[NFBNJ] May 2017 Commission Edition

Thu May 25 17:39:01 UTC 2017

Greetings to all!
My policy is to provide information that highlights education,motivation and inspiration as we work together to make a difference!
Please read and share the following Commission Edition for May 2017.

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
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

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The Monthly Newsletter of the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
May 2017 – Volume 5, No. 5

Daniel B. Frye, J.D.                                                                                                                                             Pamela Gaston

Executive Director                                                                                                                                               Editor

>From the Director’s Desk 
May, this year, is another month of preparation and action at the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI or Commission). Our initiatives are multiple in nature and transcend all of our program disciplines. When viewed cumulatively, no question should exist that CBVI’s administration is working hard, with the support of our 300-plus team members, to deliver high-quality services to our consumers, in relation to our traditional, transition-oriented, summer programs as well as our other year-round services; to offer new training to our staff; to prepare for new organizational infrastructure; to engage in organizational self-evaluation; and to identify and hire new mid-level leadership and front-line professionals to help CBVI achieve its mission.

For the second time, CBVI’s Independent Living Unit hosted another five-day, intensive training retreat for qualified consumers of our Independent Living—Older Blind program from May 7-12. On Friday, May 12, I joined with our consumers and staff to celebrate the successful completion of another week-long training program that focused on teaching travel, literacy and other communication techniques, tasks of daily living, and other social skills, all using nonvisual approaches or low-vision strategies to facilitate self-sufficiency and independence. In the ideal setting of the Breakers at Spring Lake, blind and vision impaired seniors, ranging in age from 55 to 93, learned that living with blindness or vision loss could be managed gracefully and with relative ease, after having acquired knowledge of alternative techniques for functioning with no or limited vision. During the concluding ceremonies, consumers spoke of the transformative impact that this week of instruction has, and will continue to have, in their lives. To be sure, more retreat stories will be shared elsewhere in this issue.

Similarly, May sees our Blindness Education Department preparing for the 2017 Student Hands-On Alternatives Re-enforcement Program (SHARP) for our younger consumers to occur later this summer. We have fulfilled our enrollment goal of 90 students. Clearly SHARP, in its third iteration this summer, is emerging as a popular and effective program for providing critical blindness skills. Additionally, leaders at the Joseph Kohn Training Center (JKTC), in concert with our Transition staff, are wrapping up final details for another Life 101 program this summer for consumers in grades nine and ten. Finally, our Transition and other CBVI staff, in cooperation with our partners at The College of New Jersey, are putting the last touches in place for this summer’s Work Skills Prep (WSP) program and the College Preparation program.

As noted in March’s Director’s Desk column, Amanda Gerson, Coordinator of Vocational Rehabilitation and Transition Services, is leading the delivery of a series of trainings, collectively known as our VR-101 course. On Thursday, May 11, Amanda presented a seminar on the new quarterly reporting protocols and 911 procedures mandated under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to our Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, supervisors, and managers. Further, in compliance with WIOA requirements, The Technical Assistance Center (TAC) on Blindness and Low-Vision at Mississippi State University will present to this same audience a four-day training seminar, from June 5-8, on strategies for employer engagement, a new customer focus now expected to be serviced by Vocational Rehabilitation agencies throughout the country.

In terms of new organizational infrastructure, CBVI has developed our First-Point-of-Contact form which will guide those receiving in-coming calls from Commission consumers as to the necessary data that they should collect, and information that they should share, with individuals reaching out to us for resources or services. This method of uniform customer engagement with callers to the agency is a representation of the distilled best practices taken from our Welcome and Evaluation (WE) Team pilot that ended last fall. Consistent with this new protocol, CBVI has improved our existing toll-free number so that consumers will be routed, during business hours, to the appropriate Service Center to initiate supports. Finally, in terms of systems change, our strong and committed team involved with the Stage Two migration process from Libera’s System Seven case management system to Alliance’s Aware case management system has concluded, at the beginning of May, a three-month dialogue with both vendors that will help to develop our Differences List between the two case management products and should enable us to progress to the next steps of procuring and implementing the Aware system. While introduction and training on the new Aware system remains some way in the distance, the month of May has proven a milestone in that we’ve concluded our first significant round of conversations with both organizations, guaranteeing a seamless transition from one system to the other. Marking this journey in stages, given its length, seems helpful as a means of keeping us all attuned to the steady progress being made to introduce this new and considerably more efficient system.

