[Home-on-the-range] Fwd: FW: SRS expands access to services for Kansans who are blind or visually impaired

[maryse figueroa]

Received this email thhis Am and i am passing it on.  How do you all feel
about this?  Is it more of the same, only expanded?  Any thoughts,
comments,insights?
Thank you
Maryse
Home-On-The-Range lisy monitor

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Veronica A. Triana <vtriana at kansascommerce.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Subject: FW: SRS expands access to services for Kansans who are blind or
visually impaired
To: "marysefigueroa at gmail.com" <marysefigueroa at gmail.com>


 FYI

Veronica



*From:* Kerrie Bacon [mailto:donotreply at kcdcinfo.com]
*Sent:* Monday, November 01, 2010 11:51 AM
*To:* Veronica A. Triana
*Subject:* SRS expands access to services for Kansans who are blind or
visually impaired



This message is forwarded by the Community Based Organizations listserve of
the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns for informational purposes.



*SRS expands access to services for Kansans who are blind or visually
impaired*



Topeka – Kansans who are blind or visually impaired will have greater access
to services to support independent living and employment as a result of
three major contracts recently awarded by the Kansas Department of Social
and Rehabilitation Services (SRS).

Contracts totaling $1.3 million over two years have been awarded for the
provision of independent living services for persons who are age 55 and
older who experience blindness or visual impairments.  The contracts also
provide for development of increased capacity in specialized areas such as
orientation and mobility, rehabilitation teaching (independent living skills
training), Braille instruction, and assistive technology.

Contracts were awarded to a consortium of independent living centers headed
by Prairie Independent Resource Center (PILR), Hutchinson; the Envision
Vision Rehabilitation Center, Wichita; and Alphapointe Association for the
Blind, Kansas City.

“We’re very pleased with the level of experience and expertise of these
contractors,” Michael Donnelly, Director of Kansas Rehabilitation Services
(KRS), said.  “Kansans who are blind or visually impaired statewide will
have access to high quality, individualized services to help them meet their
independent living and employment goals.”

The PILR consortium includes several subcontractors:  the Southeast Kansas
Independent Living Center, Parsons; the Resource Center for Independent
Living, Osage City; and the Independent Living Center of Southwest Kansas,
Garden City.  This consortium will serve 76 counties, covering the West,
Southcentral and Southeast SRS Regions, along with Shawnee and Osage
counties.

The counties served by the PILR consortium are:  Barber, Barton, Cheyenne,
Clark, Comanche, Decatur, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Gove, Graham, Grant,
Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Logan,
Meade, Morton, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Rawlins,
Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford,
Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Wichita, Butler, Chase,
Chautauqua, Coffey, Cowley, Elk, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Lyon,
Marion, McPherson, Morris, Reno, Rice, Sumner, Allen, Anderson, Bourbon,
Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson,
Shawnee and Osage.

Envision will serve 25 counties, covering the Wichita and Northeast SRS
Regions.

The counties served by Envision area:  Sedgwick, Atchison, Brown, Clay,
Cloud, Dickinson, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Ellsworth, Geary, Jewell,
Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Nemaha, Osage, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Republic,
Riley, Saline, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, and Washington.

Alphapointe will provide services in the six counties comprising the Kansas
City Metro SRS Region.

The counties served by Alphapointe are:  Douglas, Franklin, Johnson,
Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte.

“Each and every county of the State will be covered by a qualified service
provider,” Donnelly said.  “As a result, persons needing services will be
able to access them in the same communities and regions where they choose to
live, work and raise their families.”

This initiative addresses two important issues – immediate access to
services coupled with significant plans to expand and improve expertise
statewide.

“These organizations are ready to begin providing services immediately, and
we encourage referrals and applications,” he said.  “At the same time,
significant capacity-building will occur through training of additional
staff in the specialized skills needed to serve this population.  This dual
approach addresses current needs and builds a strong statewide service
network for the future.”

For example, Donnelly said the State would realize a substantial gain in the
number of Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS).
Orientation and mobility training empowers an individual who is blind or
visually impaired to travel independently and safely within a variety of
environments, including at home, in the work place or throughout the
community.  The contracts will also result in an increase in the number of
qualified Braille/communications instructors, and independent living
specialists with the knowledge and skills related to serving persons who are
blind or visually impaired.

Each contractor will immediately begin outreach activities to inform
individuals, communities, advocacy groups, and other interested entities
about the availability of services.  Individuals who are age 55 or older who
experience blindness or visual impairment may also contact the contractors
directly to learn more about how to access customized services.

(*Editor’s note:  For media interested in including contact information for
the contractors in their communities, a list and map are attached for
reference.)*

Interested individuals may also contact KRS at 785-368-7471 or toll-free
1-866-213-9079 for referral.

In addition to the services available through these contracts, people who
are blind or visually impaired and interested in employment may receive
services through the state’s vocational rehabilitation (VR) program.  To
learn more about VR services or to apply, interested persons should contact
their local SRS Service Center.  A county-by-county listing of VR contact
persons may also be found at the following SRS website:
http://www.srs.ks.gov/services/Pages/MapVR.aspx
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