[NFB-DB] SSP or co-navigator program

[Stuart Salvador]

Hi Eric, Stuart here.

I heard what most motivated legislators was that the funding would
help DeafBlind youth and minors. I wasn't privy to what actually
happened, but this is what a fellow DB contributed on another list
about the historical approval when discussing the current advocacy
letter being sent in Missouri to ask for more funding (note this is
doubly second-hand information at minimum at this point, so contacting
Beth Jordan with HKNC would likely help get closer to the source as a
lead you could follow):

"The SSP letter doesn't address the Scholarship Program for
Independence and Education(SPIE) funds For DeafBlind DB() children and
their families as well asDB adults whether you are in the SSP program
or not Which is part of the initial bill. In a previous task force
meeting, Beth Jordan, mentioned that it was DB children receiving
scholarship funds that sold it for the legislators in 2016. We cannot
leave this portion out of our plea this time."

Best of luck in your advocacy!

EOM


On Sun, Feb 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM Eric Duffy via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> I appreciate the replies I have received so far. Ohio funded $100,000 for what was to be a pilot program. In the budget currently before the legislature there is no money for this program. What did you all do to get your current funding? What strategies are you employing now? I have been working on matters of importance to the blind of Ohio for a long time, but this is the first time we are going after funding for a program so important to the DEafblind.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Eric
>
> > On Feb 9, 2025, at 6:12 PM, Scott Dollar via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Eric,
> >
> > Yes, Sheila is correct about Missouri.  I am aware of the situation for Missouri.
> >
> > Eric, it is very important for you to review your state bill language as the way it has already written in the langage.  If you noticed as what Sheila mentioned as the language, it means it can't provide for more money for the service.  If you want your state to prrvide for more money to the SSP program, then you do need to study what the language as to have the language to be remove.
> >
> > Hope this help you.
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Scott Dollar
> >
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Feb 9, 2025, at 4:14 PM, Shelia Wright via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >
> > Eric,
> > Missouri has an SSP Program but it is underfunded at $300,000. The bill that
> > established the program in 2016, stated it was not to exceed that amount.
> > Therefore, we are introducing a bill that removes the "not to exceed
> > $300,000. So we can work with the Budget committee to raise funding to
> > $600,000.
> > It is too early to know how successful we will be at getting additional
> > funding.
> > Shelia Wright
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: NFB-DB <nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Eric Duffy via NFB-DB
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 5:28 PM
> > To: nfb-db at nfbnet.org
> > Cc: Eric Duffy <peduffy63 at gmail.com>
> > Subject: [NFB-DB] SSP or co-navigator program
> >
> > The current state budget in Ohio has money for a pilot program to provide
> > SSP services for deaf blind individuals. The program has exceeded all
> > expectations, yet all funding for the program has been eliminated in the new
> > Executive Budget our Governor introduced yesterday.
> >
> > I am interested  in learning about other states who have SSP services as
> > well as those who are trying to get legislative support for SSP or
> > Co-Navigator programs.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Eric Duffy
> > National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
> >
> >
> >
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