At three year intervals the Commission is required to conduct a Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA), under the review of the Federal Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), U.S. Department of Education, the entity in the Federal government that monitors the performance of Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. The CSNA is undertaken to evaluate how the Commission could better serve its consumers overall and to identify any constituencies among our diverse consumer base that may be unserved or under-served. Accordingly, CBVI is, and has been, undertaking measures to evaluate comprehensively the performance of the agency in a variety of areas. The administration has initiated a number of discrete projects, all calculated to help develop a detailed narrative picture of how we are doing and where we might improve.

As previously noted in the Commission Edition, we have been taking a deep look at the structure and delivery of our services offered at the Joseph Kohn Training Center (JKTC). Toward this end, I am expecting to receive a White Paper by the end of June with detailed recommendations for program improvement. Additionally, the Commission has been working closely with its State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) and the experts at the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University to develop and circulate a survey to evaluate the efficacy and accessibility of the Assistive Technology services provided through our contracted vendor, Advancing Opportunities. May will see our consumers being able to respond to this survey, offered on-line, by phone, or via the mail, and we anticipate preliminary results and recommendations to be shared with CBVI’s leadership in early June. Finally, we have reached an agreement with San Diego State University, known for its expertise in the implementation of WIOA because of its role as one of the coalition partners in the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC), to visit us in early June for the purpose of helping us undertake other federally required assessments, prerequisite to submitting our CSNA report in late summer. During San Diego State’s on-site visit, selected staff will be interviewed, our written policies and procedures will be examined, and the university will help us prepare a narrative for sharing with our Federal partners. Should you be introduced to our partners at San Diego State University during their visit, please warmly welcome them to CBVI.

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
Collaborative Impact

I recently read an article called “Collective Impact” which resonated with me, in that the concepts presented in the article align with many of the aspirational change initiatives at CBVI.   The basic premise of the article is that in order to deal with any of the complex issues facing our society, a collaborative approach by service providers offers the most promise of finding effective holistic strategies to address them as opposed to isolated, parallel interventions by individual organizations.  As a braided rope is stronger than single strands used simultaneously but individually, a cross-sector coordination of agencies’ services toward a common goal allow for a greater overall impact for those we serve.   

The authors, John Kania and Mark Kramer, developed a framework to facilitate collaborative impact, which includes five key elements. Underlying the five elements is the premise that societal problems are becoming increasingly complex and no single organization possesses all the resources or knowledge-base to solve these problems.  In addition, with less financial resources, and more requirements for accountability data that shows defined outcomes, organizations need to find ways to work collaboratively toward common goals.  Related to the work of CBVI, we know that the high unemployment rates for individuals with disabilities can be linked to numerous societal issues; including broad misperceptions about blindness or other disabilities by the general public, which tends toward having lower expectations around ability to successfully compete in academia and the labor force; inconsistent access to affordable healthcare, perceived disincentives to work for beneficiaries of Social Security benefits including the fear of losing healthcare and a measure of minimal economic security; a fragmented public transportation systems; and the broad issues faced by individuals with limited financial resources who experience insecurity in multiple life areas including stable housing, access to affordable medications, and food insecurity.  CBVI cannot address all these alone, but must rely on connecting our consumers who are experiencing these difficulties to multiple agencies, which is often difficult for our consumers to navigate.  Therefore, we are looking for better ways to address these needs that we believe will ultimately assist in our primary goal, helping our consumers move to a career.

The five key elements of the Collective Impact Framework are:

1.    Common Agenda – a shared understanding of the problem and a joint approach of agreed upon actions to solve it;

2.    Measuring Results Consistently – measurements for alignment and accountability;

3.    Mutually Reinforcing Activities – each expertise is leveraged as part of the overall change strategy;

4.    Continuous Communication – the various actors need to build trust, define objectives, and create a culture of collaboration; and

5.    Backbone Support Organization – dedicated staff with a specific set of skills to serve the entire initiative.

The agency’s leadership is actively engaging community organizations to look for new partners, and expanding the scope of work with current partners that will continue to have that “collaborative impact” for our consumers.  To learn more about the Collaborative Impact Framework, I suggest reading the original article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review at https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact.  The authors also developed a web page with lots of links and resources, beginning a community of practice using this model.   The Collaboration for Impact web site can be found at: http://www.collaborationforimpact.com/collective-impact/.

