Sam’s cerebral palsy
has never been a
barrier for him. He
has completed high
school, and at age
19, is a freshman in
college. Since he
was very young, he
has received a
Supplemental
Security Income (SSI)
check, and now lives
in an apartment
subsidized by HUD.
His healthcare
insurance has been
covered under the
state
Medicaid
program. He also
works part-time at
the campus book
store and eventually
wants to be an
entrepreneur and
open his own
bookstore and
specialty coffee
shop someday. Sam
wants to know how he
can achieve these
goals with the help
of the
Social Security
Administration’s
work incentive
programs. He also
wants to know what
will happen to his
housing subsidy and
his Medicaid
insurance as he
works toward these
goals.
Sam needed to be
connected to a
variety of work
incentives help him
achieve his
long-term goals. He
contacted an
Indiana Works
Community Work
Incentives
Coordinator
to find answers to
his questions.
Indiana Works
explained that for
SSI, Social Security
counts less than
half of his earnings
when they calculate
his monthly SSI
check. Plus, because
he is a full-time
student under the
age of 22, he may
qualify for a
special work
incentive for SSI
recipients called
Student Earned
Income Exclusion.
Together, Sam and
Indiana Works
explored his career
goals of eventually
starting a business
in self-employment
as he wanted to own
and operate a
bookstore and coffee
shop. Indiana Works
discussed a work
incentive called a
Plan to Achieve
Self-Support (PASS)
that would
eventually help Sam
to reach his career
goals.
Additionally, they
discussed how he
could continue with
his Medicaid
coverage while he
works. They also
discussed work
incentive provision
related to his
housing that would
benefit him, called
the HUD Earned Income
Disregard.
Through the supports
and ongoing
assistance of his
benefits counselor,
Sam was well
equipped to navigate
the state and
federal work
incentives. He was
informed enough to
discuss his goals
with his local
Social Security
Office,
Division of Family
Resource Office,
and
Housing
Authority
Representative.
The Indiana Works
Community Work
Incentives
Coordinator also
provided Sam with
contact information
for other supports
and services to
reach his goals.
Eventually, Sam was
able to finish his
education and work
toward
self-sufficiency in
his career goals
with all of the
state and federal
work incentives
available to him.