[nfbmi-talk] first 2 tweets

Thu Feb 6 11:18:02 UTC 2014

Not Christine here, but I wholeheartedly agree with you on all counts Terry. 
I as well have both worked in the field with people with intellectual and 
other developmental disabilities, and have advocated for my brothers and 
sisters over years to get out of institutional settings of all types. 
Moreover, one thing the Supreme Court made clear in the Olmstead decision is 
that like all other civil rights laws the ADA is indeed an integration 
mandat.

We have seen on this list the closure of state run slave shops in Rhode 
Island and severe fines and penalties for years of exploitation of people 
with disabilities in those shelterred shops.

As per BSBP and its placements, let alone closures we know that Lisa Kisial 
outright lied at the last MCRS meeting when she said BSBP exceeded its 
goals. In fact the state plan supplement which was posted to this site 
should exactly the opposite and that BSBP failed three of six of its 
standards and indicators.

Aside from the correct issue of folks in the BEP program often making in 
fact below minimum wage at certain locations I'm wonderring what BSBP is 
going to put in to its plan about the numerous folks who've had their 
licenses yanked altogether?

No justice for them either in the rigged, discriminatory Michigan 
Administrative Hearing System especially with Zimmer actually running BSBP 
and being final judge and jury. Oh and not to mention the fact that BSBP 
spent more than $184,000 to the attorney general's office and untold 
ammounts of VR funds for the likes of legal assistants. I mean there the 
legal deck is sure stacked against the average blind person and especially 
one without meaningful income.

No due process or equal protection under law for the likes of us.

Anyway did anyone notice that the BSBP so-called commission meeting is 
tomorrow with no notice and no information while at the same time the 
Michigan Council of Rehab Services (MCRS) is meeting? By the way the latter 
is now our Statewide Rehabilitation Council and they should be asking, no 
demanding the data and accountability we are asking for.

Joe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry D. Eagle" <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2014 4:19 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] first 2 tweets

> 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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