Maine SRC-DBVI Meeting Minutes

Maine SRC-DBVI Meeting Minutes

May 20, 2015

1-4 PM

Central ME Commerce Ctr.,

Francis Perkins C. R.

Present: Kathy Despres, SRC Chair/C.A.R.E.S., Sue Fairfield, MPF Rep; Darcy Gentle, 121 Director; Scott Murray, SRC-DBVI Admin. Assistant; Annette Tilsley, VR counselor; Lynn Merrill, PTGDU; Jim Phipps, Iris Network Executive Director; Cheryl Peabody, ACB Maine; Michelle Mason, VA Healthcare System/Blinded Veterans Advocacy; Nancy Moulton, Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children

Absent with Notice: John McMahon, DBVI Director (on vacation)

Absent without Notice:; Adam Zimmerman; visually impaired lawyer--self-employed, Chris Boynton, Maine State Library

On Phone: Walter Woitasek, Deaf-Blind Rep; Cindy Bernstein, DOE; Kelly Osborn, Executive Director Goodwill Workforce Services

Guests: Paul Cote, Assistant DBVI Director (filling in for John McMahon);

Rabih Dow, Iris Network Director of Program Services

1. Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 1:02 by Kathy Despres, Chair.

Agenda re-ordered to allow Paul to present Director's Report.

2. Approval of Minutes: Lynn made motion to accept the March minutes, Cheryl seconded, no discussion. All in favor, motion carried unanimously. Lynn then mentioned January minutes were also pending approval and made motion to accept them. Cheryl seconded, no discussion, all in favor, motion carried unanimously.

3. Director's Report: (Paul Cote presented in John's absence.)

• Staffing: VR counselor vacancy in Portland about to be filled. Name not public yet.
• Events: Transition expo had 16 students/families--very successful.
• Budget: There appears to be some support for $200,000 for TVIs; should know by June 30th.
• CSNA: Karen Wolffe finishing up with clients who were hard to contact, report due out by June 30th, expecting to be available to SRC by next meeting (July).
• WIOA: Committee just met. Kathy reported on vision meeting she went to as SRC chair. (day 1 only) Paul expects we will still need to provide the data they want, in addition to 4 or 5 other elements measured across all departments, things like number/percentage of employers engaged. State plan will be a combined WIOA plan and one section will be rehab or blindness services, still under development. Challenge is to set vision that meets the needs of a group of people who don't understand each other's programs. Vision meeting overall perceived as unhelpful and not accessible. Day 3 will hopefully be better. Still need to figure out where SRC fits.
• Iris Training Center: Paul, Brenda and John still attending weekly construction meetings, going great. Committees working on curriculum, pretty much on track. Jim reported lots of work left to do, 9 or 10 groups working on curriculum development, big-picture issues remain and contract needs to be in place by 7/1. Have had a lot of good community involvement from DBVI and Catholic Charities, helping tailor things to what Maine needs in a campus-based rehab program. Construction due to be completed by mi-August; big crunch right now is program design and how to fund it. Next 3-4 weeks we need to put together a contract proposal DBVI will approve. Looks like things are on track for meeting deadlines. Kathy asked about having future SRC meeting at Iris. Jim enthused, may host September or November meeting there. SRC had also looked at having fall meeting at MSL.
• Deaf-Blind/Dual Sensory Impaired Outreach Effort: Initiative to build on work already completed on support service provider (SSP) program. Contract with John Shattuck got kicked back--he has the needed skills, but contract may have to go out for RFP.
• Budget: No potential budget reductions identified, may have an across-the-board cut. Nothing heard yet.

4. Old Business: Kathy reported on Washington DC trip, NCSRC, CSAVR and NCSAB sessions. Lot of discussion about WIOA, RSA is looking for comments. Kelly also went as SRC-DVR rep. Kathy also went to training on hearings officers--Maine right now is changing hearing officers, used to be through DHHS, will now be handed by a former assistant to AG, which is good -- will know the regs and be trained by CAP advocate.

Kathy also brought up the idea of joining the NCSRC, SRC-DVR already is a member. No fee to join, and could save us money on conferences. Kathy will send out info for vote at next meeting.

