VESID, SSD, SSI, SSA experience story/question

katz4life

katz4life

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Something popped up in my mind. It made me really wonder how to answer the solution that I had never thought of which I should have or ask long time ago.

I hadn't heard or learned about SSI, SSD, SSDI, etc. until I was 23 years old. But I only knew a word "welfare" and SS for retirees when I was young. So when I graduated from High School (mainstreamed with a private interpreter hired by my mother, but he wasn't from VESID company) and planned to go to community college at full-time. That was when I learned about VESID stuff and met the VESID conselor for only about Interpreting provider and we signed the contract that VESID took care of payment cost for the interpreting service that I needed for my college classes. It was like, 10 grand or more per semester. Anyway, but when I was seeking for a part-time job while being in college like a lot of hearing students do work part-time or can be full-time while they're in college...in order to support themselves on neccesties like for car gas to drive to work and school, food, apartment on their own, and bills. VR conselor told me that I'm not allowed to work while in college is because of my signed contract for interpreting service reason. He said if I don't follow its policy rules and find out about me having a part-time or full-time job and they would have cut off the contract, it means VR won't support me with the cover fees on interpreting service for my school. My parents couldn't afford these nutty expensive service. They paid only for my school tuiton alone.

Okay then, it didn't make any damn sense to me, that I wasn't allowed to work to support myself while in college. When I graduated from community college with Associates degree, I went ahead for the State University a year later. It was that time I first learned about SSD, SSI, etc but I refused these. I didn't want to apply any of these. Even though, I still wasn't allowed to work while I was living in a dorm at the University because of the same shit with VR contract issue. I had never thought of myself as a disabled from childhood to young adult. I didn't really recall if VR did brought up about SS thing when I was 18. Why couldn't I work while in college like many hearies do while they are in college? It wasn't fair. If it wasn't for VR support with interpretering provider, I could have been failed my college classes. If this story was in your shoes, how would you solve this problem?

I'm kind of confused, I have seen some deafies who live on their own and have a part-time job while they go to college.
 
That is government thingy, enjoy while you can.

I have been around long enough to see the difference, those who don't depend on government monies will tend to have life alot better after they finish school.

Seriously, I have seen those who do college full time and had full time jobs while doing studies, they end up having far better job at the end of their school career while others who do college full time and takes money from government and don't do jobs end up really don't have that good jobs afterwards, go figure.

Of course, I wish I could finish BA/BS degree long time ago.
 
Coolers, your thread made me thought about this.

What a stupid pager, some press button seemed not work. So here this thread which Coolers's thread topic about "VESID" brought me up with my wonders.

Heck, yeah I should have asked Peter questions....what would Peter answer to my question, like... "Allright, I understand your policy rules and that you said I'm not allowed to have SSD or SSI and also not allowed to have a part-time or full-time job while going to college, but how could I pay for gas for my car driving from home to school and back home and errands? How can I pay for the textbooks for my classes? How can I pay my own foods? Etc. Hmmm!!
 
here's what I don't understand - why sign the contract for interpreting service? any college you go to is required to provide one for you at their expense. no question asked. otherwise they'll get slapped with ADA violation. I've attended colleges in NY, NJ, and VA. and business conference at Seattle. and seminar at MIT. All have provided terp service for me at their expense.

about college tuition - in NJ, it's called DVRS (probably similar to NY's VESID) and they would pay for your college tuition. I didn't know about this but I signed up late and they paid for my last 2 years of college. They will pay for your vocational school and hearing aids too.
 
First of all, I was naïve, humble, and scared. Yes, VESID and I did agreed to sign the contract that they would help paying the coverage for the intrepreting service costs for the rest of my full-time college term. If I didn't, who would pay for the interpreters? My parents? No way in hell could they afford it. The same thing VESID threatened to withdraw my contract if I ever attempt to pull in a part-time job or ever they find out I have one during college time period. How could I forget Peter's words? I remember asking one question "why not" or something like that amnd he said that my parents' income was too high. Now, that makes me wonder where the hell did he get the information about my parents' income/budget? I didn't ask about that which I should have had. Why should it have had to do anything with my VESID contract based on providing me interpeters at my college? Ugh. I know it was so stupid and unfair. That's all I can remember. So all of that results left me baffled and had no choice but went home telling my mom about VESID's bs...she decided to let me work under the table secretly with her and my dad's private business until I finished college. She said "fuck him and the Vesid." Nothing more.
 
As for the hearing aids, I had them and when I was over 21 and my hearing aid got damaged. VESID won't cover the cost for the repairs or getting a new one unless I was under 21, they would.
 
Douglas said:
First of all, I was naïve, humble, and scared. Yes, VESID and I did agreed to sign the contract that they would help paying the coverage for the intrepreting service costs for the rest of my full-time college term. If I didn't, who would pay for the interpreters? My parents? No way in hell could they afford it. The same thing VESID threatened to withdraw my contract if I ever attempt to pull in a part-time job or ever they find out I have one during college time period. How could I forget Peter's words? I remember asking one question "why not" or something like that amnd he said that my parents' income was too high. Now, that makes me wonder where the hell did he get the information about my parents' income/budget? I didn't ask about that which I should have had. Why should it have had to do anything with my VESID contract based on providing me interpeters at my college? Ugh. I know it was so stupid and unfair. That's all I can remember. So all of that results left me baffled and had no choice but went home telling my mom about VESID's bs...she decided to let me work under the table secretly with her and my dad's private business until I finished college. She said "fuck him and the Vesid." Nothing more.
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awful. I've heard of some horror stories about VESID and FEGS.

