[NFBNJ] {Spam?} NFBNJ: Fwd: September 2016 Commission Edition
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>From the desk of NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo
Received from Pamela Gaston, Executive Director, Editor
Greetings to all!
We have forwarded the Commission Edition For September 2016.
Having updates from our state agency continues to provide valuable information to assist us to raise expectations to live the life we want.
Joe ruffalo, President
NFBNJ
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
**
Subject: September 2016 Commission Edition
Commission Edition
The Monthly Newsletter of the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
September 2016 – Volume 4, No. 9
Daniel B. Frye, J.D. Pamela Gaston
Executive Director Editor
>From the Director’s Desk
September sees the Commission turning its collective attention to those activities associated with our end-of-the-federal-fiscal-year reporting cycles. Unlike other Septembers, however, we also are now learning about the new common progress measures that will apply to all programs under the larger umbrella of the national and statewide Workforce System. Consequently, as the fall season sets in, CBVI is in the midst of administrative undertakings that are both familiar and new. This evolving climate, for an agency such as ours, is appropriate, where we continue to move forward with many of our new services that are consistent with our strategic plan and that are responsive to the shifting expectations of the recently announced regulations under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA).
In accordance with the modified expectations outlined in WIOA, CBVI will be expanding services through our Independent Living and Independent Living Services to Older Blind Individuals (IL and ILOB) programs to cater to consumers who previously may have been served as Homemakers in our Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. As of September 19, 2016, WIOA will prohibit VR agencies from identifying the goal of Homemaker in the Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) for any VR-funded consumer, where such outcomes result in uncompensated work placements. Anticipating and in response to the heightened demand for IL and ILOB services that this change in federal policy necessitates, we have been working diligently to create additional and more robust IL and ILOB services for eligible consumers who want to strengthen their blindness-related skills. Below are brief descriptions of some of our newest IL and ILOB offerings from CBVI.
During the last week of this month, CBVI’s IL and ILOB units will be hosting our first-ever Silver Retreat, a five-day, intensive residential training program for blind and vision-impaired consumers over age 55f.. The agency recognizes that many of its senior consumers are unable or unwilling to avail themselves of extended, comprehensive blindness training programs, so we are adopting this innovative training model, where we bring Orientation and Mobility instructors, Rehabilitation Teachers, Eye-Health Nurses, and other professional staff together to offer a week of blindness instruction in a centralized location. This first pilot program will occur in Atlantic City from Sunday evening, September 25 through Friday, September 30, adjourning at noon. Given the proximity to the beach, this first Silver Retreat is being referred to as A SHORE (Senior Hands-On Retreat Experience) Thing.
Twelve senior blind or vision-impaired consumers will be exposed to traveling in a complex, commercial environment, navigating the boardwalk, using public transportation, and taking a trip to Philadelphia to gain nonvisual or low-vision strategies using the train. Our Rehabilitation Teachers will work with these consumers on issues including, but not limited to, nonvisual money management, clothes matching and ironing, table etiquette in relatively darkened restaurants, and access to leisure reading through the New Jersey Talking Book and Braille Center and NFB Newsline for the Blind. Our Orientation and Mobility Specialists will introduce indoor navigation in a large hotel, outdoor movement, use of public transportation, and whatever else may be unique to the individual needs of this first cohort of retreat participants. Our Eye Health Nurses will work with participants on information related to their vision loss, nonvisual or low-vision strategies for diabetes self-care, and other medical questions that may arise about diminishing sight in one’s senior years.
Mixed in with all of this will be a variety of recreational activities that will afford the participants an opportunity to practice their newly acquired blindness skills and will give them a chance to interact with peers experiencing vision loss. Promoting the value of peer interaction, Susan Vanino, the manager of our new Assistive Supports Program for Independence, Renewal, and Education (ASPIRE), will be present to facilitate dynamic group interaction. The evenings will be filled with purely fun events, including a yoga session, a one-man show on his experience with vision loss, and more. To be sure, Elizabeth DeShields, our Coordinator of Independent Living, will have more details and anecdotes to share about the SHORE Thing in the October issue of the Commission Edition.
