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<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Greetings to all!</DIV>
<DIV>The monthly Commission Edition for February 2017 is provided.</DIV>
<DIV>Our state agency continues to believe in the capacity of blind/visually
impaired and deaf-blind to raise expectations to live the life we want!</DIV>
<DIV>Working Together To Make A Difference!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">We care. We
share. We grow. We make a difference<BR>Joe Ruffalo, President <BR>National
Federation of the Blind of New Jersey <BR>973 743
0075<BR>nfbnj1@verizon.net<BR><A
href="http://www.nfbnj.org">www.nfbnj.org</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Your old
car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.<BR>Donate your unwanted vehicle
to us by clicking <BR>www.carshelpingtheblind.org <BR>or call 855 659
9314<BR></DIV>
<DIV
style='FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline'>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<DIV><FONT size=3 face=Calibri>****</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"></DIV>
<DIV
style='FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline'><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Bodoni MT Black",serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
Monthly Newsletter of the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually
Impaired<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>February
2017 – Volume 5, No. 2</SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Monotype Corsiva"; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Daniel
B. Frye,
J.D.
Pamela Gaston<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Executive
Director
Editor<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">From
the Director’s Desk <o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>As
we undertake our individual responsibilities here at work, duties that
collectively result in the delivery of a comprehensive set of services to New
Jersey’s blind, vision-impaired, and deaf-blind consumers, let us be mindful of
the privilege associated with being part of the equation that positively
transforms the lives of those we support. Our work is important; the fruit of
our labor is vital.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>In
reflecting on my approach to the work I perform, which necessarily involves all
of the work that you generate, I am mindful of the perspective on work that
Khalil Gibran offers in <I>The Prophet</I>. He says, in
part:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>“And
I say that life is indeed darkness, save when there is
urge;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
all urge is blind, save when there is knowledge;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
all knowledge is vain, save when there is work;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
all work is empty, save when there is love;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
when you work with love, you bind yourself to yourself, and to one
another.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
what is it to work with love?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>It
is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as your beloved
were to wear that cloth.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>It
is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in
that house.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>It
is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your
beloved were to eat the fruit.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>It
is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own
spirit.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Work
is love made visible.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
if you cannot work with love, but only with distaste, it is better that you
should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms from
those who work with joy.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half
man’s hunger.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distills a poison in the
wine.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>And
if you sing though as angels, but love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to
the voices of the day and the voices of the night.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>I
hope that these words inspire you, as they motivate me, to remain mindful of our
mission. In future columns I will return to the day-to-day matters of business,
but in the depth of winter (even where our winter has not been especially
trying), I find it useful to turn to uplifting oratory as a means of holding
close the critical character of working toward our mission.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Thank
you for the work that you perform every day.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: 12.0pt"><I><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Daniel
B. Frye<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Executive
Director<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoSubtitle><B><U><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Learning
Lunch Reminder: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>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, Melissa
Brown, at </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><A
href="mailto:Melissa.Brown2@dhs.state.nj.us"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Melissa.Brown2@dhs.state.nj.us</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
class=MsoHyperlink><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>.</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>***************************************************************************************************************************************************************<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Program
Administration – John C. Walsh, Chief<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B>Update on the State
Rehabilitation Council</B><B><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
Commission is fortunate to have a very active and engaged membership within our
State Rehabilitation Council (SRC); serving as a key partner in our continued
pursuit of excellence in service provision. The Council recently welcomed
new members appointed by the Governor during its February 3, 2017 meeting and is
currently in the process of working towards the complete membership complement
to ensure the council is always fully constituted and has the capacity to
continue the important work of assisting CBVI in fulfilling its
mission.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Current
Members:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Fr.
