Quarterly Reports are presented to the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind during their quarterly meetings.
Quarterly Report
Federal Fiscal Year 2019, 4th Quarter
July 2019 - September 2019
Presented to the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind
December 6, 2019
CONTENTS
- Independent Living Blind Skills Services
- Business Enterprise Program (BEP)
- Customer Services
- Youth Services
- Orientation and Training Center Highlights
- Regional VR Highlights
- Agency Communications Report
- Financial Report
- Human Resources Update
INDEPENDENT LIVING BLIND SKILLS SERVICES
CLIENT SERVICES
Service Snapshot – Younger Blind (YB) And Older Blind (OB) Clients
October 2018 - September 2019
| Trend | Total | YB | OB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cases | 1,196 | 103 (10% of all clients) |
1,093 (90% of all clients) |
| Service Delivery to Hispanic or Latino Clients | 33 | 9 | 24 |
| Service Delivery to Asian Clients | 24 | 6 | 18 |
| Centenarians (age 100 or older) Served | 13 | NA | 13 |
| Youth (24 or younger) Served | 6 | 6 | NA |
| Homeless Clients all clients 60 years old or younger |
9 | 2 | 7 |
| Clients with Depression | 224 | 29 | 195 |
| Clients with Bone, Muscle, Skin, Joint, and Movement Disorders (includes Parkinson's, arthritis, and osteoporosis)* |
466 | 21 | 445 |
| Clients with Diabetes ** | 231 | 30 | 201 |
| Average Cost per Client | $ 462 | $ 341 |
* - More OB Clients have some sort of bone, muscle, skin, join, and movement issue than any other medical issue.
** - More YB Clients have diabetes than any other medical issue.
FEATURED SUCCESS STORY
Rafael Ramirez is one of the IL program’s newest providers. He recently visited Claudia, a 78-year-old woman who lives in Shelton with her daughter. Claudia was already proficient with her computer, being able to email and pay bills, but a recent stroke contributed to her vision loss and decreased her ability to see the computer screen.
Rafael taught Claudia how to use Windows Magnifier with keyboard commands to make text bigger and smaller. He also installed and demonstrated NVDA to read text aloud. By the end of his first visit with her, Claudia was able to perform these skills independently. Claudia replied to Rafael’s final check-in email stating “Thank you for all your help. I’m learning the ins and outs of NVDA and enjoying it. It was a pleasure and an inspiration to have met you.”
RECENT IL SATISFACTION SURVEY COMMENTS
“I received such important advice on how to do things I thought I couldn't do. My provider was so thoughtful and kind!”
“Doug was extremely encouraging and informed me about many services and apps that are available to help me. He told me that I'll be able to learn to do everything I was doing before. He took me to a couple of stores and helped me use a "personal shopper". He gave me several helpful tips for walking with a cane.”
“I was able to go over how to use a cane again. It was very helpful because I learned how to walk with a cane like going up and down stairs. Also crossing the street safely and how to hold it in my hands when using the cane.”
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM (BEP)
FACILITIES UPDATE
BEP continues to work with owner Roderick Roberts and GSA at the US Courthouse location in downtown Seattle to create more visibility for the café. This facility is open to the public, has high foot traffic, and a premier high profile federal location.
Our L&I Headquarters facility went through major change during the quarter with the September retirement of longtime vendor Roy Gappert who had been the operator for 30 years. This created an exciting opportunity for our vendor community to bid on a highly desirable location. We held the bidding and interview process in partnership with L&I at the end of July. Shannon Warnke, owner of Taylor Ray’s, won the bid and opened on Monday, September 30. BEP had a lot of work to make the transition as smooth as possible.
As a result of Shannon winning the L&I bid, we had to re-bid her existing primary site. This happened at the end of August and Shannon went through the interview process and won the location back.
Our two newest vendors have continued to progress and find success as well at their respective locations. They are the Clark County Court House and EL Goodrich building in Tumwater. BEP staff is consistently working with them to find solutions in their day to day business and guiding them to our vendor committee for peer support.
TRAINING AND POTENTIAL NEW VENDOR UPDATE
It continues to be imperative that we increase the pipeline of new potential vendors to operate the growing number of new facilities. Currently, we have a trainee finishing their Hadley BEPLT courses and scheduled for onsite training in January. It is their last step to becoming a new licensee. We have two other potential trainees going through the checklist to decide if it’s right for them and two more clients are just starting pre-requisite classes.