In June of 2015, we inaugurated the ASPIRE program, with an aim of providing well-facilitated peer support groups for the senior blind community throughout the state. Recognizing that people who lose their vision later in life often feel isolated and reluctant to seek training, it seemed important to provide local forums for conversation, learning, and growth. Susan Vanino, the manager of our ASPIRE program, recently shared that the Commission now has 43 ASPIRE-affiliated peer support groups in 20 of New Jersey’s 21 counties. Our goal has been to make certain that at least one support group would exist in each county of the state, so we have almost realized this objective. When Susan started with CBVI, 30 groups were identified, and she has successfully invited these groups to join the Commission’s ASPIRE network. Further, she has established from scratch 13 new groups, (largely in the southern part of the state), to be a part of this campaign. The ASPIRE program has as part of its mission the aim of creating such peer support groups, but also training the group facilitators to run monthly meetings that concentrate on delivering a positive and encouraging message about the capacity of blind and vision-impaired people to live successful lives with vision loss. For further information about the ASPIRE program, please contact Susan Vanino at Susan.Vanino at dhs.state.nj.us.
Recognizing that blind and vision-impaired seniors are now comprised of a generation that wants and needs access to assistive technology, the Commission has recently made efforts to expand the array of AT services that are available to this segment of our consumers. The Library Equal Access Program (LEAP) is the Commission’s effort to install assistive technology (e.g. magnification, speech, and Braille supports) in local libraries across the state, in partnership with the New Jersey Talking Book and Braille Center and cooperating local libraries. With assistive technology available now in seven local libraries across the state, blind and vision-impaired seniors may visit their hometown library and take advantage of the library’s resources, using the assistive technology installed by CBVI. In addition to rendering libraries more accessible, the Commission and our third-party contractor, Advancing Opportunities, use these seven LEAP locations to provide either small-group or individual instruction to a primarily blind and vision-impaired senior audience, in their local communities.
Finally, in the assistive technology arena, CBVI has recently introduced an expanded Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) pilot program. Building on the Commission’s existing CCTV loaner program, we have invested some IL and ILOB funds in the purchase of additional CCTVs. For as long as resources last, we have adopted a pilot policy that will allow blind and vision-impaired seniors who borrow a CCTV, and who demonstrate valued reliance on this technology, to keep the unit, if they meet certain detailed criteria. For further information on the new CCTV policy, please contact Elizabeth DeShields at Elizabeth.DeShields at dhs.state.nj.us.
While WIOA will no longer allow VR agencies to provide VR services to those who seek closures as Homemakers, you will see from the foregoing that our expansion of the IL and ILOB programs should guarantee that most candidates who may have sought services as Homemakers will not be without program access.
In closing, September heralds the start of another school year. John Walsh, Chief of Program Administration, and I joined our George F. Meyer Center staff on Wednesday, September 14, 2016, for their annual Back-To-School luncheon, where they celebrate all of their hard work throughout the summer, getting books ordered and ready in alternative formats for our blind, vision-impaired, and deaf-blind students who will return to school with the coming of autumn. Further, our Blindness Education Department has been gearing up to meet the demands and expectations of another year of high-quality Blindness Education during this month. While I am always grateful to the entire Commission staff for your work, congratulations and particular appreciation is owed to the professionals in the Blindness Education Unit for their extraordinary work this month.
Transitioning from summer to fall, may you all enjoy this, my favorite season of the year.
Daniel B. Frye
Executive Director
Learning Lunch Reminder:
As previously noted, these monthly sessions will see me meeting with five CBVI staff and a member of our Executive Management Team to receive feedback or suggestions on what the Commission might do that is new and exciting. Please indicate your interest in being part of such an up and coming forum by sending an email with the subject line “Learning Lunch” to my assistant, Prestina Peters, at Prestina.Peters at dhs.state.nj.us.
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Program Administration – John C. Walsh, Chief
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): #3 – Supported Employment
Supported Employment (SE) is a blend of services available to our consumers with the most significant disabilities which are provided with the goal of enabling them to achieve employment in competitive, integrated settings. The keystone of the “supported employment” approach is that it emphasizes a person-centered methodology to developing individualized supports that will enable a diverse group of individuals with more complex support needs to enter the general workforce. Most providers of SE services are community-based organizations that provide services on a fee-for-service basis and are part of an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).