Organizational Logistics – Ines Matos, Chief 
Recently the Technological Services Specialists (TSS) unit hosted the Annual Assistive Technology Vendor Showcase at the JKTC. This event included 12 vendors who exhibited and demonstrated the current technology and exciting tools for staff. 

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to preview a new product that has not yet been released. The Taptilo is a device created to help people learn braille. The Korea-based manufacturers of Taptilo, OHFA TECH, spent a month traveling to different showcase events and conventions to exhibit the prototype and get feedback from users and instructors on how they can improve the device. The company’s website says, “OHFA Tech, Inc. researches and creates innovative technologies to resolve social issues and needs. The current challenge is to eliminate Braille illiteracy of 300 million visually impaired people around the world. OHFA tries to tackle the challenge with its proprietary actuator technology that can be mobilized into various innovative Braille devices.” 

Taptilo is designed to not only make learning Braille easier, but also fun. The device focuses on learning the Braille letters and words so that knowledge can be transferred to reading Braille independently.  It works with a mobile device app that functions through five different modes. The device can be used with one student or multiple students at the same time. The unique block with six pins automatically refreshes making reading less complicated. The manufacturer’s goal is to eventually use this new micro Braille cell technology to also introduce opportunities to teach and learn arithmetic, mathematics, geometry, graphics and more. The device can function for about a week before it needs to be recharged. 

OHFA has provided CBVI with a prototype of Taptilo with the request that we test it in a variety of learning environments and provide feedback that will be used to implement improvements. The device will be starting out at the JKTC in the Braille department and will be potentially shared with others in the future.  Although we are excited about the opportunity to test and provide our feedback for the continued development of this learning tool, CBVI is not endorsing this product at this time.   

If you previewed the Taptilo at the showcase and are interested in briefly testing it, please contact TSS Supervisor, Colleen Faupel at Colleen.Faupel at dhs.state.nj.us . 

Fiscal Operations – Edward Szajdecki, Chief
As the end of State Fiscal Year 2017 approaches, there are some issues regarding the creation of authorizations that should be noted by all staff. 

Although we try to set up the accounting side of FACTS to minimize using the wrong account in the authorization process, it is sometimes not possible to eliminate that possibility. Therefore it is important for staff to ensure that the correct account is being used for authorizations. It is recommended that you become familiar with the account(s) that are available in your program area. Please take note when selecting the account and if it appears to be incorrect, notify your supervisor and fiscal immediately before proceeding with the processing of the authorization.

In some cases FACTS may assign a secondary account choice incorrectly when funds are insufficient within the primary account. This can easily be remedied by a fiscal staff member and will save you the time and inconvenience of having to cancel and re-authorize when the authorization is found to have an incorrect account later in the process. If there is any confusion or need for clarification, please contact your supervisor, manager and/or fiscal staff member for guidance.

Another concern is the processing of Client Assistance (CA) requests/authorizations. The approval process does not send a notification to the next individual in the approval process. Therefore, if the request is urgent in nature, staff should immediately notify the next person in the approval process of the urgency.  This will ensure the request will be reviewed promptly. If the CA request is approved, then the originator can go back and complete and approve the corresponding authorization. 

Look for the traditional “End of the Fiscal Year End Guidelines” email in the coming weeks for important deadlines and as always, thank you for your anticipated cooperation.  

Vocational Rehabilitation and Transitional Services – Amanda Gerson, Coordinator
EDGE 2.0 - A New Pre-Employment Transition Services Pilot Program

With the completion of another successful year of our Employment, Development, Guidance, and Engagement (EDGE) program, I am excited to announce EDGE 2.0, a pilot extension of our existing EDGE program, for full-time college undergraduates (ages 18-21) who are blind or vision impaired and attending NJ colleges or universities. We will be starting EDGE 2.0 with a pilot cohort of 20 students, many of whom will have gone through the EDGE 1.0 program. 

