[NFBNJ] March 2017 Commission Edition

Sat Apr 1 16:00:07 UTC 2017

Greetings!
We continue to provide the Commission Edition to those on the NFBNJ distribution list.
As you read, you will witness the numerous programs and projects offered by the NJ CBVI to raise the expectations of blind and visually impaired persons to live the life they want and to transform dreams into reality!
To all staff of the NJ CBVI, let’s continue to work together to make a difference!

We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President 
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey 
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
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Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking 
www.carshelpingtheblind.org 
or call 855 659 9314

Commission Edition
The Monthly Newsletter of the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

March 2017 – Volume 5, No. 3

Daniel B. Frye, J.D.                                                                                                                                             Pamela Gaston

Executive Director                                                                                                                                               Editor

>From the Director’s Desk 
March sees the Commission deeply engaged in a variety of tasks to keep the organization humming along, working toward our multiple strategic objectives. These objectives are calculated to keeping the agency in the forefront of national best practices in serving blind, vision-impaired, and deaf-blind consumers. Some of our work relates to the pursuit of systemic improvements at CBVI; other components of what we are doing are related to guaranteeing the successful operation of the agency. Balancing these activities is my responsibility.

In terms of systemic efforts that are consuming the agency’s administrative effort in March, we are preparing responses to public comments that have been received related to N.J.A.C. 10:92 and N.J.A.C. 10:97, the administrative code chapters that govern the agency’s Blindness Education and Business Enterprises New Jersey (BENJ) programs respectively. One exciting component of the pending rules for BENJ is that the Commission will soon be extending the development of entrepreneurial opportunities for qualified consumers to locations on private property, where authorities in such private locations are interested in partnering with the Commission’s BENJ program.

Similarly, work is being undertaken to develop new sub-regulatory policies in different areas of our Vocational Rehabilitation program, simultaneously with initiating work on N.J.A.C. 10:95, the administrative chapter governing our VR services. Be on the look-out for some of these sub-regulatory policies in the relatively near future.

In addition to this work, our Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and other VR-related staff and management will by month’s end have participated in two “VR 101” training sessions, where our Coordinator of Transition and Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Amanda Gerson, is creating a series of classes to refresh and update our VR staff on some of the fundamentals of high- quality service delivery under our programs dedicated to helping our consumers find integrated, competitive employment. Finally, as it relates to VR, on March 8th, we inaugurated a pilot Career Exploration Center in our Newark Service Center, where consumers will come and participate in a defined curriculum to assist them with the job-search process. Outside of this structured instruction, our Career Exploration Center will be available for consumers to use for free-style, independent work such as resume development and the like. Assuming that the Newark Career Exploration Center proves a success (and why wouldn’t it?), we will create similar facilities in our other Service Centers throughout the state.

In terms of Independent Living (particularly for our older blind community), work is under way this month to execute our second Silver Retreat, a week-long residential seminar for senior blind, vision-impaired, and deaf-blind consumers who gather for intensive blindness skills instruction. Our first of these was successfully held last fall, and we’re busily preparing for a second such retreat to be held during the second week of May.

In connection with realizing programmatic improvement at the Joseph Kohn Training Center (JKTC), our JKTC manager, Del Basha, and Kevin Harris of our Administrative Programs Unit have visited several blindness training centers around the country within the last month, e.g. the training center at the New Mexico Commission for the Blind in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and Blindness Learning In New Dimensions (BLIND) Inc., in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to observe and bring back training models that will enhance our service at our center in New Brunswick. These exploratory visits, coupled with systematic observations that Kevin Harris has conducted during the last several months, will result in a White Paper that promises to offer a wide array of recommendations for program redesign at the JKTC.

