Based on the new Ticket Program rules and comments from State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, NENA sees much more potential for VR-EN partnerships. NENA is informed about Social Security Administration projects to support positive partnerships between State VRs and ENs.
NENA has publicized SSA's Feb. 2010 Advance Notice of Proposed Rule-Making to draft proposed new cost reimbursement regulations affecting VRs. When SSA publishes its proposed rules, NENA will again publicize the proposal and encourage input to fine-tune these rule changes, which will affect ENs as well as VRs. To learn more about this rule-making process, click here.
Under the new rules for cost reimbursement, VRs provide initial services to Ticket-users, up to and including job placement. These consumers can then select an EN for follow-on services to confirm and maintain employment. For these consumers, ENs would forego Phase I payments, but would also have less upfront work (job location, etc.) and could bill SSA for employment outcomes. This not only generates revenue for ENs, but will also make it possible for State VRs to qualify for increased revenue when their clients maintain employment for 9 months at or above SGA earnings. It's a win-win for consumers, state VRs and ENs.
This is a voluntary business relationship that some State VRs may pursue and others may not, depending on how it helps each VR meet its own state-mandated goals. ENs do not have to accept tickets from consumers formerly served by State VRs, and ENs can continue to serve customers of their own as they do now.
Because NENA is actively engaged in VR/EN partnership projects, we have the expertise to help private-sector VR providers become ENs and develop this expansion of their VR contracting business.