Approved 12/7/12
Quarterly Meeting Minutes


Oregon State Independent Living Council
Friday, September 7, 2012 • 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Salem Conference Center • 200 Commercial Street SE • Salem, OR


INTRODUCTIONS 
Attendees: Tony Ellis, Randy Samuelson, Harvalee Hess (OCB), Cindy 
Campbell, Mike Volpe, Sherry Stock, Ann Balzell, Sheila Thomas, Susan 
Melero, Dodie McKenzie, Ben Luskin, Janet Lowther and Stephaine Parrish 
Taylor (VR). 
Absent: Barry Fox-Quamme and Margi Morgan 
Administrative Note: Janet Lowther joined the meeting at 8:50. 
Staff Present: Joan Claypool, Tina Treasure, Shelly Emery, Joette Williams 
and Mark Beasley (Cascade Sound) 
Guests: Christina Fritschi Executive Director of SPOKES Unlimited, Ted Wenk 
of Disability Rights Oregon, Angie Butler Confederated Tribes of Siletz and Jeff 
Shaddon, Applicant 

Applicant Jeff Shaddon introduced himself to the Council. Jeff is from 
Tillamook. He is currently working on getting his Bachelor’s degree in social 
services. He recently became employed at MPC Works which is a contractor 
with the State of Oregon to help with the JOBS Program. Jeff is a father of 
four. He would like to work on his Master’s degree with the thought of 
working as a VR counselor. 

AGENDA REVIEW 
ACTION • Motion by Samuelson, second by Melero to accept the agenda 
as presented. In favor: Campbell, McKenzie, Melero, Samuelson, Stock, Volpe, 
Luskin and Thomas. There being no votes in opposition or abstention, the 
motion was carried. Ellis & Lowther were not present for this vote. 

CIL PRESENTATION • SPOKES Unlimited 
Christina Fritschi is the Executive Director (ED) at SPOKES Unlimited, located 
in Klamath Falls, serving Klamath and Lake Counties. SPOKES began as a 
support group for people with mobility disabilities in 1983. It became an 
official Center for Independent Living in 1988. Christina is the fourth Director 
there. 

The Center currently has 1.5 FTE Independent Living Specialists (ILS), a .5 
Community Services Specialist and a part-time Work Incentives Coordinator 
(WIC). There is a full time person that is the receptionist, bookkeeper and 

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executive assistant. Christina is currently recruiting for a part-time ILS in Lake 
County, feeling that a community member would better serve consumers 
there, rather than traveling from Klamath Falls. 

Christina would like to pursue assistive technologies. She has found that the 
ILSs there don’t have the time to become experts in all of the devices and 
applications available. With that in mind, Christina is going to hire an IT 
person to help with general IT needs but also focus on assistive technology. 
This position will only work 12 hours per week. 

SPOKES has improved their relationship with and are working more closely 
with Oregon Commission for the Blind (OCB), providing some fee for service. 
They have also developed a good relationship with the local tribal VR. 

While preparing for this presentation, Christina did some demographic 
research. According to the 2000 census, Klamath County has a population of 
64,000 with 21 percent being people with a disability or about 13,000 people. 
Lake County has about 7,500 people with 20 percent people with disabilities. 
There is a total of approximately 15,000 people they could be providing 
services to in their service area. Of those between 5 to 15 years old, the 
largest group is people with a mental health disability. For people 16 and 
over, the predominant group is people with physical disabilities, then mental 
health and third is people with sensory disabilities. 

60 to 70 percent of the consumers being served by SPOKES are people with 
cognitive disabilities with the next largest group being people with mental 
health disabilities. Only about 20 percent of consumers that access SPOKES 
services are people with physical disabilities. 

The number one service provided by SPOKES is information and referral. Skills 
training is second and advocacy is the third most provided service. 

Christina believes SPOKES has been under-reporting their statistics. The 
current fiscal year started with 132 open Consumer Service Records (CSRs). 
SPOKES has opened 30 new CSRs throughout the year and currently there are 
50 open CSRs. 