This pilot Pre-Employment Transition Services program was created in response to an identified need within our transition population as they move from high school to a college setting. High school typically provides a rather high level of support for our transition-age youth, with the involvement of high school staff, aides, case managers, teachers, parents, and CBVI Teachers of the Visually Impaired and VR Transition counselors, all working together with the student to ensure that all educational needs and accommodations are being attended to for the highest level of student success. Suddenly, when a student transitions into the college setting, this network diminishes significantly and students are expected to be self-directed self-advocates, navigating an entirely new system with new rules and expectations. Although supports do exist, from CBVI College Counselors and the Disability Services Office at the college, the onus still falls to the student to initiate action should questions or problems arise. It is no wonder that many students, including many students without disabilities, flounder during that first year as they adjust to this new world of adulthood. 

The goal of EDGE 2.0 is to facilitate this transition with another level of support, providing students with targeted knowledge and skills required to be successful. 

The EDGE 2.0 program is based on competencies which have been shown to be vital to a successful college experience for undergraduates who are blind or vision impaired, and that were researched by our program partner, Learning Ally. Undergraduates involved in this program will learn how to plan a focused and targeted approach to getting the most out of their experiences with faculty, the campus and surrounding communities, the Disability Services Office, course materials, and technology. 

While EDGE 1.0 taught high school students independence, self-advocacy, and workplace skills, EDGE 2.0 is intended to take those skills to the next step by using them to forge a new world of skills and relationships, all of which will contribute to a portfolio of academic achievement and experience that will serve as a foundation for building a successful career upon graduation.

In the month before classes begin, EDGE 2.0 students will go through a Learning Ally College Success Program curriculum via an accessible online course, with modules addressing each of five critical competency areas:

1.    "Managing Your Professor"

2.    "Becoming a Part of the Community"

3.    "Leveraging the Disability Services Office”

4.    "Learning Effectively"

5.    "Making Technology Work for You"

Once those classes are completed, an EDGE 2.0 staff member will work with each student and his/her CBVI College Counselor to develop a customized campus assessment, assimilation plan, and career plan, all of which will contribute to a focused academic, experiential, and relational portfolio that will serve as a superhighway to powerful career destinations.  In the process, EDGE 2.0 will connect the students with a network of undergraduate peers and graduate mentors who will be able to meet with them to support and challenge them during the development and implementation of their plans.  This support network will be available via in-person meetings and an online portal, which also provides access to Learning Ally’s library of useful academic resources, including a catalogue of over 80,000 recorded audiobooks.

The EDGE program is administered by The Family Resource Network in partnership with CBVI, and referrals are submitted by CBVI Transition Counselors (for graduating high school seniors) and College Counselors (for college freshmen and sophomores).

EDGE Students “Fly” the Friendly Skies – Submitted by EDGE Employment Coordinator, Patricia Ebel and Amanda Gerson: Back in November, Patricia Ebel, one of the EDGE Coordinators, began the planning stages of a trip to Newark Airport, working closely with the NY/NJ Port Authority, who were instrumental in making this trip a huge success. There were many logistical considerations and permissions to obtain to make this trip possible, and it was all worth it! 

The main purpose and goal of this activity was to provide the EDGE students with an opportunity to expand and develop their confidence in traveling beyond local travel. This field trip was designed to expose the students to the logistics of air travel, including getting to and from the airport, navigating the airport including going through security, and finally understanding the various accommodations that are available to individuals with disabilities. 

The EDGE program focuses a great deal on independence, both in travel and with other independent living skills and self-advocacy. Parents report that this activity, as well as the other field trips the group has taken to places locally in the New Brunswick area and to further points including New York City, have greatly contributed to the noticeable increase in the students’  self-reliance and proficiency in traveling independently at home, in school and in the community.  

EDGE program staff have also observed the positive changes in the students’ attitudes, personalities, and self-confidence.  We look forward to continuing to expand EDGE students’ breadth of experiences and knowledge as the basis for greater success as they move toward their career goals.

Below is a featured article from the Family Resource Network’s Weekly Newsletter (May 5, 2017):

“Participants in FRN’s EDGE program are used to unique and interesting trips, but a recent outing to Newark Liberty Airport combined several modes of travel training. 

First, students met at one of two very busy train stations where they took the train to Newark. Once they were there, they changed to the Sky Train which took them to the terminal. 

The group of 22 students, plus EDGE staff and CBVI staff, were met by TSA staff who explained the various security procedures that travelers must endure today. 