James Warnke, Chair, Clinical Social Worker/ Episcopal
Priest<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Rick
Fox, Vice-Chair, NJ Chapter - National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Dawn
Monaco, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Susan
Head, Disability Rights New Jersey (DRNJ)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Kelly
Reymann, The College of New Jersey<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Jonathan
Goodman, TD Bank<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Kris
Tucker, NJ Transit<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Jennifer
Armstrong, Sodexo<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Zoraida
Krell, Former Consumer of VR Services<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Fran
Leibner, NJ Department of Education<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Dan
Frye, Executive Director, CBVI<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Danielle
Licari-Scorzelli, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor,
CBVI<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Pending
Appointments:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Gary
Altman, Acting Executive Director, State Employment and Training
Commission<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Lisa
Killian-Smith, State Independent Living Council<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Will
Robinson, Shalay Shaleigh Café<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Joan
Leonard, NJ Council of the Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
SRC has also developed sub-committees to undertake work in the areas of Program
Evaluation, Policy Review, Resource Development, Business Relations and
Legislative Issues. The sub-committee members work collaboratively with
agency staff on various projects. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
current projects being undertaken by the SRC sub-committees are listed
below:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Program
Evaluation</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>:
This sub-committee initiated the recommendation to evaluate our consumers’
satisfaction with the assistive/information technology training provided by
Advancing Opportunities. Through a competitive process, the agency selected the
Eagleton Center at Rutgers University to develop a satisfaction study and the
tentative plan is to begin issuing that evaluative instrument to consumers later
this month. The sub-committee will also assist with other assessment
activities as part of our comprehensive statewide needs assessment, including
the development of a statewide Town Hall meeting to occur in late May/early
June.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Policy
Review</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>:
This sub-committee which reviews CBVI’s new policies before issuance, will be
reviewing new and revised policies on Supported Employment, College Services,
and Extended Employment (511 regulations).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Business
Relations</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>:
This sub-committee’s members are working with Amanda Gerson and the Business
Relations team to expand our capacity to better serve the business
community.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Resource
Development</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>:
This sub-committee has created a resource guide which will be merged with other
informational resources currently being used and the final product will be
posted on CBVI’s web portal.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Legislative</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>:
This newly formed sub-committee will focus on keeping council members informed
on emerging legislation, both on the state and national level that may be of
pertinence to CBVI consumers. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
Commission is grateful for the fine work of the SRC, and looks forward to
continued collaborative success in 2017.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Organizational
Logistics – Ines Matos, Chief</SPAN></U><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></H1>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Stage 2 Migration to
AWARE</SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>On
January 25, 2017, the Commission had its first meeting with Libera and Alliance
representatives to discuss the transition from our FACTS case management system
to Alliance’s AWARE application. During Stage 2 of the migration,
which will conclude at the end of May, Libera will prepare a detailed AWARE
migration plan, project schedule, and cost quotation for CBVI. We will then seek
approval from DHS to proceed to Stage 3, which is the actual migration, data
conversion and go-live to the AWARE product. Members of the lead project
team include Dan Frye, John Walsh, Amanda Gerson, Elizabeth DeShields, Eva
Scott, John Reiff, Jack Thompson, Ed Szajdecki, and Kenya Whitehurst-Percell,
with Denise Cohen and Ines Matos serving as project
managers.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Many
meetings and webinars will occur over the course of the next three and one half
months. Discipline specific groups will be formed to review programs and
test the proposed new system. Stage 3 migration may take 18 to 24 months
to complete.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
Commission is excited and looking forward to using the AWARE case management
system. It is a very robust system that is used widely across the United
States.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Vocational
Rehabilitation and Transition Services – Amanda Gerson, Coordinator
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">VR 101 Training
