[MN-at-Large] FW: From SSB: Important Covid-19 Update on SSB Services, and Resources

Sat Mar 28 22:55:02 UTC 2020

From: DEED Communications <MNDEED at public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2020 2:46 PM
To: Andrews, David B (DEED) <david.b.andrews at state.mn.us>
Subject: From SSB: Important Covid-19 Update on SSB Services, and Resources

[SSB Header]<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmdvb2dsZS5jb20ifQ.ucOsGK3D4D-KmRDQIHBnV2TTx1IF_ORncN38FM45q-I/br/76730187698-l>

Thanks for Reading This Important Update on SSB Services

Dear SSB Customers and Community,

First, we hope that you are healthy and safe. These are challenging times for all of us, and focusing on

health and safety is what matters most. As you know, in order to provide for the safety of Minnesotans, and to ensure that those on the frontlines get the equipment and supplies they need, Governor Walz has issued a stay at home order, effective through April 10, 2020. We're writing to let you know about how this will effect our operations and services here at SSB, to let you know the best ways to be in touch with our staff, and to offer some resources that may be helpful.

Our Services During the Stay at Home Order

Here's a quick overview of what you can expect from SSB during the stay at home period. See below for more details specific to your needs.

  *   Our staff will continue to serve customers by phone, email, and through other virtual channels.
  *   All of our locations are closed to the general public, staff, and volunteers. This includes our main office and the Communication Center in St. Paul.
  *   Because staff and volunteers can not be in our recording studios, we will broadcast programming from the Kansas Audio Reader Network over our RTB signal.
  *   We will temporarily suspend custom transcription of print materials into audio and e-text.
  *   We will continue with braille production, though there may be some delays in getting materials to customers.
  *   Ssb.info at state.mn.us<mailto:Ssb.info at state.mn.us>, is our general email which will be checked regularly. Voicemails left at 651-539-2300, our main number, will be checked daily. Our staff will get back to you within two days.

Workforce Development and Employment

All of our workforce team, including our counselors, are working at this time. Even though they are working remotely, you can still contact them by phone or email. There may be some delays in getting materials or equipment to customers, and we know that there may be a break in training programs and classes that cannot be held online. The resource list below offers sources for online learning and for job search strategies during the Covid-19 crisis.

Serving Seniors

We know that this may be an especially difficult time for seniors who are living with vision loss. Our staff members are reaching out by phone and email to help. If you or a family member need help, contact Ed Lecher at Edward.lecher at state.mn.us<mailto:Edward.lecher at state.mn.us> or leave a message at 651-539-2300.

We've also produced a simple guide with some suggestions on how to help a friend or family member who is a senior adjusting to vision loss. You can find it on our website at mnssb.org.

Business Enterprise Program

Our Business Enterprise Program (BEP) staff at SSB will continue their work remotely, and our small business owners in the BEP program can contact them through email. BEP staff will not be able to visit locations during this time.

Audio and E-text Transcriptions

We have suspended production of custom audio and e-text transcriptions during the stay at home period. We are reaching out to all customers who may be affected by this. If you have not heard from us, or if you have any questions, please email ssb.audioservices at state.mn.us<mailto:ssb.audioservices at state.mn.us>.

Braille

We have been able to move some of our braille production offsite and are doing our best to transcribe high-priority items. There may be some delays related to mailing times and technical issues, and we'll do our best to keep you updated.

Radio Talking Book

During the stay at home period, we will be broadcasting programming from the Kansas Audio Reader Network. You can find their program guide at https://reader.ku.edu/audio-reader-programs<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3JlYWRlci5rdS5lZHUvYXVkaW8tcmVhZGVyLXByb2dyYW1zIn0.TZyhCSduNSKWf3nSvD8n5Sb4-E201Y0fJ64mcwWUH8E/br/76730187698-l>.

We are pleased to announce that you can now listen to our broadcast on an Amazon smart speaker. Find full instructions on how to use this feature at mnssb.org.

National Library Service

The staff at the Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault will be doing their best to serve customers.

The Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service is the fastest way to get books. If you are a Communication Center customer and you would like to access BARD, we will process those applications as quickly as we can. Find out more about BARD at https://nlsbard.loc.gov/<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL25sc2JhcmQubG9jLmdvdi8ifQ.jlV3eI9mgyDPbXA1_W9Pk73kzo9mtFmDQ9nnxGPljEM/br/76730187698-l>.

Hold on Returning Books

If you have braille books or audio cartridges, please hang on to them and mail them back to us after April 10.

Digital Book Players, Radio Receivers, and Accessories

We will be unable to send out Communication Center equipment, such as digital book players and radio receivers, during this time.

If you have a digital player or radio receiver that you need repaired or would like to return, please wait until after April 10 to send it back to us.

Our Volunteers

We are so grateful for your patience and understanding during this extraordinary time. Under the stay at home order, volunteers will be unable to visit our offices and recording locations. Badges used to access our 2200 location have been deactivated. Our staff will continue to work remotely. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

We have received many requests from individuals who are interested in volunteering with us. We are not seeking volunteers at this time. If you know of persons interested in volunteering with us, please have them contact us later in the year.

Contact Us

Our general email address ssb.info at state.mn.us<mailto:ssb.info at state.mn.us> will be monitored throughout the business day. Our central phone number 651-539-2300 will be checked at least once per day. Calls and emails will be routed to the appropriate staff member. Our staff will do our very best to get back to you within 48 hours.

What's Next

The stay at Home order ends at 5:00 pm on April 10. However, we do not yet know when it will be safe and recommended for telecommuting staff to return to our offices. We also don't yet know when our offices will open to the public. We recommend checking our website at www.mnssb.org<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm1uc3NiLm9yZy8ifQ.U0eJXL_ZxB0OBAuH1begtp7xF-JXs98HfTE0JxJLRJY/br/76730187698-l> for the most up-to-date information. If you wish to join our email list, enter your email address in the box marked "Subscribe for email." We email the list with important news and information, including updates related to the current Covid-19 situation.

Resources

Here are a few resources that may be helpful to you at this time.

Free Access to JAWS, Zoomtext and Fusion

Vispero is providing no-cost licenses for JAWS, Zoomtext, and Fusion. The licenses expire on June 30, 2020. Learn more on their licensing activation page at https://portal.freedomscientific.com/SponsoredSoftware<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3BvcnRhbC5mcmVlZG9tc2NpZW50aWZpYy5jb20vU3BvbnNvcmVkU29mdHdhcmUifQ.AQWH_-hBLfgBVkUrxeL3A6d69mwuTW0rEF1ff6Bcy4c/br/76730187698-l>

Free Audio Book on Zoom Video Conferencing

If you are using the video conferencing platform Zoom to connect with family, attend classes or training, or conduct business, Jonathan Mosen is offering free downloads of his audio book Meet Me Accessibly: A Guide to Zoom Cloud Meetings from a Blindness Perspective.

Details and a link to download is available at https://mosen.org/zoom/<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21vc2VuLm9yZy96b29tLyJ9.u0lFSN6KMZTDRxLPeq32WEfcjArfuPaTNu48Fa1wfnY/br/76730187698-l>

Free E-books

If you are a student, or have students in your household, the Internet Archive has made available more than one million digital books through a "National Emergency Library." Learn more at http://blog.archive.org/2020/03/24/announcing-a-national-emergency-library-to-provide-digitized-books-to-students-and-the-public/<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vYmxvZy5hcmNoaXZlLm9yZy8yMDIwLzAzLzI0L2Fubm91bmNpbmctYS1uYXRpb25hbC1lbWVyZ2VuY3ktbGlicmFyeS10by1wcm92aWRlLWRpZ2l0aXplZC1ib29rcy10by1zdHVkZW50cy1hbmQtdGhlLXB1YmxpYy8ifQ.25k2EXBqO_08jy5rpz6EZJ-6OVIMbIA1CpJrKeC_Ybs/br/76730187698-l>

