[il-talk] Fwd: Merger

[Leslie Hamric]

This is such wonderful news! This is what can happen as we continue to work collectively as a team.
Lesliee

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 11, 2019, at 3:15 PM, Denise R Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Denise R. Avant
> President
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> Live the life you want
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
>> From: "Gordon, John" <John.Gordon at illinois.gov>
>> Date: January 11, 2019 at 3:11:17 PM CST
>> To: "Webb, Andrew" <Andrew.Webb at illinois.gov>, "davant1958 at gmail.com" <davant1958 at gmail.com>, Rachel Schroeder <rachelrenee70 at gmail.com>, "Donnie Anderson" <icbvanderson at icloud.com>
>> Cc: "Wade, Quinetta" <Quinetta.Wade at illinois.gov>, "Halvorsen, Ingrid" <Ingrid.Halvorsen at illinois.gov>, "Hamer, Louis" <Louis.Hamer at illinois.gov>, "Laird, Cassie" <Cassie.Laird at illinois.gov>
>> Subject: Merger
>> 
>> To all of our Community Partners,
>> 
>> We are writing to announce that as of today we are no longer considering the idea of folding services for persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing into the Bureau of Blind Services.  We began discussing this idea several months ago to enhance and streamline training opportunities for staff and customers within the Bureau of Blind Services as well as the Deaf and Hard of Hearing units.  We believed that by combining these two groups of specially trained staff we would see greater outcomes for our customers in both programs. 
>> Four local offices throughout the state were selected to participate in a pilot project for us to assess the positive and negative effects of the proposed merger.  At the end of our pilot there was no conclusive evidence that the proposed merger would positively enhance service delivery to either set of customers.  It is our decision that we will continue to operate the Bureau of Blind Services and Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing as separate programs. 
>> We continue to focus on our goal of empowering people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, and DeafBlind through employment and independent living opportunities.   It is for this reason we are dedicating a full-time position to serve as a statewide liaison for services to individuals with sensory disabilities.  This position will oversee the technical assistance and training of professional staff on rules, policies, procedures, current service trends, communication, and on the rehabilitation technology of equipment and devices for individuals with sensory disabilities.  The objectives of this position will enhance the rehabilitation, education, and general welfare of the services provided by the Division.
>> We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your sincere interest and partnership as we investigated this prospect.  Ability to learn and change has become one of the most important predictors of success.  We look forward to working  more closely with you in the future as we investigate efficiencies. 
>> 
>> Very Sincerely,
>> 
>> John Gordon
>> Bureau Chief, Bureau of Blind Services
>> Illinois Department of Human Services
>> 100 West Randolph Street
>> Suite 5-300, Chicago, IL 60601
>> JRTC: 312-814-3323
>> ICRE: 312-633-3596
>> 
>> 
>> 
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>> 
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