[Blindtlk] [blindtlk] training centers

Tue Dec 10 14:27:46 UTC 2013

Hi Heather. Great synopsis. States are not, required to have any kind of a residential training center. They are required to offer rehabilitation services. Wisconsin, for example does not offer any kind of residential adult program. The only center-based programs they do offer are under contract.

As you say, having to justify attending a center outside your state is normal. If you contact Julie Deeden or Dan Burke in Colorado, Dick Davis or Al Spooner at BLIND Inc. in Minneapolis, or Pam or Rolland in Ruston LA, they have had a lot of experience working with state rehabilitation programs. If you can, visit the centers. They all have things that they do best. If my memory is right, Dwight Sayers is the president in Florida. Of course, my memory could be wrong.
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Heather Field
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2013 10:18 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] [blindtlk] training centers

Hello Inenda,
By law each state must provide training services to their blind citizens and they provide a state run center where such training can be provided. 
Naturally, whether it is actually true or not, the counselors are paid to say that the state center will provide you with the training you need. Most of the time, blind people seeking training, who are familiar with the quality of training available at NFB centers, know that the state center will not meet their training expectations and goals.  Fortunately, by law, when you are choosing the center you will attend, you have a right to make an informed choice. That means that your counselors should tell you what is available at other centers and that you should be allowed to choose which center will best meet your training needs. Very often, counselors do not tell their clients about their right to make an informed choice. However, the law exists and they will follow it if you make them. However, making them follow the law means that you must inform yourself about your choices and cannot rely on help from the counselors.

In making and presenting your choice of center, one cannot simply say "I know that the NFB centers are better and will teach me more effectively and thoroughly." The concept of "better" is a subjective assessment and they can argue with you about which is better and they can deny your request. 
Instead, the best way to get sent to an NFB center is to say that you want your training experience to contain some very specific components that the state center cannot supply. Then, you demonstrate this fact by compiling a list of things that you want in your training that your local center doesn't include, and you say, I want training in the basic skills of blindness but I want what is on this list as well. Then tell them which of the NFB centers you have chosen because your research shows that its programme does include the components you want.

For example, most state centers are set up for all residents to live on the campus. So, you say, I want to attend a center where I live off campus and I commute to classes every day with experienced blind travellers so that I get lots of real life orientation and mobility practise.

At NFB centers almost all of the instructors are blind. Typically, the opposite is true for many state centers. So, you say, I want to attend a center where most or all of my instructors are blind so that I will be surrounded by positive, employed, blind adult role models.
Again, many state centers provide training to people with disabilities other than blindness. This requires blind students to stay in a residential setting with people who have all sorts of disabilities. Check to see if your state center does this. If they do, then you can say that you want to attend a center where all the students are blind because, in this way, you will be maximising your exposure to positive blind role models, and you will be continuing to learn new independence skills and nonvisual techniques from fellow blind students in out-of-class time. Explain that you prefer to learn in an environment where you are not surrounded by a bunch of other people who will be watching you.

Furthermore, all three of the NFB centers have a great outdoors programme. 
I'm not sure of the specifics but I know, for example, that Louisiana's students go white water rafting. I know that rock climbing and skiing are also on the agenda at the Colorado center and at Blind Inc. in Minneapolis. 
So, in describing why your informed choice is to choose an NFB center, you can also say that you want to engage in a confidence-building, active outdoor programme which includes rock climbing, skiing or whatever the center you have chosen does.

So, your list of what you want from a training center must be extremely specific and must contain as many things as possible that the local center cannot provide. In preparing this list you will need to personally contact each center and speak with them about what they do provide. Then, based on what you want to learn, you make your "informed choice". For example, students don't learn how to travel independently in snow and/or icy conditions at the Louisiana center. Nor do they go skiing there. So, if you want to learn how to be a confident, competent cane traveller in snowy and icy conditions, then Blind Inc. or Colorado will be your pick. 
Alternatively, If you're a new braille learner, then Blind Inc. might be your choice because they have developed a wonderful new braille instruction programme which integrates the use of refreshable braille devices from early in the learning process.

