Governor’s Advisory Council on the Blind

December 13, 2013

Holloway Café, New Castle

Roll Call:

Lloyd Schmitz, Chair, Nancy Frankl, James Law, Ken Rolph, Jack Turner, Janet Brown

Absent: None

Division f/t Visually Impaired (DVI) Staff:

Daniel Madrid, Director

Ava Patrick, Administrative Specialist

Guests:

Janet Berry, Delaware Association for the Blind (DAB),

Fred Noesner, DAB

Anthony Paolini, Business Enterprise Program (BEP)

Meeting was called to order at 10:50 am. The minutes for the November meeting were approved as written.

Dan said there is a draft for Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between Department Of Education (DOE), DVI and school systems. One more meeting with work group, then draft can go out. Also includes private schools. Lloyd asked about early intervention—is the state planning to increase services? Dan isn’t sure. Who is responsible to let schools know when there is a VI student?

Child Youth Counselor (CYC): Dan said historically CYC goes out to home (similar to Child Watch)—lesson plan for the family. We contact the district to let school district know there is a student. Guidelines are separate from MOU with DOE.

When Jack asked about counseling for visually impaired students, Janet Berry said she wants to start a family support group for families of visually impaired. Also will start a blind-deaf support group. Mark Campano is statewide director for deaf-blind program. Nancy can come up with some questions for Mark, if we have him come to a meeting.

Jack wants to know if technology has helped VI students get textbooks. Jim said, yes. Teachers use Learning Media Assessment tools. Doing lots of braille, more audio books, portable readers. Quality Performance for Visually Impaired (QPVI) will help with tracking of braille vs. audio vs. large print.

Lloyd said he’s concerned that when we use technology, students may not get braille skills to use notes. Lloyd thinks people need to take and access info. Jack said the kids today have a greater opportunity to retrieve information. Jack said when he was in high school— he used a 140 volumes encyclopedia in braille. It took a long time to get information.

Nancy talked about changes she has seen since she started teaching in the 70s. Best changes for her: braille translation software, braille printers and screen readers. Jack thinks technology has opened the world to blind. Nancy asked about job creation. Jack said there are still social obstacles to overcome. Social obstacles: potential employer may wonder how will person get to the bathroom? Will they need helper every day?

Dan said education: extended core curriculum. What works to get students to be productive citizens? Jack said if sighted people make all the decisions for blind people, they miss a lot. Dan is seeing more leaders who have visual impaired.

Nancy wondered if we wrote a letter to joint sunset committee. The focus of process will be to modernize, not get rid of it. There will be some people new to sunset committee. Look at older statues and bring to modern times. They won’t look at Randolph Shephard-- it won’t be amended. The set-asides are the only thing that can be affected by DVI. Lloyd and Jack will work on this letter.

Janet said that a lobbyist can speak with us about DART paratransit issues. Decisions were supposed to be published last week, but they haven’t come out. Secretary of DelDot is still looking over comments. Lloyd thinks it’s a good sign that decisions haven’t been made yet. Lloyd and Janet Berry will reach out to Connie Hughes, Delaware ARC, who is already getting hold of lobbyist.

Americans Disability Act (ADA) accessibility issues for DelDot hearings. Changes in fares is also an issue. Non-ADA customers will be affected. Their ride times can be changed at no notice. ADA will be affected—may change who can ride. ADA regulations is to provide paratransit if a fixed route within ¾ miles (and person cannot access). People in country won’t be guaranteed rides. And times can be adjusted without much notice.

Pathways to Employment would include Medicaid eligible people for employment who will have transportation 14-25 year olds, then expand benefits. New Medicaid state plan amendment that is being worked on.

Nominations for chair: Nancy nominated Lloyd for chair, seconded by Jim. Lloyd was elected unanimously.

Calendar for next year: Stay with the first Friday of the month. 10:15 to 12:00 at Smyrna Rest Stop. DART connecting times should remain the same. No council meeting in July.

Invite departments to council:

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) in January

Delaware Industries for Blind (DIB) in February

Independent Living Skills (ILS) in March

BEP in April

Education in May

Materials Center in June

VR in August

DIB in September

ILS in October

BEP in November

Education in December

No public comments.

