Objective

To assess the extent of implementation of the four recommendations included in our initial audit report, Benefits Advisement Services for Individuals With Disabilities Seeking Employment (2020-S-41).

About the Program

According to the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS), there were approximately 1 million working-age adults (ages 18–64) with disabilities in New York State in 2021. The employment rate of working-age people with disabilities was about 37% compared to about 75% for people without disabilities. Further, ACS data shows that New Yorkers with disabilities are more than twice as likely to live in poverty.

The New York State Employment First Commission (Commission), established by Executive Order 136 and composed of representatives from several State agencies, issued a report (Report) in March 2015. The Report established an Employment First Policy for New York State with the main goal of increasing the employment rate of individuals with disabilities by 5% while also decreasing their poverty rate by 5%. One way the Report recommended this be achieved was by improving benefits advisement services to assist all individuals with disabilities in making informed decisions about going to work. Specifically, the Commission tasked OMH, in partnership with other State agencies, with developing a life coaching network available to all individuals with disabilities seeking economic self-sufficiency. The Commission also recommended implementing an interactive web-based platform to provide accurate information and benefits calculators so individuals with disabilities could better assess how work would impact their benefits.

The objective of our initial audit, issued July 20, 2021 and covering the period March 1, 2015 through January 12, 2021, was to determine if OMH had effectively addressed the findings and recommendation related to benefits advisement in the Report. The audit found that OMH designed and launched a benefits advisement system, Work Incentives Navigator and Reports (WINR), within the New York Employment Services System (NYESS) to address the Report’s benefits advisement recommendation. However, OMH did not fully address all aspects of the recommendation. Specifically, WINR did not contain certain recommended components, including an interactive benefits advisement calculator, automated life coaching communications, and information regarding certain additional benefits such as nutritional and housing assistance, as suggested in the Report. In addition, since WINR was only available to individuals working with an employment services provider, many individuals with disabilities who would likely benefit from WINR services did not have access to the application. Finally, OMH did not take steps to assess the effectiveness of its email notification system. Active system customers may not have been receiving notifications on important benefits, as notifications were delivered only via email to less than half of the 40,000 WINR customers.

Key Findings

OMH has made progress in addressing the problems identified in our initial audit report. Of the initial report’s four audit recommendations, two were fully implemented and two were partially implemented.

Key Recommendation

Officials are given 30 days after the issuance of this report to provide information on any actions planned to address the unresolved issues discussed in this follow-up.