Approved 3/4/2011 Minutes SILC Quarterly Meeting Friday, December 3, 2010 • 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Renaissance Inn • 5188 Wittenberg Lane North • Keizer, OR INTRODUCTIONS ATTENDEES: Ann Balzell (Chairperson), Sherry Stock (Vice Chair), Randy Samuelson, Ryan Green, Wendy Howard, Dean Westwood, Mike Volpe, Sharon Coverstone, Frank Synoground, Angel Hale, Jackie Hovey, Dodie McKenzie, Cindy Campbell. Stephaine Parrish-Taylor was not available for this meeting. NOTE: Barry Fox-Quamme arrived at 9:30; Sharon Coverstone left the meeting at 1:00; Dodie McKenzie and Wendy Howard returned from lunch at 1:45 and 2:15 respectively and Barry Fox-Quamme was out of the room from 3:00 to 3:22. Staff Present: Shelly Emery, Tina Treasure, Joette Williams and technician from Cascade Sound. Guests Present: Joan Claypool (OVRS), Susan Melero (applicant), and Jim Schlegel (applicant), Maria Michael (home care worker), Amy Zulich (Mental Health America of Oregon), Sonja McKenzie (Child Development and Rehabilitation Center AmeriCorp) and Naomi Shadwick (Progressive Options) SILC GENERAL ACTION ITEMS September 2010 SILC meeting Minutes ACTION ? A motion was made by Sherry Stock and seconded by Angel Hale to approve the September 10, 2010 minutes with a correction to applicant introductions on behalf of Cindy Campbell, noting that she is employed by Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service and works with the Telecommunciations Devise Access Program. Votes in favor: Mike Vole, Wendy Howard, Ryan Green, Randy Samuelson, Sherry Stock, Cindy Campbell, Dodie McKenzie, Jackie Hovey, Sharon Coverstone and Frank Synoground. Dean Westwood abstained. There were no votes in opposition. Fourth Quarter Financial Report (8/16/10 – 9/30/10) The SILC ended the year having spent 74 percent of the budget, which is approximately $319,000. Of the SILC Resource Plan, approximately $316,000 was spent leaving $110,000. Of the Non 705 funds, the SILC spent 61 percent, which left a balance of $1,962.38. That money will carry forward and will need to be spent by June 2011. Equipment and supplies went over budget due to the unexpected need to replace a computer. Two of the administrative staff line items showed a lower expenditure percentage. The budget was written with some expected overtime, which was not used this year for the Operations Coordinator, and for part of the year the administrative staff was paid as a temporary service employee, which is calculated differently than FTE as a state employee. The administrative contractor was phased out as the SILC has hired new in house staff. ACTION • A motion was made by Wendy Howard and seconded by Dean Westwood to approve the financial report as submitted. Votes in favor: Sharon Coverstone, Frank Synoground, Jackie Hovey, Dodie McKenzie, Cindy Campbell, Sherry Stock, Randy Samuelson, Ryan Green, Wendy Howard, Dean Westwood and Mike Volpe. There were no votes in opposition or abstentions. CIL PRESENTATION • Randy Samuelson, HASL Randy Samuelson is the Executive Director at HASL. They are going into their twenty-fifth year. When HASL started, it was called The Handicapped Awareness and Support League, but nobody likes the term handicapped anymore so now they just use the name HASL. HASL provides the four core services, as well as some unique programs. They have the Work Incentive Network (WIN) with two Work Incentive Coordinators (WICs). They also have the STEPS program. This is a training program for consumers who employ home care workers. Randy has not heard any negative comments from consumer employers in the three years they have had the program. HASL has a transportation department that provided over 5,000 rides to consumers last year in Josephine and Jackson counties. They will transport people with disabilities for any reason, not just medical. New drivers spend at least half a day in the van, riding in a wheelchair, to understand what it is like for consumers. HASL operates the Southern Oregon Wheelchair Sports and Recreation program (SOWSR). It functions as an outreach tool to youth, and includes the wheelchair basketball team, the Rolling Rogues. They participate in challenge games against school faculty and set up obstacle courses so that students can experience what using a wheelchair is like. Randy thinks that the Rolling Rogues has helped HASL make a break through in building relationships with youth. One young lady they have worked with is doing a concert for people who are deaf or hard of hearing as her senior project. In addition, they offer ping pong, kite flying and several other activities. HASL is working toward becoming an Employment Network. The organization also partnered with Oregon Health & Science University’s Healing Pathways project for women 18 and older with a physical disability, who may be experiencing depression. It was hard to get the women to participate in the beginning. Now they feel they are part of a group, which gives them more self confidence. Another result is that many of these women gained employment. They have had a 97 percent success rate. HASL partnered in the fourth annual Options for Success conference. Over 400 people attended. Senator Alan Bates attended. Randy says he invites everyone from the President of the United States on down to visit the event. They are very excited about Options for Success. It grows every year. It focuses on employment, technology and various supports to help people help themselves. HASL also partners with the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, which oversees Seniors and People with Disabilities programs for Josephine and Jackson Counties. Randy is very proud of what HASL does as an organization. They have developed partnerships within their CIL Network and work closely with SPOKES, UVdN and ILR. He appreciates that when