Series</SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
VR 101 Series is a new “Back to the Basics” training initiative on Vocational
Rehabilitation services and counseling for all VR staff. The VR 101 Series will
be a sequence of training components focused on emerging issues in VR and will
include reviewing policy, guidance, and technical assistance circulars.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>With
the goal of continually working to improve the quality of services that we
provide to our consumers, we’ve been lucky enough to bring on board a cadre of
new VR Counselors over the past year. These trainings will offer all VR staff
the opportunity to refine and sharpen their knowledge and skills and will ensure
that everyone’s knowledge is up to date with the latest changes to law, policy,
and organizational guidelines. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Below
is a list of the currently scheduled dates for VR 101; we hope to hold a
full-day training approximately once per month on varying topics. We also
are interested in receiving your suggestions and ideas for additions to the
series and ask that you submit your recommendations to: Amanda Gerson,
Coordinator of VR and Transition Services, and Kenya Whitehurst-Percell,
Statewide Training Coordinator.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>March
1<SUP>st</SUP> at the JKTC: </SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>SSI/SSDI,
Medicaid/Medicare, and Work Incentives; Disability Rights NJ and the CAP
program; and the BENJ Program<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>March
22<SUP>nd</SUP> at the JKTC:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
IPE/Goal Development; Documentation; and Supported
Employment<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Future
Topics will include: </SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Data
Integrity, Federal Reporting Requirements, Performance Indicators, Workforce
Systems and Partners, and Social Services Programs (TANF, Housing, SNAP,
etc.)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Educational
Services – Eva Scott, Director of Blindness Education<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><I><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>“We live our lives
infused with love and grief, one hundred percent of the
time.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing style="TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>
Joanne De Simone<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>As you can see the
quote above is by Joanne De Simone. Joanne has many roles in her life
including dancer, teacher, advocate, and mother of children with
disabilities. Since 2013, Joanne has been writing about her experiences as
a parent. Her work is enlightening, inspiring, and sometimes
heartbreaking. I recently became aware that Joanne is currently writing a
memoir titled, <I>“Fall and Recovery.”</I> In eager anticipation of the
release of this memoir, I have decided to dedicate my contribution to this issue
of the Commission Edition to the parents of our students.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Parents as Partners: A Personal
Perspective<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>As an educator, for the
past 34 years, I have had the pleasure of working closely with parents.
They have both educated and inspired me as I worked alongside them. I have
laughed with them, celebrated successes with them and on a few heartbreaking
occasions had to offer my meager support when a child passed away.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>When I entered this
field at the age of 22, like so many newly graduated teachers, I thought I knew
everything and that I would be educating and inspiring the parents. I
found out very quickly that they and their children would become my greatest
teachers. From those early experiences working in collaboration with the
families, I have come to believe in the primacy of parents. Parents are
the lifelong teachers, case managers, and champions of their children.
They experience what their children experience in a very real and personal
way. Professionals will enter and exit the lives of children, but parents
are usually the constant presence in their child’s life. I have not yet
met a parent who does not want the best for his or her child. In building
positive parent-teacher relationships, I have always found it helpful to keep in
mind the life experiences of parents and ask, “What life journey has this parent
been on, and how might that journey have shaped his or her point of
view?”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>In the words of a
well-known parent of a child with a disability, Dr. Rud Turnbull, “Do the shoe
test.” This was Dr. Turnbull’s way of reminding all of us that we cannot
understand the point of view of a parent of a child with a disability until we
walk around in that parent’s shoes.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>It is also important to
remember that were it not for a group of dedicated parents, there would be no
federal law mandating that all children are entitled to a free (and appropriate)
public education. Prior to the 1970s, schools and programs for students
with disabilities existed but were not accessible to all students. We are
well-acquainted with the fact that there were residential schools for blind
students where they could develop Braille literacy and other skills of
blindness, but the options available for blind students within their public
school systems depended on the willingness of local public school educators to
provide them with the same access to the general curriculum as their sighted
peers. It was necessary for parents to become strong advocates for their
children and to demand an equal voice among the professional educators.
