[nfbwatlk] Possible Closure of the DSB OTC Residency Program

[Alco Canfield]

You're right, Dean.  However, I doubt very much that DSB or the legislature will be too keen on out-of-state expenditures.  + is ludicrous to send people out of the state.  Better to have good services here.  I'll bet those centers' track records re employment aren't any better than regular state rehab agencies.  No statistics have ever been forthcoming re this, and even if they did, they probably are about as  accurate as the supposed 50,000 members the NFB is always trumpeting.

Alco

-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Martineau <dean at topdotenterprises.com>
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 1:28 PM
To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List' <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Possible Closure of the DSB OTC Residency Program

My guess here is that the NFB won't view this development as too much of a
negative, because it means that they will be able to leverage more people
being sent to the Colorado Center because, after all, comparable services
aren't provided in Washington.

Dean
  

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Nfbnorthwest at aol.com
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 12:17 PM
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Possible Closure of the DSB OTC Residency Program

 
Hello: 
Due  to the economy and State budget cuts DSB is considering closing the OTC

Residency program. Please read the info posted below. I was part of the 
program  for a short time but I had to return for personal reasons including
health 
 concerns. I was considering returnin gto the program at a later date, but 
being  separated from my Spouse Ron was very hard to deal with and thus
caused a 
great  deal of stress. However, the program can help and should not be cut.
I 
don't  know what our position in this matter is, but I am interested in 
finding out. I  got the info from the WCBL list. I am very concerned about
how this 
is going to  impact services in the State and also how far the budget
cutting 
will go. What  other programs will be effected. 
I  have to admit during my short time in the program I never heard anyone 
mention  stopping the program for the residents; the hours at the center
were 
changed but  nothing beyond that. However, I did sense a great deal of
tension 
and stress; I  had a feeling that something was going to happen.  
The  program is a good one to have. We should not allow it to be lost. Even 
in favor  of other programs in other states. I hope that everyone will
support 
the program  staying open. Also, I hope that everyone will encourage DSB to 
cut carefully  when it comes to services.  
Lisa  A. Owen 
Secretary  Officer  
NFB  of WA Student Division 
360-920-0405 
_nfbnorthwest at aol.com_ (mailto:nfbnorthwest at aol.com)    
PS:  Mike I would like to hear your views on this issue please and thanks.


-----  Original Message ----- 
From: "Denise Colley"  <dmc0124 at comcast.net>
To: "wcb list" <wcb-l at wcbinfo.org>
Cc:  "WCB Presidents List" <presidents at wcbinfo.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 01,  2009 6:15 PM
Subject: [Wcb-l] proposed closure of the DSB OTC  apartments


As your president I am posting the following information,  as we understand 
it, so that all of you will know where WCB stands and the  actions we have 
taken.

Last Wednesday representatives from both WCB  and NFBW had a conference call

with Department of Services for the Blind  Director, Lou Oma duirand, to
talk 
about the Department, and how they were  being impacted budgetarily and 
programmatically with the current economic  climate in Washington State. 
These were conversations we had been having  with DSB since October.  Up 
until this most recent call, we had been  led to believe that, while budget 
cuts were inevitable, DSB was going to be  able to withstand them with some 
creative budgeting.

The call began  with Lou Oma sharing that there were three goals driving all

of their budget  decisions, to include:
1)  making cuts that would have the least impact  possible on services to 
their customers;
2)  protecting as much of  their federal funding as they could and not 
jeopardizing it;
3)   preserving their ability to be a specialized agency offering
specialized 
 
services and specialized expertise, regardless of the customer's age or  
circumstances.

What she then shared is of great concern to the board  of WCB, and I'm sure 
to all of you, the membership.  One of the  proposed budget cuts is to close

the residential program (apartments) of the  orientation and training
center. 
The training program would remain in tact,  but, essentially would become a 
day training program.  This would mean  that they would really only be able 
to provide their in-depth skills of  blindness training to individuals
living 
in King County and the surrounding  area.  They would no longer have the 
supervised training component that  took place in the apartments in the 
evening and on weekends.  When  asked how those customers living outside the

immediate area would receive  this same level of training, we were told that

this would free up resources  to expand rehab teaching and orientation and 
mobility instruction in these  residential areas.  Depending on the 
circumstances, they could send  customers out of state for more intensive 
training.  They are also  considering bringing itinerant intensive trainign 
workshops into different  parts of the state.

The WCB Board met that same evening to discuss the  situation and began 
formulating our position.  We were all in agreement  that full and complete 
vocational rehabilitation cannot be done in the home  on a once a week or 
once a month basis, and that it is a twenty-four hour a  day process.  After

much discussion I was asked to submit to Lou Oma  our position, and I'm 
pasting it here for your review.

"The  Washington Council of the Blind is categorically opposed to cutting
the 
 
residential function of the orientation and training program, and we charge

DSB with examining other programmatic/administrative functions that could be

cut."

Please be assured that we will continue following this  situation diligently

and developing an action plan/strategy, and as it  unfolds, I pledge to keep

you all informed.
Some of you may be asking  what you can do.  Here is my first appeal to you