The priority goals that the majority of their consumers have is self advocacy 
and empowerment. Another is personal resource management; helping 
people with their basic necessities -ensuring that they have the basic 
necessities such as housing and food to become more stable to be able to 
move into things like employment or other community engagement. 
Educational goals are also a significant group, along with community and 
social participation. 

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They have a very long-standing Multiple Sclerosis support group, a recreation 
group and a TBII group that all meet once per month. OCB has a vision class 
held at SPOKES once per month. They have gotten requests from consumer 
for three different support groups. SPOKES is working with the consumers to 
help develop these groups. One is parents of children with autism, also a 
group for care givers and the a request to restart the spinal cord injury 
support group. 

STAFF REPORT & UPDATES 

A written staff report was included in the meeting packet. Tina Treasure was 
asked about options counseling mentioned in her report. This term has come 
to light with the development of Aging and Disability Resource Centers 
(ADRCs). This is bringing together resources that are traditionally provided 
through the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) with disability services through the 
CILs so there is no wrong door for seniors or people with disabilities. Options 
counseling is important in the long-term care system, looking at how it will 
continue to meet people’s needs. Options counseling is a way to help families 
and individuals that need long term care plan for it. 

SILC CONGRESS UPDATE 

SILC Congress will be held in San Diego this year January 12 – 15, 2013. One 
of the focuses will be on State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) 
development. Several SILCs have been asked to send their SPILs in as 
examples to help train other SILCs. 

The Idaho SILC Executive Director, a former legislator, will give a presentation 
on how CILs and SILCs can be effective working with their legislators on 
different projects. 

Sherry Stock is overseeing a presentation with local charities on how to write 
grants to the local community nonprofit funders; what to say and how to say 
it to get funding. 

ASSOCIATION OF CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING (AOCIL) 
UPDATE • Sheila Thomas for Barry Fox-Quamme 
The new AOCIL Executive Director, Sally Lawson, is looking for grants to keep 
the AOCIL going. They have submitted a grant request to the Oregon 
Community Foundation, combining funding for office space for both AOCIL 
and LIFE (LILA’s Salem staff) to provide more IL services in Marion, Polk and 
Yamhill counties. A letter of inquiry has been sent to the Murdock Foundation 
and they will be sending in a grant request to Meyer Memorial. 

AOCIL will be sending Sally to the APRIL Conference in Reno. 

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The Association is continuing discussion on ways to create statewide service
coverage.


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTION


For the Chairperson position, Sherry Stock nominated Ann Balzell; seconded
by Randy Samuelson. Susan Melero nominated herself; seconded by Ben
Luskin. Sherry Stock moved to close nominations, seconded by Sheila
Thomas. A ballot gote was conducted.
ACTION • Casting a vote for Susan Melero was Susan Melero. Casting votes
for Ann Balzell were Sherry Stock, Dodie McKenzie, Ben Luskin, Sheila
Thomas, Janet Lowther, Randy Samuelson, Tony Ellis and Mike Volpe. There
was one abstention by Ann Balzell.


For the At-Large position, Ann Balzell nominated Mike Volpe; seconded by
Sheila Thomas. There being no other nominations. Sherry Stock moved to
close the nominations; seconded by Randy Samuelson.
ACTION • Motion by Stock; seconded by Melero for a unanimous vote for
Mike Volpe to continue in the Executive Committee At-Large position. In
favor: Balzell, Campbell, Ellis, Lowther, Luskin, McKenzie, Melero, Samuelson,
Stock, Thomas and Volpe. There being no votes in opposition or abstention,
the motion was carried.


PUBLIC COMMENT


Angie Butler, of the Siletz Tribe – As a newly funded tribe they want to
participate more in the SILC meetings and share about what his going on in
their communities.


Ted Wenk, of Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) – Provided update on the Client
Assistance Program (CAP). CAP continues to participate with the State
Rehabilitation Council (SRC). They are going to be doing their consumer
satisfaction survey before the end of the year.


