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  2. Vocational Rehabilitation
  3. DVR Service Providers
  4. Technical Specifications
  5. Work Incentive Benefits Services

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If you have comments regarding any documents on DVR's website or need an alternate format, you may contact us via email at: dvr@dwd.wisconsin.gov

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Work Incentive Benefits Services

About

Work Incentive Benefits Services are intended to assist consumers receiving Social Security disability benefits or other public benefits toward self-sufficiency by addressing questions or concerns related to work and earnings and navigate benefit, entitlement, and economic assistance programs. This service is recommended for all consumers receiving public benefits including benefits and entitlements administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and FoodShare, Medicaid, BadgerCare, Subsidized Housing, county, and state benefits, etc.). There is no requirement that the consumer be working or have earnings to have any benefits services authorized.

Services should be responsive to the consumer's current need. Services should be individualized to reflect information the consumer would like to know regarding their benefits and how earnings or other goals could affect them.

Beginning in 2024, service providers must demonstrate that they have completed Work Incentive Benefits Counseling training. Service providers interested in adding the service to their service agreement should contact the Program Development Specialist, or refer to the list of approved trainings available on the DVR Service Provider Training webpage.

Consumer Engagement and Relationships

It is important for the consumer, the provider staff, and DVR to establish a productive working relationship to make forward progress. Included in DVR reporting, please identify and update, as needed, an expected contact standard. The provider and consumer should discuss and agree to how often, the length of meetings, type of meeting (in person, remote meeting) and where they will meet to promote progress. The consumer and providers should also agree to how to communicate changes to scheduled meetings. If a consumer is disengaged for more than a month, or there are critical issues impacting progress during authorized services, please reach out to notify DVR directly via phone or email. Please also share the Roles and Responsibilities with consumers, which may be helpful in describing expectations.

Providers should monitor progress and adhere to the timeframes for delivery of individual services identified in the table below.

Work Incentive Benefits Services - Summary of Service
SERVICE PURPOSE TIMEFRAME(S) DELIVERABLES PAYMENT
Work Incentive Benefits Introductory Meeting Establish shared understanding between consumer, provider and DVR of future benefits consultation activities 45 days from date of authorization
  1. Intake Interview between Provider, Consumer, and optional DVR Staff (In-person, Virtually or by phone)
  2. Releases signed by consumer (or guardian) for benefit verification
  3. General Benefits information to consumer
 $200
Work Incentive Benefits Portfolio Provide consumers with an accurate account of their current benefits situation 60 days from date of authorization
  1. Summary document including items described below
  2. Meeting to review Portfolio between Provider, Consumer, and DVR Staff (In-person, Virtually or by phone)
 $300
Work Incentive Benefits Analysis with Plan Assist consumer to execute a plan to access work incentives 45 days from date of authorization
  1. Work Incentive Benefits Analysis with Plan
  2. Meeting between Provider, Consumer, and DVR Staff (In-person, Virtually or by phone) to review the Plan, to include items described below
 $400
Work Incentive Benefits Plan Assistance Assist consumers to execute the Work Incentive Plan 45 days - 12 months from date of authorization
  1. Work Incentive Benefits Plan Assistance Report
  2. Contacts with consumer/DVR should be documented with a summary of each contact made
 $300

Work Incentive Benefits Introductory Meeting

The purpose of the introductory meeting is to provide general information to the consumer about Work Incentives and help the DVR Staff, consumer and provider determine and understand the purpose of the Benefits Consultation services that will follow. To complete this work, the benefits consultant needs information from the DVR Staff and consumer regarding the consumer's goals, including employment and income targets, housing, etc. The benefits consultant also needs to verify information from public entities about the consumer's current benefits. The consumer or their guardian must sign releases of information for the benefits consultant to receive these verifications. The releases of information should be signed at this meeting.

This meeting should also include the following activities:

  • Intake of household income and benefits
  • Discuss next steps with consumer/guardian and VR and schedule follow up research and contacts as needed
  • Provide basic preliminary information about Benefits and Work Incentives including:
    • SSI Work Incentives as applicable
    • SSDI Work incentives as applicable
    • Medicaid Buy-in options as applicable
    • Medicare savings programs as applicable
  • Gathering information about the consumer including:
    • LTC funder contact information
    • Contact information of Rep Payee, Guardian, and/or Conservator
    • Consumer Communication Preferences

Work Incentive Benefits Introductory Meeting Report (DVR-18046-E)

Work Incentive Benefits Portfolio

The benefits portfolio is a point in time summary of the consumer's current benefit situation. It informs the conversation about the consumer's employment goal. If the consumer's goal changes in light of the information shared by the provider, this updated goal should be used to complete a Work Incentives Plan.

Verified benefits the portfolio should include:

  1. Social Security Administration (SSA) disability programs and applicable work incentive
    • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Ticket to Work
  2. Health insurance programs
    • Medicare
      • Medicare Savings Programs (MSP)
      • Medicare Supplemental policies
      • Medicare Advantage Plans
      • Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy
    • Medicaid
      • Medicaid Purchase Plan (MAPP)
      • Long Term Care (Medicaid Waivers, Family Care/I Respect I Self Direct/ Self Directed Supports, etc.)
      • BadgerCare Plus
    • Private health insurance
    • Other insurance programs as appropriate for the individual
    • Private disability insurance programs
    • Unemployment Insurance
  3. Veteran’s Benefits
  4. Worker’s Compensation
  5. FoodShare
  6. Housing assistance programs
  7. Energy assistance
  8. Information on spouse and children’s benefits and entitlements, if relevant

Work Incentive Benefits Portfolio Report (DVR-19461-E)

Work Incentive Benefits Analysis with Plan

The Work Incentive Benefits Plan will combine the information about a consumer's goals from the intake interview and subsequent verification of benefits to forecast expected changes to benefits. It will explain actions the consumer needs to take to stay current with the agencies that administer these benefits, and assistance the consumer can access to execute those actions, including assistance from the provider.

