NYSILC Full Council Meeting

September 18, 2000

Attendees: Joe Bravo, Chair; Fran Pizzola, Vice-Chair; Sally Johnston, Member-at-Large; Calvin Alderman; William Bird-Forteza; Maria Dibble; Gisela Distel; Pat Figueroa; A. Georg Fleischer; Michele Greene; Marguerite Haring; Stephen Holmes; Doug Hovey; Amy LaShomb; Bob Shepherd; Frieda Zames; Sharon Flom; Bob Gum; Greg Jones; Ann Marie Vadney.

Absent: Mary Ewing; Terra House; Steve Lovi; Paul Molloy; Harvey Rosenthal; Ron Bassman.

Staff: Brad Williams, Executive Director; Stephanie Lawton, Office Manager.

Guests: Ken Dibble, STIC; Craig Hedgecock, ILCHV; Teena Willard, SCOIL.

Joe Bravo welcomed attendees.

Open Forum: The Full Council was informed that Marianna Brown has resigned. Steve Holmes informed the Council that Self-Advocacy Association had its conference with 800 attendees. Steve would like ILC personnel to attend next year. Doug Hovey announced that the Disability Action Summit would be held on Friday, October 13, 2000 at the Albany Marriott from 10 am - 3 pm.

Motion by Gisela Distel, second by Maria Dibble, to accept the minutes of June 16, 2000, with the addition to the Committee Report/TWWIIA that Congressman Walsh received his medal in Cortland, NY at Access to Independence of Cortland County. Motion carried unanimously.

Executive Director’s Report: Brad Williams reporting.

• NYSILC Budget Amendment - NYSILC received a $71,912 budget amendment from VESID to (1) provide a CIL staff orientation training product focusing on IL philosophy, (2) work, as stated in the SPIL, with VESID for a Customer Satisfaction Survey; and (3) develop and distribute the PSA campaign in Spanish speaking and descriptive narration version. Approval came through late in the current fiscal year, so the funding has been split between the current fiscal year and the upcoming fiscal year.
• On 6/20/00, Brad Williams, Joe Bravo, Maria Dibble, Doug Hovey and Aileen Geiling met with Larry Gloeckler, Ron Calhoun and Brian McLane of VESID regarding the Department Requests for 2001 and 2002. Two telephone conference calls were held to gain input prior to this meeting. A draft document was utilized at the meeting. "Other Contract" dollars were also discussed (i.e., IDEA discretionary dollars, Welfare-to-Work dollars, etc.) and found ways to get VESID’s support to assist us to be in a position to receive those funds or expand upon them.
• NOD VOTE! 2000 Project - NYSILC hosted a press conference in Albany and a meeting of statewide non-partisan groups who are registering voters and encouraging them to vote.
• Brad Williams participated in a conference call with NY Works regarding CIL involvement in the SSA’s RFP process for benefits advisement.

Maria Dibble, asked for feedback regarding the meeting with Larry Gloeckler, et al from VESID, on Transition dollars that were going out to bid again. She questioned whether there would be an amount put aside for the existing projects of $75,000 a year for a few years. She is wondering: (1) was a response received from the summary letter that was sent; and (2) does anybody know if the $75,000 was put in the budget for next year for the IDEA projects. Brad Williams responded that VESID had talked about expanding the project to 3 new center projects and developing a technical assistance aspect to it to help support the 3 new ones. Nothing has been received in writing, but conflicting dollar amounts ($50,000 versus $75,000) have been mentioned. Bob Gumson stated that the above should be followed up on, and that the third year of the project runs until 6/30/01 and everything is set. For the following year, they’re committing to $75,000 for the existing projects and 3 new projects to be mentored by the 3 existing, but the 3 new would not be competing to receive the original $100,000. There would be some amount of money for the projects that will be less than that amount, ranging between $75,000-$85,000 for new projects. Bob’s understanding is that next year’s $75,000 that the existing projects would receive to continue would be the last year that they would receive the funding.

Maria Dibble stated for the record that at the meeting with Larry [Gloeckler, et al], it was Larry who said "it was going to be $75,000 a year for 3 years," not one more year.

Joe Bravo stated that a letter would be sent out stating our understanding and seeking confirmation of the same from Larry [Gloeckler]. Joe stated he was in attendance at the meeting and heard the same thing Maria heard. Doug Hovey stated that he understood the RFPs would be forthcoming in the spring of 2001 for the next 3 projects and he too heard the "$75,000 a year for 3 years" comment.

• In August, the Vote! 2000 campaign materials were distributed to the CILs and satellites regarding strategies to encourage people to register and get out and vote. Also, for the Statewide Systems Advocacy Network workshop, materials were sent out well in advance, for review, on the models of California, Kansas and Pennsylvania.

Treasurer’s Report: Stephanie Lawton reporting. Pat Figueroa appointed as Interim Treasurer.

