Goodwill Benefits Counseling and Ticket To Work Services

A Goodwill Benefits Counseling Specialist will meet with you and provide a written detailed explanation of the Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits and other public benefits and how they apply to you. This includes Social Security Disability Insurance(SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income(SSI).

It can be challenging to figure out how your benefits will be affected by going back to work and understanding how the work incentives can support your job goals. Goodwill's Benefits Counseling Specialist clearly and concisely explains how work earning can affect all your benefits. The specialist clarifies eligibility criteria and how to access work incentive programs, while confirming your qualifications for federal, state and county programs like FoodShare or Medicaid.

Our benefits specialist is also able to assist you with developing a PASS (Plan for Achieving Self-Support) with Social Security and provide benefits counseling for self-employment.

Eligibility:

A referral from the State of Wisconsin, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Receiving benefits from Social Security Administration and/or the State and County (T19, FoodShare, etc.)

Funding Sources:

State of Wisconsin-Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and Ticket to Work

Locations:

James O. Wright Center for Work & Training
6055 N. 91st Street
Milwaukee, WI 53225

Waukesha Community Service Center
1400 Nike Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186

Contact our Intake Coordinator at (855) 455-1110 to make a referral or for more information.

Ticket to Work Services

If an individual is receiving SSI or SSDI benefits, is currently working and has a goal to eventually end Social Security benefits, Ticket to Work may be a good service. Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin is an approved Employment Network with Social Security to provide these ongoing services:

Benefits Planning and Assistance to manage benefits and health insurance issues.
Assistance with overpayment issues.
Career and Employment counseling to assist individuals with addressing barriers to employment and seeking opportunities for advancement.
Connections with other services available in the community.

To assign your Ticket to Goodwill you must:

Be employed with a goal to eventually replace benefits with work earnings.
Eligible for SSI or SSDI payments.
Able to meet earning requirements.

Even if an individual's case has been closed successfully by the state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services office, these free ongoing services can potentially last for several years as one works off benefits and becomes more financially independent.