The types of services available by a provider of supported employment services may include the following:
1) Pre-Placement Activities: These are assessment activities that assist the provider in getting to know the individual’s interests, skills, abilities, preferences, and support needs with the goal of assisting in locating a good employment match for the consumer. Assessment activities tend to be situational in nature and occur in the consumer’s home or community. These activities may also include job-shadowing or job-sampling at places of business to ascertain preferences and interests.
2) Job Development and Placement: An Employment Specialist at a community-based agency providing SE services will perform activities to develop a job placement that should match the consumer’s interests and abilities. The Employment Specialist is the primary point of contact with the employer.
3) Intensive On-the-Job Training: The Employment Specialist also serves as the job coach, responsible for providing direct on-the-job instruction for the performance of all relevant tasks that must be completed by the consumer. Training is one-on-one and occurs at the job site. The job coach may have to perform a portion of the related tasks in the early stages of the placement while the new employee learns how to perform his or her job duties. The job coach also develops “natural supports” in the workplace to enable the consumer to perform the major tasks of the job independently. In this way, the job coach is finding ways to “fade” from the work site, to the satisfaction of the consumer, employer, and referring Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.
4) Extended Services: All consumers served via the SE model are also eligible to receive extended services after the job coach fades from the work site. To ensure that the placement continues to be successful, extended services or long-term follow-up services are provided on an ongoing basis by the community-based provider which is most often, the same agency that developed the placement and provided the active on-the-job instruction. The extent of these services is developed in consultation with the employer, but generally occurs on a regular schedule of contact with the employer or consumer. If additional interventions are necessary, the Employment Specialist may resume active on-the-job instruction or provide other supports. Long-term follow-up supports may occur as long as the individual is employed. These services have traditionally been funded through non-VR funds, including state funds or the Medicaid Community Care Waiver program. The vast majority of consumers of the Commission who receive SE services receive their extended services funding from our sister agency, the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
Strengthening Supported Employment Services Under WIOA:
Funds for the provision of SE services are provided under Section 603 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, within WIOA. Some new features have been added in the 2014 amendments, which include that 50% of these funds must be reserved for youth with disabilities, i.e., ages 14 – 25, and that this portion of the funds now requires a 10% match utilizing state funds. Also, for the first time, these funds may be used to pay for extended services for youth with disabilities for four years, up to the age of 25. Funding for intensive job coaching services may also be provided for up to 24 months to ensure individuals receive the full supports necessary for success in competitive integrated employment. Two years of active, on-the-job training, provides tremendous flexibility for our counselors to assist consumers who require that extra time to learn their jobs.
Who is Eligible to Receive Supported Employment Services?
Chapter 34, section 363 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines the eligibility requirements for individuals to receive SE services as follows:
1) The individual must be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, in accordance to 34 CFR 361.42, and;
2) Be an individual with the most significant disability
a. for whom competitive integrated employment has not historically occurred; or has been interrupted or intermittent as a result of a significant disability;
b. Who, because of the nature and severity of the disability, needs intensive supported employment services and extended services after transition from supports on the job in order to perform the work.
Currently CBVI works with a number of community-based agencies to provide SE services. In the fall, The College of New Jersey is inaugurating a new post-secondary program, called Youth Employment Solutions (YES), to assist graduates of the CBVI Work Skills Prep program to locate jobs in their communities, and develop customized, person-centered supports to facilitate greater levels of workforce participation. Additional information about this new program will be provided in future issues of the Commission Edition.
Organizational Logistics – Ines Matos, Chief
Using your Outlook Calendar Properly is Important
Two different guides explaining how to view others calendars can be found below, the first being from a JAWS user’s point of view and the second from a Non-JAWS user’s point of view. But before presenting them we would like to emphasize what at minimum should be detailed in a meeting/appointment on a given day.
