NATIONAL N.E.W. HISTORY

The National Eligibility association was chartered by the state of Virginia is September 1975. The association was organized by a small group of workers in the Tidewater area of Virginia. This group of workers felt that the current professional organizations which sought to represent all groups within social service agencies were not speaking to their needs as Eligibility Workers.

They recognized that an Eligibility Worker's job required specific and intricate knowledge of all financial services administered under State Departments of Welfare; that the job demands a particular expertise in the field of referral or non-economic services available through Federal, State and community agencies; that this assessment of the client's needs is a complex and critical task involving much more than mere technical or clerical functions. Therefore, they felt that Eligibility Workers needed to speak out on issues and promote professionalism within the ranks of Financial Services employees.

Since 1975 the Association has grown rapidly, NEW now has members through out the United States. The annual conventions, attended by 100's of delegates, continue to gain attention in Washington. New is now recognized as the "spokesman for Eligibility Workers."

Today there is an even greater need to build a stronger organization. In order to achieve NEW's goals of providing recognition, representation, standards, communication, and training for its members, Eligibility Workers must be recognized as professionals in the field of human services.