Finally, our Communications, External Partnerships, and Human Resources committees have all been active in March. Our Communications taskforce has been working closely with a new intern from the Communications Department at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) to review and upgrade our agency literature, both for our emerging Business Relations Unit and for the organization generally. Before these new products are released, we will work closely with DHS’s Public Relations Department to confirm presentation and content for these new marketing tools, but I am optimistic that the profile of the Commission is going to be heightened and strengthened with the development of these new outreach materials. An effort to strengthen our partnership with the Vocational Rehabilitation program at Rutgers University has been made, where both John Walsh, CBVI Chief of Program Administration, and I made a visit to further cultivate our relationship with Dr. Janis Oursler, the founder of New Jersey’s only graduate program that prepares Certified Rehabilitation Counselors. Also, in relation to facilitating external relations, Commission leaders have initiated preliminary meetings to develop a Memoranda of Understanding with the New Jersey Department of Education and with the DHS Medicaid system. These agreements must be adopted pursuant to the new regulations of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Last, our Human Resources committee has circulated to managers new internal on-boarding protocols for most of our discipline-specific positions. I am hopeful that these procedures will, in addition to our DHS initial training, help to guarantee a smooth and efficient welcome to new CBVI professionals.

The foregoing represents only our systemic work. Operationally, I have, along with other senior agency leadership, met with DHS leaders to ready the department for the Annual Spring State Budget preparation exercise. Additionally, throughout the last month and more, our agency has been working on the beginning stages of our migration from Libera’s Fully Accessible Client Tracking System (FACTS) to Alliance’s Aware Case Management System. As has been referenced before in this column, we are also updating the Commission’s circulars that set out operational rules and procedures, enabling the agency to perform with efficiency and greater uniformity. In conclusion, I have just finished my biannual visit to each of our Service Centers so that I can connect personally with all of our staff.

It will never be possible to share with Commission Edition readers the entirety of the day-to-day work that happens in my office, but I hope that this sample of activities provides you with an adequate feel of the intense and vigorous work that is occurring to promote the Commission, with the broad goal of further fashioning an agency that offers wide-ranging programmatic benefits to the diverse consumer community that we serve. I am grateful for the work that each of you performs to help us achieve these ambitious aspirations.

Daniel B. Frye

Executive Director

Learning Lunch Reminder: 

As previously noted, during each of these monthly sessions. I will meet 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, Melissa Brown, at Melissa.Brown2 at dhs.state.nj.us 

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Program Administration – John C. Walsh, Chief
Promoting Employment Outcomes through Innovative Approaches

The Youth Employment Solutions (YES) team continues its pilot roll-out to provide supports to graduates of our Work Skills Prep summer program to increase the likelihood of achieving employment outcomes.  Included in this newsletter is a brief article from Kelly Reymann, a member of our State Rehabilitation Council and staff member of our valued community partner, the Center for Sensory and Complex Disabilities at The College of New Jersey, that describes our joint efforts to increase capacity of community rehabilitation programs to better address the support needs of consumers we serve who have the most significant disabilities.  Danielle Licari-Scorzelli, VR Counselor in the Newark Service Center, was part of the training team to increase the knowledge base of staff at Community Options.  Their efforts represent a proactive approach to developing a more robust system of service provision in New Jersey that can address our consumers’ unique service and support needs.

I also had the privilege to participate in the kick-off of the agency’s first Career Exploration Center that occurred on March 8th.  Fanny Mendoza and Yesenia Carrasquillo led the team’s effort to develop the concept of short-term, intensive interventions based on a curriculum that incorporates concepts of the Boston University Model. This initiative was refined with the help of our partners at the Institute of Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.   Establishing the Center was truly a team effort, which involved a number of agency staff to convert a storage room on the 5th floor in Newark into what is now a space featuring several computer work stations for consumers to utilize.   The counselors in the Newark Service Center will be working collaboratively to implement the curriculum that includes individual and group work.  

The Business Relations team continues to develop relationships with employers to further enhance our ability to effectively serve employers, with the ultimate goal of expanding employment opportunities for our consumers.  Caroline Ziemiak provides an update on the work of the Business Relations Unit in this issue of the Commission Edition, with updates on a reverse job fair, Schedule A Hiring Fairs, and other innovative strategies. 

In the book, “Designing Your Life” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, a core concept underlying their design strategies is that, as our environment and life situations change, we as individuals need to continue to be flexible to adapt our plan.  Often it is necessary to reframe the situation that faces us, and it is not always the environment we anticipate.  I know that our counselors assist our consumers on a daily basis to reframe their life situations, with the objective to help them achieve their goal.  The authors define a reframe as: “...when we take new information about the problem, restate our point of view, and start thinking and prototyping again.”   Problem solving is action oriented, so we need to be open to trying new approaches, knowing that some will fail and others will succeed.  One solution; one plan or one way of doing things is not the answer to helping us achieve our life goals; course corrections have become a normal part of our journey.  

