[nabs-l] Voc Rehab request denied

[Arielle Silverman]

VR will pay for an out-of-state vendor if you can prove to them that
the vendor is better than what you can get in-state. If you haven't
already, you should write a letter describing why this vendor is
superior, and send it to your counselor and to his supervisor. You
should also contact Bob Kresmer in AZ to see if he can help you with
your appeal. His phone number is:
520-733-5894
or
krezguy at cox.net
He is the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona
and he knows who is at the top in Arizona VR. If you think getting a
prescription from this place will make a difference in your education,
you should pursue it.
As I mentioned in a previous email, I also think that learning the
basics of JAWS, or another screen reader, would benefit you a lot in
your studies and your everyday life. Have you talked with VR at all
about getting screen reading software?
Best of luck,
Arielle

On 4/10/13, Robert William Kingett <kingettr at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm sorry to say that there isn't much that you can do. For contact
> lenses you'll have to pursue that avenue yourself. Even though a
> rehabilitation agency for the blind is supposed to provide you with
> tools, or resources that you'll be able to do your work successfully in
> school or elsewhere, most agencies will only either a, go with what they
> frequently do, like for example getting clients jaws for windows even if
> they prefer window eyes. Why? Because that agency is used to getting
> JAWS and the like. Or, B, go with a cheap solution. Understandable, but
> unacceptable. Also, from my personal experience. Counselors seem to like
> newly blind people because they haven’t yet formed educated opinions
> about what's better, for them, in the adaptive technology market. Those
> kind of blind people are much easier to serve because they will take
> anything without question and don’t need anything anymore complex. Also,
> even though this is going on a tangent, they tend to lean just a bit
> more appreciatively to simple outcomes. What I mean by this is they like
> the clients with simple needs that can be resolved once and that's it
> and don't need ongoing service, upgrades, etc. these are just my
> personal opinions and don't reflect the agencies as a whole because
> there's some people who work in the field who are real gems, and they
> understand the client, not just understand their immediate needs and
> treat them with a pacifier until later when the client realizes a
> permanent, yet very expensive solution, or the like. Every person is
> different. As I have said, these are just some of the things that I,
> myself, personally, have noticed and they don't reflect every agency or
> every social worker. I’d quietly remind your counselor, not to mention
> her entire staff that this is a facility, a dedicated team, that
> provides vocational rehabilitation. VR accomplishes this by providing
> support and services to promote the acquisition of skills and
> experiential learning that will support the consumer in meeting his/her
> independent living and vocational goals as well as the technology to
> achieve and acquire such learning, or accommodations, not technology,
> sorry. I didn't have my coffee yet. Remember, they are there to provide,
> you, as a client, specific barrier removal including assistive
> technology or computer training, as well as Braille, use of low-vision
> devises for job related functions, and/or other blindness related skill
> training as well as employment, etc., any kind of training or the
> tools/technology to acquire the training or job. Provision of
> rehabilitation counseling, as well as access to services and resources
> to support adjustment to blindness to achieve independence is given:
> This refers to the intellectual, emotional, and social adjustment to
> blindness and visual impairment as well as the provision of techniques,
> tools, and equipment which will enable the consumer to achieve
> independent living and travel functioning. You need those lenses to be
> able to do what you need to do and to function independently, use that
> word. Independently. That word will make a lot of people listen. Apart
> from that, I’d say tell their board staff. Provide a logical case with
> fact sheets and all this to present your case saying why you need these
> lenses. Make a clear case, not an emotion filled one. That isn't what
> you need and that won’t get you heard at all. present your case, first,
> to your counselor, and if she says no again, tell her, in plain English,
> no metaphors, no if’s, ands, or buts, tell her that you’re going to go
> up the chain of command because you were denied technology to allow you
> to function independently. Do this with her supervisor. Tell her the
> same thing. Tell her word for word. Don't change anything. Don't add
> anything or remove anything. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Yes, if you have
> to, contact the president. I hope that this helps you.
>
>
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