[nabs-l] O&M services through state agency for the blind

[Beth]

Florida services were bad enough.  The instructor I was assigned
canceled eight times.  I couldn't get O and M but once a week.  I hope
I can convince you, Ashley, to try CCB.  The staf are all amazing,
blind, and know how to travel.  My orientation skills are pretty bad
myself, but the CCB staff are determined to have me overcome this, and
so am I.  The NFB training centers are all about overcoming obstacles.
 Here, you can also learn Braille, computers/tech, and home management
skills.  Louisiana also has an NFB center, but I say CCB people are
better travelers because we have to walk and take the train and bus to
our center every day.  I think that makes us better travelers because
it makes us focus more on walking to the destination and gives us
practice, but I hate route travel.  Services with state agencies are
pretty bad a lot of times, so I would recommend going to an NFB
training center.
Beth

On 7/22/10, bookwormahb at earthlink.net <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Hi all,
> I wanted to vent here about a problem I have and see what sort of service
> your state agency provides.  I'm in VA and the state agency is Department
> for the blind and Vision Impaired, DBVI.
>
>
> one skill I struggle with is O&M.  I have tunnel vision and use a cane.  I
> don't have a good sense of direction and my spatial abilities are lacking;
> Its hard for me to build a cognitive map in my head so if someone explains
> directions or a layout I cannot hold that in my head and comprehend it
> unless its drawn for me as a map on paper.  Sometimes "drawing" on my skin
> with a finger helps me get the shape of something.  I say this as background
> fo my situation.
>
> I am requesting O&M service from the agency.  However my instructor really
> can't teach and he is rude.  I mentioned to Corbb who I think worked with
> this instructor, that I really wanted the other instructor in the Fairfax
> office.  He agreed with me.  But they denied my request stating I had to
> work with the instructor assigned to my territory.  This instructor gave me
> short lessons of less than an hour, cancelled many times, and had to rest on
> lessons because he did not feel well.
>
> When I complained about this comduct they just said that is not acceptable
> and the manager said he would speak to the instructor.  Then we had a
> meeting to lay out goals and clarify the instructor's responsibility.  They
> said it was the instructor's responsibility to plan lessons and bring me to
> places to learn my objectives.  They also said I had a right to longer
> lessons.
> I was not happy with the meeting since the instructor hardly participated
> and gave no indication as to how he would improve and teach me.  He clearly
> does not care.
>
> They, I mean the manager of the Fairfax office, tells me I may not get
> lessons but once a month because they are short staffed.  I feel this is
> rediculous because I need more to meet my needs; like three or four times a
> month.
>
> The bottom line is they won't give me adaquate service.  Giving me
> instruction with an impatient, rude, instructor is not quality service.  The
> other instructor is university trained as well, but she is much better, has
> teaching abilities and a positive attitude.  But I cannot have her because
> she is not assigned to my territory.
>
>
> I wish they would outsource OandM service to meet client's needs.  There are
> many good OandMers here that don't work for the agency.  I wish they would
> contract with someone.  BTW I want to learn such things as better
> orientation strategies outside, crossing streets, and public transit.
>
> Can you tell me what your services were like in terms of quality and
> frequency of lessons if you had community O&M from an agency.  I'm not sure
> what to do other than go up the chain of command with my complaint.
>
> Thanks.
> Ashley
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