MCB REPORT

February 4, 2004

WIA REAUTHORIZATION MOVING SLOWLY ON CAPITOL HILL

Congressional efforts to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) are underway in Washington, D.C., although it seems to have lost some of the momentum over the recent recess.  Conferees have not yet been appointed to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of WIA reauthorization and further action may not take place until this spring.  On November 14, the U.S. Senate passed its version of H.R. 1261 (replacing S. 1627) as "The Workforce Investment Act Amendments of 2003.”  The bill revises and extends to FY 2009 the Workforce Investment Act, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.

Among the differences in the House and Senate proposals are revisions in program structure for the basic elements of the Workforce Investment Act and modifications to the Rehabilitation Act.  While both House and Senate versions preserve the basic authority and separate integrity of the Rehabilitation Act, a keynote regarding future operations is contained in the Senate Committee report that accompanied the Senate bill (S. Rept. 108-187) which states: "The Committee intends that the Vocational Rehabilitation System and the One-Stops work together appropriately to meet the employment needs of all people with disabilities," acknowledging the multiple challenges relating to physical and programmatic accessibility, customer relations, and access to knowledge about accommodations for people with disabilities.

The Senate version of H.R. 1261 addresses the key issue regarding the use of vocational rehabilitation funds to support the one-stop centers by establishing a phase-in contribution level of 0.75 percent in the second year after the date of enactment of the bill to 1.5 percent in the fifth and each succeeding program year.  The Senate version of H.R. 1261 also provides that, where the State has established a separate agency or unit to provide VR services to individuals who are blind (such as the Michigan Commission for the Blind), the Governor may appoint this person to the State Workforce Board as well as the head of the State’s general rehabilitation agency (Michigan Rehabilitation Services).

On a related note, the Council of State Administrators in Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) reports that the federal General Accounting Office (GAO) is working on a report on the accessibility of the WIA One-Stop Centers in response to a request from Senators Kennedy, Gregg and Harkin.  GAO expects to complete the design phase of this study by the end of February.  Most likely the design will include a survey of One-Stop Centers and some site visits, with the fieldwork being completed late in the fall and the report being completed in early winter.  Site visits would include visits to Centers, Workforce Boards, and mandatory partners.

BLIND VOTERS WINNING BATTLES TO ACHIEVE ACCESS

The Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress last year, establishes requirements for voting systems used in federal elections that will allow voters to verify and correct their selections before casting a ballot, remove language barriers, and ensure access for persons with disabilities.  Under the law, every precinct in the country must have at least one voting machine or system accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with vision impairments, by January 1, 2006.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which has key responsibilities under the Act, held a symposium on building trust and confidence in voting systems at its Gaithersburg, Maryland headquarters in December. Founded in 1901 as the nation's first federal physical science research laboratory, NIST develops and promotes measurement, standards and technology to enhance productivity and to facilitate trade.  Under the new law, NIST will assume a key role in the development of standards for voting systems which will include provisions for accessibility.  It will chair a committee charged with making recommendations on the standards which will include representation from the Board.

The symposium featured panel discussions on various aspects of voting systems, including computer security and openness, specification and testability, and usability and accessibility. Participants included state and local election officials, academic researchers, voting systems vendors, disability advocates, independent testing authorities, election lawyers, and voting rights activists.   As part of its work under the new law, NIST also has undertaken a study on the usability and accessibility of voting systems and the impact of human factors on the effectiveness of election-related technologies.  A report on this study will be issued by NIST this spring.

A Florida Court ruled last month that voters who are blind or have physical disabilities must be provided with voting machines that have an audio system that will let them vote without assistance.  Senior U.S. District Judge Wayne Alley said in a tentative ruling that Duval County, Florida’s Supervisor of Elections John Stafford and the Florida Secretary of State's Office were violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act by not providing such machines.  Judge Alley gave them four months to get voting equipment with an audio capability and have it ready by the August 2004 primary.  The judge said that if it can't be done with current machines, the county would have to buy new ones.  Duval County’s lawyers promised to appeal the final order.  They estimated that compliance could cost the county between $1 million and $6 million.  It is not known how this ruling will affect the rest of Florida's counties.

Blind voters in Michigan will have an opportunity to experience accessible voting, February 7, when the Michigan Democratic Party holds its Presidential Caucus.  On-line voting is among the options of voting methods and the accessibility features of the on-line option was demonstrated at a Lansing news conference, January 7. 

MICHIGAN LIBRARIAN RECEIVES NEW YORK TIMES AWARD

Margaret Wolfe, Librarian Coordinator for Washtenaw County Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, has been named New York Times Librarian of the Year.  Ms. Wolfe was honored at a dinner ceremony in New York City on December 16^th.

The award, which includes a prize of $2,500, recognizes those librarians “whose exemplary performance and outstanding community service have made their libraries friendlier and more accessible institutions.”  This is the first year that the Librarian of the Year award became national in scope, drawing in more than 2000 nominations from 46 states resulting in 27 national “Librarians of the Year.”  Nominated for the honor by Pat Cannon, Director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind, Ms. Wolfe was the only winning nominee from the state of Michigan.

