[nfbmi-talk] how do we stack up compared to washington?

[joe harcz Comcast]

Colleagues,

 

Please see the information concerning placements in real remunerative employment in the State of Washington. Note we don’t even get this sort of data even if it is spun a little from our federally funded Voc. Rehab. Program here in Michigan.

 

One has to glean through the state plan and there is scant little detail there either. And note I contend that in Michigan BSBP fudges numbers and that not a one of them can be trusted for accuracy.

 

Regardless according to our state plan last year we had about 179 closures (and again no one knows what those were in or if they were just made up). And look at the numbers here of a state with roughly sixty percent of Michigan’s total population. And look at the types of jobs! They weren’t all “home makers”.

 

It’s all food for thought about the efficacy, accountability and purpose of BSBP for sure.

Joe Harcz

Attachment:

 

 

 

From: Durand, LouOma (DSB) [mailto:

louoma.durand at dsb.wa.gov]

 

Subject: Jobs: our story!

 

JOBS: Our story!

 

The good news is that every day in Washington people with vision loss

are going to work in competitive jobs, starting up their own

businesses and employing

others, or keeping their current jobs by acquiring new skills and

assistive technology.

 

Services for the Blind is celebrating because this year 192 of our

customers completed their rehabilitation programs and went to work in

competitive jobs

with an average hourly wage of $18.34.  This means that these

individuals have taken charge of their lives, can support their

families, pay taxes, and

contribute to the vitality of their communities.

 

Jobs are about all of us.  In order for our state and our communities

to thrive, all of us must thrive.  People come to us at Services for

the Blind because

they have vision loss, but that is often only a part of what is

happening in their lives.  You may already know this because of

someone with vision loss

is in your family, or a neighbor or friend.

 

This year the youngest individual getting his first job through

Services for the Blind was a 19-year-old going to work as a baker.  A

78-year-old office

worker was able to keep her 30-hour a week position in the aging and

long term care services industry.  Ten transition age youth went to

work.  We assisted

nine individuals to start up their own small businesses.  Nine blind

military veterans became employed or kept their jobs.

 

People with vision loss go to work in a wide range of jobs, and a wide

array of employers benefit from their talents.   During 2014,  21 of

the employment

outcomes were educators, administrators, teachers and instructors in

university, technical college, community college, K-12 or private

education environments.

 Eleven customers worked in the healthcare industry as registered

nurses, mental health counselors, dieticians, physician's assistants,

physical therapists

or physicians. Thirteen individuals found work in the information

technology sector as network administrators, computer technicians or

software engineers.

 Other successes include two photographers, an artist, an audio visual

technician and a textile knitting operator.  Also a baker, a butcher,

a cashier,

a machinist, a soil & water conservation worker, and a tax examiner.

Three of our customers were inspired to become vocational

rehabilitation counselors.

 Again this year, our customers demonstrated that a blind person with

the right skills can perform almost any job.

 

Each year we post the list of successes, the jobs and the employers

involved, on our web site at

DSB.WA.GOV.

 

Lou Oma Durand

 

Executive Director

 

WA State Dept. of Services for the Blind