he calls his peers. He has never been denied their help. Randy ended by reading testimonials from a few of HASL’s consumers. AGENCY REPORTS Designated State Unit (DSU) – Joan Claypool A written report was included in the meeting packet. Joan reported that the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) have completed the purchase of a video conferencing system, using the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds. This should open up communication between CILs and with IL partners. The DSU has entered into new base funding contracts with CILs. During the last quarter they had to reallocate funds to the CILs, specifically to provide funds from the State to ILR, because of changes in how ARRA Part C funds were going to be distributed by the Rehabilitation Services Administration, which varied from our previous SPIL allocation plan. This was a significant change, since it made ILR a State grantee, which has not been the case in the past. There is currently a Request for Proposals out to CILs for use of remaining Title VII Part B ARRA funds. The funds available this fiscal year are in the range of $50,000 to $58,000. Greater formality was implemented in this year’s proposal process, including a bidder’s conference, which was held recently to answer questions. Proposals are due December 15. A compliance review was done at UVdN in October. Wendy Howard, Jan Campbell and Judy Barker, a State budget and finance expert participated on the review team. One of the things that was done with ARRA Part B money from last year was to provide for a CIL peer consultation in Bend, in September. They discussed the Rehabilitation Act Section 725 Standards and Assurances that CILs are expected to meet, in order to receive IL program funds. The CILs brought in Maureen Ryan, who works on QUILS, which is a peer review process developed by the Wisconsin CIL Association. Wendy Howard thought the training was phenomenal. The CIL Network has adopted several best practices as a result. They are looking to standardize some aspects of service delivery. Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (OVRS) Stephaine Parrish Taylor was unable to attend, as she was involved in meetings for the Technical Assistance and Continuing Education project, in Vancouver, Washington. Ann Balzell noted that Stephaine was recently talking about something related to State Plan development. She said that OVRS had conducted an extensive needs assessment and had identified similar need as the SILC did in our needs assessment: housing, health care and transportation. However, the responses they received indicated the need for more intensive analysis to better define the nature of the need. She had indicated that they were using focus groups to drill down to the needed information, and she sees it as an opportunity to partner with Centers for Independent Living and the SILC, since we need to know the same information. Ann also noted that OVRS is also working on a response to the Secretary of State’s Office, including development of a policy manual. State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) – Sherry Stock A written report was included in the meeting packet. At the last SRC meeting, there was a needs assessment report presentation, on barriers and issues that came out of the needs assessment survey. There was a low survey response. The primary gaps identified were health insurance, personal care assistance, and income assistance. Challenges for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (OVRS) will be to work more closely and cohesively with partners and finding additional funding sources. The SRC did vote to partner with the SILC Collaboration Committee. Oregon Commission for the Blind (OCB) – Angel Hale A written report was included in the meeting packet. Angel is excited about the collaboration focus. OCB is one of the partners chosen by the CILs to use their new video conferencing system for distance learning and collaboration, and will be looking for ways they can better utilize CILs. OCB is looking for a stronger partnership with the Veteran’s Administration (VA), as well. They have been trying to have a presence with the community based VA. When Angel went to work for OCB, she was able to write an application for a Quality Assurance grant, and that grant was awarded, including receiving the award every year of the grant. Oregon Disabilities Commission (ODC) – Tina Treasure A written report was included in the meeting packet. Tina has been reappointed to a second term and will continue to be on the ODC Executive Committee and the Employed Persons with Disability Committee. The SILC has several members involved in the ODC, including Sherry Stock, who was elected Chairperson. Participation in ODC helps the SILC develop relationships with key individuals. One example is Tina’s ability to establish a connection with Sonya Fischer, the Department of Human Services Director of Legislative Affairs. The ODC held a panel and a forum to hear from disability agencies such as the protection and advocacy agency, which in Oregon is Disability Rights Oregon. John Mullen was there from the Oregon Law Center and Kathryn Weit from the Council on Developmental Disabilities. The forum was designed to hear legislative priorities in the coming session. In formalizing ODC’s priorities for 2011, it isn’t surprising that the State budget is a major priority. ODC will be weighing in on any significant reductions that are being proposed. PUBLIC COMMENT * Susan Melero asked about the state budget and programs being cut. Randy answered her by stating it was a very difficult process and the main thing to do was advocate. The budget cuts are really out of the SILC’s hands, and the legislature will have to make those decisions. * Amy Zulich gave the SILC an update on the work that Mental