BEP MANAGER UPDATE
Jim Hemmen arrived at DSB in mid-July. He has hit the ground running and engaged in all parts of the BEP program. A key component talked about on the last report was training. He believes that as BEP works with the VR counselors more and builds a deeper rapport, the new training model has opportunity to bear great outcomes. Before Liz left BEP, she took the time to sort through all the files and documents that were created during the development and revision process. It helped create a new complete BEP training guide. She has posted this on the DSB shared drive. It provides clarity to many FAQs and aids the counselors in providing accurate information to clients who inquire about the program.
CUSTOMER SERVICES
SNAPSHOT OF PERFORMANCE COMPARISON: [Q3 FFY20 VS Q3 FFY19]
- New VR Applications [236 vs 396]
- VR Customers Receiving Planned Services [1281 vs 1266]
- VR Customers Added to Wait List [204 vs 0] (YTD Total: 204)
- VR Customers Released from Wait List [149 vs 0] (YTD Total: 149)
- Students with a Disability served [439]
- Competitive Employment Outcomes [101 vs 157]
- Average Hourly Wage FFY19 Q4 [$21.76 vs $24.07]
EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
Successful placements made this quarter:
| Job Title | Employer | Region/County |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | East/Ferry | |
| Customer Service Representatives | Mod Pizza | South/King |
| Childcare Workers | Brianna McTee | East/Kittitas |
| Customer Service Representatives | Great Wolf Lodge | South/Lewis |
| Directors, Religious Activities & Education |
Christ The King Church | North/Whatcom |
| Training & Development Specialists | Puget Sound Energy | North/King |
| Tax Preparers | Jackson Hewitt | North/King |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, & Material Movers |
Crunch Pak | East/Chelan |
| Customer Service Representatives | LeTip International Inc. | South/Cowlitz |
| Stock Clerks & Order Fillers | Haggen Food Grocery Store |
North/Whatcom |
| Phlebotomists | Kindred Hospital Seattle | South/Thurston |
| Massage Therapists | Jack Johnson | South/Kitsap |
| Office & Administrative Support Workers |
Hopelink | North/King |
| Ushers, Lobby Attendants, & Ticket Takers |
Wendy's Fast Food Restaurant Chain |
North/Skagit |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, & Material Movers |
Home Depot | East/Chelan |
| Computer Occupations, All Others | iSoftStone, Inc. | North/King |
| Lodging Managers | Ellyn Lee | North/Whatcom |
| Teachers & Instructors, All Others | Shelton School Board | South/Thurston |
| Cooks, Restaurant | Olive Garden | North/Skagit |
| Janitors & Cleaners, Except Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners |
Columbia Industries | East/Franklin |
| Laborers & Freight, Stock & Material Movers |
Taco Bell | East/Grant |
| Computer User Support Specialists | North/King | |
| Teachers & Instructors, All Others | Port Angeles School Board |
South/Clallam |
| Human Resources Specialists | Steel Crazy, Inc. | East/Yakima |
| Material Moving Workers, All Oher | Costa Vida | South/Clark |
Wages
Average hourly wage all employment outcomes at Q4:. $21.76
Age ranges
- Percentage of participants age 55 and older who exited with employment outcome in FFY19: 35%
- Eldest with employment outcome in Q4: Age 66 (Tax Preparer)
- Youngest with employment outcome in Q4: Age 22 – four clients this age (one-Customer Service Rep, two-Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, and one-Janitors and Cleaners, except Maids and Housekeeping)
YOUTH SERVICES
SPENDING TARGETS FOR PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES SET ASIDE
| Federal Grant | Grant Amount | Pre-ETS Set Aside | Pre- ETS Spent Dollars | Unspent Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FFY 2016 (ended 09/30/2017) |
$ 8,730,218 | $ 1,309,532 | $ 1,291,505 | $ 18,027 |
| FFY 2017 (ended 09/30/2018) |
$ 8,792,634 | $ 1,318,895 | $ 1,250,702 | $ 68,193 |
| FFY 2018 (ended 09/30/2019) |
$ 11,454,960 | $ 1,718,244 | $ 1,718,224 | $ 0 |
| FFY 2019 (ended 09/30/2020) |
$ 14,866,200 | $ 2,229,930 | $ 437,383 | $ 1,792,547 |
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES AND YOUTH SERVICES ACTIVITIES
SKILLS
Youth Career Exploration and Readiness Workshops
Skills day program was held in Tacoma, Vancouver, Monroe, Mt Vernon and Seattle. A total of 23 youth, age range of 9 through 13, participated in Skills. Skills was planned in other areas of the state, Longview, Yakima, and Tri Cities, but due to low or no enrollment, they were cancelled.
