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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hi all NfB ct members… </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>NFB of cT urgently needs to Advocate for more staff positions and especially instructors at the upcoming hearing on January 21 from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. There is only </span>1 mobility instructor for over 1,000 clients. And there are no plans to hire any mobility instructors in the next 5 years! Further, there are only 2 rehabilitation teachers in the vr which means 1 per 500consumers, and BESB is hiring none. But there are 10 vocational rehab councilors and plans to hire 4 more in the next 5 years. We clearly have too many counselors instead of severely needed Instructors! This hearing will take our input on BESB’s plan for the next five years, and BESB needs to hear from us because its focus is off-target and won’t empower blind people in Connecticut.<span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>please advocate with us On Thursday January 21st by phone or in person...thanks beth </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Sigman, Brian [mailto:Brian.Sigman@ct.gov] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 29, 2015 8:38 AM<br><b>To:</b> DORS-DL BESB<br><b>Subject:</b> Notice of Public Hearing and Comment Period for DORS-BESB Draft Vocational Rehabilitation Section of Unified State Plan<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Notice of Public Hearing</span></u></b><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The State of Connecticut, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) will be conducting a public hearing on Thursday, January 21, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 184 Windsor Avenue, Windsor, CT and simultaneously by teleconference. The purpose of the hearing is to offer the public, consumers, advocates, agencies and organizations the opportunity to review and provide comments pertaining to the proposed BESB Vocational Rehabilitation section of the Unified State Plan for the Statewide Workforce System in Connecticut. The BESB section of the draft Unified State Plan is available for review at </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.ct.gov/besb"><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>www.ct.gov/besb</span></b></a></span><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>, in the “Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation” section (or by following this link:</span></b> <b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.ct.gov/besb/cwp/view.asp?a=2851&q=575180">http://www.ct.gov/besb/cwp/view.asp?a=2851&q=575180</a>). Print, Braille, and electronic copies of these documents will be available at the public hearing, or may be requested in advance of the hearing by contacting the Bureau at (860) 602-4008. Please provide at least two weeks notice if you are requesting a sign language interpreter, by emailing <a href="mailto:brian.sigman@ct.gov">brian.sigman@ct.gov</a>.</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Comments may be submitted in person or through teleconference at the public hearing, or may be submitted via email to: <a href="mailto:brian.sigman@ct.gov">brian.sigman@ct.gov</a>; mailed to Brian Sigman, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind, 184 Windsor Avenue, Windsor, CT, 06095, or recorded onto voice mail at (860) 602-4008. </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To participate in the public hearing through teleconference, please call (860) 602-4008 at least one business day prior to the public hearing to obtain the call-in phone number and access code. All comments received prior to the close of business on Monday, February 1, 2016 will be fully considered.</span></b><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>