Organizational Logistics – Ines Matos, Chief 
Vendor Showcase and New Technology Announcements

All CBVI staff is invited to attend the Annual CBVI Assistive Technology Vendor Showcase, Tuesday, May 9th, 2017, from 1pm to 3pm, in Conference Rooms A and B at the Joseph Kohn Training Center (JKTC). 

This annual event provides the opportunity for CBVI assistive technology staff to learn about the newest technology available and make decisions regarding equipment to add to the RTACs in each office. It is also a valuable opportunity for other CBVI staff to learn more about the technology available to, and used by, our consumers.  Attendees will be able to interact face-to-face with our vendors and to ask questions about different equipment and programs while building your toolbox of information on what is new and exciting in the assistive technology world. 

We anticipate seeing some new and updated devices this year including the new BrailleSense Polaris by HIMS that was recently announced. This is a new notetaker using an android operating system. The device integrates a “touch sensitive braille display with Miracast connectivity to the mainstream computer or tablet of your choice”. It is designed as an option for seamlessly blending a traditional notetaker and access to Google Services such as Google Docs, Drive, etc. 

We also hope to see the new ElBraille from Freedom Scientific. The Elbraille runs Windows 10 and Jaws 18 in a new portable computing solution. The ElBraille “uses Jaws 18 to provide speech and braille output and Jaws’ BrailleIn feature to allow complete control of the ElBraille computer from the Perkins-style, braille keyboard”. Users are able to run Windows applications such as the Office Suite and Adobe Reader to have access to mainstream applications. 

Vendors will be there to answer questions and provide demonstration of some equipment and programs at the showcase. As of the time of this announcement, we are scheduled to have representation from the following: The Brailler Depot, CTECH, Humanware, Vis-Ability Inc, SW Unlimited LLC, and Eschenbach. We look forward to having you join us.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Transition Services – Amanda Gerson, Coordinator  
The Business Relations Unit, submitted by Caroline Ziemiak, Business Relations Unit Supervisor: The Business Relations Unit is getting off to a great start this year!  Andrea Askie-Rosario, Business Relations Specialist, and I have been participating in various career fairs and hiring events to connect with potential business partners on behalf of CBVI. We have also been focusing on tapping into resources via talent networks and have been actively participating in their Targeted Industry Partnership meetings. The talent networks represent the seven major industry sectors of NJ and specifically encompass the following areas:  advanced manufacturing, health care, life sciences, retail, hospitality & tourism, technology, transportation, logistics and distribution.  

The Business Relations Unit has also been utilizing the National Employment Team to foster a growing relationship with Prudential.  In our partnership with Prudential, we are working on deepening disability awareness, enhancing accessibility for our consumers, and implementing a prosperous recruitment strategy that would be beneficial for both Prudential and our agency. We are specifically teaming up with a Prudential diversity recruiter for ongoing discussions about our growing partnership. 

Various hiring events are being planned by our Business Relations Unit for consumers and employers alike. A Business Summit is currently being organized for business entities that have been connecting with our Business Relations Unit. The Business Summit will be held on May 19th at the Rutgers Campus location in Scotch Plains. The Summit will provide the Business Relations Unit with an opportunity to familiarize employers with the ins and outs of hiring individuals with disabilities.  Presentations by Business Relations staff will include specific information on Orientation and Mobility, Rehabilitation Teaching, and Assistive Technology services for participating employers. Business Relations staff, consumers and employers are also gearing up to participate in the Southern Region Reverse Job Fair during this summer. The Reverse Job Fair is a 3-part event that will consist of a workshop for participating consumers, a dress rehearsal, and the final job fair in which consumers will be able to present their qualifications to participating employers. 

Also, the Assistive Technology Unit has teamed up with the Business Relations Unit to participate in a new partnership centering on Princeton University’s Web Accessibility Training.  On a monthly basis, CBVI staff has been providing accessibility instruction to Princeton University staff in order to familiarize them with web-based accessibility and assistive technology. We are hopeful that this continuing partnership with Princeton University will lead to more cooperative events geared towards disability awareness and our consumers. 