Then they proceeded to board a United Boeing 757 and took their seats for “preflight” instructions. They toured the plane including the cockpit and several got to sit in the captain’s seat.

After disembarking they had lunch in the terminal, since there was no beverage served or packages of nuts for the passengers. 

Thanks to United Airlines personnel, TSA and NY/NJ Port Authority for their assistance in providing a superior experience to the EDGE students, and kudos to the EDGE staff for continuing to think outside the box.”

Educational Services – Eva Scott, Director of Blindness Education
“When life gets you down, here’s what you do:  Just keep swimming.”

                                                                                    Dory (Finding Nemo)

The quote above is not intended to imply that life in Blindness Education is getting us down.  But, we know that we need to keep going until our students reach their highest goals in life, one academic year at a time. The latter half of April and the first half of May has been a busy one for everyone in Blindness Education.  We are at the end of a successful 2016-2017 school year.  Our teachers, their supervisors, the Meyer Center staff, and the administration are looking ahead to 2017-2018 and hoping that it will be the best year, yet.  I would like to express my thanks to everyone in Blindness Education, including our diligent staff at the Meyer Center for your hard work and dedication to our students and their families.  Thank you all for staying strong and continuing to “swim.”

SHARP 2017: As of Friday May 12th there are 90 students who will be attending SHARP 2017.  The program is now filled to capacity.  The planning teams are eager and ready for a full house in all three locations, Newark, Freehold, and Cherry Hill.

During April and May, I interviewed a number of wonderful high school students from the EDGE program.  Several of these students will serve as interns in the SHARP program.  They will assist the SHARP staff during program activities, and they will act as mentors to the younger students.  I am looking forward to having these successful high school students show our younger students what it means to be independent and self-determined.  

An Increase in the Number of Braille Readers Served by CBVI: Literacy skills are an important part of success in adulthood.  Educators provide or foster literacy skills in learners of all ages.  As human beings, our capacity to develop generative, whole-life literacy is unique to our species and has been a contributing factor in our phenomenal success.  Of the more than 1,700 students served through provider service agreements, approximately 220 students are either learning or using Braille.  This number represents a significant increase in the number of students who are using braille as a primary learning medium or in some combination of Braille and large print as dual media learners.  Braille is the “bread and butter” of what we do in Blindness Education.  Our collective ability to teach Braille is the most important part of our skill set as teachers of blind and vision impaired students.  It is gratifying to know that the number of Braille learners in New Jersey is increasing. 

Independent Living & Clinical Services – Elizabeth DeShields, Coordinator
During the Independent Living Training held in April, Kendra Farrow, CVRT from the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University provided staff with learning opportunities and available resources.   The resource list titled, “Know Where to Go” contains information useful for all staff and can be found on CBVI’s intranet page.

Joseph Kohn Training Center – Del Basha, Manager
The JKTC students recently attended the Pardon My Garden: Sculpture Show, and evening event at Rutgers University. The show included several sculptures designed by the students of the Mason Gross School of Arts which were placed for exhibit, throughout the greenery of the university’s garden. 

This unique art show offered JKTC students an opportunity to use and practice their Orientation and Mobility skills. This activity was ideal because visitors were encouraged to touch and experience the sculptures first-hand. The idyllic Rutgers Gardens encompasses 180 acres and consists of designed gardens and natural habitats, featuring a bamboo grove, a holly collection, an ornamental small tree collection, tribute gardens and other horticultural collections.  

Following the field trip, JKTC O&M Instructors presented a group workshop on independent cane travel and other O&M techniques.              

Human Resources – Hugo Ruiz, Esq., Manager
       The New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA)  

Whistleblower laws throughout the country are meant to protect public and private employees from being retaliated against for reporting illegal or unsafe activities occurring in their workplace to the proper authorities. For example, an employee who reports embezzlement or illegal dumping of industrial waste to the state may be protected by whistleblower laws, which means he or she may sue for any retaliation that occurs as a result of having reported these illegal activities.

In New Jersey, both public and private employees have protection under the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act, commonly called New Jersey's "whistleblower statute or act" or referred to by its acronym, CEPA.

The statute prohibits not only adverse employment actions, such as wrongful termination, demotion or transfer in retaliation for whistleblowing, but the statute also protects against "retaliatory harassment." Retaliatory harassment would be conduct that is hostile, or intimidating, or abusive, and which arises "because of" or has a nexus to that person's status as a whistleblower.