The parents who appealed to Congress to write and enact legislation knew that a
federal law was necessary to guarantee their children an education.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>It has been forty-two
years since the passage of the first federal law mandating free and appropriate
public education (Public Law 94-142). Today it is still necessary for
parents to be strong advocates for their children and to fight for their primacy
as parents to be recognized. With each Congressional reauthorization of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents have remained
steadfast in their commitment to their children’s rights.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNoSpacing><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>I firmly believe that
we are much more effective in our effort to serve our blind and vision-impaired
students when we embrace their parents not only as partners, but also as
majority stakeholders in the education of their children.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">BrailleNote Touch Tablet Pilot –
Submitted by Christine Hinton<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
George F. Meyer Instructional Resource Center is teaming with the CBVI Assistive
Technology Specialist Unit and CBVI Teachers of the Visually Impaired to conduct
a pilot training program with the BrialleNote Touch Notetaker Tablet. This
pilot will provide 6 students throughout the state with a BrailleNote Touch for
training, allowing students to provide feedback on this device and how it
functions in the school environment. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
technology specialists in each office have identified students based on criteria
including their grade, technology skills and if their local school uses the
Google environment for instruction. This device works as a traditional
notetaker but has added benefits including a touchscreen where students are able
to input braille into the device with a dual function allowing a teacher or
parent to receive visual feedback. Students will have access to mainstream
apps and other features to provide access to information in the classroom more
easily. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>This
pilot training program will start in March 2017 and will conclude in June
2017. At the conclusion, the students will be surveyed on the efficiency
of the device in the classroom and at home in addition to how well the device
syncs with the in class Google Curriculum. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 12pt"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Independent Living
& Clinical Services – Elizabeth DeShields,
Coordinator<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Independent Living Older Blind – Task
Force</SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>In
January, I had the pleasure of attending and participating in the first Older
Individuals who are Blind (OIB) Best Practices Task Force, held in Starkville
Mississippi by the National Training and Research Center on Blindness and Low
Vision (NTRC). NTRC has been awarded a grant for technical assistance for
the OIB program. The goal of the task force was to develop consensus over
several areas that will be considered best or effective practices in
administrating and implementing OIB programs. Best practices were defined
as: <I>Service delivery strategies or techniques that appear effective
based on available evidence; are client-centered; are sensitive to the context
of the service delivery setting; and are responsive to evolving technology,
resources, or research.<o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
task force was made up of project managers for the OIB population from 16
various programs throughout the country with well over 500 collective years of
experience in the field. Three topics were the focus of our discussions:
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Topic 1: Implementing
and Developing Effective Programming</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'> was divided into 8
focus areas with the goal of identifying strategies for enhancing the
effectiveness and efficiency of services. The focus areas were: 1) prioritizing
services; 2) consumer eligibility; 3) prioritizing consumers; 4) managing the
cost of assistive devices and purchasing procedures; 5) prioritizing the
assistive devices that are provided; 6) cultural competency; 7) community
outreach; and 8) the use of para- professionals. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Topic 2: Development of
Qualified Staff</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'> was divided into 4
focus areas: 1) staff qualifications; 2) staff education; 3) staff recruitment
and retention; and 4) the use of para- professionals.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Topic 3: Program
Management</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>, focused on 4 areas of
administrative management of the OIB program: 1) structure or model of services
delivery; 2) program evaluation to determine program effectiveness; 3) effective
use of advisory councils; and 4) how to best use OT’s and the resources
available through billing services through them. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>We
started discussing the topics in small breakout groups and ended with the full
task force deliberating all 16 focus areas. The end results, including both the
areas of consensus and dissention will be consolidated into a white paper that
will be distributed to members before we continue with our work. I will keep you
all posted as we proceed.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 6pt"><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Reminder:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'> You
all now have access to the ASPIRE Directory where you can look up peer support
groups for consumers. It is located on our CBVI intranet at: </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><A
href="http://cbvi-co-wb1/lvpanel/aspire.aspx"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>http://cbvi-co-wb1/lvpanel/aspire.aspx</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Joseph Kohn
Training Center – Del Basha, Manager<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>CBVI
consumers who are enrolled in the JKTC are able to participate in the
independent apartment experience. This unique component of the full
program presents consumers with an opportunity to demonstrate a variety of
skillsets. The independent apartment is fully furnished and is located on the
first floor of the center, away from where the students reside throughout the
program in the Irving Kruger Residence on the second floor. The apartment
consists of a kitchen, dining area, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Students
who stay there are responsible for cleaning and maintaining all of the rooms and
are expected to leave it in "move-in" condition for the next tenant
(student). <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>During
their time in the apartment students are to also host a special dinner for
friends and family. To prepare students must develop and send letters of
invitation as well as independently plan their menu, research recipes, shop for
groceries, and cook the meal that they will enjoy with their guests.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
response from JKTC students who have benefitted from the independent apartment
experience has consistently been positive. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Human