A Schedule A Hiring event for the northern region is also currently in the works in collaboration with DVRS. I will be serving as the point of contact for our CBVI consumers who are interested in applying for employment through the Schedule A Hiring Event. More information will be provided to VR Counselors next month as planning gets underway.  There will also be a Diversity Recruitment Event for the southern region on May 10th. This specific recruitment event will allow our consumers and DVRS consumers to network with employers in various industry sectors.  Contact Andrea Askie-Rosario for the list of participating employers.

Youth Employment Solutions (YES) - Increasing Capacity of Community Partners, submitted by Kelly Reymann, Center for Sensory and Complex Disabilities at The College of New Jersey:  The Youth Employment Solutions (YES) pilot program was designed to provide supports to the graduates of the Work Skills Prep program to increase the likelihood of achieving employment outcomes.  Under the direction of the individual’s VR Counselor and in collaboration with their customized employment team; involving the consumer, parent/family/guardian, DDD Support Coordinator, and the Supported Employment Job Coach from a community rehabilitation program, this support role has been gradually improving employment outcomes.   

After approximately six months into the pilot-phase we determined it was time to share our information and practices with one of the community partners to increase the level of supports provided to those we serve.  Community Options, Inc., a Supported Employment Agency serving CBVI consumers across the state, reached out to gain more knowledge to build their capacity and ultimately influence their ability to support the fulfillment of our mission, which is, providing quality services that lead to competitive integrated employment.  

On Friday, January 27, 2017, a five-hour training was held to meet the needs of the 11 members of this supported employment agency. The training included job coaches, employment specialists, and supervisors and was designed and facilitated by the YES program and SRC members. Before the training information was gathered to develop the topics that would be covered. SRC Business Relations Sub-Committee members, Danielle Licari, Kelly Reymann,  and Danielle Sweeney, YES Program Technical Assistance Specialist, worked together to provide context, as well as techniques and approaches that have been successful when supporting consumers to fulfill their work responsibilities.  During the training staff participated in discovery activities, lecture, simulated activities, and discussion where frequently asked questions were addressed.  An evaluation survey was conducted post-training, and it was unanimous that staff walked away with new information to apply to their field. The survey also revealed the need for additional technical assistance to form this community of practice.  

Educational Services – Eva Scott, Director of Blindness Education
“We are not going in circles, we are going upward.  The path is a spiral;

we have already climbed many steps.”  - Hermann Hesse

Blindness Education has been moving upward and onward to improve what we do for our students.  As we rapidly approach the end of another academic year, let us take stock of the accomplishments of our students.  Our students’ individual successes in academics, self-advocacy, and independence can also be credited to their families, friends, and educators.  We’re all spiraling upward together.

Welcome to Blindness Education, Tammy Cordwell: It is my pleasure to announce that Tammy Cordwell has agreed to join us in Blindness Education, as an Education Supervisor in our Freehold Service Center.  Many of you already know Tammy as a very capable technology specialist.  Prior to becoming a TSS at CBVI she was a technology specialist at Advancing Opportunities and at the Center for Assistive Technology and Inclusive Education Studies (CATIES) at The College of New Jersey.  Tammy’s years of experience in assisting blind and vision impaired students in the area of technology has given her a clear understanding of the need for each of our students to develop proficiency in all skills of blindness to become fully independent, successful adults.  Tammy’s process oriented skills and understanding of organizational structures will be of benefit in continuing to move Blindness Education upward.

Blindness Education Bids Farewell to Eddie Montanez: For the past year, Eddie Montanez has been the Supervisor of the Meyer Center.  Earlier this year, Eddie decided to embark upon a new opportunity within the CBVI team and is now the technology specialist for CBVI’s Independent Living Services Unit.  Thanks are owed to Eddie for his hard work and dedication to the Meyer Center during the past year.  During that time, he helped bring about some positive changes there, including the hiring of a full-time transcriber and the establishment of an electronic library to assist our teachers in the ordering of Braille and large print books and materials.  We will miss Eddie at the Meyer Center, but we are happy that he will continue to share his talents and abilities with CBVI consumers.

