California Work Incentives Initiative

Being American: the Way Out of Poverty, Poverty and Disability in the U.S.

This policy analysis is a collection of discussions, topical areas and recommendations that seek a deeper inquiry into what Americans with disabilities expect of social insurance roles in the 21st Century, with focus on health care coverage and employment. The paper calls for an expanded national dialogue to transform Social Security, Medicare and disability tax policies, as needed to increase employment rates of people with disabilities.

Work Incentives Information Services, Developing a Sate-Focused Training and Technical Assistance Center

All states and state agency partners work with diverse populations of people with disabilities, complex and confusing health and benefit program rules, and limited resources to provide clear, comprehensive, accurate, and accessible benefits and employment planning information. A state-focused Training and Technical Assistance Center (“TA Center”) on work incentives and benefits is a viable solution. The TA Center integrates state, federal, and private rules on work incentives and benefits for residents of a particular state. This manual presents concrete strategies on how to set up and design such a center.

Summary: Being American: the Way Out of Poverty, Poverty and Disability in the U.S.

This Summary seeks a deeper inquiry into what Americans with disabilities expect of social insurance roles in the 21st Century, with focus on health care coverage and employment. The paper calls for an expanded national discussion to transform Social Security, Medicare and disability tax policies, as needed to increase employment rates of people with disabilities.

California’s Comprehensive Workforce Development System: A Disability Access Policy Framework Coming of Age

Whether one grows up with a disability, becomes newly diagnosed while employed, experiences a sudden onset of disability from an accident or is entering the workforce with a disability, the level of support must be based upon assessment of the person to the program(s), not the reverse. By expanding collaboration between the human resource departments of employers, providers of public and private health care services, and generic employment programs such as One-Stop Career Centers, the policies and grants described in this brief will have a greater likelihood for success.

AB 925 Signed into Law!

Many people with disabilities who want to work are dissuaded from doing so by the risk of losing eligibility for Medicare and Medi-Cal, which pays for essentials such as wheelchairs, ventilators and personal care services. AB 925 joins the 1999 Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act and the 250% California Working Disabled Program as part of a continuing effort to address these and other work disincentives.

AB 925 Content Summary

This law, referred to as the Workforce Inclusion Act, requires the California Health and Human Services Agency and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, using existing resources, to create a sustainable, comprehensive strategy to accomplish various goals aimed at bringing persons with disabilities into gainful employment at a rate that is as close as possible to that of the general adult population.

The AB 925 Questionnaire: Summary Responses from 140 Returned Questionnaires

Summary Responses from 140 Returned Questionnaires, an analysis by Devva Kasnitz, Ph.D. for The California Work Group on Work Incentives and Health Care. Staffed by The California Work Incentives Initiative, A Collaborative of The Center for Independent Living and World Institute on Disability.