For Field Workers
1. An office day must be stated and the location of the office day entered in the location field of the meeting/appointment
2. When a meeting with a consumer is created, the place in which the meeting will take place must be entered in the location field; the Last Name and First Initial of the consumer must also be entered either within the notes field or the meeting description
3. Any planned leave must be stated on the corresponding day (e.g. Vacation, Sick, Admin)
For Office Staff
1. A home office day is understood as a day without any meetings on your calendar. If a meeting is scheduled on an office day that must be posted to your calendar
2. When an out-of-office meeting or field day is planned, the location, subject, and contact for the meeting must be stated.
3. Any planned leave must be stated on the corresponding day. (e.g. Vacation, Sick, Admin)
We understand that each person may have their own way of creating meetings, but if the above information at minimum is entered on your calendar, it will not only make tracking staff more efficient but also make supervisors and managers happierJ.
Outlook 2010 Using JAWS for Windows
· Adding Other People’s Calendars to Your List for Viewing
Before you can view other people’s calendars, you must first add their name to your list
1. Open the backstage (Alt-F)
2. Navigate to open (Down/Up arrows)
3. Activate (Enter)
4. Navigate to the “Other user’s folder” button (Tab)
5. Activate (Space)
6. Type all or part of the person’s name
7. Activate the search for the name (Enter)
8. If the search results in more than one name, navigate to the one you want (Down/Up arrows)
9. Confirm choosing the person (Enter)
· Checking/Unchecking People’s Names from Your List
Once the person’s name is on your list, you will need to check/uncheck the name in order to make it show or not.
1. Navigate to the calendar tree view (Shift-Tab)
2. Find the person’s name (Arrows or first letter)
3. Check/uncheck (Space)
Note: Regardless of the version of JAWS used, it does not always report the correct status of checked/unchecked.
4. Navigate back into the calendar day view (Tab)
5. If you have not unchecked your calendar from the checklist, continue tabbing past your calendar and applicable appointments, and all the other checked calendars will appear after that. With each, you will hear their name announced.
Note: Since not always being able to identify the status of the checkbox in step 3, if you don’t find the desired person when doing step 5, start over with step 1.
6. Navigate and use the calendar in the same way you view your own (Arrows/Tab)
· More Efficiently Viewing Multiple People’s Calendars
Outlook is designed to be able to see and compare multiple calendars at once, but in order to avoid having to tab past all the appointments from all viewed calendars you can uncheck people, including yourself, from the list.
Note: You must first check at least one person you want to view before you uncheck your name, otherwise, Outlook will not let you uncheck it. Likewise, when you want it to go back to viewing your calendar and not the other person’s, you will have to check your name before you uncheck theirs.
1. Navigate to the calendar tree view (Shift/Tab)
2. Your calendar is not under your name, but simply the Word calendar, so find it, (Arrows or C)
3. Uncheck it (Space)
4. Navigate back to the open person’s calendar (Tab)
Outlook 2010 for Sighted Users
· Adding Other People’s Calendars to Your List for Viewing
Before you can view other people’s calendars, you must first add their name to your list
1. Select the “Open Calendar” button and a dropdown will appear
2. Select “From Address Book” and the Global Address List will appear
3. Type all or part of the person’s name
4. If the search result shows more than one name, navigate to the one you want
5. Confirm choosing the person and hit (Enter)
· Checking/Unchecking People’s Names From Your List
Once the person’s name is on your list, you will need to check/uncheck the name in order to make it show or not.
1. Navigate to the calendar tree view
2. Find the person’s name that you want to view or remove their calendar
3. Click on the “Check Box” next to the person’s name to Check/uncheck
4. If a name has been selected, you will now see your own calendar as well as the person/s name that you have selected
· More Efficiently Viewing Multiple People’s Calendars
Outlook is designed to be able to see and compare multiple calendars at once, but in order to avoid having to tab past all the appointments from all viewed calendars you can uncheck people, including yourself, from the list.
Note: You must first check at least one person you want to view before you uncheck your name, otherwise, Outlook will not let you uncheck it. Likewise, when you want it to go back to viewing your calendar and not the other person’s, you will have to check your name before you uncheck theirs.
