[nfbmi-talk] Our Report Card to BSBP

Sat Dec 22 02:14:28 UTC 2012

Last August, the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan introduced the report card for the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons and distributed it to the Michigan legislature.  Now that BSBP has existed for nearly three months, it is time to prepare the first grades for the Agency; and you can be an important part of that process.

If you would like to share your thoughts on some or all of the 21 categories below, we would love to hear from you.  You may post your comments to this list or send them to me at;

suncat0 at gmail.com

We ask only that you clearly identify yourself and that you indicate your proposed grade for each category that you address.  Please submit your response by Friday, December 28, 2012.

Joe Sontag, Acting Legislative Coordinator,

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

20812 Ann Arbor Trail

Dearborn Heights, Michigan 48127

August 15, 2012

Dear Senators and Representatives:

In February of 2012 Governor Snyder issued Executive order 2012-2. The National Federation of the blind strongly objected to this Executive order and commenced a campaign to defeat it. We were successful in persuading the Governor to rescind the Order, an unusual event in the history of Executive orders. Subsequently, the Governor issued EO 2012-10. Blind people are pleased that EO 2012-10 maintains a separate agency for the blind and keeps the Business Enterprise Program intact and under that agency. We are still very concerned about the agency for the blind and its poor performance in terms of serving blind people and following various laws which affect blind and other Michigan citizens.

Of foremost concern is the abolition of the Michigan Commission for the Blind Board, the replacement of the board with a powerless advisory committee and the merging of the state rehabilitation councils. These changes drastically reduce the input of blind citizens into the oversight and policy development work of the agency. Prior to EO 2012-10 a 5 person Commission of governor appointed citizens were responsible for policy setting, hiring and evaluating the Director of the agency serving blind persons. Though there is a committee which replaces the Commission Board, this committee has no power and is advisory only.

Under the former law, the Michigan Commission for the Blind Board, which was legally required to have 3 of its 5 members be blind, was the Federally mandated State Rehabilitation Council which has legal responsibility for oversight of services provided under the federal Rehabilitation act under a "state plan." EO 2012-10 moves this responsibility from the Commission Board to a single 17 person State Rehabilitation Council which will direct both Michigan Rehabilitation Services and the newly created Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP). There is no requirement under EO 2012-10 that any 1 of these members be blind. We see this as a serious diminution of input of blind persons into this critical function.

We have advocated for the following things over the years and will continue to advocate for them under the new EO, using the criteria shown on the following page. We reserve the right to resume any and all actions to secure these ideals including efforts in the legislature, in public opinion and in the courts if necessary. We will maintain a report card of progress on these items and will report regularly on progress or lack thereof and will keep the legislature and the Governor's office informed of our findings.

Please feel free to contact Joe Sontag, Legislative Coordinator of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan at:

(517) 256-2514, or at suncat0 at gmail.com

Please feel free to contact Larry Posont, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan at:

(313) 727-3546, or at president.nfb.mi at gmail.com

Sincerely,

Joe Sontag, Legislative Coordinator

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

1. Intensive training of Michigan Commission for the Blind staff in skills of blindness

2. Consumer driven policy and policy development

3. Quality training for Business Enterprise Program operators

4. Support, marketing, training and advocacy for blind vendors in the BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM to create

a highly-competitive quality driven and professional foodservice for all customers served by the BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM - including, but not limited to catering, coffee, equipment, training, due process, active participation and respect for the jobs that blind operators do.

5. Meet or exceed average national income for Business Enterprise Operators

6. Open and transparent administration of services to blind persons, including budgeting, purchasing, training and general administration

7. High emphasis on accessibility including facilities, documents and procedures. All business including due process, conducted in an accessible manner including electronic, Braille, large print or other forms required by the customer, stakeholder, constituent or other citizen's needs with regard to disability.

8. Full funding of newsline and outreach to serve 5,000 blind persons.

9. Staffing of the agency commensurate with similar state agencies for the blind.

10. Completion, maintenance and ongoing development of high-quality data-processing systems for the vocational rehabilitation program and the Randolph-Sheppard Program

11. Consumer driven customer satisfaction surveys and the full disclosure of the results of such surveys.

12. Adherence to principles of due process and conflict resolution

13. Strong advocacy for youth and transition age blind children

14. High intensity adjustment to blindness services at the training center, including sleep shades training, group mobility, challenge activities and extended time training toward full competence in acquisition of employment.

15. Strong community advocacy regarding the abilities of blind persons to compete successfully in the workplace and an active presence to break down barriers where they exist in the public and private sectors which may impede full access to employment and full participation in society.

16. Strong emphasis on quality consumer driven placements

17. At least 200 placements with a goal of 300 or more placements annually

18. Strong staff knowledge and competence in entrepreneurial careers for clients who choose this path

19. A dedication to maximizing the vocational outcomes to assure that each consumer reaches their maximum potential as is presented in the individual plan for employment.

20. Inclusion of Newsline Job services on every IPE for those with goal of competitive employment.

21. A dedication to the principle that it is respectable to be blind and an active and consistent effort to embed this attitude in the Michigan community.
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