Health America of Oregon (MHAO) is doing. They are just getting started on two grants from the federal government. The first is a renewal of a statewide networking grant. The focus for the three-year grant is going to be peer-to-peer employment supports. They will be doing training, creating a group of peer employment specialists in Oregon who will provide support to other peers, and helping them achieve their career and employment goals. There is an addition component in this grant around networking and connecting the consumer/survivor advocate community with veterans. The other grant is a five-year grant for a national technical assistance center. There are five grants that are funded at any given time throughout the United States. This is the first one west of the Mississippi. The goal is to provide training, technical assistance and support to consumers and consumer-run agencies; providing that support to build infrastructure to help people get more agencies started that are providing peer services. * Sonja McKenzie is with OHSU’s Center on Self Determination. She announced a proposed new program to provide a statewide AmeriCorp program that will service people with disabilities with different disability based organizations and centers for independent living across Oregon. The timeline is between now and May that they would visit different CILs and disability based organizations to start a discussion about forming a partnership, looking at the needs of that organization, determining if there is a need to have an AmeriCorp member a that site. The AmeriCorp members would be trained in self determination. They would be there to serve the needs of the center. The three main goals of the AmeriCorp program are to stress independent living, public service and to create long-term employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Sheila Thomas, from Lane Independent Living Alliance, is on the planning committee and Sonja would like to extend an invitation to anyone else that might be interested in helping them achieve their goals. * Naomi Shadwick – Naomi has been around IL since 2003, with Progressive Options Center for Independent Living (POCIL) located in Newport, Oregon. They have received CIL funding in the past but for the last four years they have been operating on their own. They continue to provide computer training and life skills development. They have been operating consistently since 1997. She hopes to reconnect with LILA. SPRINT PRESENTATION • Cindy Campbell Cindy handed out hard copies of brochures. The alternate formats are available on line at www.rspf.org and/or www.oregoncaptel.com or she will personally send them to someone if given their email address. Cindy works with Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service, which is part of a program called Residential Service Protection Fund (RSPF). The first program is Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP), which provides monthly phone bill discounts to qualifying low-income Oregonians. The program was designed by the Oregon legislators who believed that all Oregonians have a right to access telephone service; to be able to call 911. This service is administered by the Oregon Public Utilities Commission and provided by Sprint. The RSPF, Sprint and Public Utilities Commission are in partnership to make sure that all Oregonians have access to a telephone and telephone service. The next program is the Oregon Telecommunication Relay Service (ORTS). This service started in 1989 and is available to all Oregonians. It allows those with hearing and speech disabilities to place and receive calls through specially trained operators. The third program under RSPF is the Telecommunication Device Access Program (TDAP). This program provides telecommunication devices and accessories for any Oregonian with a special need. Originally there was only the teletypewriter (TTY). Now there are telebrailles for people that are deaf/blind; caption telephones; telephones that are amplified; telephones that work with electro-larynx for people that have had to have their voice box removed and telephones for people with mobility issues, for example the speaker phone that can be answered with a remote or a photo dialer that holds up to twenty-eight phone numbers with pictures. This will attach to any phone, usually for people with a cognitive disability. There is no financial requirement to obtain on of these devices. Right now Sprint manages the relay service contract. Every five years the contract goes out for bid and Sprint has had the state contract for the last 17 years. There are four people who work with CAPTEL that go in to peoples homes to train them on how to use their type phone. All four are deaf. They have either a cochlear implant or use hearing aids. As they go out into the homes, they also share information about the Hearing Loss Association, hearing aids and cochlear implants. Cindy also goes out to the public in such places as conferences, to speak about the different types of phones available. In order to participate in the CAPTEL program, the application requires that someone have an Oregon mailing address, along with having their doctor sign off on the application to affirm you have a need that matches the phone they are requesting. Cindy was asked to explain about cochlear implants. The cochlear implant is for someone who has a nerve deafness or sensory-neuro hearing loss. It is a device that is implanted under the skin, behind the ear. They drill a very tiny hole about the size of a toothpick down through the mastoid bone into the cochlea. Most sensory-neuro hearing loss is due to damage to the hair cells that do a conversion of sound in the cochlea. The brain can not perceive sound waves; it perceives electrical impulses equivalent to sound waves in the cochlea. When