Independent Living & Clinical Services – Elizabeth DeShields, Coordinator
What’s New in Independent Living?

Independent Living continues to expand its array of services with the implementation of several new programs over the past few years and plans underway to add more. The most recent initiatives have expanded CBVI’s ability to serve more consumers in new and effective ways.  

Our Assistive Support Programs for Independence Renewal and Education (ASPIRE) has flourished   with Susan Vanino serving as the Support Program Coordinator. Soon there will be peer support groups in all 21 counties and meetings are currently being arranged to incorporate additional groups specific to veterans with vision loss.  

The Library Equal Access Program (LEAP), in collaboration with the Assistive Technology Unit, the NJ State Library Talking Book and Braille Center and Advancing Opportunity has grown from offering services in three libraries to being in seven libraries across the state.  Individuals with a change in vision (target population is 55 and older) are provided with group lessons to use assistive technology focusing on speech, braille and magnification on the devises housed at the libraries that were provided by CBVI. The equipment is also available for CBVI staff to set up individual instruction if needed and for anyone using the library that may need the devices.  CBVI has received several requests from libraries interested in participating in this program. 

The Closed Circuit Television System (CCTV) Distribution Policy that became effective about a year ago has already provided over 50 consumers with CCTVs. Approximately ten additional individuals are in the three- month trial period and may be receiving their own CCTV soon.  Staff report that consumers have told them of the benefits of receiving a CCTV.  Other feedback includes their having observed how consumers’  appear to feel more confident while enjoying the independence of not relying on others to read the newspaper, write out their own checks for bill paying as well as the excitement of being able to see the details of their grandchild’s face on photos. We plan to continue this program as long as the resources are available. 

After the overwhelming positive response from consumers and staff CBVI will again present the Senior Hands-On Retreat Experience (SHORE) this spring for the Northern/Central Region in Spring Lake.  Twelve new seniors and their companions will be applying and participating in this six night, five day residential program that is jam packed with independent living skills training in a unique environment.  The skills that will be taught by our O&M Specialists, Eye Health Nurses, Rehabilitation Teachers and many guest speakers and instructors are easily transferrable.  The seniors will be able to apply what has been learned throughout the week in the course of their daily lives when they return home.

Eddie Montanez has joined Independent Living as a Technical Support Specialist.  Eddie has already assisted one of the Centers of Independent Living (CIL), providing instruction on the use of Assistive Technology equipment that has been provided by the Independent Living Unit, so that any individual that is blind or vision impaired may make use of the equipment available.  Eddie will continue to reach out to the other CILs.  Eddie’s expertise allows Independent Living to offer additional AT services to those IL consumers that otherwise may not have been eligible.  Eddie will also provide AT programs for ASPIRE groups and training for IL RT staff as necessary.   

In April 2017, Vicki Jarosz will fill a void in Independent Living by joining us as our very own Statewide Deaf-Blind Consultant.  Her years of experience and expertise will be of great benefit to our staff and consumers in need of deaf-blind services.  Vicki will be assisting IL staff servicing consumers directly as well as being an adjunct to staff by arranging interpreters, creating authorizations, offering guidance when necessary and will also be involved in other related programming and data reporting.

Please continue to refer individuals to Independent Living for any specific skill training or any of our specialized programs.  

A big thank you to all Independent Living Staff that provide life-changing services for CBVI consumers and for continuing to uphold CBVI’s mission as our range of services expands. 

Joseph Kohn Training Center – Del Basha, Manager
JKTC Hosts Graduate Students’ Visit

On March 7th, the JKTC hosted a group of graduate students from Rutgers University, who were provided information and a tour of the center. 

The students, who were accompanied by their professor, are currently enrolled in the Master of Science, Rehabilitation Counseling degree program. The trip to the JKTC served to enhance these graduate students' awareness of the training options and the available social support structure. Also, by observing the Center’s operations, the Rutgers students were exposed to the related independent living and vocational benefits of the JKTC experience. 

