[nfbmi-talk] monitoring bsbp spil alternate formats

[joe harcz Comcast]

November 14 2014 SPIL BSBP Monitoring Issues

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

Joeharcz at comcast.net

810-516-5262

 

To:

Rodney Craig, ED MI SILC

Sarah Gravetti, Chair MI SILC

Cc: Tracy Brown, MI SILC

(Via e-mail)

 

All,

 

 

 

 

 

I point your attention to the following copied and pasted for your convenience and access:

 

 

 

“Michigan State Plan for Independent Living Status Report  NOVEMBER 2014  “PREPARED BY SILC STAFF

 

2014

 

FY 2014 – FY 2016 State Plan for Independent Living Implementation Dashboard:

 

Table with 3 columns and 10 rows

 

SPIL Objective

 

Measurable Indicator

 

Year One Final Status:

 

 

 

1. BSBP is working toward ensuring that all Bureau materials & website are accessible to the disability community including persons who are legally blind.

 BSBP is currently in the process of revising our policy and procedure manual with an anticipated 1st draft date of December 2013

 

BSBP continues to work to making all material accessible.

 

 

 

Now this is the typical doublespeak and boiler plate approach to assuring basic compliance. This is the federally funded agency for the blind of Michigan and they are required to make all information related to its customers fully accessible from the point of application through closure and in the most effective format of the individual.

 

Yet you ladies and gentlemen of the SILC and other interested parties have seen over and over documented violations of this including in the public record by Mr. Ed Rodgers and others over and over again.

 

And to say in effect “we’re working on making things accessible” is a tacit admission that they don’t do so! Nothing more needs to be proven here!

 

Bottom line is the agency for the blind is not accessible to the blind and thus violates overtly the civil rights of the blind routinely including in its IL/Older Blind programs and services.

 

I’m wondering if in the SPIL monitoring why this agency is not held accountable or if SILC members actually read these reports?

 

I’m asking that Mr. Craigg and Ms. Gravettie distribute these comments to other SILC members.

 

These are important questions for the next SILC meeting amonst other issues.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

 

Cc: NFB MI

Cc: MI ADAPT

Cc: MCRS

Cc: MPAS/CAP

Cc: Timothy Beatty, RSA

Cc: L. Jones, E. Rodgers, BSBP

Cc: M. Zimmer, LARA, DSA