The Center for Rehabilitation Counseling Research and Education

Region 3 E-NEWSLETTER- Summer 2012

Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Center

Recent and Upcoming Training Opportunities

Upcoming Trainings:

7/23-7/24/12 Richmond, VA, VA DARS/DRS Support Staff Training– TACE Center topics to be delivered will include confidentiality, boundaries, generational diversity, and conflict resolution.

7/27/12 Richmond, VA,VA DRS New State Rehabilitation Council Member Training

8/7-8/8/12 Arlington, VA Region 3 Directors of Field Services Learning Community Meeting

9/5/12 Delaware DVR Administrative Professionals’ Training

Job Development and Placement Training for Virginia DBVI Placement Specialists – 2 full day trainings (April 3, 2012 and May 10, 2012) in Richmond, VA focusing on Assessing Person/Environment Match (Consumer), Assessing Person/Environment Match (Work Setting and Labor Market), Making and Managing Targeted Contacts, Job Analysis, and Preparing for and Mastering the Interview.

ACRE (Association for Community Rehabilitation Education) Certificate Trainings - Trainings were held in Winchester, VA (4/25 – 26), Annapolis, MD (6/12 – 13), and Norfolk, VA (7/17 – 18). These in person trainings, based upon the employment competencies established by APSE are followed up with the opportunity for an online learning experience that leads to ACRE Certification. Recruitment for online portion to begin August 1, 2012.

CRC Preparation Course – The GW TACE Center offers a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Preparation course for those professionals preparing to take the CRCC examination for the credential of Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. The CRC Prep Course is offered 3 times a year. The most recent section went from May 1 through June 12. The next section will begin August 27th. Please send interested candidates names to Rob Froehlich () by August 15th.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Psychiatric Rehabilitation Trainings – DE DVR staff and community rehabilitation partners participated in a day long TACE Center psychiatric rehabilitation training event in Dover, DE on May 3rd, and VA DRS staff participated in a 2 day TACE Center training in Richmond, VA on May 17 – 18. Participants discussed issues and strategies when working with consumers from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, examined the concepts of adjustment and acceptance of disability, discussed contemporary opportunities when working with consumers with mental illness and problem solved with peers relating to submitted and volunteered scenarios.

Ethics, Professional Boundaries, and Technology Considerations – VA DRS Transition Professionals participated in a webinar on June 19, 2012 and discussed updates to the CRC Code of Ethics, the evolution of the term dual relationships, and the implications for technology upon the counseling relationship.

Letter From The Director

Summer has been a season of personnel changes at the TACE Center. Several staff have moved onto wonderful new opportunities and we wish them all the best. We are in the process of hiring some new staff and will keep you posted. We continue to offer on-site training in Motivational Interviewing as well as the ACRE Certificate in Employment Services for

community based partners. In addition, we have a variety of on-line training options which offer CRC credits. Our website has listings of a variety of national, regional and state conferences and training opportunities. We have several webinars which we will be offering later this summer and early fall for CRC credit. These trainings will be posted on our website.Our newsletters are archived on the TACE website at www.gwcrcre.org for future reference. We hope you find this a useful source of information on our continuing activities, and invite you to send comments or questions, or specific topics you would like to see addressed in future newsletters, to Almeta McCannon, our newsletter editor at .

On behalf of the TACE staff we look forward to seeing you at many of the events outlined in our Newsletter.

Maureen McGuire-Kuletz, Ed.D, CRC

TACE 3 Director

Focus on a Consumer- Kevin McAllister

CSAVR Investing in America 2012-2013 Issue

36 year old Kevin McAllister of Bear is a prime example of how a person can turn what some would consider the tragedy of losing much of your eyesight into a positive by reaching out and making connections that might never have happened. McAllister, a Beaumont Texas native, holds an engineering degree from the University of Oklahoma in Norman and a Masters from Lamar University in Beaumont.