Motion by Doug Hovey, second by Fran Pizzola, to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented. Motion passed unanimously.

Executive Committee Report: Fran Pizzola reporting. Minutes of the August 18, 2000 Executive Committee meeting are not available. Discussion tabled until the November meeting.

Committee Reports:

Public Policy Committee - Fran Pizzola reporting. Most Integrated Setting Issue- Aileen Geiling, Mel Tanzman and TK Small were successful in getting a meeting with the Department of Health. DOH still does not have a set plan. The Watertown CIL has agreed to pull together information and keep us informed. Some others are trying to revise last year’s legislation and bring it to the Senate again. Bruce Darling from CDR has a meeting with DOH as a result of filing complaints. ADA Title II Challenge - NYS Attorney General has agreed to sign on. Drive for 75 - House and Senate, as recommended by the President, have all agreed to a $10 million increase, it’s not quite the $25 million level needed to obtain the $75 million over 3 years, but still a very respectable 21% increase. It is currently in the Conferenced Appropriation Bill and will be sent forward to the President, who is expected to veto this bill, because of line items. Then there will be re-negotiations. We must protect our appropriation and seek an increase. During the NCIL conference, meetings were had with a variety of senators who happen to be in the majority on the Appropriations Committee, some were actually face-to-face with the senators. It has been agreed that half of the $10 million will be divided equally among the states and the remaining half will be distributed by the population formula. Medicaid Buy-In - At this point, individuals are attending, on their own and at their own cost, political fund-raisers to keep this issue in front of Pataki, Lazio, Libous, etc. This issue is being examined at this time as to whether it will become a political issue or remain a legislative issue, based on need and wanting to do such a program. NJ recently passed it. Need to keep this issue in the media. Consider planning a rally in Albany to bring this back to the forefront.

• Housing Subcommittee - Frieda Zames reporting. No committee meeting has been held yet, however, she has spoken with the members individually via telephone. Key issues have been identified as follows:

1. Downstate - the SCRIE (Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption). It does not currently apply to people with disabilities. Cost and definition of disability are the sticking points at this time.
2. Upstate - Visitability. Beata Karpinska-Prehn has shared a great deal of information, including an announcement about a Visitability Conference on 9/20/00 in Rochester. Visitability applies to small houses. Section 8 Vouchers for the use of purchasing homes was mentioned, not much information was available at this time. Long Island Community Development Corporation is the NYS coordinator of the pilot program using Section 8 Vouchers to pay mortgages (631-471-1215). OMRDD contact - is Rob Davies.

• Transportation Committee - Calvin Alderman reporting. No report available at this time.
• Transition Committee - Bob Shepherd reporting. A new meeting strategy is needed since Council meetings are now being held on Mondays.
• CDPAS - Sally Johnston reporting. The next meeting is scheduled for 10/18/00. DOH has invited ENABLE to present at a conference with TBI in November. A meeting was had with Bob Barnet of State DOH to get the ruling changed to allow persons in the CDPAS being able to access any nursing services and this had statewide ramification. Also, anyone receiving waiver services can access CDPAS as well.
• Valerie Bogart asked if NYSILC would sign on for brief for Rodriguez v. City of New York. The issue is self-monitoring and task-based assessment in terms of Medicaid home attendant or personal care services. New York Lawyers for Public Interest asked NYSILC to sign onto the Brad H. case, focusing on mental health services for someone who is released from the NYS Correctional System and linking that individual with appropriate service providers.