- Tacoma Skills’ theme was Careers in Conservation. Five youth participated in a sensory scavenger hunt using bicycles to reduce fuel. They spent two days on the Foss Waterway to learn about the variety of marine and boat occupations. They explored the Salish Sea plant and sea life ecosystems to include invasive species of plants and fish.
- Vancouver Skills’ theme was Conservation and Recycling. Six youth participated in a trash scavenger hunt; learned safety precautions when picking up trash; used the Seeing AI app to identify recycled materials. The group toured Trader Joe’s and Mod Pizza to learn how they recycle and use biodegradable products. They also met an archeologist at Fort Vancouver who explained the old methods of waste disposal.
- Monroe Skills’ theme was careers in sports and body awareness. Two of the three students completed the program.
- Mt Vernon Skills’ didn’t set a theme this year. Seven youth explored a variety of careers and built skills in areas of body awareness, sightless self-defense, budgeting and grocery shopping.
- Seattle Skills’ theme was Farm to Table and sponsored by Seattle DSB staff. Seven youth learned about the variety of jobs on a farm by exploring a chicken farm and alpaca farm. They also learned to make soap.
YES 1
Youth Employment Solutions, Ages 14-15
Held again at WSSB, sixteen youth participated in the 10-day residential pre-employment program. They learned about job search and interviewing by completing job applications and mock interviews with the staff from Partners in Careers. Youth also created a “Career Cruising” account to explore their job interests, skills and learning styles. Some of the YES 1 youth attended for the second time and they participated in job shadowing with a judge at the Clark County Courthouse, a daycare center, a coffee shop, a photographer, the humane society, and assistive technologist. A big highlight of YES 1 was a personalized tour of City Hall led by the mayor who described city government jobs. As is tradition, the YES 1 youth traveled to Seattle for a weekend with the YES 2 youth.
YES 2
Youth Employment Solutions, Ages 16 - HS Graduation
With the Delta Delta Delta house renovation this summer, YES 2 had to find alternate housing. With great effort and coordination, a new residence hall at University of Washington was secured. Thirty-three youth workers and the round-the-clock staff lived in the hall for the six weeks of YES 2. Another new employment site was finalized after nearly 2 years of negotiation. That job site is a retail position at the Seattle Seahawks store.
LEAP
Life-skills Extend Assistance Program
The fairly new LEAP program was offered in multiple locations around the state. This program is designed for youth in the age range of 14 to 21, who are not yet ready for YES 1 or 2, or Bridge for whatever reasons. A total of twenty youth participated in LEAP in Spokane, Tri Cities and Tacoma. LEAP was offered in Seattle but was cancelled due to no enrollment.
- Spokane LEAP was in housing at Work Source Spokane’s Gen X Youth building. Five youth participated in several pre-employment and job shadow activities to include First Aid in the home, shopping for groceries at farmer’s market, budgeting, preparing healthy meals, transit travel and practicing social skills in the community. Youth celebrated the completion of LEAP by having a party at the Mobius Science Center where they learned more than they partied. Youth were given VISA credit cards to learn how to make purchases, buy their lunch and supplies for their activities. The VISA funds were presented as a form of wages for their diligent participation each day to include being on time and prepared. Mid-week, the parent of one student asked if LEAP could be offered ‘all summer’ as her son had learned so much in just a short amount of time.
