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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 1320b-20. Work incentives outreach program
(a) Establishment
(1) In general
The Commissioner, in consultation with the Ticket to Work and
Work Incentives Advisory Panel established under section 101(f)
of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of
1999, shall establish a community-based work incentives planning
and assistance program for the purpose of disseminating accurate
information to disabled beneficiaries on work incentives programs
and issues related to such programs.
(2) Grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and outreach
Under the program established under this section, the
Commissioner shall -
(A) establish a competitive program of grants, cooperative
agreements, or contracts to provide benefits planning and
assistance, including information on the availability of
protection and advocacy services, to disabled beneficiaries,
including individuals participating in the Ticket to Work and
Self-Sufficiency Program established under section 1320b-19 of
this title, the program established under section 1382h of this
title, and other programs that are designed to encourage
disabled beneficiaries to work;
(B) conduct directly, or through grants, cooperative
agreements, or contracts, ongoing outreach efforts to disabled
beneficiaries (and to the families of such beneficiaries) who
are potentially eligible to participate in Federal or State
work incentive programs that are designed to assist disabled
beneficiaries to work, including -
(i) preparing and disseminating information explaining such
programs; and
(ii) working in cooperation with other Federal, State, and
private agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve
disabled beneficiaries, and with agencies and organizations
that focus on vocational rehabilitation and work-related
training and counseling;
(C) establish a corps of trained, accessible, and responsive
work incentives specialists within the Social Security
Administration who will specialize in disability work
incentives under subchapters II and XVI of this chapter for the
purpose of disseminating accurate information with respect to
inquiries and issues relating to work incentives to -
(i) disabled beneficiaries;
(ii) benefit applicants under subchapters II and XVI of
this chapter; and
(iii) individuals or entities awarded grants under
subparagraphs )1(! (A) or (B); and
(D) provide -
(i) training for work incentives specialists and
individuals providing planning assistance described in
subparagraph (C); and
(ii) technical assistance to organizations and entities
that are designed to encourage disabled beneficiaries to
return to work.
(3) Coordination with other programs
The responsibilities of the Commissioner established under this
section shall be coordinated with other public and private
programs that provide information and assistance regarding
rehabilitation services and independent living supports and
benefits planning for disabled beneficiaries including the
program under section 1382h of this title, the plans for
achieving self-support program (PASS), and any other Federal or
State work incentives programs that are designed to assist
disabled beneficiaries, including educational agencies that
provide information and assistance regarding rehabilitation,
school-to-work programs, transition services (as defined in, and
provided in accordance with, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.)), a one-stop delivery
system established under subtitle B of title I of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2811 et seq.), and other
services.
(b) Conditions
(1) Selection of entities
(A) Application
An entity shall submit an application for a grant,
cooperative agreement, or contract to provide benefits planning
and assistance to the Commissioner at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Commissioner may
determine is necessary to meet the requirements of this
section.
(B) Statewideness
The Commissioner shall ensure that the planning, assistance,
and information described in paragraph (2) shall be available
on a statewide basis.
(C) Eligibility of States and private organizations
(i) In general
The Commissioner may award a grant, cooperative agreement,
or contract under this section to a State or a private agency
or organization (other than Social Security Administration
Field Offices and the State agency administering the State
medicaid program under subchapter XIX of this chapter,
including any agency or entity described in clause (ii), that
the Commissioner determines is qualified to provide the
planning, assistance, and information described in paragraph
(2)).
(ii) Agencies and entities described
The agencies and entities described in this clause are the
following:
(I) Any public or private agency or organization
(including Centers for Independent Living established under
title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 796
et seq.), protection and advocacy organizations, client
assistance programs established in accordance with section
112 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 732), and
State Developmental Disabilities Councils established in
accordance with section 6024 )2(! of this title) that the
Commissioner determines satisfies the requirements of this
section.
(II) The State agency administering the State program
funded under part A of subchapter IV of this chapter.
(D) Exclusion for conflict of interest
The Commissioner may not award a grant, cooperative
agreement, or contract under this section to any entity that
the Commissioner determines would have a conflict of interest
if the entity were to receive a grant, cooperative agreement,
or contract under this section.
(2) Services provided
A recipient of a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract to
provide benefits planning and assistance shall select individuals
who will act as planners and provide information, guidance, and
planning to disabled beneficiaries on the -
(A) availability and interrelation of any Federal or State
work incentives programs designed to assist disabled
beneficiaries that the individual may be eligible to
participate in;
(B) adequacy of any health benefits coverage that may be
offered by an employer of the individual and the extent to
which other health benefits coverage may be available to the
individual; and
(C) availability of protection and advocacy services for
disabled beneficiaries and how to access such services.
(3) Amount of grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts
(A) Based on population of disabled beneficiaries
Subject to subparagraph (B), the Commissioner shall award a
grant, cooperative agreement, or contract under this section to
an entity based on the percentage of the population of the
State where the entity is located who are disabled
beneficiaries.
(B) Limitations
(i) Per grant
No entity shall receive a grant, cooperative agreement, or
contract under this section for a fiscal year that is less
than $50,000 or more than $300,000.
(ii) Total amount for all grants, cooperative agreements, and
contracts
The total amount of all grants, cooperative agreements, and
contracts awarded under this section for a fiscal year may
not exceed $23,000,000.
(4) Allocation of costs
The costs of carrying out this section shall be paid from
amounts made available for the administration of subchapter II of
this chapter and amounts made available for the administration of
subchapter XVI of this chapter, and shall be allocated among
those amounts as appropriate.
(c) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Commissioner
The term "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Social
Security.
(2) Disabled beneficiary
The term "disabled beneficiary" has the meaning given that term
in section 1320b-19(k)(2) of this title.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$23,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2004.
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