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, AnnŐs
Individual Education Plan (IEP) team learned that her biological father had
passed away and she would begin receiving SurvivorŐs 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 ŇshelterÓ 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:
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 Ňdesired post-school outcomes.Ó IDEA also states that the Transition
Service Needs, including the studentŐs curriculum or Ňcourse of studyÓ should
be leading them towards or preparing them to achieve these post-school goals.
AnnŐs 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 AnnŐs 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 AnnŐs 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 AnnŐs 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.
AnnŐs 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 wouldnŐt something
less expensive meet your needs? Since I donŐt 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. AnnŐs 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. AnnŐs 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 individualŐs
local SSA office.
Addendum:
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.
From http://ruralinstitute.umt.edu/transition/art_casescenarios.asp