[rehab] Question

[Jane.Lansaw at dars.state.tx.us]

Hi RJ,
Who is your state NFB president?  Maybe they can help you find someone in your nearest chapter with the experience and knowledge of Florida regs to walk in there with you as your advocate.  Years ago, my mentors in NFB were scattered around the state and we talked by phone.  They primed me on what to say and how to counter what the counselor is likely to answer.  If you get on the phone or go visit the leaders in NFBF, they will be able to give you much more current advice than I can, way over here in Texas.

You need to know the rules and regs, how to appeal a decision and how far up you can appeal before you have to start thinking about getting a lawyer.  I doubt you will have to go that far just to get to LCB.    You can also talk to Pam Allen, director of the Louisiana center and she can tell you if she has had consumers from Florida and what it took to get them into the center.  Talk with your state or chapter president and see what they can tell you.  I know there is an NFB division of communities of faith.  They will be the most likely to have information about how to get VR to pay for seminary or other religious training.  They can speak more knowledgably about this whole separation of church and state nonsense.  

Later,
Jane

-----Original Message-----
From: rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of RJ Sandefur
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 6:36 PM
To: Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List
Subject: [rehab] Question

My question is this. How is a consumer going to march into the councilor's office with these regs and try to convince his/her councilor He/she needs to go for more training? Are these Regs only for VR agencies? I walk into lets just say Janes office, she is my councilor for this example and I tell her I want to go to LCB, and she says no. How would your adverage consumer, who has not had training in understanding these regulations be able to understand all this legal jargon in order to make a clear and precise presentation to the councilor? I'm a consumer with DBS here in Florida. Here in Florida, we have two centers. Our state ran rehabilitation center, and the Conklin center for the blind which trains  people who are blind with aditional disabilities, or we can go with the light house. Those are our three options here in Florida. I understand some of the regulations, because I'm interested in the law. RJ