The visitors first met with JKTC's VR caseworker Ed Kawalec, and then had an opportunity to observe various classes. They also had an opportunity to speak with both JKTC staff and consumers. Overall, the interactive tour of the JKTC offered these graduate students a chance to learn about the various and valuable services available to blind and vision impaired residents of New Jersey. Hopefully the professor and group of students gained a deeper appreciation for the comprehensive nature of the Joseph Kohn Training Center.   

Business Enterprises of New Jersey – Deacon Truesdale, Manager 
The Business Enterprises of New Jersey (BENJ) is a national program that provides the opportunity for legally blind adults to become entrepreneurs.  In this program individuals operate a variety of businesses dealing with food products.  There are vending opportunities, snack bars, and cafeterias.  To become an operator, individuals must participate in a training component issued by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) called ServSafe.  ServSafe is food and beverage safety training that focuses on foodborne illness, cross contamination, food allergens, biological toxins and most importantly, preventative measures.  How to properly purchase and receive foods is an important consideration, especially when dealing with shellfish, which is shipped and maintained at a certain temperature.   

Each year CBVI offers ServSafe training and re-certification for the individuals managing BENJ operations. The training covers the importance of food safety, proper hygiene, time and temperature control, cleaning and sanitizing, methods of thawing, cooking, cooling and reheating food, and more.  The BENJ program understands and conveys to all program participants the importance of maintaining food safety methods for the benefit of maintaining a loyal customer base. After completion and passing the test, the manager’s ServSafe certification is valid for five years. 

Additional information about ServSafe can be found on the National Restaurant Association’s website www.servsafe.com.

Human Resources – Hugo Ruiz, Manager
     The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990Page Content

Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and its 2008 amendments prohibit private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. The ADA covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations. The ADA's nondiscrimination standards also apply to federal employees under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, and it’s implementing rules.

Pursuant to the ADA, an individual with a disability is a person who:

  a.. Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, i.e., seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. 
  b.. Has a record of such impairment. 
  c.. Is regarded as having such impairment. 
A qualified employee or applicant with a disability is an individual who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job in question. Reasonable accommodation may include but is not limited to:

  a.. Making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. 
  b.. Job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position. 
  c.. Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices; adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials or policies; and providing qualified readers or interpreters. 
An employer is required to make a reasonable accommodation to the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee if it would not impose an "undue hardship" on the operation of the employer's business. Undue hardship is defined as an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as an employer's size, financial resources and the nature and structure of its operation.

An employer is not required to lower quality or production standards or eliminate essential job functions to make an accommodation, nor is an employer obligated to provide personal use items such as glasses or hearing aids.  

Under the ADA, employers may not ask job applicants about the existence, nature or severity of a disability. Applicants may be asked about their ability to perform specific job functions. A job offer may be contingent upon the results of a medical examination, but only if the examination is required for all entering employees in similar jobs, such as public safety titles, like police and firefighters, and employees working in public transportation operating motor vehicles, trains, or buses. Medical examinations of employees must be job-related and consistent with the employer's business needs.  

It is important to note that employees and applicants currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs are not covered by the ADA when an employer acts on the basis of such use. Tests for illegal drugs are not subject to the ADA's restrictions on medical examinations. Employers may hold illegal drug users and alcoholics to the same performance standards as other employees. 

It is also unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on disability or for filing a discrimination charge, testifying or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding or litigation under the ADA.

CBVI’s Office of Human Resources administers the ADA process through an ADA Coordinator, who is also the Manager of Human Resources.  Once an employee requests an ADA accommodation through our office (preferably in a face-to-face meeting), the ADA Coordinator, with the written authorization of the requesting employee, engages the employee’s medical provider in an interactive dialogue to obtain information on the medical condition to certify that it substantially limits one or more major life activities.  A recommendation may also be obtained from the medical provider (the employee may also make recommendations at the initial meeting with our office) for accommodations that may help the employee in the workplace.  Our office will then communicate to the employee in writing the reasonable accommodation(s) offered which do not constitute an “undue hardship” on the employer and, if the employee accepts them, the accommodation(s) are provided and that ends the process at that point.  However, all ADA accommodations are subject to at least yearly monitoring to make certain that they are still providing the needed assistance to the employee and/or to determine whether new or different accommodations need to be considered based on changed work or medical circumstances.  The ADA process may be initiated by the employee submitting the ADA Request for Accommodation form to our office, which is accessible on our intranet under the heading of “Policies”.  

