[nfbwatlk] FW: Reasons to Celebrate
Noel Nightingale
nnightingale at earthlink.net
Fri Aug 11 12:47:55 CDT 2006
-----Original Message-----
From: Drumheller, Ellen [mailto:EllDrumheller at DSB.WA.GOV]
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2006 9:52 AM
Subject: Reasons to Celebrate
REASONS TO CELEBRATE!
DSB staff and our customers have much to celebrate as we look back on
the accomplishments of this past fiscal year (July 1, 2005 through June
30, 2006).
* This year 139 customers completed their Vocational
Rehabilitation programs and went to work in competitive jobs at an
average wage of $15.41 per hour. This means that these 139 folks
learned the skills and developed the resources necessary to overcome
their vision loss, find good jobs with benefits, support their families,
pay taxes, and contribute to their communities. The attached list of
jobs for FY 06 will give you an idea of the broad range of
qualifications and skills our successful customers possess. The list
also reflects the growing community of employers who have the benefit of
hiring valuable employees who happen to be blind.
* DSB still has sufficient resources to serve all eligible
vocational rehabilitation (VR) customers, with no waiting list, and we
have actually increased our capacity to provide direct services in the
Vocational Rehabilitation program.
* DSB had a very successful supplemental budget request and, for
the first time in many years, gained 4 additional FTEs for VR direct
services. We have recently hired two additional, highly qualified
vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs) for the Tacoma and Yakima
offices. An additional VRC and Assistive Technology Specialist will be
hired over the course of the next year for the Vancouver office. Two of
our most recent hires are also proficient in American Sign Language
(ASL).
* The Orientation and Training Center (OTC) in Seattle hit a new
record by serving 64 students this year, with an increased emphasis on
employment readiness and computer training. Students also participated
in challenge activities like white water rafting, orientation and
mobility, shop, home management, adjustment to blindness and activities
of daily living.
* DSB now gets transition age kids started in a vocational
rehabilitation program at age 16. This year 20 new kids began the
process of learning about the world of work and the skills they need to
develop. Our Youth Employment Solutions (YES) programs both in Seattle
and Vancouver offered kids opportunities for work experience, skills
training and independent living during the summer. Another group of
transition age kids experienced a preview of college campus life and
academic studies through our Bridge program on campus at Central
Washington University.
* The Child and Family program staff continued their important
work of early intervention with families and schools, having completed
another successful preschool conference and much in-home consultation.
* The Independent Living program served 2,345 older blind folks
this year, helping them stay independent in their homes, connect with
peers in their communities, and take advantage of local resources.
* The Business Enterprise vendors continued to offer quality food
services in cafeterias and vending stands around the state.
Special thanks also to DSB's fiscal and administrative staff who worked
valiantly and effectively to make sure we could focus on providing the
highest quality customer service and accomplish our mission and program
goals.
We have an awesome team of staff working at DSB and DSB's
accomplishments are a result of everyone's hard work.
Listening
I continue to realize that listening well is one of the most powerful
things any of us can do. In addition to our community meetings around
the state, our customer satisfaction survey, our open case reviews and
feedback from our State Rehabilitation Council, we at DSB want to listen
well to our customers on a daily basis. Governor Gregoire is currently
setting an example for how government should listen to the public by
conducting forums around the state where she hears and learns from
citizens on a wide range of issues. You can learn more about these
meetings by going to the Governor's web site at
http://www.governor.wa.gov <http://www.governor.wa.gov/> .
Looking at the Future
Change is certainly with us! Not just within DSB, but within the state
and on a national level. Because the Rehabilitation Act is still in
the process of reauthorization in Congress (as well as the entire
Workforce Investment Act), stakeholders and agencies have a chance to
rethink and influence the future of the VR program. Ideas for changes
in how we provide services are being discussed around the country. The
Randolph Sheppard Act and Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) programs are also
being reconsidered by Congress for the first time in many years. Change
can always be an opportunity to make things better.
Here in Washington, there have been a number of changes in the
leadership of disability related programs this past year. We need to
be sure we are developing young professionals committed to carrying the
mission forward. Recruiting, training and succession planning are high
priorities at DSB.
We at DSB are fortunate in our work. We have the privilege of assisting
people to take charge of their lives. We have the opportunity to become
part of their journey. We have the satisfaction of working hard
together and getting results. I am reminded that public service is full
of challenges, but also rewards - even fun.