Adjourned meeting at 11:45 am.

Next the joint meeting with Vocational Rehabilitation Advocacy Council (VRAC):

Director’s Report:

Dan talked about consumer satisfaction surveys: they will be tabulated regularly. Surveys administered by U of DE sorority. Each program has a different survey, that is compiled whenever person’s case is closed. How does education get surveyed, when a person graduates? Dan will look at.

MOU with Department of Labor:

To get access to work opportunity tax credit. Will be starting soon. Subsidy for people who employ Visually Impaired population. By end of December will be finalized. How will we publicize this to employers? VR and counselors will publicize. Also employer tool kit. Have been reviewing marketing materials. Want to engage consumers and public better. This is fairly well known by the community as something for people with other handicapping conditions.

MOU with Education with DOE:

Meeting for Monday was cancelled. Next meeting is January 15. Have been working with DOE, also RSA will look at draft to make sure we are in compliance (teleconference). Sonya asked if there could be a town hall meeting so parents can understand what it really means. Dan said this is a good recommendation. MOU will be a legal framework—may not answer every question. The resource room structure is no longer supported in legislation—doesn’t get funded. Parents are looking at more inclusion and will rely on itinerant model. MOU has allowed us to look at this whole system. Lloyd asked if Parent Information Center would be a good place to work on getting this MOU information to parents. Sonya said this was possible. Also, Council for Exceptional Citizens.

New Year: Office Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). At federal levels, need to increase people with disabilities at around 7%. Many large businesses are getting money from federal government, want to know how to recruit. How do we partner with them, have to plan for this so can be ready for corporate who many come to VR. Voluntary disclosure: Kevin said you need to let the corporations know that they should tell us what kind of candidates they are looking for. What do you need, and how do we prepare people? Dan said there is a skills-gap in the whole population. Have to bridge with education and training. This is a national issue.

DAB has set-asides for certain products. Sunset committee is being looked at—modernized. Don’t expect it to be changed much. Council on Blind will write a letter of support for continuing this service. Sonya will also want to sign such a letter.

Hiring:

New VR administration: Shirley Bryson

Melody Maye—new ILS administrator

Frank Marsh—accounting

Yi Chen—accounting

Posting for BEP director—11 qualified applicants.

Principal—haven’t found anyone with vision background. Could change this position or hire another teacher and have part time administrator. Kevin asked about funding. Dan doesn’t think we can get more money for the position. Can only use DOE pay scale which is less than any school district administrator gets. Sonya said you need a leader and what people are getting in other states. Creatively, how do we get there? Delaware School for Deaf has a principal—part of Christina. Dan will consider reaching out to the School for the Deaf, hire a principal so we can get it on a higher pay scale. Will also talk to HR. Debbie H asked “what is really needed from a principal”, prioritize before go on.

QPVI: meeting on Wednesday with all teachers to start process. Teachers will get trained, set a goal as to when all information will be collected. Evaluations done in timely manner, reevaluation dates, learning media assessments, what tech are used, general ed vs. special ed. By summer, will gather info, then to case management system. Are we up to speed in all areas? Then we will set objectives for the program. Meeting IEP goals, etc. Will have a much richer data set.

BEP program—one year prior audit. Person looking at how program has been managed. Audit is almost complete, then to controller, then to DVI. Need to have program guidelines for BEP. This is how you do profit and losses, how you manage checks, etc.

VR: working on transition program. Every month will be a program. Trying to engage the parents, too. Had one bowling event (8 students came out of 60-70 transition students)—talked with students about what they would like in a program, and will try to do a lot more activities. For socialization, independent living skills. Loretta Brown reported that they are looking at the process. This was the second meeting. They are looking at VR things. How do we get more students interested?

DVI is close to finalizing state Medicaid plan. Opening up non-medical transportation, benefits counseling, financial coaching, assistive tech, orientation & mobility. This will supplement current services. Medicaid eligible plus visually impaired. This is the first such plan in the country. First payers are DOE, DVI. Secondary support after 90 days in VR.

End of Dan’s report at 1:55 pm. Then VRAC continued with their meeting.