[Centralok] Letter to Committee regarding HB 1861

Mon Feb 27 01:18:25 UTC 2017

Please see below regarding this urgent issue.

Audrey T. Farnum

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Jeannie Massay <jmassay1 at cox.net>
> Subject: Letter to Oklahoma House Appropriations and Budget Committee regarding HB1861
> Date: February 26, 2017 at 4:50:07 PM CST
> To: Jeannie Massay <jmassay1 at cox.net>
> 
> Federation family,
>  
> The following letter was sent to the Oklahoma House of Representatives Appropriations and Budget Committee Chair and members today. The letter was also placed in an Ad. That appeared in the Oklahoman today, Sunday, February 26, 2017. It is crucial that each and every one of us show up at the Capitol on Wednesday to let our legislature know that we  are here, that we are citizens of Oklahoma and that we demand to be heard, particularly when it comes to legislation having anything to do with the blind. Please show up on Wednesday as a show of solidarity. This is what collective  action is!
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> Jeannie
>  
>  
> Jeannie M. Massay, President
> National Federation of theBlind
> Of Oklahoma
> 505 Baker Street
> Norman, OK 73072
> Phone: 405-600-0695
> Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org <mailto:Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org>
>  
> Live the life you want!
>  
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can live the life you want.!.
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> February 26, 2017
>  
> Dear Members of the House Committee on Appropriations and Budget:
>  
> The National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Rehabilitation Association, and the Oklahoma State Rehabilitation Council were shocked and dismayed by the introduction of HB 1861, a bill establishing the "Rehabilitation Services Disbursing Fund." This bill would diminish services to older blind Oklahomans due to geographic limitations for services, limit capacity, and expose the state to undue financial risk.
>  
> Currently, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services Division of Visual Services assigns experts; many of them blind themselves, to work with clients in their home anywhere in the state. The current approach has many advantages that may be compromised if the program is entirely implemented by a private contractor. In contrast, HB 1861, upon which the House Committee on Appropriations and Budget will vote in the near future, proposes that funds for the older blind program be entirely granted to private entities certified by the National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services (NAC). While a network of regional service providers is possible, this is an unproven service model and will certainly result in diminished services during the transition period. Moving this work to private entities with only regional services will result in diminished services for clients outside their service area, especially in rural parts of the state.
>  
> It will be a time consuming and costly process for another entity to replicate the breadth and depth of services offered by Visual Services. For example, Visual Services already has access technology, Braille, orientation and mobility, and customized independent living classes. These customized classes are based on years and years of experience working with older blind Oklahomans.
>  
> Rehabilitation services are overseen at the federal level by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The RSA is charged with ensuring that state rehabilitation plans are submitted yearly, monitoring their implementation, and disbursing federal funds to state rehabilitation agencies to carry out these plans. If the RSA determines that a rehabilitation plan has not been properly implemented, it can assess substantial financial penalties against the state rehabilitation department in order to recoup the federal funds received to implement the plan. It is important to note that such assessments would be levied against the state of Oklahoma, not against the private entities. In other words, if a private entity fails to provide adequate services to older blind Oklahomans, tax payers will be left on the hook.
>  
> In summary, this bill will have the unintended consequences of diminishing services for older blind Oklahomans, limiting consumer choice, and exposing the state to uncertain financial penalties for services not directly performed by the state. Furthermore, years of sad experience tell us that NAC-accredited entities do not meet the needs of blind people because NAC'S expectations and standards are very low. We therefore oppose this bill and urge the committee to vote against it.
>  
>  
> Sincerely,
>  
> Jeannie Massay
>  
> Jeannie Massay, President
> National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma
>  
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Jeannie Massay via NFBOK-Talk <nfbok-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [NFBOK-Talk] Letter to Oklahoma House Appropriations and Budget Committee regarding HB1861
> Date: February 26, 2017 at 4:50:07 PM CST
> To: Jeannie Massay <jmassay1 at cox.net>
> Cc: Jeannie Massay <jmassay1 at cox.net>
> Reply-To: NFB of Oklahoma Internet Mailing List <nfbok-talk at nfbnet.org>
> 
> Federation family,
>  
> The following letter was sent to the Oklahoma House of Representatives Appropriations and Budget Committee Chair and members today. The letter was also placed in an Ad. That appeared in the Oklahoman today, Sunday, February 26, 2017. It is crucial that each and every one of us show up at the Capitol on Wednesday to let our legislature know that we  are here, that we are citizens of Oklahoma and that we demand to be heard, particularly when it comes to legislation having anything to do with the blind. Please show up on Wednesday as a show of solidarity. This is what collective  action is!
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> Jeannie
>  
>  
> Jeannie M. Massay, President
> National Federation of theBlind
> Of Oklahoma
> 505 Baker Street
> Norman, OK 73072
> Phone: 405-600-0695
> Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org <mailto:Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org>
>  
> Live the life you want!
>  
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can live the life you want.!.
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> February 26, 2017
>  
> Dear Members of the House Committee on Appropriations and Budget:
>  
> The National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Rehabilitation Association, and the Oklahoma State Rehabilitation Council were shocked and dismayed by the introduction of HB 1861, a bill establishing the "Rehabilitation Services Disbursing Fund." This bill would diminish services to older blind Oklahomans due to geographic limitations for services, limit capacity, and expose the state to undue financial risk.
>  
> Currently, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services Division of Visual Services assigns experts; many of them blind themselves, to work with clients in their home anywhere in the state. The current approach has many advantages that may be compromised if the program is entirely implemented by a private contractor. In contrast, HB 1861, upon which the House Committee on Appropriations and Budget will vote in the near future, proposes that funds for the older blind program be entirely granted to private entities certified by the National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services (NAC). While a network of regional service providers is possible, this is an unproven service model and will certainly result in diminished services during the transition period. Moving this work to private entities with only regional services will result in diminished services for clients outside their service area, especially in rural parts of the state.
>  
> It will be a time consuming and costly process for another entity to replicate the breadth and depth of services offered by Visual Services. For example, Visual Services already has access technology, Braille, orientation and mobility, and customized independent living classes. These customized classes are based on years and years of experience working with older blind Oklahomans.
>  
> Rehabilitation services are overseen at the federal level by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The RSA is charged with ensuring that state rehabilitation plans are submitted yearly, monitoring their implementation, and disbursing federal funds to state rehabilitation agencies to carry out these plans. If the RSA determines that a rehabilitation plan has not been properly implemented, it can assess substantial financial penalties against the state rehabilitation department in order to recoup the federal funds received to implement the plan. It is important to note that such assessments would be levied against the state of Oklahoma, not against the private entities. In other words, if a private entity fails to provide adequate services to older blind Oklahomans, tax payers will be left on the hook.
>  
> In summary, this bill will have the unintended consequences of diminishing services for older blind Oklahomans, limiting consumer choice, and exposing the state to uncertain financial penalties for services not directly performed by the state. Furthermore, years of sad experience tell us that NAC-accredited entities do not meet the needs of blind people because NAC'S expectations and standards are very low. We therefore oppose this bill and urge the committee to vote against it.
>  
>  
> Sincerely,
>  
> Jeannie Massay
>  
> Jeannie Massay, President
> National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma
>  
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