[humanser] Drivers license requirement for employment

Sun Dec 29 02:19:52 UTC 2013

Excellent post, Steve.

Exploring the job market includes knowing the social services, mental health 
services, addiction services, child welfare services, domestic violence 
services, and lots more of the network that serve the community that you 
intend to be employed in.  Attending meetings and getting involved brings 
you into both community knowledge and professional exposure while doing a 
service to the community.

Just don't do as I did a few years ago, telling the state legislators who I 
had invited to a Coalition Meeting that they would have blood on their hands 
for cutting off funds for case managment services for people with chronic 
mental illness.  Guess what made the newspaper, sigh.

JD
-----Original Message----- 
From: Steven Johnson
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2013 8:08 PM
To: 'Human Services Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [humanser] Drivers license requirement for employment

Erica, , Correction, the ADRC's actually serve more than just those who are
elders, and in fact, also serve persons with developmental, physical, mental
health and AODA issues.  In fact, the ADRC's do not have as good of record
in serving elders as the other populations.  Additionally, the southeast
sector of WI is very different from how the rest of the state operates their
ADRC's, and if you want a true model of how an ADRC should look and operate,
you might want to become better informed on what they do, how they do it,
and their total history which stems back nearly 20 years now.  In fact, the
first generation ADRC's are excellent models on which the rest of the state
was able to duplicate.
For employment interests, ADRC's have Social Workers, Social Service
Specialist and benefit specialists including both disability and elder, and
some also include their county APS (Adult Protective Services) sections as
well.  These are very solid positions, and bring in millions of Medicaid
dollars to the counties annually, unlike other units that are not able to
draw those funds down.  How do I know this, I have been involved with
long-term care redesign in our state for almost the same amount of time the
ADRC's and the Family Care model came into play.  I am also professional
staff with our ADRC, and have also served on the governing board previously
for our long-term care district.  Additionally, not every county has an
ADRC, as many have worked collaboratively to regionally serve more people
with less dollars, thus making those Medicaid dollars go even further.  This
has been found to be not only cost-effective, but also consumer-friendly.
You will also see that other units of County Government and the long-term
care system have also adopted this model and regionalized.  These areas
include the long-term care districts, the economic assistance or fiscal
maintenance units, mental health units, and even chemical health and justice
sanctions have considered such models to again make those dollars go
further.  The human service system is very complex, and to fully understand
how it works one either has to be involved as professional staff, a staunch
advocate, or involved in councils and committee that create better and
improved ways to make sure that taxpayer dollars get the most bang for the
buck.  Since Act-10 was passed, many counties will now post their positions
immediately to the public instead of internally as the goal of most human
service agencies is to find the best candidate which is not only based on
their skills and qualifications, but also how their own beliefs and attitude
fit the philosophy of that particular human service agency.

Thanks,
Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ericka
Short
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2013 6:16 PM
To: Human Services Mailing List
Subject: Re: [humanser] Drivers license requirement for employment

I know WI still has blind "Office of the Blind" counselors and they use
hired drivers. The OOB is different than the other states' commission for
the blind so don't get confused.  They only work with the newly blinded and
elderly.  It makes no sense to have services for the blind in three
places--DVR helps the disabled get hired, the state school does summer
school programs and is mostly a resource for public school districts with
blind/vi kids.  Each county has their own Aging and Disability Resource
Center but they are not all well informed. mostly serve the over 65 crowd.
The state school still offers a residential program but it's for the
multiply handicapped of which blind is the least of their problems.  At
least that's run by the NFB and many of the staff are vi or totals.

Most of our state isn't' well served. Madison and Milwaukee have programs
but they do not necessarily  serve people outside their area.  Years about
the Madison WI Council of the blind would go an hour out of town to serve
clients.  I don't know if they still do that.  Milwaukee's Vision Froward
doesn't come out of the Metro area.  Kenosha has nothing.  I know some
counselors have sent people to the Chicago Lighthouse for training.   There
used to be a program in Northern WI (Wausau) but I heard that closed.  I
know some counselors have sent people to the Chicago Lighthouse for
training.  Too bad it's still hard to get training paid by WI to attend
BLIND Inc..  Restructuring for efficacy should be the focus of our dear
Gov's work not taking funds from programs.   PLEASE if he runs for President

do not vote for him!!!!  You will be very sorry.  He's up for reelection and
I think he'll get a rude awaking in Nov.

Ericka J. Short
262-697-0510

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13

"No hand is too small or too big to do good in this world." EJ. Short

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JD Townsend LCSW
Helping the light dependent to see.
Daytona Beach, Earth, Sol System 