Vocational Rehabilitation Federal Grant
Program Office: Rehabilitation Services Administration
CFDA Number: 84.126A
Program Type: Formula Grants
Also Known As: State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program
Program Description : This program provides grants to states to support a wide range of services designed to help individuals with disabilities prepare for and engage in gainful employment consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. Eligible individuals are those who have a physical or mental impairment that results in a substantial impediment to employment, who can benefit from vocational rehabilitation (VR) services for employment, and who require VR services. Priority must be given to serving individuals with the most significant disabilities if a state is unable to serve all eligible individuals.
Supported Employment Grant
Program Office: Rehabilitation Services Administration
CFDA Number: 84.187
Program Type: Formula Grants
Also Known As: Supported Employment for Individuals With the Most Significant Disabilities, Title VI-B State Grants
Program Description: This program provides grants to assist states in developing and implementing collaborative programs with appropriate entities to provide programs of supported employment services for individuals with the most significant disabilities who require supported employment services to achieve employment outcomes. Grant funds are administered under a state plan supplement to the Title I state plan for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services designated by each state.
Additional Resources
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Grant
The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 authorized Social Security to award grants, contracts or cooperative agreements to provide community-based work incentives expertise to beneficiaries of Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits based on disability. SSA currently has 83 cooperative agreements throughout every State, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Services:
The goal of the WIPA program is to enable beneficiaries with disabilities to receive accurate information, and use that information to make a successful transition to work. Each WIPA project has Community Work Incentives Coordinators who will:
- provide in-depth counseling about benefits and the effect of work on those benefits;
- conduct outreach efforts to beneficiaries of SSI and SSDI (and their families) who are potentially eligible to participate in Federal or State work incentives programs; and
- work in cooperation with Federal, State, and private agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve disabled SSI and SSDI beneficiaries.
MRC operates Project IMPACT under the WIPA grant (http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/disability-services/vocational-rehab/ses/impact/project-impact.html)
Additional Resources
MassMATCH (Assistive Technology) Grant
MassMATCH is the Commonwealth's initiative to Maximize Assistive Technology (AT) in Consumer's Hands. It is one of 56 state-level AT Act programs in the United States. The MassMATCH mission is to promote the use of assistive technology and assistive technology services to enhance the independence of people with disabilities, enabling equal participation in all of life's activities.
Through partnerships with community-based organizations, MassMATCH is currently creating new AT programs and working to coordinate AT services throughout the Commonwealth. Please let us know what you think. Our success at developing these resources and getting them "in consumers' hands" depends, in part, on hearing from you—consumers, families, advocates, and professionals. Contact us with feedback or with an upcoming AT event you'd like us to help promote. Join our email alerts list. Also consider joining the AT Advisory Council. Help us to effectively steward this community/government partnership. Our goal is to improve access to assistive technology so that persons with disabilities can live, work, study, play, and participate independently in all aspects of our communities.
MassMATCH is funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and managed by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC).
Additional Resources
Disability Determination Services Grant
The Disability Determination Services (DDS) is 100% funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA and determines the initial and continued eligibility for federal SSI and SSDI public benefits. Special outreach efforts are made to homeless shelters and individuals diagnosed with HIV.
The DDS has offices located in Boston and Worcester.
In accordance with Social Security regulations, the DDS disability examiners and physician consultants determine eligibility of Massachusetts applicants for two disability programs:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - ages 18- 65
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - ages birth – 65
The claims processed by the Massachusetts DDS include:
- Initial applications
- Reconsideration applications - 1st appeal of a denied initial application
- Continuing Disability Reviews - Periodic reviews to determine who should continue receiving benefits.
- Disability Hearings - Face to face informal hearing as a part of the appeal of a Continuing Disability Review cessation determination.