[nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler

[Brianna Scerenscko]

I have tried. Her boss used to be my old counselor and she's even more difficult.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 31, 2011, at 10:51 PM, Lea williams <leanicole1988 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Have you tried to call your BR boss? I have issues with mine as well
> and found that speaking to her boss after she did not get my things to
> me until three months after classes had started even though I gave her
> 13 months notice. Yes 13 months. She said that she could not get my
> things until my paper work was in order with school. the person who
> was to fill out my paperwork with me at the school had transford in
> the middle of helping me and the next person put me on hold just long
> enough for me not to be able to start that semester. But any ways, Try
> the above tips with other options and try talking with her boss. If
> you do not want jaws and can not get a Mac, try to use NVDA, I believe
> that is what it is called. I know you can switch the voice to the one
> that jaws uses. and it is free.
> 
> On 7/31/11, Brianna Scerenscko <bfs1206 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I hope everything works out and that you'll get to feeling better soon Beth.
>> 
>> 
>> On 7/31/11, Brianna Scerenscko <bfs1206 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Thank you everyone.
>>> My counselor doesn't return any of my e mails or phone calls.
>>> My college is providing O&M instruction around the school but not
>>> around the town; but I guess if I ever needed to go to the store or
>>> something I could try and figure out the root myself, get directions,
>>> or have a friend go with me.
>>> Since I don't know when my technology is coming in, I'm doing research
>>> on different laptops; I can't afourd a note taker but I can live
>>> without it for a little while. I just would need a computer (I already
>>> have a version of Jaws that I can use), if I could get my hands on
>>> Curswhile and a scanner I'd be good for a little while.
>>> Thankfully I already have my first year of college paid for.
>>> I'm thinking about just finding someone who would want to be a reader
>>> and higher and pay them myself.
>>> Thanks again.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 7/31/11, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> WHich reminds me, Ashley,
>>>>    I reigned a job I had via the CCB because they were making
>>>> ll the decisions abo9ut where I'd work and the commute.  I'd
>>>> had to commute from Englewood all the way to Boulder!
>>>> Uh-uh.  I'm not going anywhere near there.  Anyway, that's
>>>> speaking of VR counselors who try to mke you do a certain
>>>> job.  Sorry, but I need to get my degree and get my job.
>>>> The regular way, that is.
>>>> Beth
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Date sent: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:01:02 -0400
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler
>>>> 
>>>> Arielle,
>>>> Amen, amen! VR is broken. My VR counselor is one who fails to
>>>> communicate
>>>> promptly, will not return phone calls, and did not get my
>>>> equipment on time
>>>> either.
>>>> Fortunately, as a middle class person my parents chipped in with
>>>> lots of
>>>> technology funding and school funding but they cannot do it all.
>>>> A 6 k
>>>> notetaker, for instance, is too much.
>>>> I have tried not to rely on VR much. If I want a certain job, I
>>>> pursue it
>>>> regardless of what my vr counselor thinks.
>>>> 
>>>> Ashley
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Arielle Silverman
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 8:36 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Brianna and all,
>>>> Warning-This will be a rather cynical post, and I apologize in
>>>> advance
>>>> for the cynicism. However, I feel it beneficial to discuss what I
>>>> have
>>>> observed of the VR system, as well as offer some practical advice
>>>> for
>>>> getting around the issues you are having and others you may come
>>>> across as you continue through college.
>>>> I have been out of high school for eight years now, and was a VR
>>>> client myself for three of those years. I have also heard
>>>> countless
>>>> stories similar to yours, and often worse, from my time as
>>>> president
>>>> of Arizona's student division and an officer of NABS.
>>>> Unfortunately, I
>>>> have concluded that the voc rehab system is highly flawed, and
>>>> cannot
>>>> be depended upon for much, especially your college education. I
>>>> have
>>>> heard about students waiting for months or years to get
>>>> technology
>>>> ordered or to get the necessary paperwork to go to training
>>>> centers-even procedures that are relatively routine take way too
>>>> long.
>>>> I have also heard about counselors who fail to communicate with
>>>> clients or return their calls or emails, or who try to give
>>>> inappropriate directives about what careers clients should or
>>>> shouldn't pursue. Now granted, there are definitely some good,
>>>> competent, dedicated counselors and VR staff out there who
>>>> completely
>>>> respect blind people and actively support their pursuits, but I'm
>>>> afraid that's not the norm. The VR system has many problems, not
>>>> the
>>>> least of which being its perpetual lack of funding. As a result,
>>>> VR
>>>> offices tend to be short-staffed and counselors are overwhelmed
>>>> with
>>>> too many clients, unable to give each client the time and
>>>> attention
>>>> their case deserves. Furthermore, I believe the standards for
>>>> hiring
>>>> VR counselors are pretty low, and I've definitely encountered
>>>> more
>>>> than one counselor who just isn't competent enough to get things
>>>> done
>>>> efficiently and well. It's an important system with lofty
>>>> objectives
>>>> of helping blind people get college degrees and jobs, but it's a
>>>> broken one.
