Mission

The purposes of this Corporation is to assist and empower people with disabilities, by providing them with the supports necessary to reach their highest level of independence through employment and social development, in one of these agencies programs: Vocational Evaluation, Work Adjustment Training, Employability Skills Building & Training, or Supported Employment Services.

Organizational History & Purpose

New Dimensions is a private, non-profit, 501 (C) (3) organization that is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The board establishes organizational policies and employs an Executive Director who is responsible for administering the day to day affairs of the agency.

The agency was founded in December of 1974 and was known as Bay Country Rehabilitation Industries (B.C.R.I.), and became legally incorporated as a non-profit organization under 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. This status is annually renewed and permits all purchases and donations to be tax deductible. The agency built a facility in the Marquette Industrial Park and moved in September of 1979. Bay Country Rehabilitation Industries then changed its name to New Dimensions at that time.  The agency is now located at 2 Johnson Court in Bay City.

New Dimensions serves persons who are 18 years of age or older and possess a documented handicapping condition which is a barrier to their employment.

New Dimensions Assists With Reporting & Maintaining Social Security Entitlements

New Dimensions assists all of its participants with reporting and maintaining very important entitlements (usually Medicaid & Social Security) by trying to minimize any work disincentives. New Dimensions has a professionally trained staff that receives continual updates regarding the latest changes on SSA & Medicaid entitlements on behalf of its participants. Listed below are just a few of the areas where New Dimensions can help its participants by implementing program entitlements that many referrals are not aware exist.

The Impairment-related Work Expense (IRWE) allows an individual to deduct reasonable costs of certain items and services required by the impairment to enable the individual to work.

Individuals receiving SSI can use IRWEs to reduce the amount of countable earned income when calculating the SSI cash benefit.

A PASS (Plan For Achieving Self-Support) can also be filed with the Social Security Administration and permits income and / or resources to be set aside, excluded, and/ or accumulated for a specified period of time as part of a formal plan for eventual economic self-sufficiency.

A person receiving SSDI cash benefits may also qualify for a Work Subsidy which is the dollar value of the additional support a person with disability receives on the job. Without this support, the person would not be able to perform the job duties.

A Subsidy is the difference between the amount paid and the amount earned based on productivity. The subsidized amount is excluded in determining whether SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity) has been achieved.

For more information regarding work incentives you can visit the Social Security web page @ http://ssa.gov/ or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213; or you can contact a Trained Disability Resource Specialist at New Dimensions by calling 1-989-892-8883 Monday through Friday.