will transport during the school year). Vendor: To be determined. How will this help you reach your goal? I need transportation into town to get to my job exploration sites because I live in a rural area that is 20 miles north of Polson. How did you determine the cost? Going rate in the community determined from asking around town. Why wouldn’t something less expensive meet your needs? Since I don’t drive I will need to hire someone to drive me into town and back using my wheelchair accessible van. This is the least expensive option. 2. Item/service/training: future job coach supports Cost: $6,910.00 Vendor: To be determined, paid at a rate of $45.00 a hour. How will this help you reach your goal? I will need support to initially learn and perform my job. After I learn the job, I will need some personal care at work daily and follow-along support to assist me in maintaining my performance and advancing in my job. Since the services and supports I will need are not an entitlement after I graduate, I would like to shelter this money for these future support needs. For the period of this PASS I will request funding from Vocational Rehabilitation to pay for job development and initial job coaching. How did you determine the cost? Going rate in the community as determined from Vocational Rehabilitation payment standards. Why wouldn't something less expensive meet your needs? Above amounts are all the lowest costs available. Step 6: Demonstrate how the PASS account funds will be kept separate from other monies. Ann opened a checking account that was to be used for PASS funds only. She provided SSA with the account number, bank name, address and phone number. (The SSI recipient or the representative payee will be required to account to SSA for all monies expended from this account. It is helpful to keep all back statements, carbon copied check registers, and receipts for payment or bills for services rendered). Step 7: Document that the pursuit of this vocational goal is a collaborative venture between funding sources. Social Security, like other agencies, wants to see that they are not the sole funding source for transition activities or employment. Ann’s plan included information about what the school provided for supports and services and estimated the amount it cost. Also included was what Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agreed to pay for, as well as, other person or agency, who was supporting Ann to become employed. (A letter from the Rehabilitation Counselor on their letter head would be a good supporting document to include in a PASS Plan.) If VR is not yet providing financial support due to the age of the student, reference this fact in the cover letter which is submitted to SSA with the completed PASS plan. Will any other person or organization (e.g., VR, school grants, Job Partnership Training Assistance (JTPA) pay for or reimburse you for any part of the expenses listed in Box 7 or provide any other items or services you will need? If "YES", provide details as follows: Who will pay Item/Service Amount When will item/ service be purchased? Polson Schools Vocational Eval. $750 Summer 2001 VR Job Development up to $1000 Summer 2001 VR Job Coaching up to $2000 Summer 2001 Rural Institute Technical Assist. $3000 Senior school year Comprehensive Dev. Services Van to use $300/month Item is being used currently Step 8: Include Supporting Documentation Build a strong case so the PASS plan will be approved. It is not always clear to Social Security that the stated work goal is feasible for the individual or that the steps identified will lead him/her to achieving the goal. Give SSA an overview of the plan in the initial cover letter. Leaving gaps in the information provided will most likely lead to delays in having the PASS plan approved. Include any other documentation that would build the argument that the vocational goal is appropriate and feasible. Ann’s team included her Vocational Profile and Employment Planning Meeting minutes which summarized the ideal characteristics of her future employment. (For people with a greater impact of disability, a non-traditional vocational evaluation would help build the argument that a vocational goal is more feasible than the traditional standardized vocational evaluations). Include documentation that supports the prices budgeted to pay vendors or to pay for equipment are reasonable. Include several bids in writing if proposing to purchase an expensive item through the PASS plan. Instead of waiting for SSA to request information about household expenses after submitting the PASS plan, include a completed Household Expense Worksheet. Basically SSA wants to make sure that the applicant will have adequate money available to pay for food and living expenses after sheltering money in the PASS plan. Remember to have the applicant and their representative payee sign the completed PASS plan. Make a copy of the document and all supporting documentation. File the copies with other important SSA documents. Send the completed PASS simultaneously to the regional PASS Cadre and to the individual’s local SSA office. Addendum: Ann: Ann moved away from Polson and is not employed at this time. The unspent money in her PASS account was returned to SSA since she was no longer following her plan. She can request that her previous plan or a new plan begin when her circumstances change. She maintains ownership of her van.

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