Working Cooperatively they are putting Disabled Nebraska Farmers/Ranchers Back in the Field.

1. What Does SSA Work Incentives, AgrAbility, and Nebraska Vocational Rehab Have in Common? Working Cooperatively they are putting Disabled Nebraska Farmers/Ranchers Back in the Field. Presented by Kelly Gewecke NTW Nov 2011

2. Ultimate Goal is to get Farmers/Ranchers back in the Nebraska Fields Working! How do each of the organizations work together?

3. Pooling Resources 1 3 2 AGRABILTY Easter Seals/UNL Partnership NEBRASKA VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SOCIAL SECURITY WORK INCENTIVES Putting Farmer/Ranchers back in the Field

4. 1 SOCIAL SECURITY Work Incentives SUPPLIMENTAL SECURITY INCOME SSI and SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE SSDI

5. What resources is the client eligible for? Supplemental Security Income Needs Based. Limited Resources. Associated with Medicaid No waiting period for check and Medical Title XVI SSI Possible to have both benefits Social Security Disability Insurance Based on what is paid into SSA Doesn’t consider Resources Associated with Medicare Waiting period for check and Medical ( See Quick Reference Guide) Title II SSDI

6. Besides Monthly Checkand Medical Benefits, Medicare and Medicaid do fund some assistive Technology to help farmers return to the farm. How else can SSA help Farmer/Rancher to get back in the field? PLAN TO ACHIEVE SELF SUPPORT PASS A PASS allows a person to set aside income and/or resources for a specified period of time to pay for the things they need to achieve their work goal. For example, a person could set aside money to pay expenses for education, vocational training, or starting a business as long as the expenses are related to achieving a work goal. When a PASS is approved, SSA doesn’t count the income and/or resources a person sets aside when they determine eligibility for SSI or when calculating the SSI payment amount. A PASS can help a person to establish or maintain SSI eligibility. For example, is a person receives SSDI, they could put the countable portion of their SSDI into the PASS and the countable portion of any earnings in the PASS and still receive a full SSI check and be eligible for Medicaid. When the PASS is complete and they have worked off of their SSDI they could still be eligible for Medicaid under 1619B

7. Case Study Disabled Couple in Nebraska Both on SSDI Wrote a PASS to Start a Goat Dairy Business (See PASS Example Sheet Hand out) Resources Used PASS REAP Loan NE Voc Rehab Self Employment Funds & AgrAbility

8. 2 AGRABILTY in Nebraska Cooperative agreement between UNL Extension and Easter Seals NE with a Grant from USDA

9. UNIVERSITY OF NE Lincoln Extention Provides Education and Assistance Sharry Nielsen,Extension Educator (308) 832-0645    snielsen1@unl.edu EASTER SEALS of NE Provides Staff , Educational and Resources Rod Peterson and Del Ficke are Rural Rehabilitation Specialists and do Onsite Assessments and Recommendations 800-471-6425 rpeterson@ne.eastersals.com 888-858-5069dficke@ne.easterseals.com

10. 3 Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation NVR Federal and State funding sources

11. VOCATIONAL REHABILITATIVE SERVICES eligible individuals (Farmers/Ranchers) with disabilities, VR may provide: • Counseling • Career planning • Training • Funding for assistive technology • Other individualized services (Benefits Analysis) • Apply for VR even if VR has a waiting list • Meet with VR counselor • Determine functional limitations and place farmer in Order of Selection category • An Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) will be developed Including • AgrAbility Assessment & Recommendations.

12. Pulling it all together! Funding Resources SSA, Medicare/Medicaid, State VR, Loan funds such as ESN & REAP Others that apply (VA)

13. QUESTIONS? What’s Your Message? Presenter Kelly Gewecke Easter Seals NE 402-705-0453 kgewecke@ne.easterseals.com