In 2017 Lighthouse Louisiana entered into an agreement with the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work program as an Employment Network (EN) and began providing employment support and services to People with Disabilities (PWD) interested in achieving financial independence. Services and Supports Audits are conducted annually to verify that the agency is actively working with Ticketholders to provide the services and supports agreed upon in the signed Individual Work Plans (IWP), which are written by Certified Employment Support Professionals (CESP). A recent October 2023 audit yielded an overall rating of Compliant for the sixth year in a row!
Lighthouse’s Natalie Harrison, Director of Employment Services, is a three-time, recertifying CESP (2017, 2020, and 2023) and claims the process of developing IWPs with Ticketholders is empowering for all parties involved.
“The process of meeting a person where they are and assisting them in creating the blueprint to get to where they are trying to go is awe-inspiring!” said Harrison.