- Tri-Cities LEAP was based out of the Edith Bishel Center for the Blind. Ten youth attended from Ellensburg to Tri-Cities, traveling a long distance to be a part of this new-to-them program. For all of the youth, there were many ‘firsts’ in learning to cook, bake, test meat temperature, and make purchases with a VISA card. They had a First Aid class taught by a former DSB Youth who presently owns her own wellness business. Youth created a variety of crafts to strengthen their coordination and team building skills. Youth went to lunch at a restaurant and asked for large print or Braille menus, and they received them! A scavenger hunt occurred at the mall as temperatures hovered at 100 degrees most afternoons. Youth used their VISA cards to make purchases, including a gift for someone special in their life. LEAP youth also explored jobs at the REACH Museum where they tactilely learned about fossils, rocks, bones, hides and feathers of the desert. Youth celebrated the completion of LEAP by planning a bowling outing.
- Tacoma LEAP focused on career education, self-presentation and financial literacy. Five youth practiced asking for job applications at a shopping center. Then they went shopping for interview outfits. A former accommodations and disability coordinator from Amazon taught the youth how to ask for job accommodations, disclose a disability and mock interviews. Youth also volunteered at the local food bank.
BRIDGE
Helping Bridge the Gap between High School and College
DSB continued our partnership with Eastern Washington University to provide a 5-week college experience to blind/visually impaired youth. Six youth ranging in age from 17 to 20 completed Bridge and passed a 5-credit college course. The past year, Youth Services has been exploring the value of adding a college prep program for vocational training and apprenticeships to complement the traditional Bridge program. Finding a Voc-Tech campus with housing has been difficult but we continue to search for a location and create a curriculum.
SWAG
Student Work and Academic Growth
Student Work and Academic Growth (SWAG) program provides a work-study experience for youth in the 18 to 21 age range. Seven youth with some college experience completed nine weeks of job seeking skills, daily living skills practice, while working part-time and taking 7 to 10 college credits. This year, the Spokane DSB office hired a SWAG student for some projects and mentoring of younger students at LEAP. Other SWAG jobs at EWU included work with the Counseling and Academic Advising office, the campus mail room, Disability Support and EWU’s Information Technology department. At the end of SWAG, two of the employers asked their SWAG student to continue working for their departments!
ORIENTATION AND TRAINING CENTER HIGHLIGHTS
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1 – DSB STORY
This term’s OTC success story belongs to Susana Gomez, a woman who has always believed and known that the best way to overcome life’s hurdles, including sudden blindness, is with determination, tenacity, and hard work.
One could say that Susana’s life started as a typical one. She began working at a young age and developed quite a bit of work experience due to having several varied jobs. A particular job she was proud to have was for a marketing company, where she gained expertise with computers and technology. She was successful and developed longevity at that particular job. In addition, Susana was raising a family, and all in all, things were going her way.
During her late twenties, Susana was diagnosed with glaucoma. Although there was history in her family, she never really expected or saw it coming. Her vision loss was sudden, and by the time she was diagnosed, it was too late. “Nothing prepared me for going from what I thought was extraordinary vision to almost total blindness.” Her typical and enjoyable life took a turn, but Susana knew she somehow had to move forward.
The period after her diagnosis and vision loss was tough. Her eyes went through a transition after surgery, going from total blindness for several months to recovery of very little vision. She also went from having one or two jobs to not being employed. Emotionally, she went through a period of depression She couldn’t understand how someone like her, who was intelligent and had much work experience, didn’t seem to have much of a clue about anything in her new condition. She was also angry with herself, because having known about her family history with glaucoma and blindness, she didn’t prepare herself or learn about her options in advance. After a few years of trying several things, including medical procedures and trying to keep jobs, Susana began a plan to start over. Before she moved from California to Seattle, she did the necessary research so as to know what to do. When she arrived in Seattle, she reached out to the Department of Services for the Blind.
Susana came to the OTC in 2014 determined to learn everything she could in order to live life as a competent blind person. It was not easy. She admitted that for a while, she felt very out of place, and some things didn’t make sense about the training and what she was learning. She asked, “How will this help me achieve my goals?” She felt as if she’d taken several steps back, when all she wanted to do was move forward. She wondered when she would overcome her fears and feelings of uncertainty. When would the skills she was learning and confidence she was gaining bear fruit? Her answer came during one of her Home Ec classes, where she suddenly realized she was cooking and doing it quickly and efficiently. She realized that she didn’t need sight to do something she’d always been good at doing. That experience ignited her sense of freedom and confidence, and from there, she soared trying other things. Two classes on which she focused the most were Computers and Technology, and Orientation and Mobility. She knew they would be paramount for employment.
