WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.000 music 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.000 The SRC is 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.000 a federally mandated and governor appointed board of 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:16.000 advocates who work on policy issues with the public 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.000 vocational rehabilitation program. The purpose of the state 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.000 rehabilitation council is to provide the consumers of rehabilitation services 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.000 a formal mechanism to influence the direction 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.000 of rehab programs in Oregon at the systemic 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.000 and policy levels. It was mandated in 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:40.000 the rehab act in 1992, section 105. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.000 IN 1998, though, the functions of the council grew. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.000 They decided that the council would no longer just be 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000 an advisory council. They felt like there needed to be a stronger 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:56.000 voice on behalf of the consumer, so they removed 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:60.000 the name Advisory and it just became the Rehabilitation Council. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.000 The council is a significant partner with Oregon VR. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:08.000 We advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities, and we partner with 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:12.000 other disability organizations. Some of the SRC 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:16.000 functions are: we advise and assist in the development of the state 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.000 plan; we review, analyze, and advise the agency 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:24.000 regardin performance; review and evaluate 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.000 consumer satisfaction; and coordinate with other councils. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.000 We jointly develop and review VR goals 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:36.000 and priorities; we review analyze and jointly develop policies; 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:40.000 and we participate in the selection of hearing officers 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:44.000 with VR. As I mentioned we are an appointed 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.000 board by the governor, and there are specific mandates in the 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:52.000 rehab back regarding our council. The majority of our members 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:56.000 must be persons with a disability, and we 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:60.000 must have a representation of a broad disability group. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.000 We cannot have a majority be employed by the agency. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:08.000 So the Oregon SRC typically just has two 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:12.000 mandated positions; it's the 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.000 VR counsellor and the VR director. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:20.000 Board members can serve two consecutive three-year terms, except 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:24.000 the client assistance program rep and the Native American 121 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:28.000 positions. They are able to continue serving 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:32.000 as long as they choose to. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:36.000 Our membership includes business, industry, and labor representation. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:40.000 That is the only position on the council that we're required to have 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.000 four business reps. The rest of them usually just have 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:48.000 one representation. A CRP program rep, a client 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:52.000 assistance program rep, a counselor, 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:56.000 a current or former consumer - and typically we have more than one consumer 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:60.000 or former consumer on the council - someone from 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.000 the parent training information center, someone from the 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.000 state board of education, the workforce investment board, the 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.000 state independent living council, and, as I mentioned, the director of the VR 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.000 program, American Indian VR 121 program. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.000 So what can the SRC do for consumers? 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.000 Well, the main thing is that we can advocate with legislators 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.000 on behalf of the VR program. We can share success stories, 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.000 concerns, and challenges. We help develop policy 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:36.000 with VR, and most importantly, the council is a voice 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.000 of the consumer. So some of the activities 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:44.000 have been mentioned, but we advocate on behalf of consumers 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:48.000 with VR and policy development, the consumer 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.000 success stories. I don't know if some of you picked up our annual 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:56.000 report last week when you were at the quarterly meeting, but typically 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:60.000 in the very front of that report there is a section of success stories 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.000 of the VR consumers. And those are really effective tools 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.000 when we go to visit the congressional delegation in Washington DC, 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:12.000 or the local legislators. They particularly like 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:16.000 to hear and learn about the success stories in their region. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:20.000 So when the VR program goes and asks for money 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.000 from the legislature, they have something to refer back to that 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.000 says, yeah, this program is pretty successful; I want to make sure you guys 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:32.000 have the funding that you need. We partner on Disability Awareness Day, 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:36.000 we develop a needs assessment with VR, and a consumer satisfaction 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:40.000 survey. We have quarterly council meetings, which some of you attended. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.000 Those of you who weren't able to, I hope that in the future, 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:48.000 you might be able to do so. We work on the state plan, 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:52.000 we participate in VR public hearings, we partner with 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:56.000 the SILC as has been mentioned, the workforce investment board, 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:60.000 and other disability organizations. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.000 We interact with the rehab service administration when they 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:08.000 come out and do the VR monitoring; they meet with the SRC to 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:12.000 determine if we are meeting with our mandates, are we meeting with VR 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:16.000 on a regular basis to develop policies that best serve the VR consumer? 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:20.000 We participate in the national coallition 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:24.000 of SRCs. About ten years ago, Oregon SRC 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.000 had the opportunity to help establish this national organization. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:32.000 We felt like it was important for all of the SRCs 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:36.000 around the country to share in best practice, and to 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:40.000 support each other in our work. We do have an SRC 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:44.000 website, www.orsrc.org. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.000 Some of the things listed: we have our membership listed, our meeting 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:52.000 schedule, our minutes, our annual reports, so feel free to 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:56.000 go to that if you'd like further information. Listed here 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:60.000 on this screen are our 2017 meetings, and as I said 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.000 earlier, if you haven't been able to attend one, you're always 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:08.000 welcome. We always provide public input at one o'clock, so 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.000 consumers can come and give public testimony. Sometimes it's 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:16.000 glowing and very positive; other times it can be quite 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.000 the opposite. We meet in other locations around the 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:24.000 state twice a year; we move around the state so that consumers in those 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:28.000 outlying areas have that same opportunity. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.000 It is not the role of the council to 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.000 engage in one-on-one 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:40.000 issues with the consumer; it's the role of the council to work on policy 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:44.000 issues with the VR program, so 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.000 the purpose of them coming to the meeting is for the council to hear 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:52.000 their concerns or the good things they wanted to say, 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:56.000 and then we go back to the table and when 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:60.000 our committees work with VR on policy, we address the concerns, 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:04.000 whether it's intake or other issues, 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:08.000 we address those concerns and we follow up with the VR exec team 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.000 on the input that was given at the quarterly meeting. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.000 We don't talk about consumer names or details 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:20.000 because that's not our role, but we talk about the issue that was presented. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:24.000 We ask them to come back to the SRC with 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:28.000 whether the issue was resolved. Quite often, the 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.000 administration can't give us details because of the confidentiality 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.000 but they will come back and give us enough information that helps 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:40.000 us understand that they were listening, and that they 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:44.000 assisted in that conflict or whatever. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:48.000 There are six members on the SRC exec team who represent 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:52.000 the rest of the eighteen members of the council. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:56.000 And so, we meet directly with Trina once a month, 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:60.000 but then we also have a policy committee and a program effectiveness committee, 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.000 and a business committee who all meet with various members of 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:08.000 the VR admin staff. So they're meeting with them 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:12.000 regularly throughout the quarter. So what you saw was just kind of 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:16.000 a quarterly meeting that had a broad range 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.000 of topics. Basically, you saw the list of representation; the 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.000 members that are represented. It can be anywhere from the state board of education, 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.000 to businesses, to community rehab providers, to 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.000 a VR counsellor. So quite often, 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.000 consumers will go through those avenues to reach the SRC. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:44.000 Consumers are getting very savvy. They can go to our website and they know how to reach us. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:48.000 So they'll email or they'll call with their concerns. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:52.000 Lots of times, we will refer them to CAP if we feel 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:56.000 like there's concerns that we can't 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:60.000 help them with or direct them somewhere, or 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.000 VR hasn't been able to resolve, then the client assistance program is there for them. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:08.000 But typically, the consumers know how to reach 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:12.000 us and how to find this. We do a consumer satisfaction survey. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:16.000 We don't have a set time, typically, because of the 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:20.000 work involved that it takes to put one together. It ends up being 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.000 a two to three year period between surveys, and in fact we're 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.000 getting ready to gear one to do one now. Usually it's 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:32.000 a very large sampling of 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.000 all current and many past VR consumers. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.000 So we try to get a flavor for what's affecting 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.000 current consumers as well as past consumers who may or may not 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:48.000 be working. A question was asked about what CAP 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:52.000 stands for. It is the Client Assistance Program. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:56.000 It's a federal program, and they are attorneys that represent 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:60.000 consumers on any issues - 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.000 litigation issues or problems - that they have 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:08.000 regarding the VR program. In addition to the 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:12.000 consumer survey, occasionally the council 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:16.000 decides that it might be helpful to the VR admin to do 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:20.000 a full all-state staff survey, and typically that 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.000 has been done in the past when there's been some 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:28.000 low morale within staff. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.000 Staff maybe not always feeling like they're being heard or that issues aren't being addressed. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:36.000 And so, the SRC has felt like it might be helpful 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:40.000 for admin to have us 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:44.000 poll their staff and ask questions that maybe 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.000 counselors or field staff might feel more comfortable answering 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:52.000 SRC members than they would going directly to the VR staff 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:56.000 and maybe feeling like their jobs would be in jeopardy if 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:60.000 they were answering honestly. So the SRC has been 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:04.000 helpful in that avenue as well. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:08.000 Thank you for the opportunity just to share a little bit about 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:12.000 our SRC, and I wish you all the very best in your 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.000 continued education and your pursuit of employment 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:20.000 in the rehab field. Thank you. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.000 music 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:28.000 music 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.000 music