Fiscal Services – Edward Szajdecki, Chief
With the end of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) on September 30th, federal appropriated (VR, Supported Employment and ILOB) authorizations for 2015 must be closed. Open authorization reports were sent to staff in August. Please be advised that at this time, any remaining open authorizations are being cancelled. A new authorization must be created to fulfill payment of any authorization that has been cancelled.
There were approximately 500 authorizations (all open for at least one year) cancelled in this cycle, thus tying up funds that could have been used more effectively and efficiently in an earlier timeframe. This is also a common problem in state funded programs. Please keep in mind that case management includes the proper oversight of authorizations.
As the new FFY progresses, please periodically review and monitor the open authorizations in your caseload and process payments and cancellations when the disposition is clear. At any time during the year, if help or guidance is needed, please contact any one of the fiscal team members for assistance.
Human Resources – Hugo Ruiz, Manager
On September 6, 2016, I returned to CBVI as its new Manager of Human Resources. Many of you at the Commission know me from my previous position as its Employee Relations Officer, a position I held for nearly ten years until October of 2014 when I accepted a position as an Employee Relations Coordinator with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
I don’t think that I am making an overstatement when I say how truly privileged I feel to be back at the Commission. As a human resources professional and lawyer, I am hopeful that I will be able, over time, to make some positive contributions to our organization as it undertakes new initiatives and implements needed changes.
I look forward to working with each and every one of you and encourage you to contact our office with any human resources questions you may have. Our professional and dedicated human resources staff stand ready and will continue to provide all our colleagues and co-workers with the necessary guidance, advice, and orientation regarding the myriad of human resources issues confronting the workplace of the 21st century.
My telephone number is (973) 648-2412 and fax number is (973) 648-3419.
Vocational Rehabilitation and Transition Services – Amanda Gerson, Coordinator
Business Relations Unit Update – Submitted by Joy Atin-Shark and Andrea Askie-Rosario, Business Relations Specialists: The Business Relations Unit is up and running! In the past four weeks, almost all of the VR Counselors have been trained on how to utilize the TAP as a tool to assist consumers in seeking and applying for employment opportunities. The TAP, or Talent Acquisition Portal, is a private website, run by the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) and the National Employment Team (NET), for people with disabilities to develop and post their resume, and search for employment opportunities. TAP businesses have an existing relationship with the NET and are actively looking to recruit individuals with a disability.
We also have been participating in various career fairs, forming relationships with talent networks, and utilizing the NET to connect with potential business partners. The talent networks are subsidiaries of the Work Force Investment Board and represent the seven largest industry sectors of New Jersey.
Staff and consumers of the Cherry Hill Service Center (CHSC) participated in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) scheduled hiring event on September 8th. This led to the planning of a disability awareness event that will be held at the CHSC in October. Consumers will practice their interview skills through mock interviews that will be conducted by representatives from the FAA. Both the Freehold and Newark Service Centers also will have Disability Employment Awareness Month events taking place on October 20th and October 27th respectively. These events will consist of assisting a small group of college juniors/seniors in posting their resumes on the TAP. There will also be a presentation from one of our business partners on requesting accommodations, resume writing, and interview skills.
We also recently conducted our first VR Counselor Huddle in each service center. A huddle is when VR Counselors and the Business Relations Specialists get together for fifteen to twenty minute to discuss topics related to moving consumers towards obtaining employment, share resources and information about business partners and the labor market, and provide and receive any feedback about our partnership and shared goals. We’d like to thank all the VR Counselors for making the first huddles a success!
Educational Services – Eva Scott, Director of Blindness Education
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” - Carl Sagan
The Opening of 2016-2017 Academic Year: CBVI’s blindness education teachers are meeting their new students and classroom teachers, setting schedules, and planning lessons. In our quest to have our Blindness Education Unit in full compliance with the federal and state laws, Christine Hinton and I visited each service center to discuss the topic of progress monitoring and reporting as it relates to the IEP goals and objectives the teachers establish for their students. Starting this academic year, all parents of students receiving blindness education services from CBVI will receive a progress report two times per year. There will be a mid-year report that will be sent out in early December. The second report will be included in the end-of-the-school-year report that parents and school districts always receive during the month of July. These progress reports are intended to specifically address any areas of improvement or challenge the student experienced with regard to the goals and objectives their TVIs have established for them. This is an exciting step in our path towards improved blindness education services delivery and accountability in CBVI’s Blindness Education Unit.
