Students with Disabilities Receives Employment Services

Congratulations to Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) for receiving a contract with Social Security’s Employment Network Contracts Team (ENCT) to be a Ticket to Work Employment Network (EN). The Ticket to Work program is a new program from the Social Security Administration for a person who receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits because of a disability. The program offers greater choice in obtaining the accommodations students need to go work. The goal of the program is to obtain additional supports to engage in work for achieving employment goals. Students will have more opportunities to test their ability to work and move towards self- supporting employment.

The Ticket to Work program pays EN’s for milestones and outcomes students achieve in moving towards self- supporting employment. For example, ARC receives payments based on hiring a qualified student (beneficiary) with a disability who attains certain levels of earnings.

The University of New Mexico- ARC joins two other universities, University of Alabama-Birmingham and California State University-Fresno, in assisting students to find a job and provide other employment services for free. In collaboration with other departments and agencies, ARC plans to implement the following objects: 1. Focus on the needs of students with employment training to develop strong responsive employment service relationships; 2. Develop partnerships with campus departments to launch and invest in on job training; 3. Establish various employment skills workshops and trainings; and 4. Establish an Individualized Employment Work Plan that supports adequate information and that is educationally appropriate and distinct from the employment experience.

For more information about the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work program or if your department is interested in working as employer, please contact George Williams, Jr. at Accessibility Resource Center. Look for a Ticket to Work seminar the last week of April.

Plan to Achieve with Employment and Education Week!!! Accessibility Resource Center is dedicating the last days in April 2010 for employment workshops/ seminars and educational information about the department for future students with disabilities. This is an opportunity for students to learn valuable tips regarding job searches, the Ticket to Work program, and how to become eligible for services. Schedule of events are as follows:
• April 26th: Work Incentive Seminar- Hosted by DVR
• April 27th: Career Services Workshop and Ticket to Work Seminar
• April 28th: Get to know ARC- Future Lobo’s visit
• April 29th: Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society- Initiation Ceremony
Please visit the ARC homepage http://arc.unm.edu for additional information. Contact Guiovanna Aguirre in Accessibility Resource Center to register for this event.