[nfbmi-talk] The torpedoes are in the water!

[Mark Smith]

Ha this is what many on this list wanted,
Here you all go, enjoy.  I know from my experiences with the commission that
there were a ton of great people who busted their butts to provide great
services for us.  I have attended past commission meetings and it was a true
circus, no wonder, they're going to tear it apart.
Cheers,
Mark   


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of joe harcz Comcast
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 4:15 PM
To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] freep article on destruction mcb

Snyder shakes up state services for blind, disabled

 

11:16 AM, February 24, 2012  |

Paul Egan

 

By

Paul Egan

 

Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau

 

 

LANSING - Gov. Rick Snyder today ordered a shake-up in state services for
the disabled, including the elimination of the Michigan Commission for the
Blind.

 

Snyder, through an executive order, also announced that Michigan
Rehabilitation Services, which helps disabled people find jobs and
independence and was

strongly criticized in a recent state audit, will be moved to the Department
of Human Services from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

 

The moves are intended to improve efficiency and oversight, officials said.

 

"We're reshaping state government so it offers a more intuitive, effective
and efficient system of services," Snyder said in a news release. As a
result

of the changes, "our blind and visually impaired residents will have better
access to comprehensive information and resources."

 

The Commission for the Blind will have some of its powers and functions
moved from Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to the Department of Technology,
Management

and Budget and others moved to the Department of Human Services, Snyder
announced.

 

The state's residential school for the blind, the Michigan Commission for
the Blind Training Center in Kalamazoo, is moving to the Department of Human
Services.

 

The commission's Business Enterprise Program, under which blind and other
disabled people operate stores, vending machines and other services inside
state

buildings, is moving to the Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

 

Snyder announced the creation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Services
Advisory Board and a Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services, both
within

the Department of Human Services.

 

Along with the Commission for the Blind, which served about 2,750 state
residents in 2010, the order abolishes the position of director of the
commission,

which since 1997 has been held by Patrick D. Cannon, who is blind. He could
not immediately be reached for comment.

 

The commission, with a staff of about 110, has an office in Lansing and
eight field offices across the state. In addition to the school for the
blind, it

oversees the Braille and Talking Book Library in Lansing.

 

The order also eliminates the Michigan Rehabilitation Council and the
Disability Concerns Commission.

 

The changes are to take effect in 60 days.

 

A January report from Michigan Auditor General Thomas McTavish identified
weak financial controls and questionable spending in Michigan Rehabilitation
Services,

including buying a $31,000 vehicle for a woman who only wanted to be a
homemaker and didn't need a car for work.

 

The agency spent about $114 million to service about 51,000 disabled people
in 2009-10.

 

McTavish said the agency failed to show public funds were properly spent and
failed to recover expensive equipment from people with physical or mental
disabilities

who left the program and no longer needed it.

 

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or

pegan at freepress.com
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