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Division 2: Employment Update!Rehabilitation Counseling and Employment DivisionAssociation for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually ImpairedEditor: Anne SteversonVolume 15, Issue 1Message from the ChairWelcome Rehabilitation and Employment Division (2) members to the 2016 – 2018 biennium. I assumed the role of Chair at the divisional business meeting. The minutes for the meeting are included in this issue, along with our goals for the next two years. Please see separate news pieces about the division’s vaunted Louis Vieceli Award and the AER John McAulay Award.At the International conference just completed, your division treated the AER membership to a special general session on Employment. This was a “victory” for the Division as we got to show off to the AER membership just how good our work is and how the entire membership plays a key role in the employment of our consumers, something we rarely get to do. Our panel consisted of four great presenters. Tad Doezema (Texas School for the Blind) enlightened the membership about Transition services. Neva Fairchild (American Foundation for the Blind) provided great information and encouraged everyone to include older blind persons in their employment programs. Jennifer Cmar (NRTC, MSU) described research findings about the role of O&M in employment and Michele McDonnall (NRTC, MSU) reviewed a variety of research findings from the NRTC, including work with employers. We held a successful follow-up roundtable discussion about employment the following afternoon.There were a dozen or so papers related to various aspects of employment presented during the conference. We hope to increase this number in Reno, NV in 2018, so plan to be there. If you wish to present, please submit a proposal when the time comes.The Executive Director of the NRA (Fred Schroeder) and I have a handshake agreement to occasionally exchange information.?I will relay to you information from NRA’s Washington Wire (advocacy, legislation, and regulations) and its newsletter (Contemporary Rehabilitation) and send to Contemporary Rehabilitation entries from this newsletter that might be of interest to the broader rehabilitation community.?Our contributions will depend on you, the division membership.?I believe sharing best practices and exemplary/interesting program information with each other and the greater rehabilitation community is important (see John McMahon’s article in this issue). Of course, we will also share with the broader AER membership through its various news outlets.Thus, I ask you to begin sending me descriptions of the programs with which you work and other best practices or interesting things you would like everyone to know about.?The more you write, the better, but please do not let the writing stop you. Send me whatever you can along with a URL or some way for me to do additional “research” if needed. I’ll take it from there.Tony Candela, Chairacandela@Meet Your Rehabilitation Counseling and Employment Division OfficersChair: Tony Candela2552700101600Tony is currently Chair of Division II. His first term was in the mid-2000s. Currently living in New York, Tony was previously the Director of the VA Long Beach Blind Rehabilitation Center. Tony is a rehabilitation counselor by training, and has worked for vocational rehabilitation agencies in New York and California, as well as, Lighthouse International and the American Foundation for the Blind.00Tony is currently Chair of Division II. His first term was in the mid-2000s. Currently living in New York, Tony was previously the Director of the VA Long Beach Blind Rehabilitation Center. Tony is a rehabilitation counselor by training, and has worked for vocational rehabilitation agencies in New York and California, as well as, Lighthouse International and the American Foundation for the Blind.Chair-elect: Kathy Gallagherright9525Kathy is a human resource professional with more than 25 years of experience in serving people who are visually impaired with a strong concentration in employment services. She is the Learning and Development Manager for the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), and has been with NIB since 1989 serving in various roles. Kathy has also served as co-chair and chair of numerous AER Division II special interest groups.00Kathy is a human resource professional with more than 25 years of experience in serving people who are visually impaired with a strong concentration in employment services. She is the Learning and Development Manager for the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), and has been with NIB since 1989 serving in various roles. Kathy has also served as co-chair and chair of numerous AER Division II special interest groups.Secretary/Treasurer: John McMahon272415078740John earned?a Ph. D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences and a Masters in Rehabilitation Teaching from Western Michigan University. Over the course of his 30+ year career, he has worked as a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, state VR agency?administrator, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Low Vision Therapist. Dr. McMahon has been an active member of AER since 1985.00John earned?a Ph. D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences and a Masters in Rehabilitation Teaching from Western Michigan University. Over the course of his 30+ year career, he has worked as a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, state VR agency?administrator, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Low Vision Therapist. Dr. McMahon has been an active member