[rehab] Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor II - September15 2011.docx

Mon Sep 26 14:00:09 UTC 2011

Hi Jane,

I hope I didn't create a misconception. In the Iowa Commission for the
Blind under Dr. Jernigan, the students were required to wear sleepshades
in class, and that was strictly enforced. They were not obligated to wear
them between classes, during breaks, or on activities. The legislative
dinner was an activity, so that is why they were not wearing them.

There was nothing wrong with the sleepshade method that Dr. Jernigan used;
it produced some truly legendary blind people.  In fact, I used it in the
New Mexico center with great success, with a few modifications. We did use
sleepshades on a number of activities, including mountain climbing and
technical rock climbing, but not all of them.

I think Nebraska's use of all day sleepshades was the next logical step on
the sleepshade continuum, and that's why the NFB center directors adopted
it. In BLIND, Inc., students wear sleepshades all day, except for lunch
and afternoon break, and also wear them on all activities. It really does
help with the hierarchy of sight.

Dick Davis

-----Original Message-----
From: rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jane.Lansaw at dars.state.tx.us
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 7:54 AM
To: rehab at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [rehab] Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor II - September15
2011.docx

Wow, I did not know that about the sleep shades.  That explains the
dishwashing tape.  Every time I heard it in a seminar I thought, Why
aren't these guys in sleep shades?  I thought it was because the event
occurred after hours but that didn't stop us at the NFB centers or in
Nebraska.  The whole hierarchy of vision seminar would have been different
if the students were working non-visually.  However, it's a good seminar
topic if a little dated so I guess I'm glad it occurred.

-----Original Message-----
From: rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Dick Davis
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 8:47 AM
To: Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List
Subject: Re: [rehab] Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor II - September 15
2011.docx

Dave,

That's the truth.  Jim Nyman, who is a Federationist, started as director
of the Nebraska agency in the mid-1970's.  He had a good philosophy about
blindness and a solid belief in blind people.  He encouraged the growth of
independent, self-sufficient, politically astute blind people, and as a
result, the NFB of Nebraska flourished.  They didn't always see eye to eye
with him, but they knew a good thing and supported it.  Fred Schroeder had
his first job teaching orientation and mobility there.  Carlos Servan
became one of its deputy directors, and still is. John Cheadle, who
manages the facilities at the National Center for the Blind and the
Jernigan Institute, was a supervisor in the Omaha office. Rose Lerdahl,
who ran its Lincoln office (and I think also their orientation center)
became director of the training center at Blind Industries and Services of
Maryland.

Nebraska introduced the concept of all day sleepshades, not Dr. Jernigan,
as many people believe.  Carl Olson worked to develop the concept of
structured discovery learning that was adopted by the NFB training centers
and others, and forms the basis for the professional training programs at
Louisiana Tech.  There's Pearl Van Zandt, Fatos and Michael Floyd, Duncan
Larson, who now works in the Colorado Center, Dave Dawson, who runs the
radio reading service in Colorado, and many other good people whose names
I would remember if I took more time to think about them.  After many
years of work, they were able to convert the Nebraska agency, which had
been in a larger umbrella agency, into a freestanding commission for the
blind.  The ACB, which thought it was a good idea, pitched in to make it
happen.  It took the work of many people, blind and sighted, over a span
of 35-plus years to make Nebraska what it is today.

Dick Davis

-----Original Message-----
From: rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of David Andrews
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 5:51 PM
To: Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List
Subject: Re: [rehab] Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor II - September 15
2011.docx

It starts with leadership that "gets it," without that nothing will be
agency-wide.