>>>> So yes, you should definitely keep nagging your counselor, and
>>>> their
>>>> supervisor, and the director of the VR agency, until you get your
>>>> equipment and your case transferred. But in the meantime, it's
>>>> vitally
>>>> important to have backups in place that don't rely on VR at all,
>>>> so
>>>> that you can start college on the right foot, and your life
>>>> doesn't
>>>> have to depend upon waiting for the flawed VR system to figure
>>>> out how
>>>> to handle your case. I'll give some suggestions for backups you
>>>> might
>>>> want to start using while you're waiting, for the three things
>>>> you
>>>> mentioned: technology, money for school, and O&M instruction.
>>>> For technology: I'd suggest finding out if your parents or
>>>> another
>>>> family member could help you pay for a basic portable computer,
>>>> like a
>>>> Netbook ($500 or less) or a Macbook (perhaps; I don't know how
>>>> much
>>>> Macbooks cost, but if you get one, you won't need to worry about
>>>> screenreading software). You really don't need a fancy laptop or
>>>> desktop for schoolwork, and while many people find Braille
>>>> displays
>>>> and notetakers helpful, I think you can get by without it until
>>>> VR
>>>> comes through. And here's a little secret: You can get a demo
>>>> version
>>>> of JAWS for free, and unless they've changed something in the
>>>> past few
>>>> years, demo JAWS is exactly the same as the full version except
>>>> that
>>>> you have to restart your computer frequently. It's certainly a
>>>> nuisance to keep restarting, but it's a decent workaround if you
>>>> don't
>>>> have the funds to shell out for a full-version screenreader. So
>>>> then,
>>>> all you have to buy is a basic computer, which is comparable to
>>>> what
>>>> virtually all sighted college freshmen get. If your DSS office or
>>>> library provides public scanners, you may not need to buy one,
>>>> but if
>>>> you do, you can get a mainstream multifunction printer that comes
>>>> with
>>>> basic OCR software.
>>>> Second, paying for school: The best solution would be a Pell
>>>> grant.
>>>> Are you a resident in the state where you'll be going to school?
>>>> If
>>>> so, you should be eligible. If not, there are other forms of
>>>> federal
>>>> student aid that you can apply for, if you haven't already.
>>>> Finally, O&M is something you can work around at least
>>>> temporarily. If
>>>> you contact the DSS office at your school, they might be able to
>>>> provide at least a general orientation to the buildings you will
>>>> be
>>>> going to for classes and an overview of the campus layout. You
>>>> don't
>>>> need to learn the whole campus. If DSS doesn't provide that
>>>> service,
>>>> you could ask the resident assistant (RA) in your dorm if they
>>>> can
>>>> hook you up with a student ambassador or someone else who can
>>>> show you
>>>> where those buildings are. Most O&M instructors will do just
>>>> that, and
>>>> not much more than what you can get from any old student who
>>>> knows
>>>> their way around. If what you want is more skill training (like
>>>> learning how to use public transit, cross streets etc.) that's
>>>> important too, but it can wait a few weeks until your case gets
>>>> set.
>>>> I hope this is helpful. The bottom line is that you are in charge
>>>> of
>>>> your education, and there are many resources you can use to
>>>> accomplish
>>>> your goals in school and beyond. Some of those resources are
>>>> blindness-specific; others are the same resources available to
>>>> all
>>>> college students. VR is just one of many resources at your
>>>> disposal.
>>>> They can offer lots of good stuff, but on the downside, they
>>>> aren't
>>>> always dependable. The more alternative resources you can line
>>>> up, the
>>>> better. I personally didn't open a VR case at all until I was a
>>>> senior
>>>> in college and wanted to go to LCB after graduation. After LCB, I
>>>> let
>>>> my case close and didn't reopen when I moved to Colorado for grad
>>>> school. I actually liked not being a VR client, and found it
>>>> rather
>>>> freeing. I could take whatever classes I felt like taking or
>>>> switch my
>>>> major or vocational goal every month if I wanted to, without ever
>>>> having to justify anything to anyone. Granted, I had a merit
>>>> scholarship and my parents were able to assist me with
>>>> technology, and
>>>> I recognize those circumstances don't happen to everyone. Many of
>>>> us
>>>> can benefit greatly from VR, when they have their act together.
>>>> When
>>>> they don't, you might have to be a little creative to find
>>>> alternative
>>>> resources, but they're out there.
>>>> 
>>>> Best of luck,
>>>> Arielle
>>>> 
>>>> On 7/31/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> Hi Beth,
>>>> I just reread your message and you said CO DVR; I missed that
>>>> when hearing
>>>> with jaws somehow; probably since its one syllable.
>>>> 
>>>> Yes you should have a case in CO  where you reside.
