
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC1320b-20]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                       CHAPTER 7--SOCIAL SECURITY
 
   SUBCHAPTER XI--GENERAL PROVISIONS, PEER REVIEW, AND ADMINISTRATIVE 
                             SIMPLIFICATION
 
                       Part A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ So in original. Probably should be ``subparagraph''.

            (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 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.

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XI, Sec. 1149, as added Pub. L. 106-170, 
title I, Sec. 121, Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1887.)

                       References in Text

    Section 101(f) of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement 
Act of 1999, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is section 101(f) of Pub. L. 
106-170, which is set out as a note under section 1320b-19 of this 
title.
    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in 
subsec. (a)(3), is title VI of Pub. L. 91-230, Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 
175, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (Sec. 1400 
et seq.) of Title 20, Education. For complete classification of this Act 
to the Code, see section 1400 of Title 20 and Tables.
    The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), 
is Pub. L. 105-220, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 936, as amended. Subtitle B 
of title I of the Act is classified generally to subchapter II 
(Sec. 2811 et seq.) of chapter 30 of Title 29, Labor. For complete 
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out 
under section 9201 of Title 20, Education, and Tables.
    The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. 
(b)(1)(C)(ii)(I), is Pub. L. 93-112, Sept. 26, 1973, 87 Stat. 355, as 
amended. Title VII of the Act is classified generally to subchapter VII 
(Sec. 796 et seq.) of chapter 16 of Title 29, Labor. For complete 
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out 
under section 701 of Title 29 and Tables.
    Part A of subchapter IV of this chapter, referred to in subsec. 
(b)(1)(C)(ii)(II), is classified to section 601 et seq. of this title.