Disability Rights Oregon will be having more layoffs. The publications and web
specialists were laid off. One of the former Work Incentive Planning Assistants
(WIPA) will be returning part-time.


2011-2013 SPIL PROGRESS & COMMITTEE REPORTS
Collaboration Committee (CC)


A written report was included in the meeting packet. In summary, the ADRCs
are moving forward. Mega Conference is coming up.


Special Project Work Group – The IL video intended to provide information to
VR staff is complete and on the VR Web site. The VR video to provide
information to CILs has been filmed but still needs some editing.


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The CC has worked on a list of peer supports. A list was sent out a couple of 
months ago of peer support organizations in Oregon. A survey was then sent 
out to the CILs and asked what was and wasn’t working in relationship to 
peer support groups. The responses indicated that the lists of available 
support groups were not being used by CIL staff. 

Sheila Hoover, the Statewide Field Services Technician for VR showed a 
YouTube version of the rough cut video by VR for the CILs. The plan was to 
mirror the IL video. She is asking the SILC to give feedback to help edit and 
shorten their video. Due to slow a slow Internet connection, the YouTube link 
will be provided to the SILC members, so they can send their comments to 
Sheila Hoover. Tina Treasure will distribute the link. 

Membership Development Committee (MDC) 

Dodie McKenzie interviewed Jeff Shaddon a few months ago. In summary the 
pros and cons to his membership are: Pros -He lives in Tillamook an area 
where a SILC presence is needed, He is highly recommended by his 
references and he lives the IL philosophy. Cons – He is looking for full time 
employment when he finishes his degree, so it is unknown how long he will 
be available to serve. 
ACTION • The MDC recommends, in the form of a motion, that Jeff 
Shaddon’s name be forward to the Governor’s office for membership. The 
motion was seconded by Stock. In favor: Balzell, Campbell, Ellis, Lowther, 
McKenzie, Melero, Samuelson, Stock, Volpe, Luskin and Thomas. There being 
no votes in opposition or abstention, the motion carried. 

SPIL Committee 

Most of the work for this committee has been happening outside of committee 
meetings as IL partners work on general concepts for the goals and objectives 
for the State Plan. They need to soon put out a public opportunity for 
comment on the direction of the chosen goals and objectives. SPIL Committee 
and staff will need to discuss next steps. It was brought up at the SILC 
Retreat, yesterday, that there is an interest in another in-person meeting to 
try to refine the goals and objectives and the ways to measure them. 

Shelly Emery reviewed the SPIL Evaluation Report Summary for the 3rd period 
with the Council. The CIL work plans may still need some refining. 

Activity 2 – Development of the CIL role in systems changed: Some of the 
things that are still needed are continuation of CIL representation on the 
ADRC Advisory Council, continued monitoring to make sure the ADRC 
perameters are developed and clearly communicated,and continued work with 

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the State Unit on Aging on the ADRC Web site to make the search engine 
more effective for consumers. 

Activity 3 – CIL assist the SILC in assessing potential gaps in information 
available to people with disabilities through the ADRC: Still needed is an 
ongoing assessment of ADRC outcomes for providing consumers with relevant 
information, looking at how effective the connections are that VR consumers 
have with other kinds of groups and programs to help support them in 
employment maintenance once they have obtained a job. 

MEMBER TRAINING • Youth Transition Program • Keith Ozols 
Keith Ozols is the Statewide Coordinator for the Youth Transition Program 
(YTP) which is operated by Oregon’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. 
This presentation will cover the history, logistics and how the program 
operates. 

YTP has been around for 22 years. This is an intergovernmental agreement 
between Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and VR, with a partnership 
between VR, the Oregon Department of Education, the University of Oregon 
and local school districts (ESDs) throughout the state. ODE helps train the 
schools, identify the students and the programs within the schools that could 
be a good match for the program. 

