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Maine's CHOICES CEO Project
March 2007
Maine Medical Center Department of Vocational Services
CWIC Staff List
Maine Medical Center’s Department of Vocational Services is pleased to announce that it has received renewed funding from the Social Security Administration to provide Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Services (WIPA) to the State of Maine. In conjunction with this funding, the Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation Services and the CHOICES CEO grant have both increased their support to the project and the DHHS Office of Adult Mental Health Services has provided new funding to support the employment of additional staff.
These staff, formerly known as Benefits Specialists, are now called Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC), and provide all SSA beneficiaries with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) access to benefits planning and assistance services. The CWIC can answer questions about and help people to utilize the SSA work incentives, assist in the development of return-to-work plans, and connect clients with needed employment services. There are now six CWICs that cover the State of Maine.
CWIC contact information is below. Please also note that all project staff can also be reached by:
- Our toll-free telephone number: 1-888-208-8700
- TTY: 207-662-4900
- General email: wipa@mmc.org
Kevin Alley –Androscoggin, Franklin & Somerset Counties
Contact: 662-6747, alleyk@mmc.org
Kevin graduated from the University of Southern Maine in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology. Prior to joining Maine Medical Center, he was employed for several years as a Disability Benefits Specialist in the private sector, working with Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants, medical consultants and legal resources to review and determine liability of Long Term Disability claims. He worked closely with many of his claimants and vocational consultants in assisting them with their return to work efforts. In this role, he gained valuable knowledge of Social Security Disability Benefits system.
Kevin joined MMC in January 2007 and completed the Social Security Administration’s
required Community Work Incentives Coordinator training in February.
Stephanie Desrochers –Penobscot & Piscataquis Counties
Contact: 662-6748, desros@mmc.org
Stephanie joined MMC in January 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of New Hampshire. She also came to MMC with two years of experience in the AmeriCorpsNational Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a team-based national volunteer service program which sends young adults around the United States on team volunteer assignments requested by communities in need. Following her experience in the NCCC, she worked for two years as a Community Outreach Coordinator at a Pennsylvania college’s community outreach center. There she was a leader of student volunteers who worked to meet the unique volunteer needs of communities and community organizations while developing these students as global citizens through leadership development, personal growth, and community service.
Stephanie completed the Social Security Administration’s required
Community Work Incentives Coordinator training in February 2007.
Mary Foley – Aroostook & Kennebec Counties
Contact: 662-6122, foleyma@mmc.org
Mary joined Maine Medical Center’s Department of Vocational Services in 2001 with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Southern Maine and an associate's degree in applied sciences. She has many years of previous experience as a small business owner and accountant, and most recently worked on a crisis hotline.
Mary is an original member of MMC's Department of Vocational Services
Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach program (BPAO), and has provided
benefits planning and assistance services to several hundred SSDI beneficiaries
and SSI recipients during their return to work process. She completed
training by Cornell University for the Social Security Administration,
and holds a certificate in Benefits Counseling and Assistance.
Serena Maietta – Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Sagadahoc & Waldo
Counties
Contact: 662-6746, maiets@mmc.org
Serena earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from James Madison University in Virginia. While in college, Serena prepared materials and presented educational programs involving substance abuse and health related concerns to high school and college students.
Since 2004, Serena has worked as a counselor in different settings. She provided individual and small group instruction to people with multiple disabilities, people with emotional disturbances and people in crisis, including rape victims and their families. In North Carolina, Serena provided intensive home based therapy to children and their families. When she returned to Maine in 2006, she worked as a Case Manager for the York County Jail.
Serena joined MMC in January 2007 and completed the Social Security
Administration’s required Community Work Incentives Coordinator
training in February.
Alex Myhaver – Cumberland County
Contact: 662-6874, myhava2@mmc.org
Alex joined MMC in January 2007 and completed the Social Security Administration’s required Community Work Incentives Coordinator training in February. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Southern Maine, and also holds provisional MHRT/C certification.
Since 2003, Alex has worked at Amistad, a Peer Support & Recovery
Center for individuals with mental illness in Portland, as a Housing
Resource Educator and as an Outreach Coordinator. While at Amistad, he
researched and published the Housing Source which is a practical manual
that helps individuals with disabilities understand housing regulations
and locate affordable housing in Greater Portland. He specialized in
helping individuals find housing and access needed services, and coordinated
the mental health recovery program at Amistad, including facilitation
of a recovery group.
Ken Nelson – Hancock, Washington & York Counties
Contact: 662-6067, nelsok2@mmc.org
Ken joined the BPAO team and completed training by Cornell University for the Social Security Administration in 2005. Ken earned his Bachelor's Degree in history from the University of Maine (Machias).
Before arriving at MMC, he was a Claims Representative for the Social
Security Administration. Prior to that, he worked as a Senate Staff Assistant
for Senator Bill Cohen and for Senator Susan Collins for 9 years specializing
in Immigration, State Department and Social Security issues. Ken is also
the owner/operator of cottages on Lovejoy Pond in central Maine, a business
that has been in his family for 60 years.
Jennifer Kimble – WIPA Project Coordinator
Contact: 662-4895, kimblj@mmc.org
Jennifer, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor since 1998, has worked
in the field of supported employment since 1996. After obtaining her
Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Boston University,
she held several roles at Center House/Bay Cove Human Services in Boston.
She also earned a certificate in Job Development from the Institute for
Community Inclusion and U.Mass/Boston.
Recognizing the importance of housing assistance for people
with disabilities, she then worked for three years in the field of public
housing, managing the Family Self-Sufficiency program and a HUD Welfare-to-Work
housing voucher program for Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership.
In 2002, Jennifer returned to Maine and obtained a position as an Employment
Specialist at MMC's Department of Vocational Services, transitioning
to Operations Manager in July of 2003. Since joining MMC, she has been
trained in Benefits Planning by Cornell University and is a trainer of
the Maine Employment Curriculum.