the hair cells die, fall out or are damaged by illness, then you have a sensory-neuro hearing loss. The sound waves do not get from the ear to the brain. Through that tiny hole, they run an electrode array on a long strand into the cochlea that will do the conversion process that no longer happens naturally. OREGON PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA (PVA) • Ryan Green Ryan shared a little of his back ground. He is not a veteran, but he speaks on their behalf and on behalf of people with disabilities. He was injured in an auto accident in 1996. At that time he was attending collage and working in a management position for Citibank. After the accident, while in the hospital, he was told about all the things he would no longer be able to do. A person from the local CIL came to the hospital to visit him and Ryan knew he would be able to work, drive and do other things again. Citibank held his job for a year but when he came back to work, he was demoted and put him back into an entry level position. The he was offered a job at the Center for Independent Living. They wanted him to be their American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) specialist and their IL coordinator. During this time he was also educating himself on the ADA. He was doing a pretty good job advocating for people with disabilities at the CIL when Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) came to him and offered him a job, even though he was not a veteran. There are thirty-six chapters of the PVA nationwide. It is one of the four major veteran’s service organizations along side Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion. The National PVA started in 1946 in a veterans rehab hospital with about ten veterans who had spinal cord injuries. They wanted go to school and they decided they were going to advocate for themselves. The PVA advocacy for veterans branches out to all people with disabilities. Though the focus of their attention is on people with mobility impairments, they try to reach out to collaborate and partner with organizations that offer services to people who experience other disabilities as well. 4TH QUARTER 2008-2011 SPIL PROGRESS & COMMITTEE REPORTS Executive Committee (EC) – Ann Balzell The EC has been discussing meeting attendance and the need to participate in a committee. Letters were sent to two members that had missed two meetings, and the Governor’s office was notified that two members had missed three meetings. The EC thought that one absence in four is likely to happen, but that two would be too many. They also discussed whether there should be excused absences at all. They suggested a letter be sent to the member after one missed meeting and to notify the Governor’s office after two. The Governor’s staff would like to be notified of absences. The SILC will make sure they receive that information. They also suggested the SILC keep track of how much time is missed during a meeting. Absences are always reviewed over the past four meetings, not in a calendar or fiscal year. SPIL Committee (SC) – Ann Balzell Yesterday afternoon, a meeting was held with the SPIL partners, including CIL Directors, to evaluate the progress of the IL program transition. The transition was required by Rehab Services Administration (RSA) findings regarding appropriate roles within the IL program. One of the findings was that there needed to be some specific guidelines about what the CIL directors should be doing to fulfill their responsibilities under the SPIL. The SPIL committee members are finishing up their monitoring assignments, and then a report will be written on progress during the last SPIL. Collaboration Committee (CC) – Sherry Stock/Joan Claypool The Collaboration Committee has identified partners including mental health, the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) and veterans. Oregon PVA had a volunteer opportunity at the Oregon Food Bank in which some members of the IL community participated. The PVA was asked to get 25 volunteers for both the morning and afternoon shifts. Sixty-eight people were there to volunteer in the morning and fifty in the afternoon. The Collaboration Committee has put together a Special Project Work Group (SPWG) to bring IL and VR service partners together. They are going to put together cross-training videos, one to teach Vocational Rehabilitation staff about the services provided by a CIL, and one to teach CIL staff about the services provided by Vocational Rehabilitation programs. In its partnership with the mental health/psychiatric survivor community, Amy Zulich is considering application to the SILC. The SILC has also partnered with mental health consumer/psychiatric survivors to help with an Amplify training for 40 individuals. Dean Westwood reported that David Oaks was very complimentary about the results coming from the partnership between the mental health community and the Collaboration Committee. Membership Development Committee – Frank Synoground The Membership Committee is working on three different areas at this time: review of the bylaws, leadership development and recruitment. There have been three membership packets sent to people who have expressed interest in the SILC. There are two people the Committee will recommend for membership today. Frank introduced Susan Melero. Susan explained that her number one goal is to be a State Representative, like Sarah Gelser. She would like to be on the SILC and SRC. Susan has made a list of the activities she is involved in. Susan told the SILC she would be able to commit the time required to be a SILC member. ACTION • Frank Synoground brought a recommendation in the form of a motion, on behalf of the Membership Development Committee, to submit Susan Melero’s name to the Governor’s office for SILC membership. Dean Westwood seconded the