Bookshare has created an extensive list of sources for e-books and published it to their blog site at https://www.bookshare.org/cms/help-center/learning-center/learning-at-home/more-ebooks<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ib29rc2hhcmUub3JnL2Ntcy9oZWxwLWNlbnRlci9sZWFybmluZy1jZW50ZXIvbGVhcm5pbmctYXQtaG9tZS9tb3JlLWVib29rcyJ9.kdZ9P7l4ZkpfCk4RTjYkVv965lsSPgw10MGpyO0zkRU/br/76730187698-l>

Job Search Resources

Minnesota's CareerForce has a list of virtual and interactive services you can access from home. Check them out at https://www.careerforcemn.com/virtual-interactive-services<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jYXJlZXJmb3JjZW1uLmNvbS92aXJ0dWFsLWludGVyYWN0aXZlLXNlcnZpY2VzIn0.FOYivS-NDvP6gbTOu-uZpwGouL5wysbXC9PFYr0Q_to/br/76730187698-l>

Resources for the DeafBlind Community

The Helen Keller National Center is offering free access to its online courses through March 31. Learn more at https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc/available-classes<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5oZWxlbmtlbGxlci5vcmcvaGtuYy9hdmFpbGFibGUtY2xhc3NlcyJ9.wOnuKBun_W95-xJeuxRuNdWgwSGOYjIRkunEhlVDAmU/br/76730187698-l>

FCC Grants Flexibility to TRS Providers During Coronavirus

https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-grants-flexibility-trs-providers-during-coronavirusFind

Metro Transit and Metro Mobility

Information on Metro Transits reduced schedule at 5<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5tZXRyb3RyYW5zaXQub3JnL3JlZHVjZWQtc2VydmljZS1tYXJjaC0yNSJ9.UOmeyRKL4T72UO41fF7U1gNBJXkMdOA1c4_q48UPgAY/br/76730187698-l>

Certified Metro Mobility customers can now order groceries and household essentials online from a store that has online shopping and local pick up. Metro

Mobility will pick your order up and deliver to your house. https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Services/Metro-Mobility-Home/Grocery-Delivery.aspx<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21ldHJvY291bmNpbC5vcmcvVHJhbnNwb3J0YXRpb24vU2VydmljZXMvTWV0cm8tTW9iaWxpdHktSG9tZS9Hcm9jZXJ5LURlbGl2ZXJ5LmFzcHgifQ.4Y_V7VveeeGxSdwxj2xi-tIQ36YG-x1qDkppjKPwsY0/br/76730187698-l>

Senior Linkage Line and Disability Linkage Line

These services connect Minnesotans with resources and assistance and have up-to-date information on what is available during this time.

Senior Linkage Line 1-800-333-2433

Disability Linkage Line 1-866-333-2466

Covid-19 Info

If you have questions or concerns related to Covid-19, call the hotline set up by the Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-3920. (Available from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.)

Or go to https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html.<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5oZWFsdGguc3RhdGUubW4udXMvZGlzZWFzZXMvY29yb25hdmlydXMvc2l0dWF0aW9uLmh0bWwuIn0.ACcDHZ-nLOS6sR20Llk6iPdAPP-xU7lB7dstnhs3IiM/br/76730187698-l>

The Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing provides re-caps of press conferences by Governor Walz, and other important updates.

https://mn.gov/deaf-commission/news/?id=422737<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21uLmdvdi9kZWFmLWNvbW1pc3Npb24vbmV3cy8_aWQ9NDIyNzM3In0.DOgl_SUKccmh2rxp38tqY0uRW3isM8jA2gXWfZlDI3I/br/76730187698-l>

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Questions? Contact Us<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDAzMjcuMTk0MTg3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vbW4uZ292L2RlZWQvYWJvdXQvY29udGFjdC11cy9pbmRleC5qc3AifQ.jYr13sDC3VDVeMaNP3AQcRP-CuhWXnDlDvZA9EPqacQ/br/76730187698-l>
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This email was sent to david.b.andrews at state.mn.us<mailto:david.b.andrews at state.mn.us> using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development * 332 Minnesota Street Suite E-200 * Saint Paul, MN 55101 * (800) 657-3858
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