[nagdu] Letter to out-of -state guide dog programs from California state guide dog board

[Tina Thomas]

Hello Everyone- Below is a letter that was sent to all out of state guide
dog programs from the California state guide dog board regarding follow- up
services. I hope all you read this and keep in mind that this policy and
attitude of the board is a contradiction of everything our organization
represents. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. " injustice anywhere, is a
threat to justice everywhere" 

Thank You. 

Tina                 

ion <http://www.guidedogboard.ca.gov/consumers/2015_outofstate.pdf> 

 

[Name]
Chief Executive Officer
[School Name]
[School Address]

Dear [Name]:

The California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind (Board) exists to
ensure the protection of people who are blind or visually impaired while
receiving instruction in the use of guide dogs. The Board regulates both the
schools located in California as well as the instructors who train and pair
guide dog teams. While your school is not physically located in California,
the Board understands that many out of state schools place guide dogs with
clients who reside in California at the time of placement, or who may
relocate to California after placement.

The Board understands and appreciates a school's need to maintain an ongoing
relationship with graduates of their program. Recently, the Board has
received several questions regarding follow-up training from guide dog users
who received their dogs from schools outside of California. In order to
provide follow-up training in California, Guide Dog Instructors, regardless
of school affiliation, must be licensed by the Board.

The purpose of this letter is not only to inform you of the licensing
requirements and regulations regarding guide dog instruction in California,
but also to create an open dialog. The Board wishes to ensure that there are
no barriers to licensure for your instructors. Our goal is to create a
gateway for your school to safely and legally provide follow-up instruction
or in-home placements to guide dog users residing in California.

Our records indicate that you currently have no instructors licensed by the
Board. The Board would like to invite you to undergo the licensure process
in order to provide services to your clients residing in California. The
Board's licensure process and criteria are outlined on our website at:
http://www.guidedogboard.ca.gov/forms_pubs/five_steps.shtml

Please contact me if you would like more information on the licensure
process, or if you identify any barriers that may impact your desire to
participate in the licensure process. 

Additionally, the Guide Dog Board is in the process of determining how many
guide dog users reside in California. In order to identify an accurate
population, we are surveying each guide dog program in the country asking
how many active teams from your program are currently residing in
California. If you could please respond simply by emailing or calling me for
a quick discussion, I would greatly appreciate it.

I look forward to working with you.

Thank you for your time,

Brian Skewis
Executive Officer
California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind
Email: brian.skewis at dca.ca.gov <mailto:brian.skewis at dca.ca.gov> 

 

 

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