Dave

At 03:03 PM 9/21/2011, you wrote:
>Yeah, I've heard really excellent things about Nebraska's agency..
>Despite the general devolution of the VR agencies in so many states
>over the last decade or so... No insult to any particular agency or any
>individual rehab counselor for working in one of the states that has
>lost ground. It does seem to have been an unfortunate trend...
>
>I know some of the eastern states are still on the list of those with
>working, effective agencies, some easier to get services from than
>others, but it seems people get those services in the end. But I notice
>Nebraska because It's just kinda out there all by itself being really
>great that way.
>
>So here's what I wonder... What is different about their state agency
>that makes it stand out in terms of providing those services and tools
>for their blind consumers efficiently and in a way that leaves the
>consumer felling happy for having such a great experience?
>
>I apologize if the question is beyond the scope of the list. I've been
>looking at the overall system to better understand my own state system
>from the point of view of a consumer, trying to figure out what the
>secret key is that makes the difference between a great state agency
>and a dysfunctional one. I mean, all the states operate under the same
>general set of laws and rules and requirements... They're all facing
>economic difficulties that are very similar in nature. So what is it
>that makes the difference and why are the differences often so profound?
>
>Just curious as heck. /smile/
>
>Tami
>
>On Mon, 2011-09-19 at 08:48 -0500, Dick Davis wrote:
> > From our state president in Nebraska. Excellent agency!
> > Dick Davis
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor II
> >
> >
> >
> > Closing Date: 11:59 p.m. September 30, 2011
> >
> > Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Description:
> >
> >
> >
> > Under general supervision, performs complex, specialized vocational
> > counseling, guidance and placement for individuals with visual
> > impairments and/or other disabilities.
> >
> > Hours: 8-5, Monday - Friday.
> >
> >
> >
> > Examples of Work:
> >
> >
> >
> > Performs interviews, diagnostic services, testing, job training and
> > job placement of eligible clients; confers with clients to discuss
> > options and goals. Provides follow-up services for clients in all
> > aspects of vocational adjustment; monitors and records clients'
> > progress and ensures goals and objectives are met. Assists in
> > coordinating training, re-socialization, remedial education and
> > overall client programming. Arranges for intelligence,
> > psychological, vocational interest, aptitude
> testing and other
> > tests and evaluations to obtain information in regards to
> assessing clients'
> > needs and developing rehabilitation plans. Assists district or unit
> > supervisors with program needs and evaluation and may be involved in
> > corollary administrative functions. Serves as a resource person to
> > the professional staff in vocational rehabilitation related matters.
> > Prepares and maintains required reports, correspondence, case files
and records.
> > Develops and maintains relationships with originating agencies,
> > schools, community organizations and public employers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Qualifications/Requirements:
> >
> >
> >
> > REQUIREMENTS: Bachelors degree in social science, behavioral
> science, social
> > work, counseling/guidance, vocational rehabilitation, psychology,
> sociology,
> > human development, education or related and two years experience OR
> > Masters degree in any of the above mentioned fields or related area.
> > Candidates who possess the required degree, but do not meet the
> > experience requirements, may be hired as a Rehabilitation Counselor
> > I ($14.896/hour) until such experience qualifications are met.
> >
> > OTHER: Successful candidates for employment must be able to
> > satisfactorily pass an extensive criminal background check. All new
> > hires will
> complete 600
> > hours of immersion training in Lincoln, at NCBVI expense, at the
> > Nebraska Center for the Blind to learn the alternative skills of
> > blindness (cane travel, Braille, assistive technology, activities of
> > daily living, etc.); those completing the training will be certified
> > as Vocational
> Rehabilitation
> > Counselors for the blind. Work is performed under the direct
> > supervision of a district or unit supervisor. Field assignments and
> > travel are involved in varying degrees. State agencies are
> > responsible to evaluate each of their positions to determine their
> > individual overtime eligibility status as required by the Fair Labor
Standards Act (FLSA).
> >
> >
> >
> > Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
> >
> >
> >
> > Knowledge of: vocational rehabilitation counseling methods and
> > techniques; human behavior and performance; medical and mental
> > disabilities and their effects on the rehabilitation process;
> > adaptive equipment available for clients served; principles and
> > procedures for training development and instruction; group behavior
and dynamics; basic sign language. Skill in:
> > interviewing others to collect essential information; communicating
> > to convey information; monitoring and assessing performance and
> > implementing actions; reviewing information to develop options and
implement solutions.
> > Ability to: learn, interpret and apply provisions of the
> Rehabilitation Act;
> > collect, analyze and evaluate data to apply to the development and
> > implementation of a rehabilitation plan; maintain accurate records;
> > establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.

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