Billing problems discussed, getting used to new submission process, but Kathy still waiting for some reimbursements. Kelly asked group to get any pending paperwork to her ASAP for May submission.

Walter wants Newsline back on agenda, Kathy is anticipating call from Newsline director to discuss new rationales. Walter mentioned SRCs in other states are supporting newsline as a tool for advertising. Has been brought to vote here twice without passing. Kathy will update group in July.

5. WIOA: Homemaker closure has been removed from the Rehab Act. Rabih, Jen Ardito, Cheryl, Kathy, Jim just met for discussion. RSA is looking for 7 areas of feedback, one of which is Employment Outcomes, which includes removal of homemaker closure. Small group at convention met to work on comments; homemaker issue has big impact on Maine. RSA is actually looking for the time for transition, not whether homemaker closure goes away. Group favored 3-prong approach: Jim and Rabih will talk about basic vision rehab versus voc rehab as 2 separate things. Fred Schroeder's position paper will be source for comment, Cheryl and Jen Ardito will talk about transition period; RSA calls for 6 months, not enough for DBVI Maine. Group comments will be reviewed after June 1 with John McMahon.

Homemaker closure will be issue for other states, too. Jim mentioned that nothing in the statute requires implementation so it's inappropriate to change the status quo. Healthcare system doesn't offer any primary rehab for blindness as it does with other injuries; so even if it is appropriate to outlaw the homemaker closure for general VR, it should continue for blindness agencies, because it is the only way to give primary rehab to clients with vision loss. Report contains false assumptions, says clients could use IL services instead of DBVI, (i.e. AlphaOne), but AlphaOne doesn't provide vision rehab services. Comments could be made to address this. John has plans for the transition for Maine. Annette in Region 3 has highest homemaker numbers at 32 of 40 total, or 80%. Need is growing because we're an aging state. Annette shared statistics around time to closure, about a year, versus longer time for competitive, can be up to 5 years.

Other topic for WIOA comments is about one-stop centers; Maine’s are user- friendly but not accessible. Peaches Bass is aware of this, may be commenting.

Lynn asked about VA providing homemaker services, but Michelle reported no differentiation, as most clients are retired and if not, they are referred to VR. Kathy still strongly favors coverage by private insurance, like every other disability is. Jim says it's a public policy issue, thinks Schroeder's argument is a good one. Kathy will forward it to everyone.

Unified Plan conference: Kathy went; unable to attend full two days, but did bring back hardcopy of new regs.

Walter recently learned that Adam is leaving the area and resigning from SRC (was still in application process); will need to replace him. Recruitment a challenge; Kathy has talked to ~6 people; no interest.

6. Committee Reports:

Membership: (Kathy) Sent out 3 packets, (one to Carol Mackey) not received them back. Rabih interested in joining but not submitted yet. Annette has packet filled out needs to give it to John. Mark Anderson has withdrawn interest. Currently SRC has no one from SILC (formerly Brad) Kathy mentioned SILC's recent request for funding increase, feels SILC and SRCs should be closer; Jim agrees.

Legislative: Jim re-opened discussion on service dog bills started at last meeting. Lynn testified on bill to require service dogs to have a tag, which was voted ought not to pass. Other bill to appoint task force, no word yet about who the additional members will be, PTGDU has been asked to send rep. The bill re: housing had a public hearing two weeks ago, no word on work session. Jim was also invited to testify on a bill/initiative to for program to authorize special needs trusts (similar to 529 plans), but Jim declined due to time constraints. Jim thinks it's a good bill, but timing is bad for Iris Network, and issue not relevant to blind rehab.

Kathy mentioned subminimum wage bill--Governor's office came out “ought not to pass”--now in work session to work on some language. Kathy praised Rabinowitz write-up--will circulate copy to group.

[Nancy arrives at 2:40. Roll call re-done.]

Nancy then updated group about status of the funding proposal/TVI positions. John's report said it was tabled by Appropriations, but Nancy got e-mail Appropriations member saying they voted it in; nothing has come out in writing. Jim suggested Nancy contact legislative liaison for confirmation and cautioned that nothing is confirmed until entire budget is approved.

[Walter commented that he was temporarily disconnected from the conference system. Dialed back in and connection was improved, system not stable.]