So, to summarise, it's not enough to simply try to persuade your counselor that you want to go to an interstate center. You must contact each NFB center and find out about the programme offered by each one. Then, choose the center that you believe most closely matches your training goals. Then, write a simple document that details what the center you have chosen offers that the local center does not offer and explain that you are requesting, under the informed choice provisions of the law, that they make arrangements to send you to the center of your choice. I have helped numerous people obtain training out-of-state at NFB training centers and this is always the approach we have used. You can contact me if you have additional questions but, I'm sure the staff at the individual NFB centers will be extremely helpful as they help students with justifying the need to come to their centers all the time.
All the best with your research.
Warmest regards,
Heather field

-----Original Message-----
From: Ineyda Velasquez
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2013 4:02 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] [blindtlk] training centers

I think they want me to write it because it's out of state. They said if I was going to Daytona there would be no problems, which is what bugs me. No I don't think I am a member.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 9, 2013, at 4:48 PM, cheryl echevarria 
> <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Are you a member of the NFB? If not than you should possibly look into 
> joining, only because we have a lot of pull with our state Commission 
> for the Blind, now they do have a good point.
> One what is you goal in general:
> First contact the state affiliate of the NFB.
> Let them know what you counselors are telling you. See if the NFB of 
> FL, can do what we do here in LOng Island, not all chapters or state 
> affiliates do this, so that is why I said to contact them.  Our 
> chapter president has our members sign a paper that says we are there 
> legal advocate with the NY State Commission for the Blind and go from there.
> 2.  Write up why you want to go to any training center, NFB or anyone 
> else's Do you just want living skills or the whole thing 
> meaninglearning to cook, clean and take care of yourselflearn better 
> mobility skillslearn braillelearn to use a computer Are you looking to 
> go to college, they will help with pre-college trainingAre you looking 
> to go to work, they will help with interviewing Most important our 
> schools over the others will teach you the NFB Philosophy (I think I 
> spelled that correctly), the meaning of independence, whether you want 
> to use help or not, when to ask for it, etc.It's up to you what you 
> want to do. Write it up, what are you dreams of doing.Don't let the 
> state commission tell you that you can't go to where you want to 
> go.Call up all three schools and ask for information about them.They 
> are in different places in the country, so one place might meet your 
> needs over the other.You also need to know if you have a place to live 
> once you return from the school of your choosing and not the one they 
> pick for you.
> Get the help you want, and do not let them put you to sleep. NFB of 
> Florida is a strong Affiliate, we are all family here with the NFB, 
> and those that are not members, that can help you in whatever you want to do.
> Sincerely,
> Cheryl Echevarria
>
> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in 
> Independent Travel!
> Cheryl Echevarria,
> Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel
> .com Take the stress out of this year’s holiday shopping with NFB’s 
> Bid for Equality national online auction: Black Friday, Nov. 29, to 
> Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3. View our must-have donations and register to 
> make your Bid for Equality. The future is in your bid! Echevarria 
> Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all 
> her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
>
>> From: ivelasquez774 at gmail.com
>> Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 16:39:07 -0500
>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] [blindtlk] training centers
>>
>> When I talked to devision of blind services I was told I had to write 
>> a justification for why I'd rather go to louisiana than daytona and 
>> they had to send it to tallahassee to get it approved. Then they'd 
>> send a referral.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Dec 9, 2013, at 4:29 PM, cheryl echevarria 
>>> <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Either the Louisiana Center for the Blind, the Colorado Center for 
>>> the Blind or Blind, Inc. They all teach search and discover with 
>>> cane travel, living skills, education for college, braille, etc.  
>>> Plus these are NFB Schools. If you want to try to get into one of 
>>> these schools and you are in FL, try reaching out to Dan Hicks who 
>>> is the President of the NFB of FL, or Dwight Sayer who is the Vice President of Fl.
>>> website is: http://nfbflorida.org/
>>> Hope this helps.
>>>
>>> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in 
>>> Independent Travel!
>>> Cheryl Echevarria,
>>> Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatrav
>>> el.com Take the stress out of this year’s holiday shopping with 
>>> NFB’s Bid for Equality national online auction: Black Friday, Nov. 
>>> 29, to Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3. View our must-have donations and 
>>> register to make your Bid for Equality. The future is in your bid! 
>>> Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. 
>>> www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the 
>>> Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
>>>
>>>> From: ivelasquez774 at gmail.com
>>>> Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 16:24:42 -0500
>>>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] [blindtlk] training centers
>>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>> I am considering centers to go to for independent living. I live in 
>>>> Florida and I know there is one in Daytona. But I also read about 
>>>> one in Louisiana, which sounds even better. I was wondering if 
>>>> anyone could compare both centers or recommend others. I was once 
>>>> told that Daytona might not accept me because of other medical 
>>>> conditions, but if it sounds better to me then I will fight to get in.
>>>> Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.
>>>> Ineyda
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>>>
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>>
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>
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