On Tuesday, October 17th and Thursday, October 19th, the ABLE National Resource Center and ACCSES were joined by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission in presenting the two-part “Ready and ABLE to Work and Save” online event in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This series is designed to increase employers’ and service providers’ understanding of the important role that ABLE accounts can play in supporting the employment and financial stability of working-age people with disabilities and their families. We provided key updates on ABLE and shared strategies and tools for employers and service providers to use moving forward. In Part One, Employers and service providers received an overview and refresher on ABLE accounts with key employment-related updates, strategies and tools. In Part Two of this series, we offered a “Technical Assistance Office Hour” on ABLE and Employment. This was an opportunity for employers and service providers, who participated in Part 1 of this series to ask questions of our featured guests, panelists, ABLE subject matter experts and work incentives coordinators.
Featured guests and panelists zeroed in on how ABLE accounts can support a more robust workforce that includes working-age people with disabilities saving and investing in an ABLE account.
Panelists included:
- Thomas Foley, J.D, Executive Director, National Disability Institute
- Kate McSweeny, President & CEO , ACCSES – The Voice of Disability Service Providers
- Missy Crawford-Smith, Community Partner Work Incentive Counselor (CPWIC) and Program Manager, ServiceSource
- Marlene Ulisky, ABLE Subject Matter Expert and Financial Empowerment, National Disability Institute
- Laurie Schaller, ABLE Subject Matter Expert and Manager of Financial empowerment, National Disability Institute