E-mail/Technology: Not met recently. Scott will be away till 6/9 but will contact Nancy and Chris for a meeting.

[Michelle joins via phone. Time not noted.]

Data:Kathy asked about accessibility of DBVI data sheets. Lynn can open but difficult to navigate and interpret. Kathy gave summary of data: 50 people determined eligible since 10/1, 255 in service, 39 in employment status, 59 placed (12 competitive, 47 homemaker) Closed in service (in plan, but not finished) 27. Last year DBVI closed 116 people, on track to close more this year.

Breakdown by office reviewed for highs and lows: Presque Isle: one person in eligibility, zero in employment phase. Lewiston: only one closure, two in employment status, not sure why. Portland: serves roughly half of the DBVI client caseload, has 70 people in service. Bangor has 67, none in northern regions. Darcy had one blind/VI person in her program, none currently. Augusta: zero in eligibility, 28 in service, 8 in employment, 14 successful closures. Annette is only counselor in Augusta. Rehab rate is 63 percent.

Jim wants to see time-to-closure (Paul says it is tracked.)

Paul explained finance sheet, shows award amount at beginning of the year. Re-allotment can change yearly amount as in 2014 which reflected increase for immersion center. Kathy summarized that we are at 50% of budget at halfway through the year, which is appropriate.

Consumer Satisfaction: Committee roster reviewed. (Lynn shared that she is not currently on any committees.) Kathy will check actual roster.

Five Councils: Empowerment forum planned for 8/13 in Waterville at T and B conference center; will feature Janet Labreck, Governor LePage, and cross-disability panel discussion to hear how clients navigated systems successfully. Save-the-date is on C.A.R.E.S. web site. Registration form to be posted soon. SRC-DBVI can contribute $1000. Conference can accommodate 25 providers, (consumers get in free). SRC members can attend, but not required to. Five Councils just did mass mailing, which included save-the-date, CAP will coordinate ride-sharing.

Hall of Flags event: CAP, MPF, PTGDU will be there, SRC won't.

CSPD: (Sue) Met last week. Training funds taken out of DBVI budget, so no more official need for CSPD committee, but John still wants committee to track items like conferences, tuition reimbursements, etc. Many people going to the geriatric conference in Bar Harbor in June. John wants to know what the SRC wants to see people trained on, Sue asked people to email her with ideas. Kathy touted annual MCD conference as great deal at $20 admission, she will be attending (6/26 at Colby).

121 Grant: (Darcy) No report.

CAP: Kathy mentioned hearings officer's training and putting in comments for BRS and sub-minimum wage. No DBVI cases at CAP for a while. Kathy went to SILC meeting with Jan Breton (DOE SpEd director) thinks maybe Jan should come talk about DBVI issues. Kathy will invite her to SRC meeting.

7. Treasurer's Report. [Kelly signed off] Kathy shared no recent problems with Syntiro.

8. Miscellaneous: Nancy shared that education and cultural affairs committee voted to opt out of the smarter balanced assessment it was announced on Channel 6 news. Many states are opting out, not working well.

Lynn asked about fall meeting, Jim willing to host at Iris in Portland. Training committee reviewed; was Carrie, Mark, Kelly. Need to reappoint: Kathy not available; Cheryl willing to help, Kelly seen as best leader. Date note yet set, usually last week of October. Cheryl reminded only one training allowed in federal fiscal year, so next one must be after 10/1, could combine with SRC-DVR fall conference. Lynn only available on a Wednesday. October 21-22 in Portland proposed (and cancel November's regular meeting) Annette willing to help. Jim willing to help with logistics. Someone needs to contact Carrie for old files. Kathy proposes joint retreat with DVR with whole day on WIOA, will talk to Jenny Ardito.

Lynn the reopened discussion on empowerment forum and potential conflicts of interest regarding SRC donation and its use for gifts. Group discussed but no conflicts seen.

Nancy asked about Karen Wollfe's needs assessment work, will be presented at July meeting. Jim brought up annual state plan public hearing, traditionally in June, not needed this year as per WIOA change to unified plan, not due till next year.

9. Adjournment: Walter made motion to adjourn meeting; Cheryl seconded. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 3:32.