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Hilton Towers
Harrisburg, PA

Full Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council Meeting

November 14, 2007

Approved Minutes

Council Members Present (P)

Council Members present by Teleconference (TC)

Michael Adamus (P) Lisa Case (P) Lucinda Crissman (P) Sharon Ferry (P)
Micki Greenstein (P) Passle Helminski (P) Lawrence Kauffman (P) Leslie Kelly (P)
Joseph Kraher (P) Jamie Ray (P) Emily Salkever-Scott (P)
Katherine Seelman (P) Ken Tuckey (NP) Carolyn Vidt (P) Anthony Williams (NP)
Donald Zeigler (P)

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Staff
Present: Marji Beyer, David De Notaris, William Gannon, and Thomas Washic

Guests Present: Kevin Hensil, Judy Jobes, Lee Lippi, Alice Paylor, Stephen Pennington Ms. Pam Shaw (TC)

Project Staff Present: Lee Eberly, Jill Kovalcik-Weaver and Linda Williams

Call to Order, Welcome and Introductions:
Ms. Carolyn Vidt called the meeting to order at 9:40 a.m. and read the mission statement. Ms. Vidt asked members present, and all guests to introduce themselves. Ms. Vidt presented the out going officers with a certificate of appreciation for their service last year. Ms. Vidt also stressed the importance of full participation of all members on committee conference calls and council meetings.

Additions/Changes to the Agenda
There were no additions or changes to the agenda.

Committee Briefings
Customer Satisfaction Committee
Ms. Leslie Kelly stated that on the last conference call, members discussed home and vehicle modification and the college policy. Members decided to add a question on the Council’s satisfaction survey asking people where they got the survey from. The next conference call is scheduled for December 5th at 10:30 a.m.

Disability Agenda
Ms. Lucinda Crissman reported the annual report was approved on the last conference call and will be approved by the Full Council at the meeting today. The next conference call is scheduled for November 29th at 11:00 a.m.

State Plan Committee
Mr. Donald Zeigler stated the committee is working on the state plan attachment. There is a work session scheduled for today in the afternoon; hoping to have full Council participation. There is no future conference call scheduled. Staff will poll members for another conference call after the Council meeting.

Legislative Committee
Ms. Passle Helminski stated the last conference call was held on October 24th. Last years position papers were reviewed. Changes could not be made since the Rehabilitation Act has not been finalized. Ms. Jamie Ray volunteered to write a section on the ADA Restoration Act. Any one wishing to attend the National Rehabilitation Association conference in March should email the staff. The dates of the conference are Sunday, March 9th to Tuesday March 11th. The Legislative Committee will also have a work session this afternoon.

Executive Committee
Ms. Vidt stated the last conference call was October 9th. The committee voted to participate in all State Plan Committee conference calls due to the small number of members on that committee. The Executive Committee approved the Annual Report, which will also be approved today by the Full Council. A recruitment poster has been designed to inform people around the state about the PaRC and to help with recruitment. The draft of this poster will be passed around for members to review and make any comments/suggestions. This poster will be distributed to colleges, Centers for Independent Living, Citizens Advisory Committees and other places to generate interest in the Council. Ms. Vidt stated she recently was on a conference call made up of the state rehabilitation chairpersons across the country and the Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA). The hope is to form and develop a national organization of state councils that will strengthen the system. Ms. Marlene Malloy of the Michigan state council is leading the group. Ms. Vidt stated that OVR requested the Council to look at our budget and identify areas where money could be reduced. An emergency Executive Committee call was scheduled to discuss a budget reduction.

Financial Report
Mr. Micki Greenstein read the expenses for August and September. The Councils year to date balance is $68,636.30 as of the end of September. The Council was able to reduce this year’s budget to $97,500.00 from $112,500.00. Mr. Greenstein reviewed the new committee budget figures.

Recruitment
Ms. Lisa Case stated there were two resignations since the last Council meeting. They were Mr. Matthew Seeley, the SILC representative and Ms. Margaret Buckley, from the parent education network. New to the Council are Mr. Larry Kauffman, representing the rehabilitation counselor category, Ms. Sharon Ferry, representing the intellectual disability category, Ms. Emily Salkever-Scott, representing the mental health category and Mr. Anthony Williams, representing general advocacy. The SILC and the parent education network will send new representatives to the Council as soon as possible. There is still one opening in the business, labor and industry category and one in the Department of Education. The Council would also like to get a young adult representative for a perspective on transition experiences.

Public Comment
Ms. Judy Jobes stated that, with the financial issues OVR is having, it is important for everyone to visit their legislators every time they come to Harrisburg.

Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD)
Ms. Vidt reported that at the last meeting, the GCEPD reviewed their goals and elected officers for 2008. Ms. Vidt asked members of the Council for someone to replace her as the liaison to the GCEPD. Mr. Adamus stated he would attend the meetings for the Council.

Approval of Consent Agenda
Ms. Helminski motioned to approve the consent agenda. Mr. Joseph Kraher seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Updates
OVR Update
Mr. William Gannon, OVR Executive Director, stated that on the national level, there is no activity on the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act. OVR has been providing information to the Secretary of Labor and Industry and the Governor’s budget office in terms of what a flat budget means to the disability community. The federal budget is operating on a continuing resolution. OVR received reports from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) with recommendations to enhance communications within Pennsylvania between the RSA, OVR and the PaRC. The CWDS program will go live at OVR on November 19th. Mr. David De Notaris has been hired as the new director for the Bureau of Blind and Visual Services. The last few years, OVR has had significant vacancies in staff because of retirements. OVR staff is doing a great job filling these vacancies. OVR is working hard to market the intensive care rehabilitation unit at the Hiram G. Andrews Center (HGAC) to the Department of Defense for head injured veterans. Mr. Gannon commended Ms. Helminski and the Legislative Committee for their advocacy work in trying to secure more funding.

Workforce Development
Ms. Pam Shaw reported that Mr. John Vogel retired as the Director, Bureau of Workforce Development. The bureau is working to fill that position. In September, the Bureau of Workforce Development began to use the Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS). Charters are coming up for renewals and as a result, reviews of CareerLink accessibility are beginning. TTYs continue to be tested to make sure they are working properly. The Navigator program has six navigators and they are in the training phase. Ms. Shaw stated she will keep the CareerLink Accessibility Committee and the Council informed on the progress of the navigator program at each Council meeting and conference call.

OVR Board
Ms. Judy Jobes stated that at the last board meeting, there was a lot of discussion on the location of the Pittsburgh OVR office. A study group is being formed to study the senate proposals on transition. The college policy will also be looked at in a work group. Ms. Jobes reported that Mr. Gannon stated a policy will never go before the board again that has not had input from the stakeholders.

Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC)
Mr. Kevin Hensil stated that the SILC director has been on short term disability and the duties of the office have been split among himself and the finance person. The RSA has approved the SILC's state plan for independent living. Mr. Matthew Seeley resigned as the SILC policy person to attend law school. His position has not been filled yet. Mr. Jeff Eisman has been hired to work on home and community based services. The Independent Living conference will be held the first week of April, 2009. As far as the budget, the SILC is working on trying to prevent funding cuts to the Centers for Independent Living.

Client Assistance Program (CAP)
Ms. Jamie Ray recommended that the Council have, as an afternoon session at a meeting, training on the use of the CWDS system. Ms. Ray also stated that Secretary Schmerin is going to have budget officials available at the OVR Board meeting on December 4th. Ms. Ray encouraged members to attend this meeting and take the funding issue seriously. Ms. Ray stated that at the last Council meeting, it was brought up that a person with knowledge concerning employment of persons with a disability be appointed to the Governor's Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities (GACPD). Ms. Ray stated that she has not seen the appointment list, but no one from the Client Assistant Program or the PaRC was selected. Ms. Jobes stated that she and Ms. Theresa Nullans have been appointed to the GACPD.

State Workforce Investment Board
No report given.

IDEA Update
No report given.

Public Comment
Ms. Alice Paylor, chair of the Multicultural Advisory Council (MAC), requested that the Council establish an ongoing relationship with the MAC committee. Ms. Paylor also would like the Council to develop a partnership with OVR and assist them in developing and implementing outreach to the minority population of those with disabilities in Pennsylvania. Ms. Paylor stated that the Council has several vacancies and she encouraged the Council to increase the diversity of membership in the Council. Many minorities and underserved individuals with disabilities are not aware of OVR and the services they provide. There needs to be more outreach to these communities.

Lunch

Legislative Position Paper Work Session
Ms. Helminski encouraged members to read the legislative updates that are sent out each month and to visit their legislators when they are in their home offices. Mr. Steve Pennington gave the Council members some advice for visiting the legislators. Due to lack of time, the position papers were not reviewed. A conference call will be scheduled to work on the papers.

State Plan Work Session
Ms. Vidt stated that members of the Executive Committee will now participate in the State Plan Committee conference calls. The reason for this is because there were not enough members on the committee to do the work on the state plan attachment. Mr. Don Zeigler reviewed the goals of the committee. The state plan attachment was reviewed by section and members offered suggestions/changes to the document. A conference call will be scheduled to continue work on the state plan attachment.

Good of the Order
The next Full Council meeting will be February 6, 2008 at the Hilton Towers in Harrisburg, PA.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.