Resources – Hugo Ruiz, Manager<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">The New Jersey Law Against
Discrimination</SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Employment
discrimination is the practice of unfairly treating a person or group of people
differently from other people or groups of other people at work, because of
their membership in a legally protected category such as race, sex, age, or
religion. Each state has passed laws and rules to protect your workplace
rights. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>The New Jersey Law
Against Discrimination (NJLAD), [N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 to 10:5-49], makes
it illegal for an employer to discriminate on the basis of race, creed,
religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, age,
nationality, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, sex,
or liability for military service. The law also makes genetic discrimination
illegal, preventing an employer from considering or testing for an atypical
hereditary, cellular, blood trait or genetic information. It provides
protection for more categories than the Federal Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>The NJLAD also provides
broader protection for employees with disabilities than the similar federal
statute, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), because unlike the ADA, a
claimant under the NJLAD does not need to show impairment of a major life
activity to claim disability discrimination. The ADA will be addressed in more
detail in a future issue of the <I>Commission Edition</I>.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Discrimination claims
under the NJLAD can be filed either with the state administrative agency, the
New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR<B>),</B> or the federal administrative
agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The two agencies
have what is called a “work-sharing agreement,” which means that the agencies
cooperate with each other to process claims. Filing a claim with both agencies
is unnecessary, as long as you indicate to one of the agencies that you want it
to “cross-file” the claim with the other agency.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>The New Jersey
anti-discrimination statute covers employers of any size. Therefore, if your
workplace has between 1 and 14 employees, you may wish to file with the DCR, as
the EEOC enforces federal law which covers only employers with 15 or more
employees. Filing with the DCR is not required to pursue a discrimination claim
directly in court, but if you do not have an attorney you may wish to see
whether the DCR can assist you in resolving your claim without filing in court.
DCR complaints must be filed within <B>180 days</B> of the date you believe you
were discriminated against and EEOC complaints within <B>300 days</B> of the
date you believe you were discriminated against. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>More information
regarding these matters can be obtained by visiting the respective websites for
DCR and the EEOC. As always, the staff of the Commission’s Office of Human
Resources will be happy to provide help and guidance on all human
resources-related matters. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Staff Development
– Kenya Whitehurst-Percell<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>Training opportunities
are offered to Commission staff to support professional development and to
enhance the overall functioning of the organization. Although all staff
are encouraged to participate in training opportunities please keep in mind that
there are also some mandatory staff development core requirements. When applying
or registering for training, please remember to complete all forms before
sending to </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><A
href="mailto:cbvi.staffdevelopment@dhs.state.nj.us"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>cbvi.staffdevelopment@dhs.state.nj.us</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>All staff development
forms can be found on the CBVI Intranet at: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><A
href="http://cbvi-web/intranet/CBVINET/Forms/formindex.html"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>http://cbvi-web/intranet/CBVINET/Forms/formindex.html</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'>If you have
questions or need further information, including accessing the Learning
Management System (LMS), please do not hesitate to email the staff development
unit or call me at: 973-648-2820. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 12pt"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Regional
Updates</SPAN></U><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></H1>
<H2><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Northern Service Region
– John Reiff, Manager</SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Please
join the NSR in welcoming the following new staff:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Shelley
Johns</SPAN></B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>,
Home Instructor and <B>Lucas Duffy</B>, TES Driver<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>We
are happy to have them join our team and assist in efforts to fulfill the
collective goal of providing timely and high quality services to our consumers.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H2><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Southern Region – Jack
Thompson, Manager</SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H2>
<H3 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Success Story submitted by Nancy
Kasmar, Eye Health Nurse<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></H3>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>I
met Diana only a few short weeks ago and she began making big changes right
away. During our first appointment while doing the eye health nurse intake
questionnaire, she mentioned that all the women in her family had diabetes, and
that all who had vision impairments lost sight in their left eye. Her
vision diagnosis is proliferative diabetic retinopathy with macular edema OU,
along with an OS hemorrhage, and OD 20/60, OS counts fingers visual
acuity. I commenced with a short review of self-management skills of
diabetes. I encouraged her to do her part to keep her eyes healthy by
taking prescribed medicines as the doctor ordered, choosing healthy foods, and
checking her glucoses more often to see how food she chose was covered by her
oral medication. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Diana
wasn’t sure how to decide if foods are in healthy portion sizes. We
discussed using the plate method, where half the plate is non-starchy
vegetables, a quarter of the plate is starchy food, and a quarter of plate is a
protein source. I suggested she try using a food diary where she could
list the date, her meals, any glucose tests done, and any exercising she
did. I explained that these details would help us to more easily decipher
how she could make meaningful changes in her personal care. I explained
the purpose of writing down the approximate amount of any food eaten, and her
feelings at that time. We discussed the benefits of checking her glucose
before a meal and then two hours after the meal was completed. I advised her
that if the point spread was less than 50, the meal was covered adequately by
medicine. If the point spread was more than 50 points, than either she needs
more medicine, a change in medicine, or to eat less starchy carbohydrates.