• VESID Report - Bob Gumson reporting. VESID has moved into the next year’s cycle of contract renewals. In the new contracts VESID has put the Part B application so there will be no delay. The Part B applications will have to be submitted in order to obtain these funds. Part B funds are for: targeted outreach development opportunities for technology infrastructure and for Best Practices. If any CIL has "maxed out" on technology, they can apply their technology portion to service enhancement - targeted development outreach projects. Best Practice funds were turned back from last year; therefore this year’s amount has been increased. Next VESID will be focusing on the SPIL and developing the RFP for the next cycle of transition projects. Three (3) unscheduled site reviews have to be done. VESID, NYSILC, CBVH and RSA met via conference call with Board members and management of ARISE regarding the mental health clinic. Progress has been made on this issue, but no final resolution as yet. Written response is anticipated shortly from ARISE. ARISE will have a complete onsite review of their base operation plus the satellite. RSA will be in contact regarding NYSILC representation on the review team. The issue of verification of number of staff and board members with disabilities was discussed. Is ARISE’s practices consistent with the IL philosophy? The SPIL says, we "cannot provide therapeutic treatment." IL Satisfaction Surveys have been mailed - 10,079 copies; Spanish version contained errors, correct versions are now available. Surveys should be mailed by the end of this month. Massena ILC will mail out Braille and tape versions. Packets already mailed contain a diskette with Word and text versions.
• CBVH Report - Sharon Flom reporting. CBVH is waiting for a NYSILC nominee for the CBVH SRC. Tom Robertson would need a letter and resume for the candidate. CBVH is developing an IL RFP for IL services for individuals who are blind and would like to obtain input from the ILCs. Comments made were:
• Look at the outcome based funding.
• Look at doing some work in schools with kids who are legally blind. Also, take a look at the possibility of doing something about whatever regulation it is that states it has to be kids who are legally blind and not defined as visually impaired. There are a great deal of children in the school system who have visual impairments who are given special services because of the visual impairment yet can’t access, in some cases, some very much needed services because they don’t have that last step of the legal blindness label. Problems in the schools with kids getting appropriate services and technology and access to technology they need.
• Consider addressing kids as early as Pre-K and Kindergarten and working with them and their parents in developing IL skills will be much more effective as far as a prevention model, then it won’t be too late when they coming looking for VR services.
• During the first year outreaching and identifying people was a problem because there was no base, but now the District Office has been cooperating very well and so have teachers of the visually impaired.
• Outreach process is a nightmare in Binghamton. Incorrect data from SED as to the number of students who were in the schools who were blind. SED included students with visual impairments causing us to use inaccurate numbers.
• Contract flexibility should be an element as well and in the process as you start your program and see that what you planned wasn’t exactly what is needed or if the numbers aren’t turning out or you’re not getting the referrals - those issues need to be addressed. If you’re not getting the referrals from CBVH that are promised that has to be taken into consideration because if you’re not able to meet some of your outcomes because the number 1 avenue of outreach in your community is the Commission and you’re not getting those referrals, there’s a real problem.
• Unfortunately, the way things have been over the years we have always been limited to the funding for IL services for the blind only from the Title VII Part B money that is the IL money that comes to NYS. There is a lot more to IL and the options for how to use the Part B money then to provide individual services at any level in any project, whether it is to youth in schools or older blind. There’s also the whole notion that ILC’s are in great positions very often to take on some of the community’s systems advocacy efforts that could be beneficial to all blind people that could open doors to employment, open doors for civic and citizenship responsibilities from making sure that people who are blind have equal access at the ballot box to any host of a number of other things. We could suggest to broaden the methods for using this money so that we’re talking about more than just "X" number, handful, few dozen blind people, who are impacted by the money.
• As a representative of the NFB, I would like to encourage every ILC and the ED’s to connect with both the American Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind, we are also a source of having blind peoples names and numbers.
• It would be great to take a look at doing some more systemic changes as opposed to affecting a few lives you affect everybody’s lives across the state.
• Assuming that RSA’s proposed change in regulations to eliminate the allowability of referrals to sheltered work as being an acceptable employment outcome, assuming that is instituted it seems to me there would be a lot of CBVH contractors that need to start doing some long range planning for downsizing because that it going to force eventual downsizing in workshops. Open option might be to work with an ILC to develop a plan and put together some transition services.
• I would encourage CBVH to do in this RFP when they send it out, there should some dialogue with ILCs that are interested in putting in and RFP with the existing four ILCs. Talk to those of us who have tortured ourselves with this project over the past three years. There are fundamental issues that ILCs should be aware of as they engage in this RFP process.
• Is this information given to correctional institutes? Students transitioning from correctional facilities to VR services.
• Expanded topics/possible programs to maximize different interests people have and certainly the systems advocacy piece, not certain the District Offices would feel, but the ILCs would welcome and opportunity to look at that piece of this.

Todd Eggert has indicated an interest in being the representative on the CBVH SRC. NYSILC has to look into this matter, as Todd is not a NYSILC board member.

New Business: Brad Williams reporting.

SPIL "Road Map"/Funding Priorities - Based on the timeline, we are about 15 days late. A conference call of the State Plan committee was held to review the timeline and then the models for obtaining SPIL input. A "SPIL" packet was developed that includes Questions, NYSILC Accomplishments, NYSILC Goals, and Press Release for the Public Hearings. Models for input - Statewide Public Hearings (Plattsburgh, Brooklyn, Binghamton, and Batavia), focus group discussions at the Federal CILs, written comments may be submitted, the Regional Forums will be reviewed, NYSILC/RRCEP focus groups will be reviewed, comments made during open forums of Council meetings, SPIL packet is on our website. The questions related to the Attachments of the SPIL. NSYILC Council members should be present at any regional forum or focus group in their area. New Member Recruitment - Three new members and four re-appointments have been submitted to VESID. One vacancy will remain.

Open Forum: .A NYSILC representative is still needed on the VESID SRC. No volunteers came forward at this time. By default, this may go to Joe Bravo.

Motion by Maria Dibble, second by Doug Hovey, to adjourn. Motion passed unanimously.