YTP’s first goal is to prepare high school youth with disabilities for 
employment or career related post-secondary education. The second goal is 
to create a new pattern of services within schools and communities, and build 
stronger partnerships between the education systems and adult systems such 
as VR. 

The program started in 1989, in Lane County, spreading to 10 sites in the 
next five years. Between 1991 and 1993 the program began to expand across 
Oregon. In 1996, Alabama and Arizona asked Oregon to help them replicate 
Oregon’s model in their states. In 2001, a new funding model was started. 
Oregon would give two/thirds match, the school districts one/third, and then 
the schools would get the total amount back. In 2010, YTP was recognized by 
the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (a nationwide 
organization) as a best practice. 

YTP has provided direct services and improved outcomes for over 23,000 
Oregon youth. Of the 197 school districts throughout the state, YTP is 
represented in 55 of them -or in 115 high schools. 

There are three technical assistance providers from the University of Oregon 
(U of O), who divide up the state, providing direct training to the schools and 

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working with the school for independent program development. They also do 
staff training, technical assistance and program evaluation. 
There is a statewide YTP Conference, usually held in Hood River in February, 
that is open to all school districts. There are regional conferences which are 
held in areas where it is difficult for groups to travel, and there is the summer 
academy where they usually focus on specific populations. This summer the 
focus was on students with disabilities who are in foster care, students with 
disabilities who live in poverty, and students with mental health issues. 

The YTP Web site is ytporegon.org, and has a lot of information, including a 
calendar of current events. 

The grant sets its own benchmarks. The benchmarks include applicants for 
each site, the Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE), and engagement to 
show how effective the program is. The grant will follow an individual for a 
full year after they have left the program. They are hoping to have a 70 
percent success rate of engagement after the students leave the program. 

The transition specialists screen and refer the students, they attend the IEP 
meetings at the school and report that information to their VR counselor and 
help them develop their IPE. The transition specialists also do pre-
employment instruction such as how to take a bus and time management. 
They develop work experiences. Many of the schools have an on-site, school 
based work experience such as a coffee cart. In Brookings Harbor high school 
there is a print shop where the YTP students work. 

In Springfield, YTP operates in three high schools. The demographics of the of 
the program show they have thirty active students in their program, the 
majority of which have a specific learning disability. Their average age is 19 
and the students all share multiple barriers and functional limitations that are 
addressed through the program. There is a transition garden in Springfield 
that the students work at year round. They will sell the produce at the Eugene 
Saturday Market, bank the proceeds and use those funds to improve the 
garden. 

The students that want to get into the program need to be 16 years or older, 
motivated to work, have communication skills, documented disability and a 
barrier to employment. 

A student leaves the program usually, but not always at graduation when they 
are heading to post secondary education or work. That is when the follow up 
starts. 86 percent of the students that are in YTP leave school with a high 
school completion certificate. Which is a higher retention rate than their peers 
without disabilities. 

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AGENCY REPORTS 
DSU/IL Coordinator • Joan Claypool 

A written report was included in the meeting packet. The CILs have 
presented some ideas about streamlining reporting. 

Joan is planning a review of EOCIL in October. There are also a couple of 
corrective action plans that are in process. One is with HASL and the other is 
with ABILITREE. 

Vocational Rehabilitation • Stephaine Parrish Taylor 

There have been changes within the Department of Human Services and 
within State government. VR had been an “Office” within the Children, Adults 
and Families Division. They are now just the Vocational Rehabilitation and 
they sit on the Director’s Cabinet. 

In terms of the budget, the Governor has a strategic plan in which he has 
established buckets where he will be making investments. VR fell into the 
economy and jobs bucket. 

VR received additional funds for the Medicaid Infrastruction Grant (MIG), 
which they are using with the Governor’s office on an initiative called Closing 
the Gap -Improving Outcomes. It is a targeted look at Temporary and Needy 
Family (TANF) leavers, people with disabilities and communities of color that 
are not benefiting from the employment services available in this state. A five-
year strategic plan is being developed to identify best practices, programmatic 
changes, and policy and funding issues that ideally would help improve the 
outcomes for these populations. They expect to have a strategic plan 
completed by the end of December. 

