[Ohio-talk] FW: Clarification Regarding our Meeting

[J.W. Smith]

Colleagues, plese read the very important message below and spread the word.

 

It is one result of a productive meeting that I had with BSVI Director Dan
Connors and Executive Director Kevin Miller this past Wednesday October 19th
in my office in Athens.

 

Jw

 

 

Dr. J. Webster Smith

President, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

PO Box 458 Athens, OH 45701

740-592-6326

 

"Changing what it means to be blind"

For more information go to nfbohio.org

 

From: Connors, Daniel [mailto:Daniel.Connors at rsc.ohio.gov] 
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 3:21 PM
To: J Webster Smith (jwsmithnfb at frontier.com)
Subject: Clarification Regarding our Meeting

 

Good afternoon Dr. Smith,

 

It was a pleasure to meet with you this week. As promised, I wanted to
follow-up with you regarding the issue we discussed around our Order of
Selection Waiting List. From what I understand, there is a perception
amongst individuals who are blind and/or visually impaired (and perhaps in
other disability groups) that, in order to be determined Most Significantly
Disabled (MSD) and be served immediately under our Order of Selection
Waiting List, individuals need more than one disability. As an example, an
individual who is blind and has no other disabilities would not be capable
of being determined Most Significantly Disabled because they only have one
disability. This is not correct. I thought the easiest way to clarify might
be to say exactly what it takes to be determined Most Significantly Disabled
under the Order of Selection Policy. I don't want to get too detailed, but
it is helpful to start by clarifying that there are two decisions
essentially made in the eligibility process. The first is eligibility for VR
services and the second is where they stand in regards to order of selection
and the priority to serve. Those that are MSD are served immediately, and
all other categories (described below)  of eligible individuals would be
placed on a wait list at this time. As stated, the first decision is
eligibility. This is determined by the following three criteria:

 

 

1.    The person must have a physical or mental impairment, which
constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment (Important
note, this can, but does not have to be more than one disability)

 

2.    They need to be able to benefit from vocational rehabilitation (V.R.)
services in terms of an employment outcome. 

 

3.    They require vocational rehabilitation services (V.R.) services to
prepare for, secure, retain, or regain employment. 

 

Once eligibility is established, a person then is given the designation of
Most Significantly Disabled (MSD), Significantly Disabled (SD), or Other
Eligible Individual. This is based on the number of functional limitations
that the individual has as a result of their disability in seven functional
capacity areas. Again, their functional capacity areas can all be the result
of one disability. The criteria is that limitations is 3 or more of the
areas would be an MSD designation, 1-2 functional capacity areas would be an
SD designation, and Other Eligible Individuals would have no substantial
functional limitations in the capacity areas. These functional capacity
areas are as follows:

 

.         Communication

.         Interpersonal Skills

.         Mobility

.         Self-Care

.         Self-Direction

.         Work Skills

.         Work Tolerance

 

I can end by providing an example. If an individual who is blind and has no
other disabilities applies for services, he/she has a physical impairment
and assuming they can benefit in terms of an employment outcome and require
VR services, they would then have to meet at least 3 of the functional
capacity limitations above. For example's sake, let's say that they meet the
functional capacity areas of communication, mobility, and work skills. In
this example, the person would be MSD, even though blindness is their only
disability. 

 

I know that is a bit of a long explanation but I wanted to make sure it went
through the whole process because it is definitely a multi-layered decision.
I would finally say to that you can make sure anyone knows that, should they
have an eligibility or order of selection decision made that they disagree
with, they can appeal that decision so that it gets looked at. We have both
an informal and formal evaluation of the decision if a consumer does not
agree.  

 

Thank you Dr. Smith. I hope that clarifies. I will also make sure to discuss
this at the convention. Let me know if you need anything else. 

 

 

Thanks,

Dan