recommendation. Votes in favor: Frank Synoground, Mike Volpe, Dean Westwood, Ryan Green, Randy Samuelson, Sherry Stock, Cindy Campbell, Berry Fox-Quamme and Jackie Hovey. There were no votes in opposition or abstentions. Dodie McKenzie and Wendy Howard were not present for this vote. Frank introduced Jim Schlegel. He is from central Oregon, and resides at Eagle Crest. He grew up in a rural setting, on a farm in north central Kansas. He began his education career in Wyoming. His strength and weakness is that he is a workaholic. He applied for a fellowship and worked toward his PhD. He has only his dissertation to complete. He worked at Oregon State University for three years and then moved to Alaska. He spent twenty-five years there in the educationfield. Jim has a strong administrative background and an extensive working history with grants. ACTION • Frank Synoground brought a recommendation in the form of a motion, on behalf of the Membership Development Committee, to submit Jim Schlegel’s name to the Governor’s office for SILC membership. Angel Hale seconded the recommendation. Votes in favor: Dodie McKenzie, Jackie Hovey, Barry Fox-Quamme, Cindy Campbell, Sherry Stock, Randy Samuelson, Ryan Green, Dean Westwood, Mike Volpe and Frank Synoground. There were no votes in opposition or abstentions. Wendy Howard was not present for this vote. STAFF REPORT & UPDATES – Tina Treasure A written report was included in the meeting packet. If any new members want to know about what Ann Balzell mentioned earlier about the IL program transition, and revising which partner was doing what in our program relationships. Staff helped the CILs make a connection with the Ticket to Work program, managed by Eugenia Hopkins, at OVRS, in order to learn about becoming Employment Networks. We won’t be having a presenter to discuss the Oregon on the Move project, since the project is on hold, and is in the middle of an investigative audit. As a result of suspending the project down, the SILC wrote a letter to the Seniors and People with Disabilities Division (SPD) that oversees the project, to inquire about the status of consumers in the project. SPD has indicated that they made a commitment to continue services that are vital to consumers, but SPD staff are not allowed to discuss details. The CIL directors will be keeping an eye out for any consumer they know of who have been left in the lurch. Tina will also be discussing this with Bob Joondeph, at Disability Rights Oregon (DRO), as DRO has been involved in advocating for consumers. Randy Samuelson reported that the CILs agreed that they would honor their mentoring relationship to any On the Move consumers who they had been assisting as partners in this project. Tina is helping SPD staff, who are working to restart local Disability Service Office Advisory Councils that may have ceased functioning. Tina would like to hear from anyone belonging to his/her local advisory council. Tina is still working on the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) committee looking at a potential Independent Living Administration, apart from the RSA. Senator Harkin’s office is helping with this issue, and believes that it is wise to remain within the Office of Special Education & Rehabilitation, even though the move is to move out from under RSA. They sent out a national solicitation on draft language, reviewed all the comments, and made some minor changes. The best guess is that this won’t be a separate action, but will be part of the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act. There is little information available about Governor Kitzhaber’s transition team. Oregon Disabilities Commission is apparently trying to make contact, and more information should be available to the SILC through the Commission. SILC TRAINING SESSION – The Role of the SILC – Shelly Emery Members participated in a game that helped them identify the partners in the IL program team, their basic function and five specific duties of the SILC. CILs conduct consumer service & systems change advocacy. The DSUs conduct state resource management, and CIL accountability to standards and assurances. The SILC is responsible to coordinate collaborative statewide planning and enhance program effectiveness through monitoring and identification of methods for addressing barriers. Specific SILC duties include: * Co-developing, signing & submitting a State Plan for Independent Living * Evaluating implementation of the State Plan * Coordinating activities with the State Rehabilitation Council and other councils or programs that address specific disability populations and issues under other federal laws * Ensuring that the SILC meetings are public and sufficient advance notice is provided * Coordination of the submission of periodic reports to RSA * Holding hearings and forums necessary to carry out its functions * Preparing a SILC resource plan, in conjunction with OVRS * Supervising and evaluating staff needed to carry out SILC functions HEALING PATHWAYS PROJECT • Randy Samuelson & Lizzi McNeff HASL partnered with OHSU and Lizzi McNeff to pilot Healing Pathways, which is a project for women that are over 18 with a physical disability, whom might be experiencing depression. The projected started slow, but eventually recruited 170 women for the project, with a waiting list of over 100 women in the three locations. While analyzing the data, it was noted that the women were becoming employed. Employment was not tracked as this was not part of the protocol. They are doing the third time series post test so they currently do not have all the statistics to share with the council. They are looking for ways to continue to provide program, which appears to be highly effective. ADJOURNMENT: Next Meeting • March 4, 2011, in Keizer, Oregon. December 2010 SILC Approved Minutes Page 1 of 3