<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><div style="direction: inherit;"><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">NYSCB announce</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">s</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">a </span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">2016 </span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">NYC</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Public Forum</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"></span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">for Comment</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">and Input</span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">November 1, 2016 from 5:00pm to 6:45pm</span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s4" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Andrew Heiskell Library</span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">The </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">New York State</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS),</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> Commission for the Blind (NYSCB)</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> in conjunction with the NYSCB State Rehabilitation Council (SRC)</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> is </span><span class="s6" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">hosting</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">a</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">public forum</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">to gather</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> input from </span><span class="s6" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">blind state residents</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">,</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> their families, advocates, employe</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">rs and service providers on NYSCB’s </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">services</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">.</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span></span></p><p class="s7" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s8" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">NYSCB </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">welcomes input on a broad range of topics as well as input on the following policy and program areas of particular interest:</span></span></p><p class="s8" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s8" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s9" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; text-decoration: underline;">Assistive Technology</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">: NYSCB is </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">gathering</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> feedback</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">regarding</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">general accessibility issues</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">,</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">standardizing </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Assistive </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">T</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">echnology </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">C</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">enter (ATC)</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> training statewide as well as improving the timeliness and provision of training and recommended high-tech equipment.</span></span></p><p class="s7" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s8" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s9" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; text-decoration: underline;">SOGIE</span><span class="s9" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span class="s9" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; text-decoration: underline;">(Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Expression)</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">: NYSCB </span></span></p><p class="s10" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px -22px 0px -18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">is currently reviewing services to all</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">LGBTQ </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">consumers </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">and wishes to enhance existing services, understand the gaps, and identify resources to encourage inclusive services to all blind state residents. We invite feedback to assist us in these objectives.</span></span></p><p class="s10" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px -22px 0px -18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s8" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s11" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">NYSCB</span><span class="s11" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"> thank</span><span class="s11" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">s</span><span class="s11" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"> the </span><span class="s11" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library for hosting this event</span><span class="s11" style="line-height: 24px; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">:</span></span></p><p class="s7" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s8" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -22px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">Tuesday</span><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">, </span><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">November 1</span><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">, 2016 </span><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">5:00PM – 6:45</span><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">PM</span></span></p><p class="s13" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px -22px 0px -36px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library</span></p><p class="s13" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px -22px 0px -36px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Community Room</span></p><p class="s15" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px -22px 0px -36px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;">40 West 20</span><span class="s14" style="line-height: 16.799999237060547px; vertical-align: super; font-weight: bold;">th</span><span class="s12" style="line-height: 26.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold;"> Street, New York, NY 10011</span></span></p><p class="s16" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s16" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s16" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s16" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s16" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">R</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">egistration is </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">required for this</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">in </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">person </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">public forum;</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">please contact Julianne Venneman at <a dir="ltr" href="tel:(518)%20473-1774" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">(518) 473-1774</a></span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> or by email at </span><a href="mailto:Julianne.Venneman@ocfs.ny.gov"><span class="s17" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Julianne.Venneman@ocfs.ny.gov</span></a><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> to register for a time slot to provide comments or feedback.</span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Please submit r</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">equests for interpreters </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">for</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> this</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> public forum</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">by </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">October 21</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, 2016 to Julianne Venneman by </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">phone</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> at</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><a dir="ltr" href="tel:(518)%20473-1774" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3">(518) 473-1774</a></span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, or by email at </span><a href="mailto:julianne.venneman@ocfs.ny.gov"><span class="s17" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">julianne.venneman@ocfs.ny.gov</span></a><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">.</span></span></p><p class="s18" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -27px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s18" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -27px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s18" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; margin-right: -27px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">If y</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">ou cannot attend the open forum</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> we will accept written comments</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">at the address below</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">:</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">NYS Commission for the Blind</span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Attn: Public Comments</span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">52 Washington Street</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">South</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> Building, Room 201</span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Rensselaer, NY 12144</span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">or by email</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">to</span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span></span></p><p class="s3" style="text-align: start; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><a href="mailto:Julianne.Venneman@ocfs.ny.gov"><span class="s17" style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">Julianne.Venneman@ocfs.ny.gov</font></span></a></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p></div><br>Chancey Fleet<br>GV: 347-632-8383<br>Life is short and dictation is faster. If this email has homophone trouble or odd word choices, kindly blame the medium and not the messenger.</div></body></html>