The Annual Teachers’ Symposium: The Blindness Education Unit’s Annual Teachers’ Symposium will occur on October 12th and 13th. CBVI teachers, O&M Instructors, Assistive Technology Specialists, and Transition Specialists are currently planning their presentations, and classroom teachers from across the state are sending in their registrations. Highlights of this year’s symposium will include a keynote presentation from our Executive Director, Dan Frye, as well as workshop sessions intended for classroom teachers who teach Braille readers, large print readers, and blind or vision-impaired learners who also have additional disabilities. For the second year there will also be a workshop session for school administrators, supervisors, and child study team members.
SHARP 2016 Follow-Up: In follow-up to the conclusion of SHARP 2016, parents and SHARP staff have provided an abundance of feedback regarding the successes and challenges of the program. The parents who responded expressed satisfaction with the experiences their children had during the program. Several parents told me that the program provided their children with their first opportunity to meet and make friends with other blind or vision-impaired children. Others said that after the program ended, their children expressed the desire to attend next summer. Still others expressed that they were pleased that their children had an opportunity to utilize their blindness skills to accomplish everyday tasks such as navigation, safe travel, food preparation as well as the everyday use of Braille or large print and technology. Our staff provided extensive feedback regarding the organization and daily operations of the program. All feedback will be very helpful when we begin planning for SHARP 2017 later this year.
Provider Service Agreement Update: To date we are still awaiting approximately 650 outstanding provider service agreements (contracts) from school districts and I am in the process of preparing a second mailing. We are not withholding services to the students as we continue to pursue the service agreements.
Independent Living & Clinical Services – Elizabeth DeShields, Coordinator
Independent Living Closed Circuit Television System Distribution Policy
Closed circuit television systems (CCTVs) or video magnification devices consist of a video camera that projects an enhanced image on some type of display screen such as a computer monitor.
CCTV users can place materials under the camera and an enlarged image is then displayed on the monitor. Users are able to adjust the size, color and contrast of the image. The individual is also able to control the focus, magnification, and other screen preference settings, such as the background, however, some devices include nuances such as auto-focusing which further enhances the user’s ability to perform literacy tasks with efficiency.
This piece of assistive technology that doesn’t appear to be that complicated has had a great impact on our consumers with low vision. The CCTV allows them to perform daily tasks of reading and writing, including writing checks, reading the newspaper, signing important documents, as well as viewing cards and photos from family members and loved ones.
CBVI has been able to purchase CCTV’s for consumers that utilize these devices to achieve vocational goals. However, as mentioned in our Executive Director’s article, the Independent Living (IL) Unit has now purchased CCTV’s to begin a pilot program that will enable CBVI to distribute these devices to consumers receiving IL/ILOB services.
This program is available to all active IL consumers meeting the eligibility criteria outlined in the IL Closed Circuit Television System Distribution policy. This policy, which closely follows CBVI’s Adaptive Technology (IL) Loan Program, can be found in the Fully Accessible Consumer Tracking System (FACTS) IL Manual.
The initial loan period of the CCTV is three months. Thereafter, if the consumer demonstrates the ability to effectively use the device as determined by his/her primary case worker and meets the financial criteria of a combined income of less than 400% of the current Federal Poverty Level (FPL) based on their current financial needs survey, CBVI will purchase the device for the consumer.
In keeping with the Adaptive Technology (IL) Loan Program the CCTVs will continue to be distributed by the NJ State Library Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC).
Please note, as this is a pilot program that the number of devices purchased for consumers in IL depends upon the availability of IL/ILOB funds.
CBVI is always considering ways to improve the quality of life for our consumers and enable them to reach their highest level of independence. Please contact me at elizabeth.deshields at dhs.state.nj.us if you have any questions or suggestions.
