Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services

 

GDForum ID: 2993

Description of Proposed Guidance Document Changes

Work Incentives Specialist Advocates (WISA) help individuals with disabilities navigate the complex Social Security work rules by giving them an individualized analysis of how work will interact with benefits, health insurance, and disposable income. The WISA Manual provides information about and requirements for the WISA contracted programs and billable services, vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor procedures, and samples of forms for WISAs and VR counselors. Page 1: DARS has updated the date from April 2024 to August 2026. Page 4: DARS has removed the WISA rates. Removing the WISA rates will allow the rates to increase as needed or required without being contingent on the WISA Manual’s guidance document review process. DARS would maintain a separate rate sheet with the rates for the respective WISA services. Page 32: Under the income section of the Medicaid Works page, DARS has removed this passage: “Individuals who receive SSI are considered to meet the income requirements, and no evaluation of income is necessary for the initial eligibility determination. Interested applicants who are receiving SSI are encouraged to apply BEFORE SSI cash benefits stop.” The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) has changed the income evaluation policy (via TN #DMAS-35), making this statement now inaccurate and thus should be removed.

 

Guidance Document(s) for this Comment Forum

Document ID	Document Title	Current Document	Proposed Document	Revised Proposed
6494	Work Incentives Specialist Advocate (WISA) Manual	Document	Proposed Document

 

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