PRESS RELEASE

Today in Washington DC The National Association of Benefits and Work Incentive Specialists (NABWIS) announced its inauguration. The organization will serve as a focal point for the many professionals providing assistance to individuals with disabilities as they struggle to enter the workforce. Because of the complex and numerous interactions between cash benefits and Medicare and Medicaid, many individuals with disabilities are discouraged from working because they fear for their financial and health future.

"I would love to try to work some but I'm afraid I would lose my health care and Social Security. The work incentives are just too complicated for me to understand..."

At the beginning of this millennium, The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 added new work incentives to make work a more attractive option for people who were struggling to enter the world of work. One aspect of this legislation was the development of benefits advisement and outreach. In communities all across America, hundreds of benefits and work incentives specialists were trained to provide information and in-depth analysis to individuals currently using Federal benefits so that those individuals could make informed choices about seeking employment. The program was further bolstered by training and technical assistance centers at three highly respected and abundantly qualified universities. This program is one of the most productive (a) and popular programs of the Social Security Administration (b).

As the profession of benefits and work incentives specialists mature the creation of an organization to promote education, credentialing and a broad understanding of the field is a natural next step.

"What an exciting time to bring together worker incentive and benefits specialists to take a leadership role in assuring that people with disabilities get the high quality information and analysis they desperately need to promote their own economic self sufficiency" Mary Ridgely

Media Inquiries:
Susan Daniels 202-486-8712
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a- http://www.vcu-barc.org/reportarchive.html
b- http://www.vcu-barc.org/NatReport/customersatisfaction.html