of AER since 1985.Past Chair: Adele Crudden26003253810Adele is a research scientist at the National Research & Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University and is also a professor and former director of the Mississippi State University social work program. Adele became interested in blindness and low vision as a college student and pursued degrees in both rehabilitation and social work.00Adele is a research scientist at the National Research & Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University and is also a professor and former director of the Mississippi State University social work program. Adele became interested in blindness and low vision as a college student and pursued degrees in both rehabilitation and social work. Minutes from Division 2 Meeting, July 2016Division 2 had a meeting at the AER International Conference in Jacksonville, FL on July 21, 2016 at 6:00 pm. There were 13 division members and one participant via phone in attendance. John Mascia received the McAulay Award.Adele provided a recap of division activities during the past two years.Attendance at the general session on employment was encouraged.Requests were made for volunteers to work on the division website. Interested persons should contact Tony Candela.BJ LeJeune volunteered to be on the ‘CRC harassment team’ to try to get AER to pay more attention to CRC credits and advertise that they offer them.Tony gave an overview of WIOA. Adele asked for suggestions for division goals for the next two years. Suggestions:Recruit/advertise to VR professionals in surrounding states for the next AER biennial conference which will be in Reno, NV.A resolution by AER to recruit/reach out/advertise to VR to increase visibility and representation of VR professionals was suggested. This would include advertising that they offer CRC credits. This was passed as a motion.Joe said training is an acceptable expenditure under WIOA PETS, which would apply to conference attendance. It was suggested that AER have a representative attend NCSAB & talk about AER – ask AER to make a resolution to reinstate a liaison for NCSAB. This was passed as a motion.Keep membership aware of the emerging changes with WIOA legislation.Put a story in the AER Report from our division – at least one per year.At least one newsletter every year.Increase awareness by AER members of our division.Joe will request his staff to submit articles for the newsletter.Adele asked for nominations or volunteers for secretary/treasurer – John McMahon agreed to serve.Adele asked for nominations or volunteers for chair elect position – Kathy Gallagher agreed to serve.Joe Strechay was presented the Vieceli Award.The final order of business was the installation of new officers. The meeting was adjourned at 7:23 pm.John H. McAulay Award goes to John MasciaBy: B.J. LeJeunePicture L to R: Christy Sheppard, AER President, John Mascia with McAulay Award, and Lou Tutt, Executive Director, at 2016 AER Awards Luncheon.John is an outstanding advocate for employment of not only those who are blind and visually impaired, but also of those with vision loss who also have hearing loss or other disabilities. John has been employed at HKNC and the G.H. Gentry Center in Alabama. John never places limits on people, but rather brings out the “best” in order to help them become integrated into their communities and society.When the federal regulations were changed to exclude sheltered employment as a viable successful closure, John quickly responded to lobby to be sure that individuals who are deaf/blind were not excluded from Vocational Rehabilitation Services. This wasso desperately needed because of the assumption that individuals who were deaf/blind might not be able to do competitive work in an integrated setting. Along with HKNC Director Joe McNulty and Commissioner Joann Wilson and her staff, they developed an RSA Technical Assistance Circular stating that people who are deaf/blind must have real work experiences and training by specialized and competent personnel, without time limits as long as progress is being made, before a case can be closed. This allowed hundreds of people to continue to receive VR services and it is one of the accomplishments that shows what a champion John has been.No stranger to speaking to legislators and their staffs, John was often in DC advocating for persons who are deaf/blind. He represented HKNC on the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities Employment and Training Task Force. His work with Congress highlighted the employment abilities and support needs of persons who many consider unemployable.While at HKNC, John coauthored the first New York State Community Services Grant funded by the NY Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, and then became the director for the project. The goal of the project was to provide community based adjustment and employment services for individuals who are deaf/blind utilizing a job coaching model. He and his colleagues published an article on the program to encourage others to develop similar efforts in their own communities.In 2005, John moved to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, where he developed a passion for NASCAR and grits. Leaning on his old job coach model with a strong emphasis on developing “soft skills” that make people employable, John was able to greatly expand employment opportunities for consumers of the program.John doesn’t simply talk to employers about hiring people with disabilities, he leads by example, and has been relentless in fostering a true diverse workforce at AIDB. Diversity includes people with disabilities and Gentry is now the strong rehab program that it is because they have true diversity and role models in every area. Because of his competence and commitments to the long road to employment, John was selected to be the current President of the Alabama Institute for the Blind. He continues his commitment to enhancing employment outcomes of those served by his agency and developing an agency that is exemplary as a model to others.See our website for past McAulay winners: Louis Vieceli Award Winner: Joe StrechayJoe Strechay is the Director of the Bureau of Blindness & Vision Services for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in Pennsylvania. He was previously at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), where he served as the CareerConnect ProgramManager and was named Employee of the Year in 2013. Through his work at AFB, Mr. Strechay has provided consultation services to state vocational rehabilitation agencies, community rehabilitation providers, and employers. Before working at AFB, he served as the Florida Division of Blind Services Program Consultant for Transition. He began his professional career at the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired as an Orientation and Mobility Instructor.Throughout his career, Mr. Strechay has been involved in creating curricula specific to transition, postsecondary preparation, and job seeking. He has devoted himself to making a difference for persons with disabilities, particularly with respect to expanding employment options for persons with visual disabilities.Joe’s undergraduate work was at East Carolina University, and his graduate work was done at Florida State University in teaching children who are blind or visually impaired, orientation and mobility, and an emphasis on transition.See our website for past Vieceli winners: a?New Blindness Rehabilitation and Vocational Training CenterBy: John McMahonSome of you’ve may have already heard a bit about The Iris Network’s new blindness rehabilitation and vocational training center in Portland, Maine. If not, let me introduce it to you.We’ve been up and running since the end of September of 2015 with clients from Maine.?We began accepting clients from the rest of the states in March of this year. To this end, we have begun visiting administrators of state agencies to offer the service to the wider community.It has been exciting to be a part of the development of this Center as we built the program from the ground up.?There were numerous committees debating and creating various aspects of the program, including blindness and VR professionals from the state VR agency and The Iris Network, as well as representatives from the State Rehabilitation Council and members of blind consumer groups in Maine. The creative process was like a graduate seminar in rehab for the blind. Too bad we didn’t record all the meetings that took place. It would be good for anyone in the field to dig so deep into the roots of blind rehabilitation, and to understand and justify what and why and how we do what we do. This process was therapeutic and affirming and… yes, challenging too.The process noted above grew out of an idea from Maine’s blindness consumer community for the need to create a new and different type of rehabilitation and training center. Adult blind consumers have been observing the process from its inception, and play a role in the peer mentoring and resource development aspect of the program.What we built was a program that is unique. It offers clients an experience that is different from what they can get from a traditional blindness rehab center. For example, our entire curriculum is wrapped around encouragement, readiness, and expectation for people to become employed, and assists them?to bridge traditional skills of blindness into the world of work and self-sufficiency. Much of the program, oriented to employment, is based on writings, teachings, and training done in this area by Dr. Karen Wolffe, one of the foremost authorities in this area (both nationally and internationally).Some of the unique features of this program that focus on employment readiness include:40 hour per week schedule.Certified Rehabilitation Counselor on-site.Discuss expectations of work from day one, woven into all instructional classes.Eleven hours of Assistive Technology per week.Shorten the time needed for clients to get from application for services to becoming employed.Very high, real-life expectations.Skills being learned are woven into everyday use.Referring VR counselors are included in the entire program. Conversations about the transition to back home begin during the assessment phase.Clients attend and drive all progress meetings.The transition plan for client's return home forms up during the midterm progress meeting.An Action Plan is completed by client, center rehab team, home Rehab Counselor and home rehab team.?For more information, or to learn more about this exciting new option for clients,?click on the link for the rehabilitation center on the Iris Network web site ()?and by viewing clips from the graduation ceremony of the first group of consumers who completed the program at? Additions to the Division Web SiteRSA training documents on the new regulations to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 and a synopsis document have been added to the Division 2 web site. Update: Final Points to RememberJoin our electronic list (vocrehab@lists.).Feel free to forward this newsletter and encourage AER and Division II membership among your colleagues.Send your stories for the next newsletter to Tony Candela (acandela@). ................
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