FLORIDA REHABILITATION COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND

PUBLIC FORUM

January 18, 2007

Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk

1515 Prudential Drive

Jacksonville, FL  32207

Jesus Garcia, Chair, called the meeting to order at 4:05 PM.

Council members present:   Jesus Garcia, Doug Hall, Dwight Sayer, Terry King, Mike Taylor, Sue Townsend, Marilyn Palmer, Denise Marshall, Ted Hull, Paul Kurtz and Craig Kiser

DBS staff: Phyllis Dill, Michael Elliott, Joe Pearson, Wayne Jennings, Randy Morgan, Dan O’Connor, Whitney Paine, Cheryl Undheim, Melissa Keith, Jessica Watroba

Audience: Joanne King, Patty Sayer, Marita Winston, Joan Root, Joe Minichiello, James Root,  Christian Galen, Howard Galen, Becky Simpson, Gale Roberts, Carolyn Lapp, Jason Goldfield, Terri Coutu, Gary Reynolds, Herb Nelson, April Ogden, Debra Vann, Celia Brown, Kurt Wheaton, Gina Minichiello, Alan Bailey

Public Comments:

First Individual’s Comments

• Lack of job opportunities for the visually impaired.
• It seems most visually impaired are hired by a government agency.
• Even with degrees most visually impaired are only hired to answer the phones.

Council’s Response

Ted Hull

• 99% of DBS placements are with other than government agencies.

Craig Kiser

• Suggested the individual have any individual who is unhappy in their job or feel they are underemployed get with their Counselor or contact the DBS office.
• There is a general lack of knowledge about the existence of DBS.
• One of the responsibilities of every DBS district is to have someone responsible for contacting employers about the possibility of interviewing blind applicants.

Terry King

• Suggested looking into self employment.
• Applying for the vending program.
• Looking at training in new technology.

Dwight Sayer

• All blind and visually impaired individuals must present themselves as being adequate, well educated and are ready and willing to go to work.
• Recommends being prepared to get the jobs that are available.
• Will go to York, PA on May 6th to check out a document imaging and storage business being run by the York County Blind Center and staff entirely by blind individuals. 

Mike Taylor

• With all the resources and options available is concerned that they can’t get something going.

Second Individual’s Comments  

• They are employed with the IRS in Jacksonville
• The IRS is hiring more visually impaired and blind people.
• The IRS site director and a tax examiner in Jacksonville are visually impaired.
• Agrees the visually impaired and blind need to work harder and get skills up to become employable and competitive.

Third Individual’s Comments

• Was a client of DBS in 1963 and back now to learn JAWS.
• Hopefully will have a job sometime in May.
• Believes the organized blind groups should start doing things to help get people employed.
• Should make a good presentation of ourselves.
• Make sure people know that “we can really do the job”.

Fourth Individual’s Comments

• He and a friend did not get the in-depth training offered others at Lions World and had difficulties and hurdles.
• Need to make sure to have an advocate when go into job to make certain to get what is needed to perform the job correctly.

Carolyn Lapp, Executive Director of Florida Outreach Center for the Blind in Palm Beach County

• She introduced Jason Goldfield one of the instructors at the center.
• The Center was established in 2003 by a group of blind people.
• The Center is run by blind people to serve blind people and also, hires blind people.
• Center teaches independent Living.
• Asking the Council’s help in getting the local DBS office to utilize the programs at the Center.
• At the end of April the Center will only be serving 1 DBS client.
• Gave Council members a packet of information on the Center.

Council’s Response

Craig Kiser, Director DBS

• Would like to hear from some of the clients.
• DBS has been referring clients to the Center.
• The clients have chosen not to go there.
• DBS has provided funding to the Center for a couple of years.
• DBS will help the Center to continue growing.
• Presently with the current staff in facility the Center can not handle a tenth of the clients in the area.
• The Division can not prevent anyone else from coming into the area.

Jesus Garcia

• Will go and meet with clients at the Center within the next few weeks and listen to their comments concerning the situation.
• FCB and NFB are very active in the area.
• Urged Ms. Lapp to have clients with issues get in touch with either FCB or NFB.

Michael Elliott

• DBS meets monthly to go over the list of clients to find out who would benefit from going to the Center.

Jason Goldfield, First VP Palm Beach County Chapter of FCB

• Chapter has supported the Center from day one and donated several hundred dollars for various purposes.

Terry King

• Asked what happened to the two million dollars left over when the Lighthouse went out of business.

Craig Kiser

• The Lighthouse did not go out of business and are trying to come back.
• Some of the staff are still working
• They are an active 501c3.
• Presently they are not serving any clients.

Terry moved that a committee of two (Jesus and one more) meet with clients and Carolyn Lapp at the Center next week.
The motion received a second.

Paul amended the motion to state “a fact finding group” not committee.
The amendment received a second and passed.

The original motion passed.

Fifth Individual’s Comments

• Was denied accommodations for certain parts of the Florida Teacher’s Certificate exam from the University of North Florida.
• Was told could not use JAWS for the reading portion of the exam that Braille or large print was the only accommodation they could give and suggested that she learn Braille.
• Has been going on for about 3 years.
• Told the only way to get accommodations for the exam is through the University of South Florida.

Council’s Response

Paul Kurtz

• Brought this problem up with Commissioner Winn at the Council meeting in January 2006.
• Still feels not getting anywhere with this particular group.

Jesus Garcia

• Asked her to contact Randy Morgan and give him the information.
• Recommended that while she was waiting to possibly look into taking Braille instructions.

James Root

• Doesn’t understand why Braille is not part of the program in school for children if they are requiring it in test.

Sue Townsend

• Every student who is visually impaired or blind has an IDP with a check box for learning Braille and if it’s checked then it has to be taught.

Craig Kiser

• The current legislation is that an IDP is signed by 3 and it takes all 3 in agreement and if 1 or 2 denies then it would not be taught.
• The proposed legislation would provide that if any one of the 3 recommended Braille then it would be taught.

Sixth Individual’s Comments

• Current DBS client.
• Has played the violin for 14 years.
• Will out of state tuition be paid for by DBS?

Michael Elliott will get with Randy Morgan and discuss the situation.

Seventh Individual’s Comments

• Client of DBS.
• Data Base Administrator
• DBS assistance in attending Cal Tech.
• Thanks to DBS.

Craig informed the group that Wayne Jennings is heading up a program this August that will be sending 10 – 12 blind and visually impaired high school kids to Colorado where they will engage in outdoor activities with Charles Mace.  The activities include:  horseback riding, white water rafting and rock climbing.

Wayne also mentioned two sports camps this summer.  The Ft. Myers camp will be July 15th – 21st and include array of activities from Goal Ball to various water activities.

Seventh Individual spoke about a Youth Slam program this summer.

• Youth Slam will be hosted by NFB and Johns Hopkins University.
• 200 blind teenagers will learn about technology, engineering, science and math.
• July 31st through August 4th at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
• NASA will sponsor the group in learning how to launch rockets.

Meeting adjourned at 5:50 PM