[nfbwatlk] Impressions of SRC Meeting

[Lauren Merryfield]

Hi,
I'm glad you guys were there.
Thanks
Lauren
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jedi" <loneblindjedi at samobile.net>
To: <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Impressions of SRC Meeting


> Listers,
>
> Wow. That's intense. Thanks for posting this.
>
> I was there for public comment and for some of the discussion afterward. I 
> know that Kay B was also there for a while, but I don't know if anyone 
> from the Federation arrived after we left, or if Alco stayed past noon. In 
> any case, There was indeed an ton of positive support for the agency and 
> the residential component of the OTC from community members of all types 
> ranging from consumer group participants, past and present OTC students, 
> and those blind people who are simply concerned for the wellfare of the 
> blind community. Those representing consumer groups and current/past 
> participants on the council were also in heavy support of the residential 
> component.
>
> During the short time I was present at the meeting, I got many of the same 
> impressions that Marlaina got. There was heavy emphasis on the part of DSB 
> staff regarding how many lives Direct service Delivery staff touch (the 
> number I heard was 100), and we heard a ton about avoiding order of 
> selection. On one hand, the DSB staff who spoke yesterday morning also 
> spoke highly of their desire to keep OTC residences open. On the other 
> hand, they seemed to have more defined answers about how the OTC's 
> residential component affects their budget and the affects of residential 
> closing than on any other suggestion that was thrown out there. As a 
> result, I got the impression that OTC residential closure was very close 
> to, if not entirely, a done deal.
>
>>From my perspective, it seems a fantastic idea to integrate DSB
> programs more with child and family. I can't figure out though, just how 
> effective moving residential OTC programs to WSSB for a few weeks would 
> be. The whole program would have to migrate to WSSB for that time period 
> in order for such a thing to work out. I'm guessing that's what they had 
> in mind?
>
> Just as marlaina said, I don't intend to put words in anyone's mouth at 
> all. These are, however, the impressions I got. Thanks Mike for posting 
> Marlaina's comments, and thanks to Marlaina for being an excellent 
> advocate.
>
> Also, I want to send a shout out to those on list who attended the meeting 
> during public comment. Kay B, Alco, Kris, and Dan Frye all did an 
> excellent job of sharing their perspectives and experiences with the 
> group.
> Original message:
>> Fellow listers:
>
>> Technically, Marlaina Lieberg of WCB is the designated "consumer 
>> representative" on DSB's State Rehabilitation Council. Below are her 
>> impressions of yesterday's meeting.
>
>> Mike Freeman
>
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: "Marlaina Lieberg" <1guidedog at gmail.com>
>> To: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
>> Date: Sunday, Mar 8, 2009 12:14:57
>> Subject: please forward to nfbw
>
>
>>> Hello all.
>>> I decided to wait a few hours before posting or even much discussing my
>>> impressions of the SRC meeting yesterday.  So, here they are.
>>> during her report, Lou Oma Durand stressed repeatedly that she valued 
>>> the
>>> residential aspect of the OTC.  She said that she has been running in 
>>> the
>>> baseball field at midnight with students in the past, and she sees the
>>> change the residential program can make in lives it touches.  She 
>>> indicated
>>> that she has had discussions with Dean Stenehjem at the School for the
>>> blind, and he has offered the possibility of using the school's cottages 
>>> for
>>> 3 weeks or so in the summer as a residential training facility.  DSB is
>>> considering that.  Parenthetically, Cindy and I asked her during the 
>>> days
>>> prior to the SRC meeting yesterday about partnering with the school to 
>>> do
>>> child and family services work.  I never thought we got a clear response 
>>> to
>>> that suggestion, just as many other suggestions we raised seemed not to 
>>> have
>>> a clear response for me.
>>> It was wonderful to see so many people present in the room for testimony 
>>> or
>>> simply to be a presence.  Many people, including OTC current students, 
>>> gave
>>> great testimony regarding how impactful the OTC has been or is currently 
>>> in
>>> their lives.  We had a number of people calling in, and the Council felt
>>> that while we had an issue with one person having an inordinate amount 
>>> of
>>> background noise, the system worked perfectly and we will look into
>>> expanding its use for future meetings.
>>> The stories we heard were from blind people who had either worked with 
>>> other
>>> blind people in the OTC, or who themselves were changed because of the
>>> impact of the residential portion of the OTC.  We heard from people who 
>>> said
>>> they never would have made it with training in their home, or a 3-week
