Employment

• AHEDD provides work benefits counseling to help people who receive Social Security benefits learn about Work Incentive programs and determine how working will affect their cash benefits (SSI or SSDI) and medical benefits (Medical Assistance or Medicare).
• There are several agencies in Allegheny County offering Supported Employment services. These agencies include:
  • Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania
  • Life’s Work of Western Pennsylvania
  • Blind and Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh
  • Milestone Centers, Inc.
  • Mon Yough Community Services
  • Family Services of Western Pennsylvania
  • Mercy Behavioral Health
  • Peoples Oakland
  • Turtle Creek Valley Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Inc.
  • Competitive Employment Opportunities

• Pennsylvania CareerLink is a job-search resource that helps people find training, jobs, and careers.
• The Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities obtain and keep employment.

• The Social Security Administration has developed special rules that make it possible for people with disabilities receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments and Medicare or Medicaid.
• The Ticket to Work Program provides most people receiving Social Security benefits (beneficiaries) more choices for receiving employment services. Under this program, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issues tickets to eligible beneficiaries who, in turn, may choose to assign those tickets to an Employment Network (EN) of their choice to obtain employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services necessary to achieve a vocational (work) goal. The EN, if they accept the ticket, will coordinate and provide appropriate services to help the beneficiary find and maintain employment.
• The SAMHSA Supported Employment Toolkit provides information about supported employment, an evidence-based practice that helps people with mental illnesses find and keep competitive employment in the community.