Under CEPA’s provisions, an employer cannot discharge, suspend, demote, or take other retaliatory action against an employee who discloses or threatens to disclose an activity, policy, or practice of the employer or another entity with whom there is a business relationship, or who testifies about, objects to, or refuses to participate in an action that violates the law, a regulation, is fraudulent, criminal, or incompatible with a clear mandate concerning public health, safety, welfare, or protection of the environment.  These protections are afforded to both public and private employees.

However, CEPA requires that the employee first bring any perceived violation (the employee must believe in good faith and under an objectively reasonable standard that a violation has occurred even if it is determined later on that this was not the case) to the attention of a supervisor and afford the employer a reasonable opportunity to correct or remediate the violation, unless the violation is already known to the supervisor or the employee reasonably fears physical harm as a result of disclosure and the situation is of an emergent nature.  Thus, unless these conditions exist, normally an internal complaint must be made first before the employee can report the situation to an outside agency. 

In terms of civil remedies, the employee can file a civil action within one year of an incident of retaliation and receive all legal and equitable remedies available in such actions, including injunction, reinstatement, restoration of full benefits and seniority rights, back pay and benefits, reasonable court and attorney's fees, and punitive damages. Civil fines consist of a maximum $1,000 for a first violation and a maximum of $5,000 for each subsequent violation.

As always, if you have any questions regarding this subject or any other human resources issue, please feel free to contact our Office of Human Resources for guidance and assistance.  We are always here to be of assistance to our valued co-workers and colleagues.  

Staff Development – Kenya Whitehurst-Percell
Learning Management System (LMS): DHS requires that all state employees receive specific mandatory trainings using the Learning Management System (LMS). The frequency depends on the trainings and they vary. 

The information is as follows:

·         State of New Jersey’s Workplace Violence – viewed every two years

·         Security Awareness – viewed once a year

·         State of New Jersey’s Policy Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace – viewed every two years

·         Ethics briefly- viewed annually; except for the year you receive the in-person training.

Staff interested in registering for the classroom setting to view any of these mandatory  trainings online, please contact me at your soonest convenience. 

Tuition Reimbursement Program (TRP): If you are unable to open the TRP documents please email me and I will forward them to you. You can also email tuition.reimbursemet at dhs.state.nj.us to request the information. Please remember upon receiving all required signatures, you must forward your application via email only to tuition.reimbursement at dhs.state.us.

Business Development Skills: All vocational rehabilitation staff attending this training scheduled for June 5-8, please complete all surveys  associated with this project. In addition, remember to bring your laptopsand cellphonesto all training dates.

Regional Updates 
Southern Region – Jack Thompson, Manager 
Senior Hands On Retreat Experience (SHORE) Thing Program – submitted by Susan Hickman: During the week of Sunday May 7th through Friday May 12th, twelve consumers participated in CBVI’s second SHORE Thing Program, which was held at The Breakers on the Ocean in Spring Lake. 

This week long retreat is an all-inclusive program that provides real life experiential learning for the participants who are all age 55 or older. While at the retreat, participants received intensive independent living instruction in, safe travel, health and wellness, assistive technology, communication and self- advocacy skills. Consumers also participated in group discussions and activities geared towards coping with vision impairment, maintaining independence, and living a full and productive life, including leisure activity options. 

Planning and preparing for this activity requires a great deal of attention to detail. Selecting the location, ordering the teaching materials, staffing assignments and most importantly vetting the consumer applicants and assessing their individual needs are all critical for the success of this initiative.

The consumers arrived on Sunday afternoon and after check-in, received orientation to the site and what to expect during the program.  During the opening dinner in a private dining room some participants attempted to interact with one another, almost hesitantly exchanging small talk and pleasantries. However, as the program progressed we observed a noticeable increase in the level of enthusiasm and openness from all consumers during all activities and discussions. 

Monday’s itinerary included “Adjustment to Vision Loss and Empowerment Session” with Susan Vanino for consumers, followed immediately by a separate session for their companions. The consumers were invited to talk about the personal challenges experienced with family and life in general since their vision loss. However, some sessions did not require the participants to be as deep and introspective. The interactive Drum 4 Life activity proved to be equally as much fun as therapeutic.  The consumers sat in a circle and took turns beating a variety of drums and playing other percussion instruments, including a coconut. There was much laughter while the facilitator encouraged the consumers to use the instruments to express themselves from their hearts. 

