I forwarded this on to the New York ACB list. I thought it might stir some
folks up, especially Don Moore, our resident right winger who now is retired
from a government job, and lives in Florida.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2019 12:07 PM
To: blind-democracy <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Order of Selection: How our nation's priorities
impact the Blind
Good Tuesday Morning, All.
How's everybody enjoying smaller government, so far?
I suspect that not many of us have been inconvenienced by the shut down. Or
have we? Out here on the Great Olympic Peninsula, we can no longer take the
back road to Sequim. The National forest roads are potted and oftentimes
blocked by fallen trees. But hey! That's why we call it "Wilderness". Still,
for us blind folk hiking the national forests is probably well down the list of
things to do.
But what about services closer to home? The list is long, but I thought
perhaps looking at Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the Blind might catch
the interest of some of us...this being a site for blind People, and all.
Here in Washington State, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program receives about
80% of its budget dollars from the Department of Education. That's right, one
of those federal agencies under constant attack by our conservative congress.
This year, for the first time in its more than 70 year history, the Washington
State Department of Services for the Blind, has seen its VR budget reduced to a
level that has forced the Department to go to an Order of Selection. In plain
English, that is a Waiting List.
Any newly blinded person applying for services from the State Agency will be
told to "Get in Line!" I could write volumes on the damage placing a person on
hold, impacts their chances of returning to a productive, meaningful life, but
those of you who have received such treatment know what I mean.
Following the lead, our Independent Living Program was told that our budget was
immediately being reduced by 25%, cutting deeply into the already thin layer of
services to the Older Blind and Low Vision People.
Before I leave the wrong impression, this is not a question of Big Government
versus Small Government. It is a question of Priorities.
Profit or People?
Are we allowing our resources to be drained away? What can we do to assure
future blind people a level of services that will provide them with the
opportunity for success?
Doing nothing is an effective method of supporting the destruction of our hard
fought Social Programs.
Carl Jarvis
retired director, Orientation and Training Center, Washington State Services
for the Blind former assistant director, Department of Services for the Blind
Director, Peninsula Rehabilitation Services(1995-)
2510 Snow Creek Road; Quilcene WA 98376
360-765-4239
carjar82@xxxxxxxxx
*****
Order of Selection Information
article
The Department of Services for the Blind anticipates we will not have adequate
dollars to serve every eligible individual who will apply for services in the
coming federal fiscal year.
For some historical background, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of
2014 effectively cut the vocational rehabilitation adult services budget to 85%
of what it had been.
The decreased budget - along with rising costs - have resulted in fiscal
projections that show we will no longer be able to serve every eligible person
who requests services in FFY 2019. In order to meet our obligations for all
eligible individuals who are in planned services, we will need to create a wait
list for newly eligible individuals.