Jo Anne Barnhart, Commissioner of Social Security, invites the media to join her as she delivers the first tickets in the nation as part of Social Security’s new Ticket to Work Program. Commissioner Barnhart will present the first tickets in the First State to selected Delawareans with disabilities at an event on Tuesday, February 5, 2002, at 2:00 p.m. at the Discover Bank, a subsidiary of Discover Financial Services, Inc., in New Castle, DE.

The Ticket to Work Program is designed to help people with disabilities go to work. Under the program, Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income disability beneficiaries in Delaware will receive a ticket that may be redeemed to obtain vocational rehabilitation, job training, and other support services from a network of employment service providers. Delaware is one of the first 13 states to participate in the Ticket to Work Program, which will be implemented nationwide by January 2004.

David Nelms, President of Discover Financial Services, will join Commissioner Barnhart to

kick-off the new program. Discover plays an important private sector role in helping people with disabilities return to work through its "BOOST" (Business Organization & Occupational Service Training) Program. "BOOST" is funded by Discover Financial Services and provides employment services to people with disabilities at no charge to participants.