If You Are A Benefits Counselor

If You Need Help With Employment

Interested in taking, our two-day WORKS! training?

How will work impact your benefits?

Interested in financial independence?

Do you need to report information to Social Security?

How do I apply for benefits?

Maryland Benefits Counseling Network

The Maryland Benefits Counseling Network is a program funded by the Behavioral Health Administration which provides comprehensive, up to date benefits counseling education, information and resources for professionals, beneficiaries, and family members.

The mission of The Maryland Benefits Counseling Network (MD-BCN) is to provide training and technical assistance to Work Incentive Counselors, Employment Service Providers, Beneficiaries, and families which supports Social Security beneficiaries in achieving greater independence through work.

Upcoming Events

Social Security Announces Positive Changes to Signature Requirements

On this day when Social Security has been experiencing a significant IT issue that has impacted pretty much everything you can do on-line here's a bit of good news from the beleaguered agency itself. Below is the press release from just yesterday, when all their...

Medicare Prescription Costs Reduced…but Not Yet.

The White House released a statement in the past few days highlighting the planned reduction in some Medicare Part D prescription costs. The plan, which is part of the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act, is seen as countering the ridiculously high costs...

From the POMS: What is Collateral Estoppel?

A recent casual conversation this writer engaged in with a leading Technical Liaison at VCU led to a discussion on the hitherto overlooked regulation that is legalese in its purest form. Collateral Estoppel sounds made up by someone trying to sound intelligent but is...

Settlement Program: Refugee Transitional Cash Assistance

One of the lesser-known services administered by Maryland’s Department of Human Services must be the clearly titled Refugee Transitional Cash Assistance program. Funding comes from the federal government and allows those who are eligible to receive a little bit of...

Asset Protection: Accessing On-line Social Security Accounts Updated

In another move that seems to have been instituted by the new Social Security Commissioner, Martin O’Malley Social Security is asking all of us who set up regular old MySSA accounts before September 2021 to set up a new one using a different format. Before too long...