The Ticket to Work Program Team Raises Awareness in 2016

In April, we attended the spring Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) conference in Bethesda, MD. We presented on Partnership Plus, a model for ongoing employment support for Ticket program participants after their cases are closed with their State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies.

Our next stop was the June Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) conference in Cincinnati, OH. Through advocacy and education, APSE promotes employment and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities. We distributed 350 informational pieces during the 3-day conference attended by approximately 1,100 people.

In September, we attended the National Employment Network Association (NENA) training conference in New Orleans, LA. NENA supports Employment Networks and other partners that work with the Ticket program. Approximately 150 people attended. We presented on outreach to Social Security disability beneficiaries and participated in several panel discussions.

We also attended the September National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) conference in Richmond, VA and presented on the Partnership Plus model. NRA members, who are rehabilitation professionals, work to eliminate barriers and increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

October brought us to Columbus, OH for the annual conference of the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentives Specialists (NABWIS). NABWIS members provide benefits counseling to individuals who receive disability benefits. More than 170 conference participants represented 35 states and Washington D.C. We distributed materials and answered questions about the Ticket program.

Also in October, we attended the joint conference of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) and International Symposium on Life Care Planning (ISLCP) in Pittsburgh, PA. At our exhibit booth, we described the Ticket program to about 100 of the 450 professional attendees representing a variety of service providers.

Our final 2016 stop was the Annual TASH Conference in November in St. Louis, MO. TASH is an international advocacy association of people with disabilities, their family members, other advocates, and people who work in the disability field. More than 850 people attended. In addition to hosting an exhibitor booth, we presented "Debunking the Three Biggest Myths about Disability Benefits and Work."