After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Ms. Wolfe received a Masters in Library Science at Western Michigan University.  Her career has brought her to a number of regional and local libraries, most of which specialized in meeting the needs of the blind and physically challenged, and includes serving as director of the state library’s Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.  In 1995, Ms. Wolfe moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she assumed the position of Librarian Coordinator for the Washtenaw County Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled (LBPD).

Wolfe continues to find ways to enhance service to her customers, including the creation of the very popular LBPD Book Lovers club that meets bi-monthly, and has read and discussed more than 100 books over the past six years.  Wolfe frequently collaborates with the Michigan Commission for the Blind. By far their biggest collaboration has been a biennial vendor fair bringing together agencies and businesses that provide and sell products and services to the disability community.  Visions 2002 was a huge success with more than 1,500 people participating; plans are underway to host Visions 2004, May 5, in Ann Arbor.

MINI ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM IN CLARE A SUCCESS

An estimated 150 MCB clients are expected to participate in six Mini-Adjustment Programs scheduled for 2004.  The first Mini-Adjustment event of the year was held in Clare, January 11-16, serving a total of 33 MCB consumers.  Workshop participants were introduced to a variety of skills of blindness, such as cane travel, Braille, managing time and money, adaptive kitchen skills and other skills to enhance independence.  Four regular Mini-Adjustment Workshops will be conducted this year, with the next one scheduled for March 7-12 at Weber’s Inn in Ann Arbor.  Other Mini Adjustment programs will be held in Farmington Hills, May 2-7, and in Lapeer this fall.  Two additional, specialized programs are also being planned, one tailored to youth and the other designed to serve deaf-blind clients.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF REHABILITATION PARTNERS

Pat Cannon, MCB Director, attended a meeting of the National Organization of Rehabilitation Partners (NORP) which was held in Washington, D.C., January 26.   NORP is an organization of rehabilitation professionals, administrators and advocates dedicated to the enhancement of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.  The one-day meeting centered on several issues affecting rehabilitation services, including funding, training and the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act and Rehabilitation Act.

CONSUMER SERVICES DIVISION REPORT

The Consumer Services staff continues to look for opportunities to increase Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) involvement in the community.  Several activities are planned for the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration.  In many instances, these celebrations are in conjunction with events that are taking place in the malls, school programs, and vision awareness fairs.  These activities will complement MCB’s outreach activities.

Some of the staff will participate in the Transition and the Developmental Disability conferences.  The Transition conference will provide new staff with a thorough understanding and working knowledge of transition, to enable them to better advocate for their high school students.  The Developmental Disability (DD) conference will provide another creative opportunity for MCB’s staff to offer job development and job placement services.  The DD conference will also provide an opportunity for staff to meet with group home managers and other community mental health providers to discuss ways to enhance vocational services to this population.  Further, it will provide a setting where the group home managers will become familiar with MCB’s programs and services.

Each of the mini programs to be held March, May and October will have the Employment Readiness Seminars to assist those individuals that are job ready.  The East Region is working with the school districts to host career day programs in the spring.  The first career day program will be in Macomb County, March 30, 2004 and Oakland County will hold their career day on May 11, 2004.  Also, the East Region will participate in the Monroe ISD Disability Awareness Program and the Monroe County Low Vision Event.

The staff is continuing to focus on employment outcomes.  Various activities are on-going in each office to assist job ready consumers in obtaining employment.  They are getting more involved in Michigan Works! programs for the purpose of expanding employment opportunities for our consumers.

The Michigan Commission for the Blind and the Michigan Rehabilitation Services are collaborating on a program that will recognize small business entrepreneurs.  This program will recognize those entrepreneurs that are successful in their business.  It will also provide an opportunity for other small business entrepreneurs to showcase their products.

MCB TRAINING CENTER REPORT

On January 15 a meeting by teleconference was held to plan a week-long program for blind youth of Michigan.  MCB staff, along with parents and a representative from Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind (OUB), discussed the purpose for having such a program and the various logistical issues associated with running a program for youth.  It was decided that the youth program would be held during the week of July 18 at Camp Tuhsmeheta.  The target group would include youth between the ages of 14 and 18.  Staff have asked that social skills and experiential learning be an integral part of this program.  The next planning meeting will occur on Friday, February 13, and anyone who is interested in helping make this program successful is invited to participate.

Last April at the MCB Board meeting, Melody Lindsey reported that she had been approached by Western Michigan University to partner with them in a grant opportunity to provide immersion into blindness experiences for rehabilitation counseling and teaching students.  WMU was awarded the grant, and meetings are beginning between WMU and MCBTC to discuss the logistics of the program.  WMU has indicated that no more than two students at a time will participate in the immersion experience for a period of two weeks.  The purpose of the program is to provide rehab students with a non-hierarchical, immersion experience that will have a positive impact on their attitudes about blindness and blind persons.

On January 23, the guidelines review team held another meeting in the process to update the current Center guidelines.  After the team completes its initial recommendations, the proposed changes will go to MCB Board members and staff, the Consumer Involvement Council, and the Legal Affairs Office for comments and further recommendations. 

Representatives from the Department of Management and Budget will conduct a security walk-through at the MCBTC on February 11.  The purpose of this walk-through will be to get feedback on our current security procedures and to make recommendations for improvements.