After graduation, Susana needed to decide whether to go to school or find employment. She gave it much consideration and decided that her priority was to go back to work and provide for herself and her family. Although there was some fear and doubt on her part, she knew it was the right thing for her. Her first job after graduation was working for the YES summer program. She enjoyed working with the kids and found she learned as much from them as they did from her.
Currently, Susana is happily working in the field of health care as a home care aid. The people she works with are elderly with disabilities and a history of substance abuse. Although the job and clients are sometimes difficult, she loves the challenge and feels great when she can make a difference in someone’s life. As a matter of fact, one of her current clients happens to be blind, and Susana has been able to teach him a few basic blindness skills along the way. She was thrilled to have that opportunity.
Five years after being at the OTC, Susana says she feels happy and fulfilled. She always wanted a job where she could work with people one on one along with providing learning opportunities. Susana is doing all of that and more in her current line of work. Going back to work was exactly what she needed in order to feel good about herself in all areas of her life. It gave her a chance to truly test and refine her acquired blindness skills. Mistakes are seen by her as experiences and things on which she can improve. Her best advice to anyone facing drastic changes in life, such as blindness, is to be patient and kind with oneself, not give into fear, and work as hard as possible to achieve one’s goals.
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 2 – DSB EXPERTISE
During this term, OTC staff attended a training session, regarding dealing with stroke victims. It was taught by Dr. Janet Powell, an occupational therapist from the University of Washington. The OTC has had a few clients who have had strokes in the past, and the training discussed ways of dealing with the effects one could have after a stroke.
Also, Joy Iverson and Carrie Lampel began the Library of Congress Braille transcription course. Once they finish the course, they hope to receive national lifetime certification in Braille transcription.
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 3 – EMPLOYMENT AT EVERY LAYER
This past term, we had two OTC students (one who had just graduated) working for DSB’s Youth Employment Solutions (YES) program. One student worked as a computer instructor, teaching the students how to use the JAWS screen reading program, especially when it came to filling out their time sheets. The other student worked as a residential assistant in one of the dorms.
Both students learned valuable lessons which will serve them well as they seek employment in their chosen care.
REGIONAL VR HIGHLIGHTS
PARTICIPANT STORIES
DSB HELP IS JUST RIGHT
Email sent to South Regional Area Manager Meredith Hardin
Meredith,
I just wanted to update you on how things are going with my case since you left. I worked with Beth [Rehabilitation Teacher] a couple times over the week, and feel much better about my orientation to the building and everything around me! Also, today I met briefly with Laura [Assistive Technology Specialist], and within 40 minutes, I thought 100% sure of the slight technological problems I needed some help with. I couldn’t have done it without her, she was excellent and I just wanted you to know how great both she and Beth were at helping me with what I needed so quickly. Talk soon, SW
BRAILLE DISPLAY AT WORK
Response from participant when reach out for DSB post-employment check-in – client works for Apple Store
Thank you for checking in with me. The braille display DSB purchased for me is having a positive impact on me each day. We have many similar items, and having this display allows me to position what we do and don't have, along with exact pricing including subtotals and tax. Have a lovely day! – RW
COOKING SUCCESS
Lena Norton, Rehabilitation Teacher in DSB Spokane, helped out at the LEAP program. A student reported:
“I’m not allowed to cook at home for safety reasons. Today I chopped with a knife and stir-fried on the stove!” This student made the healthiest dish of all with local veggies she shopped for at the farmer’s market. She shared her dish with her mom who seemed very impressed.
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1 – DSB STORY & OUTREACH
- Laura, Assistive Technology Specialist (ATS), from Tacoma office shared her AT knowledge with those at ARC of Washington. She provided AT support to current technology (troubleshoot braille display/JAWS not working).
- Beth, Rehabilitation Teacher (RT), provided mentorship to a PSU student needing hours for teaching Orientation and Mobility (OM). The student learned about DSB VR services while receiving practicum observation hours and no traffic control street crossing training.
- John and Kelly F., DSB Lacey office, represented DSB at the Disability Inclusion Network Event. They provide materials and information for those wanting to learn more about DSB.
- John and Mario, both ATS, presented on a panel discussion explaining how DSB works as an agency, as well as web accessibility tips and tricks. They also provided 3 hours of tech demos to folks at Department of Health Accessibility Awareness Day Event.