Joseph Kohn Training Center – Del Basha, Manager
To offer CBVI consumers a comprehensive experience when they join the Joseph Kohn Training Center (JKTC) program, they are enrolled in a number of classes. In addition to these classes, group discussions and guest presenters are included in the curriculum. Also important are the case conferences with the VRCs, which are scheduled throughout the program to monitor the students’ progress. This training, which can last for approximately sixteen weeks, is followed by the consumers’ participation in an externship component, called Work Experience Program (WEP).
JKTC Work Experience Program – Submitted by Kyla Kendrick, Program Coordinator for Career Services: The WEP component is an extremely important part of the JKTC program as it allows the students to build on their previous work skills, add to the skills they may have just learned, and acquire new aptitudes. The students leave from the JKTC daily to go out into the community to their WEP site, where they participate in the program, Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 2:00 p.m. Ultimately, the experience offers consumers an opportunity to develop and become more independent.
In the WEP, students are assigned a job coach who goes with the students to help them become oriented to the building and work space. The job coach also helps to train the students and determine if any adaptive equipment or technology should be provided to enable students to complete required tasks. The goal of the multi-week Work Experience Program is to “fade” the need for the job coach so that students can eventually work independently. This is done on a case-by-case basis. The students are also covered by liability insurance and receive a weekly stipend to cover any travel and food expenses incurred during their time in WEP.
During planning the job developers try to cover an array of interests so students can get the most out of their experience. Partnerships have been established with a number of businesses specializing in different services. Organizations that have served as work sites include: Magic 98.3 Radio Station; a variety of nursing homes including Clara Barton in Edison; various stores (A.C. Moore, George St. Co-op, Key Foods and others); several libraries; and the offices of the Puerto Rican Action Board, NJ TIP and the Alliance Center for Independence. There is always a continued attempt to add to the list of active work sites. Currently, there are plans to secure agreements with CVS and the Robert Wood Johnson Fitness Center as work sites.
Many of the businesses who participate with the Work Experience Program get to interact closely with the students who volunteer there and they value the opportunity to be part of the vocational journey that students undertake. Some employers have even attended JKTC graduations, to wish the students well. Businesses benefit when they join WEP because they gain positive exposure to a new customer base and have a chance to partner with the local community. They also appreciate having the extra helping hands in the workplace.
The WEP helps students to gain a sense of competency, both in their work and in themselves and facilitates personal and vocational growth.
Business Enterprises of New Jersey – Deacon Truesdale, Manager
Under the Randolph-Sheppard program there are many ways to generate income. One in particular is a Micro Market. A Micro Market is a concept that is more a retail food establishment rather than a vending or convenience store. These establishments distinguish themselves by being focused on a select group of consumers and offering “better-for-you” items such as the highest-quality fresh fruits, food items such as sandwiches, soups, and salads, along with the traditional hot and cold beverages and snack items. The concentration is not on high volume or traffic but rather on the quality and variety of products it offers to its established customer-base.
Micro Markets are set up differently than traditional vending machine or convenience store operations. They can operate without an employee to monitor it, can be cashier-less, but are able to offer service twenty-four hours a day/ seven days a week. These establishments are comprised of freestanding storage which contains products with a nearby checkout system. These checkout systems can be a kiosk taking credit cards or preloaded cards for payment. Micro Markets are honor system based and therefore must be in a secure location. However, there are still security measures in place such as cameras and some technology that includes pressure-sensitive shelves that record when products are removed.
The BENJ currently operates a Micro Market in one of our locations at the Health and Agriculture Lab of the NJ State Police Headquarters in West Trenton. This has been a successful venture for the BENJ operators who manage it. The facility has employees around the clock who enjoy the selections offered and is ideal because it is a secure location. There have been other departments within the state who have visited this location and expressed an interest in opening a Micro Market for their facilities. BENJ is currently investigating other opportunities to develop Micro Markets.
Regional Updates
Northern Service Region – John Reiff, Manager
A Measure of What We’ve Done in the Northern Service Region (NSR)
A review of the PDQ, line items created between 8/1/16 and 8/31/16, reveals that thirty-five individual staff in the NSR table of organization created 701 line items (primarily separate authorizations) totaling $359.429.19 in the referenced period. That is a lot of work!