I don't know if you're still in college or not but just know that any school you go to - the college is supposed to provide it to you at their expense when requested. You don't need to go to VESID or any other agency. I've never heard about not allowing to work if they pay for your terp service. I don't know why :dunno:
 
It sounds like to me that your questioning to vr was not sufficent as to why you are not allowed to work. Have you ever ask them that how much $ that you can work or not. They do look up at children's parents under their roofies. I think VR and SSA are similimar as well as health dept too that these offices are authorizes to check clients' income resources to make sure that their would not over the limited resource or cut them off from the welfare. Indeed, I heard that VR rules changes a lot than years ago and cut down on the resoure of the limited incomed amount of $ that you can work. There are tooo many clients who are on welfares yet they are working. :roll: of course they have alrady made overpayment and avoiding to pay back that makes things harder for the government. Thanks to the fake disabled people who makes us make more rules. Unfortunately, some counselors, representatives or providers need to explain in a simple basic things is to say " if you work then it depends on what amount of $ you can or cant" Apparently some of deaf people, as well as hearing disabled people don't ask questions or don't read the handbook rules. That's all messed up. always ASK a lot of questions.
 
It happens to others with disabilities too.

My experience with VESID came right after I got out of high school. I was diagnosed "emotionally disturbed" and had a complete IEP all the way from 2nd grade through 12th. Ever since I was 16, I had a part time job.
I was trying to get into college. I brought them all my records from school and even had to get my parents to sign off to get my IEP. I was told by a case worker that they would review my records.
Almost a month goes by and I call the VESID office in Nassau to ask them what was going on. I received an appointment to talk to the case worker who initially took in my case.
I came in early, but was pushed back because others in front of me were late. I finally saw my councilor, she was reviewing my paperwork in front of me and the first words out of her mouth was "We cannot help you here. You are not disabled enough to qualify for VESID services." My mouth drops open and I was about to question why when she went on. "You have held a part time job for more than 3 months straight. That shows me that you disability isn't significant." She smiles broadly at me like this news is absolutely wonderful, then she sticks her hand in my face as if I am going to shake it. I didn't shake it, and she continues "Thank you for your time, you should try for financial aid if you want to get into college." She closes the manila folder holding my paperwork and grabs a rubber stamp and stamps the folder and places it a box on the floor beside her desk. She pulls another file from the stack on her desk. Completely ignoring me at that point.
 
Juli-terp-to-be said:
My experience with VESID came right after I got out of high school. I was diagnosed "emotionally disturbed" and had a complete IEP all the way from 2nd grade through 12th. Ever since I was 16, I had a part time job.
I was trying to get into college. I brought them all my records from school and even had to get my parents to sign off to get my IEP. I was told by a case worker that they would review my records.
Almost a month goes by and I call the VESID office in Nassau to ask them what was going on. I received an appointment to talk to the case worker who initially took in my case.
I came in early, but was pushed back because others in front of me were late. I finally saw my councilor, she was reviewing my paperwork in front of me and the first words out of her mouth was "We cannot help you here. You are not disabled enough to qualify for VESID services." My mouth drops open and I was about to question why when she went on. "You have held a part time job for more than 3 months straight. That shows me that you disability isn't significant." She smiles broadly at me like this news is absolutely wonderful, then she sticks her hand in my face as if I am going to shake it. I didn't shake it, and she continues "Thank you for your time, you should try for financial aid if you want to get into college." She closes the manila folder holding my paperwork and grabs a rubber stamp and stamps the folder and places it a box on the floor beside her desk. She pulls another file from the stack on her desk. Completely ignoring me at that point.
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that's usually their first response to everything because of a very limited budget & resource but when you file an appeal to push further... they will process it.

My brother got the same kind of response. I consulted with PFH and he was right.
 
Jiro said:
that's usually their first response to everything because of a very limited budget & resource but when you file an appeal to push further... they will process it.

My brother got the same kind of response. I consulted with PFH and he was right.
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lol Well I think for me it might be too late. I was 18 when this happened I am now 37. AND I do not think VESID would help me pay for Interpreter school at SCCC.
 
Juli-terp-to-be said:
lol Well I think for me it might be too late. I was 18 when this happened I am now 37. AND I do not think VESID would help me pay for Interpreter school at SCCC.
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push for it.
 
Jiro said:
push for it.
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It can't hurt to try. Just for the giggles of it I listed how many jobs I have had. It shows that I have had 18 jobs. A few were 2 or 3 at a time. But most haven't lasted more than 6 months, the longest was 3 yrs.
 
Juli-terp-to-be said:
It can't hurt to try. Just for the giggles of it I listed how many jobs I have had. It shows that I have had 18 jobs. A few were 2 or 3 at a time. But most haven't lasted more than 6 months, the longest was 3 yrs.
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it's best not to talk too much. you're giving them an excuse to turn you down.
 
Juli-terp-to-be said:
Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities of NY state
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yagazn said:
:ty:

That's new to me. What did VESID provide likes what?
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for NJ - it's called DVRS (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services).

Departments like VESID and DVRS are to provide services & counseling for people with disabilities. They do pay for your HA, college tuition or vocational school tuition, hook you up with jobs, pay for your disability equipments, etc. It mainly depends on person's financial status.
 
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