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Despite initiatives and laws to assist people with disabilities in finding employment, it is sometimes difficult to convince people with disabilities to attempt work even though it may improve the quality of their life. This presentation will provide a broad overview of SSA work rules and will identify the most common myths that continue to plague beneficiaries of social security. In their efforts to return to work. Learn how to overcome barriers so you can train others on work rules which support the value of full community integration, employment and self sufficiency for all.

Cheryl Bates-Harris is a Senior Disability Advocacy Specialist for the Training and Advocacy Support Center (TASC) of NAPAS where she has over 20 years experience and expertise working with people with disabilities. Cheryl has an in-depth knowledge of cross disability issues and continues to focus on employment issues of people with disabilities, including Vocational Rehabilitation, Social Security Return to Work, TANF, and other work programs that impact people with disabilities,including DOL OneStops. Has developed a complete knowledge and understanding of Social Security programs and work incentives beginning with the Social Security Alternate Participant Program for which she was responsible for the development of the SSA Protection and Advocacy Dispute Resolution Project, and later the development of the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS).

In addition she has lead responsibilities for technical assistance and training to the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) nationwide. Since the passage of Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Improvement Act she has conducted national training on TWWIIA and Vocational Rehabilitation Services and is considered a leading expert on the intersection issues of the Ticket to Work with state vocational rehab services. She was an invited participant in the TW & WI AP 2003 EN Summit and was appointed in September 2004, by President Bush, to the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel. Cheryl currently co-chairs the CCD Work Incentives Implementation task force and CCD Employment and Training task force and is an active member of the CCD Social Security Task Force. She continues to conduct numerous training programs and provides ongoing training and technical assistance to the P&A/CAP network on employment issues that impact people with disabilities.

To link to this Web cast and download accompanying materials visit: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html

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This Web cast is supported through the DBTAC - Southwest ADA Center, a project of ILRU. Southwest ADA Center is one of ten Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide training, technical assistance and materials dissemination on the ADA and other disability-related laws. NIDRR is part of the U.S. Department of Education.

The opinions and views expressed are those of the presenters and no endorsement by the funding agency should be inferred.