>>>> I'd say if they move too slow, talk to a supervisor of the
>>>> office. Also
>>>> document your communication.
>>>> I think there should be a VR manual of rights and
>>>> responsibilities for
>>>> each
>>>> state. Read it and find out their procedures for opening cases;
>>>> it should
>>>> outline the appropriate time line.
>>>> Good luck.
>>>> Ashley
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Beth
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 5:31 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler
>>>> 
>>>> I'm waiting on Medicaid, but have to use my dad's insurance, and
>>>> a very high copay.  That's whuat I'm worried about.  I'll
>>>> probably spend a lot on a prescription drug this week so that I
>>>> can flush the infection out.  I need to be all cured by next
>>>> week
>>>> or the first week of classes.  I also need to figure out how to
>>>> get my Pell Grant.  I'm just opening the case here in CO because
>>>> Florida is no longer my state of residence.  Doesn't make sense
>>>> to have a case in Florida.  Thanks for the well wishes, Ashley.
>>>> Thanks a bunch.
>>>> Beth
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Date sent: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:31:10 -0400
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler
>>>> 
>>>> Beth,
>>>> Hope you get well! Do you have medicade?
>>>> I'm confused. Do you live in Denver and want to go to school
>>>> there? It
>>>> sounds like your VR case is in florida though. So are you saying
>>>> Florida VR
>>>> is paying for  your out of state tuition  in Co? Good luck with
>>>> your plans.
>>>> Oh and going out of state to any center is tough. If your state
>>>> has an in
>>>> state center, they want that one, even if you select another
>>>> better run
>>>> traditional center.
>>>> 
>>>> Ashley
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Beth
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 2:57 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler
>>>> 
>>>> Hey, Brianna.  I had problems with DBS not sending me to CCB
>>>> till
>>>> I screamed at them and made them do it.  I was the squeaky wheel
>>>> that got the grease, pretty much.  I'm having a problem with CO
>>>> DVR acting slow, and I just came down with something serious and
>>>> have to go to the doctor.  My boyffriend says he'll meet me at
>>>> the bus stop and we'll go together.  It'll be nice because then
>>>> I
>>>> can goo to a doctor.  But I need a checkup because I think I
>>>> have
>>>> a serious infection.  Worst off, I might not go to school till
>>>> January becausee I have no money to pay for books and school.
>>>> DVR just thought of assigning me a counselor, but I don't know
>>>> where they are, and I moved from one place to another.  It's
>>>> kind
>>>> of weird because I sort of know the Denver area, but I don't
>>>> travel too often.  So I'm in your shoes, but worse.  My transfer
>>>> to the office in Tallahassee from the office in Brevard County
>>>> was quick, but there's a problem.  I don't know if Florida will
>>>> allow me to go to school here in CO.  So anyone give us both
>>>> tips
>>>> and advice?  Anybody got any tips?  Thanks.
>>>> Beth
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Brianna Scerenscko <bfs1206 at gmail.com
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Date sent: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:39:21 -0400
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Slow Acting VR Counciler
>>>> 
>>>> Hello NABS Members,
>>>> 
>>>> My name is Brianna.
>>>> I will be starting my first semester at Flagler in 3 weeks.
>>>> I submitted justifications for technology to my Division Of
>>>> Blind
>>>> Services office back in April.  Just the other day I get an e
>>>> mail
>>>> from my counciler saying that I have been apruved for technology
>>>> and
>>>> funding of my Learning Ally membership.
>>>> I thought I had already been apruved and the technology had
>>>> already
>>>> been ordered.
>>>> My counciler can't transfer my case to the office in
>>>> Jacksonville
>>>> until all my technology has been received and she can't tell me
>>>> when
>>>> that will be.  I need to meet with the office in Jacksonville
>>>> soon to
>>>> meet my counciler and O&M instructore, and also find out if DBS
>>>> will
>>>> still cover some of the cost of going to college and also for
>>>> them to
>>>> find me a reader.
>>>> DBS can't tell me when my case will be transfered either.
>>>> What should I do? School starts in 3 weeks.
>>>> 
>>>> Thank You
>>>> 
>>>> Brianna
>>>> 
>>>> On 7/31/11, Aubrie Lucas <aubielynn at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Exactly what I was going to suggest.
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>>> [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>>>> Of Kirt Manwaring
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 8:20 AM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] warning I'm getting on Facebook
>>>> 
>>>> Haha, nothing to worry about.  Hit the refresh button (f5) and
>>>> you'll be
>>>> fine.
>>>> 
>>>> On 7/31/11, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>> 
>>>> I'm getting this warning message when I hit the go back command
>>>> on Facebook Mobile.  I've pasted it below.  What does this mean?
>>>> Thanks! Here's the message:
>>>> 
>>>>   Warning: Page has Expired
>>>> The page you requested was created using information you
>>>> subm