I suggested that if she decided to do the food diary we could review it during
subsequent visits. She told me she’d think it over.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>At
our second visit, Diana surprised me by having bought strips for her own
glucometer machine, acquired more of her oral medication, and having already
started her food diary. She’d already noted that certain high starch
carbohydrates affected her glucose levels adversely, and that when her glucoses
were elevated her hands would tingle. To address this issue she started
making salads to take to work and preparing dinners with plenty of cooked and
raw vegetables. She was also excited because she said she could see movement
with her left eye starting just that day. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>During
our third visit Diana told me she had visited the retina specialist and that the
doctor was very excited that she could see letters on the eye chart with her
left eye. She said that she only gets overly excited when she can’t see
and that her vision improvement made her happy. Diana was obviously very
motivated about maintaining a healthy diet and controlling her intake of
carbohydrates. I suggested she try eating tortillas if she wants to avoid bread,
to see how they affect her, experiment with different fruits and change up
portion sizes. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>She
recently sent me a text to ask why her glucose readings suddenly went up?
She was concerned because she’d been taking her medicine correctly and eating
well. I asked her if she felt ill, experiencing any pain, or feeling
strong emotions? I suggested she consider adding in relaxation to her life, such
as mediation, deep breathing, or actively listening to music. Through further
discussion, it turns out there was a lot of family drama that week, which has
fortunately since calmed down.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Both
Diana and I are looking forward to the next result of her hemoglobin A1c, as we
are sure it has come down with all the positive changes she has
implemented. Her improved good health will assist her to continue working
every day as a teacher’s aide, focused and with a clear
mind.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">New
or Noteworthy<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>The
Department of Community Affairs (DCA) published Public Notices on February 21,
2017, announcing the opening of the State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP)
waiting lists for three categories: <B>Elderly, Family and Disabled
Households</B>. Preliminary applications will be taken beginning <B>March
6, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. until March 10, 2017 at 5 p.m</B>. Applicants must
have an email address to apply and pre-applications will be available online at:
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><A
href="http://www.waitlistcheck.com/NJ559"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: blue'>www.waitlistcheck.com/NJ559</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>
beginning Monday, March 6, 2017.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>Additional
information, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be viewed at:
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><A
href="http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/srap_vouchers.html"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; COLOR: blue'>http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/srap_vouchers.html</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="BACKGROUND: white; PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: 18pt"
align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><A
href="http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2016/06/nj_girl_to_compete_in_national_braille_competition.html#comments"><B><SPAN
style='TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; BACKGROUND: #0582ff; COLOR: windowtext; LETTER-SPACING: 0.15pt'>comments</SPAN></B></A></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LETTER-SPACING: 0.15pt'>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.25in"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: windowtext; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">The Last
Words<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt"><I><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'>“Success
is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by
the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”</SPAN></I><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'> –
Booker T. Washington<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I> </P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman",serif; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%'><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>