Lou Oma Durand
Executive Director
Department of Services for the Blind
3411 S. Alaska St.
Seattle, WA 98118
Voice: (206) 721-6435
Toll-Free: 1-800-552-7103
Fax: (206) 721-4103
Email: loudurand at dsb.wa.gov
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-----Original Message-----
From:
Drumheller, Ellen [mailto:EllDrumheller at DSB.WA.GOV]
Sent:
Friday, August 11, 2006 9:52 AM
Subject:
Reasons to Celebrate
REASONS TO CELEBRATE!
DSB staff and our customers have much to celebrate as we look back on the accomplishments of this past fiscal year (July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006).
This year 139 customers completed their Vocational Rehabilitation programs and went to work in competitive jobs at an average wage of $15.41 per hour.
This means that these 139 folks learned the skills and developed the resources necessary to overcome their vision loss, find good jobs with benefits, support their families, pay taxes, and contribute to their communities. The attached list of jobs for FY 06 will give you an idea of the broad range of qualifications and skills our successful customers possess. The list also reflects the growing community of employers who have the benefit of hiring valuable employees who happen to be blind.
DSB still has sufficient resources to serve all eligible vocational rehabilitation (VR) customers, with no waiting list, and we have actually increased our capacity to provide direct services in the Vocational Rehabilitation program.
DSB had a very successful supplemental budget request and, for the first time in many years, gained 4 additional FTEs for VR direct services.
We have recently hired two additional, highly qualified vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs) for the
Tacoma
and
Yakima
offices. An additional VRC and Assistive Technology Specialist will be hired over the course of the next year for the
Vancouver
office. Two of our most recent hires are also proficient in American Sign Language (ASL).
The Orientation and
Training
Center
(OTC) in
Seattle
hit a new record by serving 64 students this year, with an increased emphasis on employment readiness and computer training.
Students also participated in challenge activities like white water rafting, orientation and mobility, shop, home management, adjustment to blindness and activities of daily living.
DSB now gets transition age kids started in a vocational rehabilitation program at age 16. This year 20 new kids began the process of learning about the world of work and the skills they need to develop.
Our Youth Employment Solutions (YES) programs both in Seattle and Vancouver offered kids opportunities for work experience, skills training and independent living during the summer. Another group of transition age kids experienced a preview of college campus life and academic studies through our Bridge program on campus at
Central
Washington
University
.
The Child and Family program staff continued their important work of early intervention with families and schools, having completed another successful preschool conference and much in-home consultation.
The Independent Living program served 2,345 older blind folks this year, helping them stay independent in their homes, connect with peers in their communities, and take advantage of local resources.
The Business
Enterprise
vendors continued to offer quality food services in cafeterias and vending stands around the state.
Special thanks also to DSB’s fiscal and administrative staff who worked valiantly and effectively to make sure we could focus on providing the highest quality customer service and accomplish our mission and program goals.
We have an awesome team of staff working at DSB and DSB’s accomplishments are a result of everyone’s hard work.
Listening
I continue to realize that listening well is one of the most powerful things any of us can do. In addition to our community meetings around the state, our customer satisfaction survey, our open case reviews and feedback from our State Rehabilitation Council, we at DSB want to listen well to our customers on a daily basis. Governor Gregoire is currently setting an example for how government should listen to the public by conducting forums around the state where she hears and learns from citizens on a wide range of issues. You can learn more about these meetings by going to the Governor’s web site at http://www.governor.wa.gov/ http://www.governor.wa.gov
.
Looking at the Future
Change is certainly with us! Not just within DSB, but within the state and on a national level. Because the Rehabilitation Act is still in the process of reauthorization in Congress (as well as the entire Workforce Investment Act), stakeholders and agencies have a chance to rethink and influence the future of the VR program. Ideas for changes in how we provide services are being discussed around the country. The Randolph Sheppard Act and Javits-Wagner-O’Day
(
JWOD) programs are also being reconsidered by Congress for the first time in many years.
C
hange can always be
an opportunity to make things better.
Here in
Washington
, there have been a number of changes in the
leadership of disability related programs this past year. We need to be sure we are developing young professionals committed to carrying the mission forward. Recruiting, training and succession planning are high priorities at DSB.
We at DSB are fortunate in our work. We have the privilege of assisting people to take charge of their lives. We have the opportunity to become part of their journey. We have the satisfaction of working hard together and getting results. I am reminded that public service is full of challenges, but also rewards - even fun.
Lou Oma Durand
Executive Director
Department of Services for the Blind
3411 S. Alaska St
.
Seattle
,
WA
98118
Voice: (206) 721-6435
Toll-Free: 1-800-552-7103
Fax: (206) 721-4103
Email: loudurand at dsb.wa.gov
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