The other structured activities addressed a variety of topics including orientation and mobility, personal care, community integration, diet and nutrition, stress reduction, relaxation skills and emergency preparedness. 

Another highlight was the dinner/dance on Thursday evening.  The small talk and pleasantries over Sunday’s dinner were contrasted by animated conversations and lots of laughter, conveying that the participants had connected. One consumer, a talented musician, graced us with a few Big Band selections on his clarinet.  As the evening progressed more hidden talents emerged with two participants doing their own rendition of Ike and Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary’ and an impromptu stand-up comedienne.

Friday’s closing ceremony included another thought provoking recounting of life events.  Our Executive Director, Dan Frye, was a true source of inspiration and encouragement, speaking to consumers, companions, and staff about his amazing life story.   Many participants commented how Director Frye’s story encouraged them and how his closing remarks summarized the whole week for them.    The participants stepped out of their comfort zone and CBVI staff presented a well planned and executed program that earned their trust and hopefully changed lives during this 6 day event. There were phone numbers and addresses exchanged and even some tears as we all departed. 

Although this is only our second time presenting this program, we already know it’s a SHORE Thing that the skills and experiences the consumers took away with them will transfer to their home environment and promote independence.

Northern Region – John Reiff, Manager
·         IL Supervisor Vacancy in Newark: A posting to replace our good friend Solange Curry has been circulated with the final response date of May 23rd.  Interested candidates will be interviewed during June and we hope that a replacement will be identified by July.

·         Vocational Assistant for IL Unit: Interviews for a Vocational Assistant to work in the IL Unit in the Newark Service Center have been scheduled for the week of May 22nd. All applicants are on a Civil Service list for that title.

Employment Training Seminar Update: Consumer Session 1 Completed – Submitted by Fanny Mendoza and Yesenia Carrasquillo: We want to extend our gratitude to those VR counselors who have referred consumers to the Employment Preparation Training Seminar. The first workshop that took place at the NSC on April 26th, led by Yesenia Carrasquillo and Fanny Mendoza was a major success as evidenced by the positive feedback received from the four consumers who were referred.  

All group members were on time, engaged, and contributed valuable work experiences and advice to one another.  This activity provided networking, interviewing, and goal setting opportunities for the participants.  A special thank you goes out to Katie Donnellon and Madelaine Garcia for the support provided during this training seminar.

We hope that this initiative continues to evolve as a viable strategy in our mission to help consumers gain and maintain employment. Workshop dates have been scheduled for consumers who may be interested in attending. The next scheduled Employment Seminar is on June 13th and will be led by Andrea Matos and Carolina Gonzalez.  A listing of the tentative dates with the lead VRC will be distributed soon.

New or Noteworthy
A Note from Vocation Rehabilitation Counselor, Jenna Finley:  I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for the wonderful opportunity I was able to take part in at Mississippi State University, over the past three weeks.  I am quite grateful for the experience, as I was able to learn a tremendous amount about the rehabilitation process of blind persons.  One event in particular that had a huge impact on me was one, of a few tasks I had to complete with sleep shades on.  I was required to wear sleep shades and go out for lunch in town, amongst my classmates and professors.  I was sight-guided to my seat, however, I was able to experience ordering, eating and paying for my lunch with minimal assistance.  I was a bit taken back, as this was my first time having this type of training.  Unbeknownst to me, I could not believe how my other senses responded to this experience, and the physical and mental draining I felt.  As a counselor who works with individuals who are blind and vision impaired, this task was truly enlightening.  

I learned a lot of valuable information from BJ and her team, as well as from rehabilitation counselors from various states.  Something I am sure you will all enjoy hearing is the fact that our educational, transitional, low vision services, nursing staff, and the agency as a whole, were referenced and complimented numerous times.  Compared to other states that were represented, (Montana, Alabama, Colorado, Mississippi, Georgia, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia) New Jersey seems to be a state that is looked upon as a trailblazer by other states.

Thank you again for the wonderful opportunity!

comments 

The Last Words
“You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis

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