Enabling All People To Do Their Part in
Repairing the World
Thank you for allowing me to address the Jewish Disability Network today. I want to tell you about the work The World Institute on Disability is doing in collaboration with other agencies to change Social Security's definition of disability. We want and need the religious community to become active partners.
Last month, we submitted a draft of “Exploring an Alternative Definition of Disability” to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget in response to their call for papers on reforming SSDI. Many of the principles in the paper are the same as those in Career ACCESS. Our paper insists that disability must no longer be defined as “the inability to work.” SSDI must take steps to become modernized. It must provide Coordinated Employment Services to people whose newly acquired disability or progressing disability imposes barriers to employment. SSDI cash benefits should be viewed as a means of offsetting the high cost of disability rather than as a replacement for lost wages. The current antiquated definition of disability, low expectations for people with disabilities, no Coordinated Employment Services, and a horrifically complex system all result in less than 1% of Social Security beneficiaries ever leaving Social Security's rolls by returning to work.
As background, after 29 years of working at Wells Fargo, I retired to start a disability-focused employment company that specializes in consulting on staffing and placement issues. I quickly realized that there are systemic problems that intrinsically inhibit people with disabilities from working and being productive. Our society holds very low expectations for individuals with disabilities. Defining disability as the “inability to work” in order to receive disability benefits is an inherent disincentive. I am dedicating the rest of my retirement to see that these antiquated policies are changed. I am doing so by working with The World Institute on Disability. To learn more about my current work, please see Our Career ACCESS .org.
We are advocating that the new definition of disability for Social Security be “A person with a disability is a person with a medically-determinable physical or mental impairment(s) that is expected to result in death, or has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months that has resulted in a substantial impediment to employment.” We are also advocating that Career ACCESS participants will continue receiving keep their full federal stipend until their total gross earnings plus stipend exceed 250% of the national poverty level. After reaching that earning level, stipends will be reduced by $1 for every $3 earned. Earnings will be reevaluated annually. Participants experiencing intermittent unemployment can request earnings reevaluations more frequently.
Coordinated Employment Services calls for each participant to have an Individualized Career Plan (I C P) that they create, monitor, and maintain together with their career coach. The I C P should clearly outline tasks that need to be accomplished in order to work. These tasks may include:
Completing a rehabilitation program
Finishing a school or training program
Assessing and modifying the work environment
Obtaining benefits and financial planning services
Acquiring self-employment and business start-up services
Legislation is needed that will enable Social Security and other federal agencies to change the definition of disability and fully develop and pilot a program like the Career ACCESS program. A cross-agency cost-benefit analysis must show how blending and braiding funding and significantly increasing the number of employed people with disabilities will result in SSI and SSDI sustainability.
As I prepared for today, I realized how strongly I feel that the religious community must become the enablers of Tikkun Olam. While I genuinely applaud the Union of Reform Judaism and the Reform Movement for focusing on the inclusion of people with disabilities, inclusion can be passive. I envision our movement, our temples, synagogues, and communities ensuring that all congregants get the physical, emotional and spiritual services they need to understand and fulfill their role in “repairing the world” to the greatest extent they can and want to. Career ACCESS and redefining Social Security's definition of disability are vital components of this vision.
Here are some ways you can assist us:
1. Encourage The Union for Reform Judaism – Religious Action Center and other religious organizations to engage legislative analysts and community organizers to work with us in drafting a bill that will change Social Security's definition of disability and fully develop and pilot Career ACCESS. Working with their prospective agencies, these activists will help us educate legislators and the general public about its importance.
2. We are still looking for feedback on the draft we submitted to the CRFB. Please let me know if you want to review the paper. The final draft is due next month.
3. Join us on Monday, July 27t,h at 1:00 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington DC. There will be a forum on Redefining Social Security's Definition of Disability as part of the National Council on Independent Living's annual conference. Please spread the word. We want many people, especially young adults with disabilities and legislators, to be there.
4. Currently, we have 2 small 1 year grants from private foundations that are funding 2 young adults with disabilities part-time who are helping us do outreach. Please let me know where we can find ongoing funding.
5. Tell us how you and agencies and people you know can joi,n us in moving this effort forward.
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