The ADA is administered and enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  More information regarding the ADA and the guidelines used by the EEOC to implement its provisions may be found in their official website at https://www.eeoc.gov . 

.    

As always, of course, please contact Human Resources at 973-648-2412 or 973- 648-3253 if you have any questions regarding the ADA, need to submit a request for a reasonable accommodation, or have any other human resources inquiry.  We are here to help.

Staff Development – Kenya Whitehurst-Percell
As the weather gets warmer so should we.  Staff Development is declaring this month to be CBVI’s Annual Mandatory Training Spring Fling! All staff are encouraged to use this month to complete your required training on the Learning Management System (LMS). 

I know and completely understand, we’re all busy, but it has to be done.  An idea would be to make it a competitive team building exercise by encouraging your unit members to meet full completion goals before other work units at your location. Set-aside a couple of hours or a day, bring in snacks, assist and support one another and if you can, think of it as fun. 

To assist staff I have scheduled visits to the three regional offices to demonstrate the Learning Management System (LMS): 

·         Freehold - March 16, 2017

·         Cherry Hill - March 28, 2017 

·         Newark - April 6, 2017

All presentations are from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. To ensure there is enough space, please submit training request. Drop-ins are welcome provided there is enough space. Make sure to have your supervisor’s approval before attending. 

CBVI’s next new hire orientation will be April 12th and April 18th. If you are a new hire, have not attended the CBVI orientation and have not received notification of these dates please contact kenya.whitehurst-percell at dhs.state.nj.us.

Please remember to send all training request to: CBVI.StaffDevelopment at dhs.state.nj.us.

Regional Updates 
Southern Region – Jack Thompson, Manager 
Wesley’s Success Story – submitted by Nancy Kasmar, EHN: I was referred to an 11 year old young man, Wesley, to help him learn how to do his own ostomy care.  An ostomy is created when a person has a serious health issue, by surgically diverting a piece of bowel through the abdominal wall to the skin for stool to exit the body.  The circular opening is approximately two inches in diameter, and is called a stoma. Ostomates wear a special pouch attached by a strong adhesive to catch the waste which secretes intermittently. Dealing with an ostomy is complicated and some patients have great difficulty coping. At that time, Wesley’s mother and home nurse were doing his ostomy care. 

During my initial visit, Wesley and his mother demonstrated all the steps required for changing the pouch, cleansing the area, and discarding the waste. Some of the concerns were checking for abrasions or skin breakdown, properly sizing, cutting and insertion of the barrier wafer, careful removal and placement of the pouch, sanitation, as well as Wesley’s physical comfort and ability to manage all the steps with his vision impairment.

Over several lessons I strongly encouraged Wesley to increasingly participate, and practice, with emptying his pouch independently, and also to eventually completely change it.  EHN encouraged Wesley by praising what he did correctly, offering suggestions on how he could improve his handling of the process, and reinforcing how he is changing into a young man and that it is appropriate and important to become independent with self- care and grooming.    We also discussed the importance of having a properly secured ostomy pouch to avoid the potential of a very serious social impediment.  

When I checked with his mother on how Wesley was doing, she said his experience and confidence with his ostomy care has really improved. He changes his pouch about five times a week now and actually asked to have his Grandma over so he could show her how he can do it by himself. 

New or Noteworthy
The Margot Studer Memorial Art Collection of Works by Blind Artists

The Commission is the owner of a very unique collection of artwork created by blind, vision impaired and deaf-blind artists from New Jersey and around the United States. These works were assembled by CBVI in the early 1980s with funding approved by the Board of Trustees from the Caroline Rose Foster Fund. The collection was dedicated to the memory of Margot Studer, who was an active member of the Commission’s Board of Trustees from 1948 until her death on November 5, 1983.  

Mrs. Studer was the wife of Augustus C. Studer Jr., a member of one of the founding families of Montclair, where she resided at her estate located at 25 Prospect Avenue.  She dedicated her life to helping others and supporting civic and cultural activities.  Much of her efforts were directed towards promoting and understanding the capabilities of blind and vision impaired people. 

