MEMORANDUM
To: Catherine Campisi, Director, California Department of Rehabilitation
From: Blind Alliance for Rehabilitation Change (BARC)
Cathy Skivers, President, California Council of the Blind
Jim Willows, President, National Federation of the Blind of California
Bob Ralls, Executive Director, Foundation for the Junior Blind and Co-chair, California Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Anita Baldwin, Executive Director, Rose Resnick Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Co-chair, California Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Dr. LaDonna Ringering, Executive Director, Center for the Partially Sighted
Gil Johnson, Director, American Foundation for the Blind, San Francisco Office.
Subject: Specific recommendations to improve employment outcomes for blind and visually impaired persons.
Date: April 10, 2000
We appreciated the opportunity to meet with you on February 9. We are committed to working toward the goal of getting a Commission for the Blind established in California but are sincere about our offer to help you improve services for blind persons within the
Department.
With that in mind, we are submitting the following objectives and strategies which we believe are doable, measurable, and will improve employment outcomes for blind and
Visually impaired persons. We would like to meet with you in the near future to discuss
these objectives and strategies. One of the members of the BARC Steering Committee will contact your appointments secretary within the next week to schedule a meeting.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
FOR PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED AS SUBMITTED BY THE BLIND ALLIANCE FOR REHABILITATION CHANGE
April 10, 2000
Objective: For calendar year 2000, increase the number of blind or visually impaired persons in competitive employment from the average over the past five years of 300 by 10 % to 330 and the weekly income from $353 by 10 % to $388 (See attached).
Summary Of Data Received From Region IX. Of The Rehabilitation Services Administration for Fiscal Years 1994 through 1998
Strategies To Achieve The Objectives
Administrative/Supervisory
1. Establish a senior management level position directly reporting to the Department Director with direct administrative/supervisory authority over blind services staff including: Rehabilitation Supervisors, Rehabilitation Counselors for the Blind, Counselor Teachers for the Blind, Orientation Center for the Blind, and the Business Enterprises Program. Recruit and hire an individual with managerial experience and with knowledge of the needs and capabilities of persons who are blind or visually impaired.
2. Assign all Rehabilitation Counselors for the Blind and Counselor Teachers for the Blind to specialized supervised units. Establish as a high priority filling Rehabilitation Counselor for the Blind vacancies with individuals who have knowledge of the needs
and capabilities of blind persons and who are familiar with the requirements of today's dynamic labor market. Select Rehabilitation Supervisors with demonstrated management, supervisory, and communication skills that are knowledgeable about the needs and capabilities of blind persons and the resources that are available to support their efforts.
3. Establish 5/6 positions specifically focused on job development and placement activities.
Accountability for Outcomes
1. Establish competitive employment outcomes for each supervised unit that will achieve the above objectives.
2. Establish a separate caseload management report specifically for clients whose major disabling condition is blindness or visual impairment (medical diagnostic codes 100 through 149). Make these reports (excluding confidential information) readily available
on a quarterly basis.
3. Establish a number of employer contacts for each supervised unit and monitor for compliance at least annually.
Streamlining Procedures
1. Repeal directive requiring documentation and personal interviews of readers. Establish internal controls (if needed) to assure legitimacy of bills received.
2. Revise/streamline the procedures for determining "level of severity of disability" and include criteria which assesses the functional impact of vision loss.
3. Establish a revolving loan fund which would be available to vendors in the Business Enterprise Program for purchase of inventory when selected to manage a new location.
Training and Support
1. Provide training for Rehabilitation Counselors in proven methods and techniques for assisting blind and visually impaired persons to obtain competitive employment.
2. Hold statewide meeting of blind services staff during which employment outcome expectations can be discussed along with management strategies and support that will assist in achieving the objectives. Include face-to-face discussions with staff from community agencies and consumer organizations assuring knowledge of local resources
and support from consumer organizations.
Statewide Uniformity and Equitability of Services
1. Assure that services are provided equitably throughout the state particularly with regard to provision of assistive technology equipment and training.
2. Assure that case service contracts and fee-for-service agreements are needed, agreed to by service staff, and that contracts and agreements are honored.
3. Assure the timely accessibility of all information (reports, correspondence, announcements, policy manuals, Department forms, notices to BEP operators and applicants, etc.) in alternate formats (Braille, electronic files, etc.) for Department employees, clients, and members of the community.
Enclosure
Summary Of Data Received From Region ICX Of The Rehabilitation Services Administration for Fiscal Years 1994 through 1998
Average number of cases closed per year as successfully rehabilitated: 1240
Average number of cases closed per year as employed: 300; 25% (Note: this includes salaried, self employed, Vending Stand and Cafeteria operators, and sheltered employment)
Average number of cases closed per year as homemakers or unpaid family workers:
945; 75%
Average weekly earned income for cases closed as employed: $353
Average number of hours worked for cases closed as employed: 35
Average annual expenditures for all cases closed as successfully employed:
$2.9 million
Average number of persons working in the following occupational areas at closure:
Professional: 131; 44%
Clerical: 81; 27%
Sales and service: 48; 16%
Agriculture: 4; 1%
Industrial: 29; 10%
Business Enterprise Program: 6; 2%
Average age at application for all cases successfully rehabilitated: 59 years
Average age of applicants over age 65: 601; 48%
Sex of all cases successfully closed:
female: 62%
male: 38%
Race of all cases successfully rehabilitated:
white: 1050; 85%
black: 129; 10%
American Indian: 3 .2%
Asian Pacific Islander: 61; 5%
Educational level:
no education through grade 7: 64; 2%
grades 8 through 12: 694; 56%
grade 13 and above: 475; 38%