MICHIGAN COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND

MISSIONS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND TEAMS

(*stakeholder participation encouraged)

Consumer Involvement Council*

Mission:  The Consumer Involvement Council, made up of representatives from organized consumer groups, and current agency clients, provides formal consumer input to the Commission for the Blind in developing policies and to help identify issues which needed to be addressed.

Commissioner Representative: Rotating

Staff Contact: Lisa Kisiel

Phone Number: 269-337-3238

Cultural Diversity COMMITTEE*

Mission:  The purpose of the MCB Cultural Diversity Committee is to facilitate the MI Commission for the Blind's efforts to reach out to blind underrepresented minority populations in the State of Michigan who do not have access to services. The committee targets those communities who would benefit from services but do not know the Commission exists. Further, the committee also addresses those communities who are knowledgeable about the Commission but do not utilize services because the service structure is not feasible within the target community's cultural context.

Commissioner Representative: Rotating

Staff Contact: Debbie Wilson

Phone Number: 810-760-2035

Planning and Quality (PAQ) Team

Mission:  The PAQ team, a product of the Commission's Vision 2020 Initiative, is comprised of staff members, consumers and stakeholders and meets several times a year to work on the development of short term and long range goals, objectives and action plan development, visioning initiatives, and other issues related to MCB's four focus design teams.

Commissioner Representative: Jo Ann Pilarski

Staff Contact: Bob Robertson

Phone Number: 517-373-8829

Business Enterprise Program -- Elected Operators Committee

Mission:  The Randolph-Sheppard Act requires the Commission provide for the active participation of BEP operators in the commission's administrative decisions regarding the BEP. The means for active participation is the Elected Operators Committee (EOC) which is an independent 11 person Committee elected by their peers. The EOC recommends policy directly to the Commission Board and has authority to use due process to oversee the implementation of policies.

Commissioner Representative: Vacant

Staff Contact: Constance Zanger

Phone Number: 517-373-2064

Focus Design Teams :

Service Delivery*

Mission:  The Service Delivery Focus Design Team meets to discuss MCB services and improve delivery of quality services. The group comprises MCB staff, consumers and other partners.

Commissioner Representative: Vacant

Staff Contact: Lisa Marchione

Phone Number: 517-335-4261

Image and Identity*

Mission:  Focuses on various issues generally related to public relations and information/awareness of MCB.

Commissioner Representative: Velma P. Allen

Staff Contact: Susan Turney

Phone Number: 517-241-8631

Technology*

Mission:   Works to promote technology enhancements for MCB staff and consumers.

Staff Contact: Joe Pelle

Phone Number: 313-456-1661

Structure and Resources*

Mission:   Comprised of agency staff and others as needed to identify and address agency structure and fiscal and human resource issues.

Staff Contact: Sherri Heibeck

Phone Number: 517-225-4259