It is that time of year when preparations are in process for consumers heading to college, so it is no surprise that Diana Arias, our new College Counselor, created more line items than anyone else, exactly 100. The next nine staff are Jenna Finley, another new VRC (55), Laurel King, HI, (52), Vlad Kravtsov, VRC (44), Jocelyn Santiago, EHN (38), Leslie Martens, EHN (35), Cassandra Jeanlor, VRC (32), Stella Odefemi, EHN (30), Cecelia Ojoawo, HI (28) and Peggy Hourihan EHN, (27).
Authorizations are not all that we do of course. Some of us do not create as many because the nature of the position does not require it. Nonetheless it is one measure of regional activity that reflects service delivery to our consumers. Nice job folks!
Southern Region – Jack Thompson, Manager
A SHARP Reflection – Submitted by Kim Mastroianni, TVI: More than a week has passed since SHARP 2016 ended and as I sit at my desk with many thoughts and emotions, I am also reflecting on what our students accomplished during the program. Sometimes we think big, but in the case of SHARP, it was the little moments that meant so much to the students. While at SHARP, the students were able to meet other children with vision impairments and learned that they are not alone. They participated in activities that involved the teaching of life-skills such as turn taking, orientation and mobility, accessing technology, and writing thank you cards. They overcame personal challenges such as being alone for the first time, preparing meals for the first time, and stepping out of their comfort zone by making slime, play dough, touching water balloons, and participating in pottery. And finally, they made friends.
During each session, students independently exchanged contact information in hopes of connecting with each other throughout the year. As teachers, we were able to view our students in a different setting to create an everlasting bond and also assess how they interact in the world around them in unfamiliar situations and settings.
In closing, as one of the coordinators of SHARP 16, I want to say thank you to all the staff who participated in the program. To all the drivers, aides, and Reeda Nicholas, thank you for arranging transportation to get our students to and from SHARP and navigating our excursions safely. We would not be able to host SHARP without students and transportation. To all the teachers and staff, thank you for assisting in developing and implementing the lessons, being flexible, and going above and beyond to be not only a teacher, but also a support for many of the students. To the supervisors, thank you for listening and assisting with a host of administrative hurdles.
Finally, some quotes from students and parents throughout SHARP 16
· Vinny, at the ballet studio: “Is this over yet, this is hard.” (After the session) “This was so much fun.”
· A parent reported her son had so much fun at SHARP and was going to miss the teachers and his new friends.
· Mark: “Why didn’t I come last year, this was the best.”
· During Session Two we celebrated two students’ birthdays – Alana: “I got my wish, I got my wish… To have a birthday with friends.”
· Isabelle: “I never made a sandwich by myself. I can do this now.”
· Several students: “I will miss SHARP.”
New or Noteworthy
Who Was Joseph Kohn?
Joseph Kohn was the Commission’s Executive Director from 1964 to 1976. During his 12-year tenure, Kohn was known for getting things done. He was not one to let bureaucracy keep him from achieving his goals, especially when he wanted to do something that would make life better for Commission consumers. He worked tirelessly for many years to establish what he called, “A hub center for training the blind”. Unfortunately, he became very ill, and although he fought hard against it, he passed away before there was any tangible evidence that his dream was to become a reality.
After many obstacles and setbacks, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Joseph Kohn Training Center took place on Thursday, June 12, 1986 and, although it was a very rainy day, it was a bright and victorious day for the Commission. Approximately 2 years later, in 1988, the first students began receiving training.
The JKTC from inception, was designed to give access to opportunities for self-sufficiency and full integration into the community in a building where vision-impaired impaired people can be trained and maintain their dignity.
Over 45 years ago, one man had a dream to build a center that would enable people who are blind and vision-impaired to believe in themselves and to achieve independence.
comments
The Last Words
"You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within." Bob Nelson
Please send items or suggestions for the next issue of the Commission Edition by or before 11 a.m., Monday, October 17, 2016:
Pamela.Gaston at dhs.state.nj.us and Prestina.Peters at dhs.state.nj.us
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