The Studer Collection was first curated and shown at The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers in New Brunswick in December of 1984.  In 1985, the pieces were installed at CBVI locations around the state as well as at the NJ State Library Talking Book and Braille Center and DHS headquarters in Trenton. 

The works in the 35 piece collection represent a broad range of art media and were intended to be accessible to CBVI consumers.

Photos of just a few of the Studer Collection pieces follow:  (1. The New Kid; 2. Dog; 3. Woman With Cards; 4. The Rag Timers; 5. Kalungji; 6. Camel Jockey; 7. Dancer; 8. Mallard Duck; 9. Horses and 10.  Second Dimension Abstract)

comments 

The Last Words
“Every job is a self-portrait of the person that did it. Autograph your work with excellence.” – Jessica Guidabono

Please send items or suggestions for the next issue of the Commission Edition by or before 11 a.m., Monday, April 17, 2017:

Pamela.Gaston at dhs.state.nj.us and Melissa.Brown2 at dhs.state.nj.us 

From: joe ruffalo [mailto:nfbnj1 at verizon.net] 
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2017 6:49 PM
To: Brian Mackey <bmackey88 at gmail.com>; joe ruffalo <nfbnj1 at verizon.net>
Subject: paste in the body Fw: March 2017 Commission Edition

Brian, paste in the body.Thanks 

I will review before I forward to all.

We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President 
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey 
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking 
www.carshelpingtheblind.org 
or call 855 659 9314

From: Daniel.Frye at dhs.state.nj.us 

Sent: Friday, March 24, 2017 4:01 PM

To: CBVI.AllUsers at dhs.state.nj.us ; Walter.Bakun at dhs.state.nj.us ; Nancy.Day at dhs.state.nj.us 

Cc: Elizabeth.Connolly at dhs.state.nj.us ; Doris.Windle at dhs.state.nj.us ; Valerie.J.Harr at dhs.state.nj.us ; Joseph.Amoroso at dhs.state.nj.us ; David.Alexander at dhs.state.nj.us ; Nicole.Brossoie at dhs.state.nj.us ; Christopher.Bailey at dhs.state.nj.us ; Christina.Mongon at dhs.state.nj.us ; Walter.Valora at dhs.state.nj.us ; Nancy.Day at dhs.state.nj.us ; dbfrye0468 at gmail.com ; yolandor at icloud.com ; seahawkfan2 at comcast.net ; yolandor at icloud.com ; barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com ; noel.nightingale at ed.gov ; nfbnj1 at verizon.net 

Subject: March 2017 Commission Edition

Colleagues:

Please find attached the March 2017 issue of the Commission Edition, the internal publication of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI or Commission). As is my practice, I owe gratitude to Pamela Gaston and Melissa Brown for their invaluable support in helping to edit, proofread, and format our newsletter. You will notice that we have several new contributors to these pages this month; I hope that this fact will inspire others to consider the submission of something creative for the Commission Edition in future months.

This month’s release reflects an agency in the full swing of delivering high-quality services to our consumers while simultaneously working to improve daily all that we do. I hope that you find somewhere in the attached newsletter a kernel of resource, or something new, that adds benefit to your regular work for our agency.

March 2017 has seen an unusually high number of new staff joining our agency; in future issues, I will try to acknowledge these new peers. Until then, please say hello and greet warmly anybody that you might encounter, particularly if they seem new to you.

With Monday ahead, we welcome spring and the turning of the seasons. With the changing of the weather, we look to our traditional summer transition programs. I invite you to consider how you might contribute in a new and constructive way to the positive and meaningful work that CBVI staff always offer as the spring leads into summer.

Finally, know, in this month of Vocational Rehabilitation Appreciation, that all of you are truly appreciated for all that you do for the Commission. Keep in touch, be well, and do good work.

With Kind Regards,

     Daniel B. Frye, J.D.

      Executive Director

      State of New Jersey

      Department of Human Services

      COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED 

      153 Halsey Street, 6th Floor, P.O. Box 47017

      Newark, NJ 07101

      Office: (973) 648-2324 ● Mobile: 973-951-1156 ● Fax: (973) 648-7364

      Email: Daniel.Frye at dhs.state.nj.us

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