[nfbmi-talk] first 2 tweets

[Terry D. Eagle]

Christine, I do agree with you.  My years of experience in the developmental
disabilities rehabilitation field tells me that persons with even what is
considered significant cognitive disabilities can be placed in intergrated
employment in the competitive workforce, if there exists a dedication to a
belief in the dignity and respect of a person with a disability, that each
individual has innate talent and ability, and a wonderful value to self and
society through the workforce, if only the time and resources were utilized
to assess, identify, and develop and enrich those abilities, even of the
most significantly challenged person with a physical or developmental
disability, or mental illness.

I can attest to a significant decline in behaviorial issues and incidents,
when the focus was placed on the person, abilities identified, developed and
enriched, and the person was active, employed, and possessed a sense of
self-worth and being productive, rather than sitting idle and bored in a
group home setting, and the focus being only on the correct dosage of
medication to control behaviorial issues, solely for the benefit of staff,
doctors and pharmacies.  Statistics show that 3 to 6 p.m. is the highest
crime time in a day, when young people are not kept occupied and doing
something of value for themselves or another, such as employment or
community involvement, other than mischief and criminal activities.

My experience includes such a person centered approach during my 10 years as
an employer in the BEP.  Which raises a question from something Christine
pointed out.  Are the BS4BP counselors getting placement closure credit for
competitivw intergrated employment when a client, blind or sighted , are
placed in subminimum wage income snack bars and vending locations?  

I don't possess the funds to inquirw and pay for such an answer, just as I
do not possess the funds to pay for my BEP training, despite  being a SSDI
beneficiary.  I cannot comprehend why BS4BP staff have to charge for
placement information, considering there is so little of placement of
willing blind persons available. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Christine Boone
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2014 4:22 PM
To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
Cc: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] first 2 tweets

Congratulations. I have a slightly different emphasis on this one. I think
that our first priority needs to be asking them Not to transfer
Rehabilitation out o the Department of Education. We have a great deal to
lose. One of our primary obstacles here in Michigan lies in the fact that
our rehabilitation agency is in a department that is part of the labor
system. Sadly they have no understanding of vocational rehabilitation
programs and worse yet, they do not desire to have any. This is what we
learned across the Nation when the Rehabilitation Act was joined with WIA in
1998. We may not have a whole lot now, but we will have less if Senator
Harkin's amendment transfering RSA to Labor goes through. That same
amendment strips away all of the professional requirements for direct
program staff. In other words, any DOL staff person could work in delivery
of vocational rehabilitation services. 
As for 511, you all should know that vocational rehabilitation counselors
place customers in non-integrated employment every day as it is. They just
cannot take a successful closure for it. Here in Michigan, there are 66
places where those employers pay less than minimum wage. If we pass 831, and
a Senate conference equivolent, then section 511 loses its sting. Many of
you will disagree with me I know, but my years in the field of vocational
rehabilitation have taught me that non-integrated employment truly is a
better fit, and creates a better life for some folks with significant
cognitive disabilities.  No one deserves to earn less than Minimum wage. So
for my money, it's 831 forever, and keep rehab in Education. 

Boone Christine Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 5, 2014, at 3:43 PM, Lydia Anne Schuck <lydia.a.schuck at wmich.edu>
wrote:
> 
> OK, sent the first two tweets ever for me....to our Senators in Michigan
to Fix WIA.
> 
> Lydia Schuck
> 
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