Ticket to Work – works for Maine

South Portland , ME – In a ceremony held at Alpha One , Maine 's Center for Independent Living, on November 25 2003 , Congressman Tom Allen joined Social Security Administration's Regional Commissioner Manuel J. Vaz to present Maine 's first Ticket to Work to York resident Daniel Halstead , celebrating the roll-out of the Social Security Administration's new Ticket to Work program in Maine .

Under the Ticket to work program, more than 53,000 Social Security disability beneficiaries in Maine receive a ticket which they may “assign” to the Employment Network of their choice. Social Security's Ticket to work program has as its goal to increase employment and financial independence of person's with disabilities. “The Ticket strategy is simple” says Alpha One – Benefits specialist Zahira Ames-DuVall “give people choices of employment services, separate health care benefits from Social Security disability cash benefits, provide accurate information for informed choices and gainful employment will follow.”

In attendance were Congressman Allen, Regional Commisioner Vaz, Kate Brogan Director of Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation services, Maine 's Employment Networks, Richard Balzer of Maine Medical Center , Disability Rights Center , Bud Lewis - Director of Division of Blind and Visually Impaired within Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation, Karen Fraser , Ticket to Work coordinator Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation.