SSI Advocacy for Employment Options (SAFE)

Mary Beth Dunkenberger and Nancy White led the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Advocacy for Employment Options (SAFE) initiative to develop and deliver a training and technical assistance model for disability assessment and SSI advocacy for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) programs. The training and technical assistance was delivered to local departments of social services (LDSS) staff throughout the Commonwealth by Hazel B. Smith, program expert, and Nancy White.

This program focused on the identification and assessment of disabilities in persons participating in the TANF program with an emphasis on the Social Security Administration (SSA) definition of disability as related to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).  Building this capacity enabled LDSS staff in the assessment process to determine if persons with disabilities could be served with accommodations for employment or if those with severe disabilities would be better served by the SSI program.  

The determination of a disability by LDSS staff as early in the assessment process as possible allowed for a more efficient use of time sensitive resourses and enabled LDSS staff to inform TANF participants of the procedures, policies, and timeframes related to SSA determination of disability. Local agencies were able to structure a disability program that best met the unique needs of the locality and participant population. Following the initial collaborative period, LDSS had the capacity and organizational knowledge to assess TANF participant disabilities and provided ongoing SSI Advocacy services to TANF and VIEW participants as was appropriate under policy and to meet the needs of the participant.