He began his career with the Dupont Company in 1999 as a process engineer in a manufacturing plant in Orange Texas. He moved to Delaware in March of 2005 for a promotional opportunity in Dupont. Aside from the sticker shock of housing costs and having to deal with snow, he has enjoyed living here. His career in Wilmington has enabled him to travel extensively in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2008 he began having issues with his eyesight accompanied by flu-like symptoms. He struggled reading e-mails and text messages and his central vision started to deteriorate. Kevin was having trouble getting a diagnosis in Delaware, so sought help at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Almost immediately the Hopkins ophthalmologists diagnosed his condition as Sarcoidosis, which resulted in optical nerve damage. He was prescribed steroids and eye drops and the progression of the disease was stopped and slightly reversed.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, Sarcoidosis (sahr-koi-DO-sis) is characterized by the development and growth of tiny clumps of inflammatory cells in different areas of your body — most commonly the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes and skin. Doctors believe Sarcoidosis results from an abnormal immune response — most likely to something inhaled from the air — but just what triggers this response isn’t known. The course of Sarcoidosis is variable from person to person. Often, it goes away on its own, but in some people signs and symptoms of sarcoidosis may last a lifetime.

Kevin currently is legally blind. He began his association with DVI after a co-worker told him information about the agency she had found on-line. He was appreciative because he didn’t know how to find out who to turn to in the state and he didn’t know any blind people. Genelle Fletcher (Vocational Rehabilitation Senior Counselor) was the first person he came into contact with at DVI. She helped coordinate services from the agency. Jean May of the Independent Living Services Team (ILS) performed a home assessment and helped with labeling appliances, and doing a full assessment. Kevin also received technology services including ZoomText software (he calls this his savior since he is bombarded with 150 plus e-mails per day) and a home magnifier with the assistance of Jack McCutchan, Trainer/Educator II.

With DVI assistance and the support of his employer, Kevin continues to prosper at Dupont. His current position is a project manager in the supply chain area of the Chemicals & Fluoroproducts business. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt. (Six Sigma is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola, USA in 1986. Currently it is widely used in many sectors of industry).

Kevin looks forward to continuing his career with Dupont and expanding his role as an internal consultant using his engineering and technology skills to assist operational teams. Ultimately he would like to move into the Human Resources arena where he could help recruit new employees by traveling to universities, and attending trade fairs and conferences helping students make informed choices about engineering careers.

As busy as he is in his professional life, Kevin finds time to be involved in numerous outside activities. He has recently been named to the State Rehabilitation Council and would like to see DVI work more with churches and grass roots organizations. He supports DVI Director Robert Doyle’s efforts to raise the visibility of the agency saying more needs to be done with regard to marketing. Kevin is also active in his church, (Bethel AME where he is president of the young adult choir, a trustee and works on the scholarship committee and as a math tutor), a pianist and a classically trained singer, and president of the Wilmington Alumni chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He works as an event planner and also travels frequently mentioning Rome and Vatican City as one of his favorites.

Kevin’s advice to other persons with visual impairment is: “to better yourselves and be examples for others.” He said he didn’t wallow in his issues and illness. “I turned a negative into a positive”, he says. “I connected with things that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t lost my vision”, adding “it helps to have good support like my friends, family and the management of Dupont”.

Data Learning Community

by Dr. Robert Froehlich

Region 3 Data Professionals’ Learning Community Meeting –

Washington, DC July 11 – 12

The Region 3 Data Learning Community meets annually and its membership is comprised of one appointed quality assurance professional from each of the Mid-Atlantic VR Agencies. The group collaborates on best practices in data collection, changes and refinement in data reporting, and return on investment strategies. Activities for the upcoming year will include training regarding SPSS for better data analysis procedures, and using data to identify and reconnect with consumers who have lost contact with the VR agency to improve employment outcome reporting, and preparing for reporting changes relating to the RSA 911 and the RSA 2.

Independent Living Update

by Joan Kester

The Mid-Atlantic SILC learning community is comprised of SILC staff and members from across the region. In partnership with ILRU, the TACE is sponsoring SILC and CIL members and staff to enroll in ILRU online training opportunities. SILC Congress will be held in January, and a number of SILC members and staff plan to attend from the Region. The TACE works in partnership with ILRU to provide technical assistance to SILCs in the region. Additional details are available by contacting Joan Kester at .

Leadership Development

by Joan Kester

The TACE worked in partnership with VA DRS on the design and delivery of the year-long VA DRS Leadership Institute. The series was kicked off with a session geared toward new managers and supervisors, and topics included leadership development, shifting roles as leaders, Myers Briggs self-assessment, performance management and coaching, and the ethics of leadership. The TACE is engaging these new supervisors in executive coaching sessions, based upon each individual’s leadership development interests. Two additional sessions were held with the VA DRS Field Services Management Team, with support of the TACE Center, and the focus was on strategic thinking, strategic leadership, critical thinking, and data-informed decision-making. What made the Institutes very relevant and meaningful was the use of data to identify real-life situations, which were discussed throughout the program. Also, activities were used to facilitate a high level of interagency and dialogue. One highlight of the event was the session focused on the bigger VR picture, where teams planned and delivered movie trailer presentations on topics such as the history of VR, standards and indicators, and other important RSA policies and directives. For additional information, please contact Joan Kester at .

The MD DORS Executive Leadership Institute wrapped up their program recently. Held bi-annually, the TACE Center was pleased to partner with MD DORS by providing sessions on leadership development topics, as well as through individual executive coaching sessions. For additional information, please contact Joan Kester at .

PA OVR received an RSA Quality Training Award to hold a PA OVR Supervisor Institute each year for the next five years. The TACE worked in partnership with an OVR workgroup, University of Scranton, and PA Dept. of Labor and Industry in the design and delivery of the first of two sessions held in May 2012 in State College, PA. Topics included employee engagement, leading during times of change and limited resources, professionalism, and performance management. The second session is slated for August 2012. For additional information, please contact Joan Kester at

Learning Community Updates (continued)

by Joan Kester

Mid-Atlantic Transition

Leadership Council

The Council is comprised of the VR and Special Education transition leaders for each state. Over the past year, the group has been very active! With the goal of sharing and improving practices, we have focused on the following topics over the past year: statewide memorandums of understandings; local agreements; assistive technology transfer policies; Project SEARCH implementation and management strategies; models of replication (Start on Success); sharing youth development/leadership practices; statewide transition conference management; and exploration of cross-system data sharing. The Council had an amazing meeting on May 29, 2012, full of energy and conversation about important topics including transition and career assessment; family engagement; and partnerships. The TACE was pleased to sponsor, in conjunction with the scholarships from RSA, members’ participation in the 2012 National Transition Conference held on May 30-June 1, 2012. The group is now tackling a project focused on family engagement. For additional information, please contact Joan Kester at .

VR Business NETworkLearning
Community

This group is comprised of VR Business Points of Contact for each VR agency in the region, which also connects nationally through the Net. Led by the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), the Net’s national network supports a united or “one company” approach to working with business customers. Each point of contact is focused on expanding employment opportunities for VR customers by increasing employer relations. With the goal of sharing and improving practices, we have focused on the following topics over the past year: VR business huddles to share warm contacts; NET Training from CSAVR; business development strategies; capitalizing on Federal employment opportunities; and staff development and significant work occurred in each of these areas during this reporting period. This work will continue during the upcoming year and some additional goals include capitalizing on Federal employment and contracting opportunities; staff development module development; creation of wiki to share resources; creation of Google docs to share warm business contacts; collaboration with Veterans programs; and the roll out NET training from CSAVR. For additional information, please contact Joan Kester at .

Community Rehabilitation Provider Liaison Learning Community

This learning community is comprised of the Provider Liaison for each VR agency in the region. With the goal of sharing and improving practices, we have focused on the following topics over the past year: quality assurance; definition of services; contracting and RFP processes; provider forms; integrated competitive employment; and innovative practices. Additionally significant CRP training events online and in person relating to employment competencies were provided throughout the region throughout the year. Goals for the upcoming year for this group include further refinement of the currently completed work regarding quality assurance and provider report cards; regional forum to address best practices, systems coordination of supported employment services & long-term supports (DD, ID, MH, VR, one-stops); payment/milestone structures; developing training to increase competencies of CRP provider staff. For additional information, please contact Joan Kester at .