The Plan should include:

  1. A timeline for expected future checkpoints/meetings based on the person’s work goal
  2. Benefits specialist will work with consumer to resolve those issues and include a summary of the assistance in the Plan document
  3. Preparation and delivery of a plan for future consultation assistance needed.
  4. Thresholds for current benefit and/or expected future benefits
  5. Timelines for anticipated changes
    • End of TWP
    • Work review
    • End of SEIE
    • End of payment status
    • TTW Enrollment
  6. Reporting schedule/responsibilities

Work Incentive Benefits Analysis with Plan Report (DVR-18048-E)

Work Incentive Benefits Plan Assistance

Meetings between the consumer and service provider within the 12-month period following the plan review meeting, to implement the steps detailed in the Work Incentives Benefits Plan. Assist in managing benefits/entitlement/funding status, including wage reporting to SSA and continuing benefits eligibility and facilitate a warm hand off to Ticket to Work. The provider should also answer questions/consult as needed as progress is made and update the plan to address changing circumstances and additional consumer questions/concerns.

The provider is expected to supply VR with a summary of activities that were completed prior to billing for the final payment. This summary should include:

  1. Instances of follow up with VRC
  2. Instances of follow up with consumer during check points
  3. Case notes specifying any changes in the initial plan

Benefits Plan Assistance Report (DVR-18045-E)

Fee Schedule

Work Incentive Benefits Services - Fee Schedule
$200

Work Incentive Benefits Introductory meeting: Payable upon completion of acceptable service, meeting, and report to DVR within 5 business days of the receipt of signed releases. Completion of service not to exceed 45 days from issue of service authorization.

Code

  • Regular: 022
  • PRE-ETS: 221
$300

Work Incentive Benefits Portfolio: Payable upon completion of acceptable service, meeting, and report to DVR within 5 business days of the conclusion of the last contact with the consumer. Completion of service not to exceed 60 days from issue of service authorization.

Code

  • Regular: 022
  • PRE-ETS: 221
$400

Work Incentive Benefits Analysis with Plan: Payable upon completion of acceptable service, meeting, and report to DVR within 5 business days of the conclusion of the last contact with the consumer. Completion of the service and report not to exceed 45 days from issue of service authorization.

Code

  • Regular: 022
  • PRE-ETS: 221
$300

Work Incentive Benefits Plan Assistance: Payable upon completion of acceptable service, meeting, and report to DVR within 5 business days of the conclusion of the last contact with the consumer.

Code

  • Regular: 022
  • PRE-ETS: 221

Service Notes:
Purchase Order Instructions/Timing: The WIBS Introductory meeting, Portfolio and Plan should be authorized together on a single purchase order on three separate lines. The time frame for all three services should not exceed 6 months. If the consumer is already working, or has immediate needs that require assistance, the Plan Assistance service should also be authorized.

Meeting Flexibilities/Attendance: DVR staff attending the various Workforce Incentive Benefits Services meetings whether in person, virtually, or by phone is important for providing vocational planning and support to our consumers. Based on local WDA practices, any DVR staff may attend these meetings. DVR staff attendance is not required at the Introductory meeting unless needed by the consumer. DVR staff attendance is required for at least one of the following meetings: the Portfolio Meeting, the Plan meeting, or the Portfolio/Plan combined meeting. Based on consumer circumstances, it may be decided to have a single/combined meeting to cover both the Portfolio and the Plan.

Reports/Forms

Required Reporting Templates

Resources

Qualifications

Providers who are delivering Work Incentive Benefits Consultation services must agree to have qualified personnel complete the services.

Starting in 2024, it is expected that DVR Service Provider staff will be required to complete a formal training program for the preparation of Work Incentive Benefits Analysis for consumers receiving public benefits. A provider will be required to have documentation of previous certification via the Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) program, or similar comprehensive training to include:

  • Determining eligibility for work incentive counseling services
  • Providing information about and referrals to programs that support work
  • Gathering information about the beneficiary and verifying their public benefits
  • Providing individualized advisement, including a Benefits Summary & Analysis (BS & A) report; and
  • Providing proactive ongoing work-related benefits support.

By 2024, the provider must be able to document training meeting the requirements for the 2024-2026 service agreement, effective July 1, 2024.

Metrics

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation has identified service specific criteria for all statewide services. The list below contains objective information that DVR will begin to collect and use to establish baseline quality information, and eventually establish goals for quality improvement with our provider partners. The effort to collect the information, verify accuracy, establish data baselines and targets will take time and collaboration. DVR's goal in identifying these criteria in the technical specifications is to assist providers in understanding what elements DVR considers important in the delivery of statewide services.

Criteria
TIMELINESS
Time from referral to service provider to conclusion of Work Incentive Benefits Introductory Meeting
Time from referral to service provider to conclusion of Benefit Portfolio
Time from referral to service provider to conclusion of Work Incentive Benefits Analysis and Plan
Time from referral to service provider to conclusion of Benefits Plan Assistance
Provider Qualifications:
Professional Credentials Basic/Professional Certifications