Pathways Newsletter
Program helps woman’s business dreams happen
Burton resident Charlene Lizotte, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, was afraid she would lose her Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and benefits when she started her own business. Thanks to a support program provided by UCP Michigan, Lizotte will keep her disability income and health insurance.
“UCP helped me in multiple ways,” says Lizotte. “Now I can continue to grow my business and not worry that my SSDI will be cut.”
Lizotte utilized UCP’s free Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Project (WIPA), which is a federally funded initiative to educate and assist people with disabilities and those who support them to use work incentives offered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the state of Michigan in order to enter or return to work. Work incentives provide for reduction of disability income in stages when a beneficiary begins work, allowing him or her to plan ahead for complete financial independence.
“By going to work,” says Linda Potter, UCP executive director, “people have more control over their lives. Work gives a person a tremendous sense of self-worth. WIPA takes away people’s fear about losing their benefits and health insurance right away if they work, or not being able to get back benefits again if the job doesn’t work out.”
Lizotte opened All About Awareness, a disability awareness consulting company, in August 2008. The company works with the Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) in Flint to train new employees on accommodating people with disabilities, along with businesses and municipalities.
“Charlene provides a valuable service to our passenger assistance training program, which allows employees to understand the perspective of people with disabilities,” says Ed Benning, MTA Flint assistant general manager. “The program has allowed us to heighten our awareness and better serve people with disabilities in Genesee County.”
Through the WIPA program, a trained and certified community work incentive coordinator (CWIC) helps individuals learn about and use available work incentives.
“I felt comfortable working with UCP,” says Lizotte. “I do not know what I would have done without their help.”
WIPA serves people who receive Social Security Disability (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or both. For more information call 800-828-2714.
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