Unemployment is challenging for anyone, but it is particularly difficult for people with disabilities or other unique support needs. Self-employment is a growing option that offers new possibilities as an alternative way to earn income. This course is the tenth in a series of courses on customized self-employment and is based on the work of Griffin-Hammis Associates, leaders in the field of employment support. Starting and operating your own business requires new skills and abilities for both the prospective business owner and their support team. Failure to take care of managing finances and government benefits can cause many problems, so this training provides critical information on two of the most important aspects of self-employment: Managing the finances of the business and the business owner’s government benefits. Through comprehensive lessons, examples, as well as interactive activities, you will gain the skills and confidence you need to support individuals in managing their own finances and benefits while operating their own small businesses. This course is applicable to people who support individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, physical disabilities, as well as other intensive support needs, especially those who receive government benefits. If you are taking this course within a learning management system that offers continuing credit, you must successfully pass the final exam and complete the course evaluation in order to receive credit.
This activity is approved for 2.00 contact hours.
This activity is approved for 2.00 contact hours.
Outline:
Section 1: Introduction About This Course Learning Objectives Section 2: Benefits Management for SSI Recipients Glossary of Terms for Financial and Benefits Management Eligibility for SSI SSI Cash Benefit Unearned Income and SSI An Example of Unearned Income From SSDI Earned Income and SSI Benefits of Self-Employment Income Averaging in SSI Retroactive Income Averaging The Formula for Calculating Countable Earned Income for SSI Net Earnings from Self-Employment (NESE): An Example SSI Reductions Reporting Income Annually to SSI John’s Hot Dog Business Summary Section 3: Work Incentives for SSI Recipients Work Incentives for SSI Recipients SSI Work Incentives: Impairment Related Work Expense (IRWE) SSI Work Incentives: Blind Work Expenses SSI Work Incentives: Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) SSI Work Incentives: PASS Remember Carrie? Summary Section 4: PASS, PESS and Medicaid Resources PASS as a Source of Operating Capital for a Business Using a PASS for a Small Business PESS: Property Essential to Self-Support Benefits of PESS to Business Owners Who Are SSI Recipients Limitation on Using PESS SSI and Medicaid Access to Medicaid with No SSI Cash Benefit Individual Thresholds for SSI Medicaid Buy-In Program Let’s Review Summary Section 5: Putting It All Together Putting It All Together for Arlo Arlo: SSI and Medicaid Income Analysis Arlo: PASS Analysis Arlo: SSI Countable Unearned Income Analysis Arlo: SSI Countable Earned Income Calculation Arlo: PASS Contribution Calculation Arlo: Generating Income with a PASS Arlo’s Income Without a PASS Arlo: Resource Limits and SSI Arlo: SSI Benefits Analysis Summary Arlo: Work Incentives Work Incentives: Alert and Advantage Critical Thinking in Managing Benefits Strategies for Managing Benefits Arlo’s Success Summary Section 6: Put Into Practice Put Into Practice Creating Your Portfolio Section 7: Course Summary Summary Course Contributor Contact the Authors References Congratulations!
Instructor: Cary Griffin, MABeth Keeton is the Executive Director of Griffin-Hammis Associates. For the last 20 years, Beth has provided extensive training and technical assistance on systems change, customized employment, self-employment, systematic instruction, and benefits analysis. She developed the first national certification training curriculum for customized self-employment, collaborated with the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center on the development of Core Features of Quality Supported Employment, helped pioneer the creation and use of the three Customized Employment Fidelity Scales, and is currently service the Principle Investigator on a five-year innovative self-employment training initiative funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Beth co-wrote Navigating Government Benefits & Employment: A Guidebook for Veterans with Disabilities and is a co-author of Making Self-Employment Work for People with Disabilities. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1996.
Disclosure: Beth Keeton, MS has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
Cary Griffin is a Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy which specializes in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. Cary maintains a strong relationship with the Rural Institute at The University of Montana, where he served as Director of Adult Community Services & Supports. He is the former Executive Director of the Center for Technical Assistance & Training (CTAT) in Denver. Cary provides training to administrative and direct service level professionals in the rehabilitation field; consultation to businesses and rehabilitation agencies regarding the employment of individuals with significant disabilities; conducts field-initiated research & demonstration; provides family & consumer case consultation; develops resources; and organizational development. Recently, Cary has been instrumental in designing self-employment protocols and training for individuals, agencies, and states. Disclosure: Cary Griffin, MA has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.Instructor: David Hammis
David Hammis is Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy which specializes in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. David maintains an ongoing relationship with the Rural Institute at The University of Montana, where he served as Project Director for four employment and Social Security outreach training and technical assistance projects, and now serves as an Organizational Consultant for the Rural Institutes Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Expansion Design Project. Dave works with organizations nationally and internationally on benefits analysis, supported employment, supported entrepreneurial employment, and employment engineering. Disclosure: David Hammis has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
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