The VR State Plan has been approved. 

State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) • Sherry Stock 

A written report was included in the meeting packet. 

Oregon Commission for the Blind (OCB) • Harvalee Hess 

A written report was included in the meeting packet. 

Oregon Disabilities Commission (ODC) • Tina Treasure 

A written report was included in the meeting packet. Sherry Stock wanted to 
share that ODC has signed up for a Capitol day. ODC has the full gallery for 
the day with up to twenty tables for different disability groups. 

CONSUMER SATISFACTION SURVEY REPORT 

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Staff tried to resolve some survey distribution issues with one of the CILs but 
without success. Because of that, UVDN is not included in the report. This 
brought up the opportunity for the CILs to discuss the consumer satisfaction 
survey again; how to improve it, how to improve return rates and how to 
begin partnering with OCB so it will be more of a statewide survey. The idea 
is to have fewer questions and perhaps have CILs pre-code the surveys with 
consumer demographic information so the consumer won’t have to be asked 
those questions. 

There was a significant drop in the return rate this year. Some of the 
demographic information about the most typical consumer returning a survey 
shows that they would be a female in her fifty’s, referred by VR and 
experiencing a physical disability. She would have been receiving services for 
two or more years from a CIL. The top four services she would have received 
would be IL skills training, employment services, advocacy and peer 
counseling, in that order. She would be satisfied with her services, and believe 
that the information she received from the CIL was valuable, that she is much 
better able to participate in her family and community, and that she has 
greater control over decision in her life. She would be satisfied with the 
service timeliness and how the program helped ther achieveher goals. She 
would return to the CIL if needed and would refer others as well. Most 
consumers did not indicate any additional service they would want to see from 
their CIL. 

The draft of the new survey question does not include how the consumer 
heard of the CIL. The intake process doesn’t necessarily ask who referred 
them to the CIL. Stephaine suggested a good reason to ask would be to take 
numbers to the Legislature. 

SILC GENERAL ACTION ITEMS 
June 2012 SILC Meeting Minutes 

Corrections noted in June minutes included changing Sheila Thomas’s 
Regional Hot Topic to say LILA is the affiliate for the Business Leadership 
Network (need to strike the “not” in the paragraph). 
ACTION • Motion by Stock, second by Samuelson to accept the minutes 
as corrected. In favor: Campbell, Ellis, Lowther, Luskin, McKenzie, Melero, 
Samuelson, Stock, Thomas and Volpe. There being no votes in opposition or 
abstention, the motion was carried. 

Financial Report (5/16/12-8/15/12) 

The financial report does not include the accrued payroll of August through 
the 15th. 

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At this point we are approximately 88 percent through the year. No catagories
have been over spent. Overall, 70 percent of the revenues have been spent to
this point, leaving a balance of $114,222.89.
ACTION • Motion by Stock, second by Volpe to accept the financial report as
presented. In favor: Volpe, Thomas, Stock, Samuelson, Melero, McKenzie,
Luskin, Lowther, Ellis and Campbell. There being no votes in opposition or
abstention, the motion was carried.


PROPOSED 2013 SILC BUDGET


The budget proposal was included in the meeting packet. The budget is
proposed before the Federal Fiscal year starts on October 1, then in
December we bring back final numbers about carryover. The first section of
the budget is the 705 Resource Plan. This is the part that is used to staff and
operate the SILC -the salaries of the staff; meetings; expenses for SPIL
implementation, monitoring and development; some travel; conference
support; and some support for MegaConference. This year the total budget
has gone down by about three percent. The total needed for match from
State IL funds will depend on the actual carryover of federal funds from last
fiscal year. OCB continues to give the SILC a contribution of $1,800.00
annually. The total budgeted expenses are $366,000.00. The proposed budget
has been submitted to VR and no changes were requested by them.
ACTION • Motion by Stock, second by Molero to accept the budget as
proposed. In favor: Campbell, Ellis, Lowther, Luskin, McKenzie, Melero,
Samuelson, Stock, Thomas and Volpe. There being no votes in opposition or
abstention, the motion was carried.


