Start here: three first steps
New to job help? These three steps open most doors. You can do them in any order, and you can do all three at once.
1. Apply to your state VR office
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is free. It can pay for career counseling, training, a job coach, tools, and more. If you get SSI or SSDI, VR must treat you as eligible as long as you want to work.
- Call your state VR office or apply online.
- VR must decide if you are eligible within 60 days.
- Then you and a counselor write your plan for work.
2. Talk to a free benefits counselor
If you get SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, or Medicare, a free benefits counselor can show you exactly how a paycheck will change things. Most people end up with more money in total.
Call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (TTY 1-866-833-2967) and ask for a WIPA benefits counselor.
3. Find a job coach near you
A job coach helps you find a job that fits, learn it, and keep it. VR or a Medicaid waiver usually pays.
In school? Start with Students and young adults. A veteran? See Veterans at work.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Laws, dollar amounts, and program rules change. Check with the agency named on this page before you make a decision. Report outdated or wrong information.