Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) helps workers, job seekers, and service providers understand the connections between work and benefits. The DB101 attitude is that the disability experience is unique for each individual, and that benefit programs can affect that experience in different ways at different times. With planning, people with disabilities can take control of finding the programs and jobs that meet their needs. For service providers and program managers, information sharing helps everyone understand how programs interact with each other.
DB101 brings together rules for health coverage, benefit, and employment programs that people with disabilities use. These programs may be run by state, federal government, non-profit, or private organizations. Here we discuss them under one roof and in plain language.
DB101 has new tools for you, local benefits planners and others you work with. We provide benefits planning calculators to use with all kinds of benefits planning strategies. DB101 calculators help with transitions to and from working while having a disability. Experts at DB101 will also respond to your questions on benefits.
In a customer-centered way, we focus on the linkage and interaction between programs and changing life situations. We are not replacements for more detailed web resources or your local benefits planner.
In addition to this web site, DB101 Information Services include a range of training services that operate directly at the community level with many local partners.
Health coverage and benefit problems occur for people with disabilities:
- When planning employment
- When new employment starts
- When someone changes jobs
- When someone gets a raise
- When someone uses several benefit programs to support employment
- When transitioning from school to work
DB101 provides information for those times.
Disability Benefits 101 was conceived and developed in the disability community. In 2001, the California Work Group on Work Incentives and Health Care (the CWG) conducted a statewide needs assessment of people with disabilities. The CWG learned that not enough people with disabilities or public program staff knew about laws, program rules, and services that support employment. Many people with disabilities had never learned about beneficial legal changes, and as a result chose not to risk losing health coverage or other vital supports by working. DB101 addresses this issue by helping people understand the connections between work and disability, including when work can benefit people with disabilities. We began design and development of DB101 in fall 2002 and launched to the public January 2004, after extensive community beta testing of our designs and program content.
Disability Benefits 101 is a major collaboration of:
In partnership with:
Past Funding Partners Include:
Our Current Funders Include:
Technical Assistance Resources for DB101 Content Include:
- Social Security Disability Programs, Social Security Administration
- Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, National Immigration Law Center
- Plans for Achieving Self-Support, Social Security Administration
- CalWORKs, San Diego County Health & Human Services
- Medi-Cal's 250% California Working Disabled Program, California Health Improvement Incentives Project (CHIIP)
- Medicare, California Health Advocates
- AIDS Drug Assistance Program, Office of AIDS
- Private Health Coverage, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
- Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), World Institute on Disability
- Earned Income Tax Credit, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Employment Development Department
- Medi-Cal's Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) program, Medi-Cal
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