There are 700,000 disabled New Yorkers who may be able to work, but surveys show that many of them lack the support and services needed to do so. NY1's Susan Jhun takes a look at one event aimed at creating those services in the following report.

It's a forum designed to expand workforce participation for people with disabilities.

"There are so many people with disabilities that want to work," says Sue Suter of the Social Security Administration. "When we think about it, a paycheck in life is a great equalizer. Whether you have a disability or not. It determines where you live, where your children go to school, where you socialize. We just want to make that opportunity to work more available to people with disabilities and in this case particularly social security beneficiaries who want to go to work."

The National Alliance led by the National Association of Workforce Boards, is trying to create awareness of the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work Program, where disabled Social Security beneficiaries are ticket holders to resources that can help them find work.

"The beneficiary has a ticket, takes the ticket to a provider of their choice and that provider helps them gain the skills and get a job," sys Suter. "Whether they need job training or skills training or just help in writing a resume or help in locating potential employers they come together and provide those services to the individual."

"They may provide for their transportation needs, may help them broker training opportunities, if they need some new training, help them with their support needs to get them back to work again," says National Association of Workforce Boards CEO Stephanie Powers.

And in some cases hire them directly. For the employers involved it's a great way to tap into a large community of workers.

"I think it's a wonderful program to get people with disabilities more involved in the workforce and we are looking to possibly become an EN or just get so information in regards to getting involved with the community," says Amanda Goldstein of Adecco.

There are close to a 150 employer networks in the New York area and The National Alliance hopes this forum will increase that number.

"That's one of our goals is to get more agencies businesses, business organizations to actually apply to become employment networks, because there are a lot of people in the New York area that are eligible so we need more employment networks to provide those services and to give also the beneficiaries of Ticket to Work some choice too in provider of their service," says Powers.

For more information about The National Alliance Ticket to Work log onto www.nawb.org/alliance.

- Susan Jhun

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