REGIONAL HOT TOPICS
Joette – Daughter just got married.


Tony – Is trying to get his spinal cord injury support group running again.
There is nothing in Jackson County. He has been working with the VA. There
are 32 guys back from the war, but they are spread out from Klamath Falls to
Medford and Grant Pass. Sherry suggested that Tony get in touch with a
former SILC member, Ryan Green at OPVA to help get the word out about the
support group.


Randy – HASL was recently reviewed by the State and one of the
recommendations was to reinstate transportation. To that end they are having
their first ever fundraiser to reinstate transportation. They sent out 100
invitations to people they have identified in the community as possible donors.


Harvalee – Had a conversation with Randy during the break. There is a
pocket of individuals that OCB’s programs cannot serve. They are people


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under 55, visually impaired, not legally blind, who are not interested in 
working. She is committed to working with OCB counselors and teachers to 
make sure they are making referrals to the CILs especially for those 
individuals that they can’t serve. Also working with the CILs that help those 
people -is there additional training the CILs may need in order to provide that 
help? 

Cindy – ATUNE received its 501(c)3 designation, so there is now a service 
provider for deaf and hard of hearing people throughout the state. She is 
working with several CILs. They are working on writing grants, also contracts 
and trying to find funding. A VR Counselor encouraged her to apply for ATUNE 
to become a vender with the VR program, allowing ATUNE to get paid for 
some of what they do. On October 17, at Broadway Commons, in Salem, they 
are having a social and town hall meeting to draw people for the Hearing Loss 
Council they are setting up through ATTUNE. 

Joan – Thank you to Cindy for sharing her wealth of knowledge of the deaf 
and hard of hearing communities. Joan is a new grandmother! 

Mike – The community in which he lives, CoHo Ecovillage, is coming up on its 
five year anniversary. He has been living there for five years. It is a place 
where the people structure the community. A number of people in the 
community started a 501(c)3 dedicating one unit at CoHo for an individual 
with a physical disability. 

Sherry – She is involved in veteran’s courts. She has been involved in 
training judges and attorneys for the courts in Marion County around brain 
injury. The veteran’s courts have been set up for veterans having legal issues, 
hoping to keep them out of the prison system. 

She has also been interviewing nationally for the Florida Neurological 
Rehabilitation Center which is a facility for approximately 150 people with 
intellectual disabilities. There has been such abuse there it has caused five 
deaths in the last two years. 

Ann – The MegaConference is taking place October 25 through the 27th . 

Shelly – Shelly’s hot topic is the SPIL. 

Stephaine – Stephaine’s hot topic is a little legal activity she is involved in 
(referring to the DD lawsuit around sheltered workshops). 

Sheila – A young lady about 25 years old, born without sight, started at LILA 
as an intern while taking classes at Lane Community College. She has had a 
very complex family situation and knew nothing about Independent Living. 

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The LILA staff decided to help her with that. Her internship ended and now 
she is going to a school in Colorado to learn more skills to be independent. 

Susan – There is a new advocacy program to replace SAAL, it is called 
Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition. Budget cuts are still happening for self-
advocacy groups in the areas of transportation, health care and housing. 

Dodie – There are now five tribal VR programs. It has been a couple of years 
losing and hiring new staff. Warm Springs has a new Director. Umatilla has 
been building their program and also Klamath. Her co-worker, John George, is 
running for Tribal Council at Grand Ronde. 

Ben – Is grateful to be part of a group of such caring people that love what 
they do and do what they love. 

Janet – Is trying to accept the fact that living independently is a full time job. 

Jeff – Appreciates everyone’s warm welcome and looks forward to being a 
part of the Council. 

ADJOURN -Next Meeting • December 7 – Salem, OR 

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