>>> training experience elsewhere.
>>> Throughout the day, we were reminded by DSB staff that if they could not
>>> find money to cut, DSB would go into order of selection to serve its
>>> customers.  Order of selection means that decisions regarding the 
>>> importance
>>> of one customer's need versus another will have to be made, thereby 
>>> creating
>>> waiting lists.
>>> Since most of you are most concerned about the OTC, let me stay focused 
>>> on
>>> that issue.  Keiko Namekata, OTC Director, reported on average numbers 
>>> of
>>> students the OTC has served for 4 years prior to apartment living, and 
>>> the
>>> first 4 years after the apartments became a part of the residential
>>> experience.  Cindy asked Keiko for some annual statistics, a thing I 
>>> might
>>> add we've been trying to get from other DSB staff all week, and Keiko 
>>> said
>>> she'd be glad to provide them.  She shared that the OTC is open from 8 
>>> to 5,
>>> and students migrate in and out as they go for the various classes they
>>> need.  She mentioned keyboarding and computer skills as two separate
>>> classes.  I asked her why those were separated, and she said that in 
>>> order
>>> for some students to really grasp the keyboard shortcuts necessary to be 
>>> a
>>> successful computer user, plus the fact that it is not uncommon for 
>>> students
>>> to have reach range issues, keyboarding really must be separate from
>>> computer skills training.
>>> We had a fair amount of discussion about the budget, and Jim Lochner, 
>>> DSB's
>>> budget analyst, along with others in management positions, indicated 
>>> that
>>> the senate budget could require even more cuts.  Nobody knows.
>>> Toward the end of the day, I initially attempted a motion requesting DSB 
>>> to
>>> share with the Council the justification they use for retaining
>>> state-funded, non direct service delivery positions.  Throughout the day 
>>> we
>>> heard that each staff person doing direct service touches the lives of 
>>> an
>>> average of 100 persons.  It was a hard motion to make, but I did so to 
>>> get
>>> discussion back to the issue about which the blind community is most
>>> concerned, preserving the residential portion of the OTC.  After the 
>>> motion
>>> was seconded, Don Alveshere spoke up and said when the positions are
>>> transferred in July, there would be no state funded direct service
>>> positions.  At that point, I'm afraid I was tired and my head spinning, 
>>> so I
>>> said, "Don, I've been trying to behave and be respectful all day.  Now I
>>> have to say this.  What you are essentially saying is that this is a 
>>> done
>>> deal.  Let's just get it out on the table."  Debbie Cook then explained 
>>> that
>>> the issue isn't about jobs, and she reiterated again that if something 
>>> isn't
>>> done, DSB will go to order of selection, and as other DSB personnel said
>>> throughout the day, order of selection is the first step toward melding 
>>> DSB
>>> into general VR.  Cindy responded that my motion, she believed, stemmed 
>>> from
>>> frustration that the Council has no information, or very little 
>>> information,
>>> yet DSB continues to say they are listening to our ideas.  I withdrew my
>>> motion after discussion, and simply requested information (again) to 
>>> help
>>> the Council understand how DSB arrived at its current decision.
>>> So, my impression is that we might get to keep 2 apartments, since Lou 
>>> Oma
>>> mentioned that as something they are considering.  However, I wouldn't 
>>> take
>>> it to the bank.  As the consumer representative on the Council, I will 
>>> share
>>> what I know as I learn it, and I know Cindy will do the same.  Frankly, 
>>> I
>>> came away feeling that if we get 2 apartments, we'll be lucky.  The SRC
>>> members did agree that we needed conference calls between face-to-face
>>> meetings so that we can remain informed and in communication with the
>>> Agency.
>>> I think people can and should feel some comfort in the fact that without
>>> exception, each member of the SRC felt concerned that the Council was 
>>> not
>>> involved in any way shape or form until after a decision had been made. 
>>> One
>>> member even came straight out and said that when it comes to an agency 
>>> job
>>> or serving blind people in the most appropriate manner, he didn't care 
>>> who
>>> had to go.
>>> Another thing we discussed is the possibility of streaming council 
>>> meetings
>>> live on ACB Radio.  Stay tuned, we'll see what happens.
>>> Thank you for reading this; these are my personal observations, and 
>>> should
>>> no way be misconstrued to be representative of actual approved minutes 
>>> from
>>> yesterday's meeting.  This is simply how Marlaina Lieberg saw things, 
>>> and
>>> how she reacted in the best way she knew how.
>>> Warmly,
>>> Marlaina
>>> I use to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure!
>
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> -- 
> REspectfully,
> Jedi
>
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