- Roberto and Yang-su presented at the ESD equal opportunity officer conference at SeaTac Doubletree hotel on the latest AT and its possible applications at WorkSource. It was well received.
- Taurus Richardson, VRC, has joined the Spokane WorkSource Disability Advisory Committee.
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 2 – DSB EXPERTISE
- Jonathan Whitby shared his experience of “Getting a Feel for Art” at the Portland Art Museum. This featured art by blind/low vision artists:
I attended the Portland Art Museum’s “Getting a Feel for Art” exhibit last Friday. One of their meeting rooms was set up with a ring of tables and there were 5 or 6 artists who are blind or low vision displaying their work and interacting with visitors. All of the artwork was available to be touched. Some of it I found very impressive, some of it I didn’t quite get (but that’s to be expected with art, I guess). I was surprised how many people showed up. There were 25-30 people in the exhibit room when I arrived and another 15-20 milling around outside.
A few of the artists gave a 30 minute presentation about their work at the end of the day. The museum also offered guided tours for blind guests with docents acting as sighted guides, offering narrative descriptions of some of the pieces, etc. A few of our participants attended, and one displayed his artwork. It sounds like they plan to make this a yearly event at the museum, and it’s free. - Kelly F, attended the Talent Pipeline Workshop at the Thurston County Chamber. Kelly gained knowledge of how talent pipeline operates to ensure VR customers have various channels to connect when they are in job search.
- Kelly F met with community partner Dr. Frankenburger to be part of Mason County ACAC Hearings. She learned about accessibility in hearings, elections and transportation.
- Kelly F. attended the Supported Employment in State Government for DSB Consumers. This is a meeting that discusses what is going on with Supported Employment funding and resources in WA state.
- The Spokane DSB office has been very fortunate to hire two new vocational rehabilitation counselors, Taurus Richardson and Eric Wharton. The Spokane office has only ever had one counselor. This is an amazing opportunity to reach new areas and communities.
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 3 – EMPLOYMENT AT EVERY LAYER
- Alexis, Juanessa and Carolyn from the Tacoma office attended a meeting with other WDC partners at the Worksource-Pierce. Pierce County partners are using this Common Referral System, managed and powered by United Way of Pierce County, 2-1-1. This system was designed for those in Pierce County to refer customers to each other’s agencies. This meeting was to get know each other better and provide more information on who/why you would refer someone to each other’s agency. Very informative meeting, which will be happening every quarter.
- Kelly F, VRC in DSB Lacey office, attended the weekly meeting with South Sound Business Services Team. Working on building the relationship with SSBST to keep our customers in the know of employment opportunities in the South Sound.
- Gil attended the 4th Annual Transition Kick off at the Everett Community Resource Center with all Snohomish county transition partners.
AGENCY COMMUNICATIONS REPORT
PROGRESS TOWARDS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE #1 – DSB STORY
YOUTH SERVICES EVENT PROMOTIONS
Nineteen (19) events promoted/updated since last report. Promotion included flyer/handout design, website updates, and posting to social media.
DSB WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY EVENT – OCTOBER 15
Staff, OTC Students and supporters distributed information at Westlake Center in Seattle.
DSB Facebook photos from White Cane Day
KREM 2 (CBS-SPOKANE, WA) – OCTOBER 19
Youth Services trip to Blue Zoo Aquarium
Spokane Blue Zoo host interactive day for visually impaired students
KREM Article about Blue Zoo Aquarium visit by BVI children
ALASKA AIRLINES EVENT – OCTOBER 21
DSB staff, clients, and OTC students joined Guide Dogs for the Blind at the Alaska Airlines Training Center to experience airplane accessibility and safety.
- KIRO 7 – KIRO 7 Video about Guide Dog event at Alaska Airlines
- KOMO – KOMO News story about Guide Dog event at Alaska Airlines
- KING 5 – KING 5 Video about Guide Dog event at Alaska Airlines
SPOKANE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS – OCTOBER 24
DSB funding of Lilac Services
Returning independence to the visually impaired
News article about Spokane's Lilac Services for the Blind
ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS (08/01/19 - 10/31/19)
Website
Google Analytics
- Users – Number of unique individuals who visited the site: 4,766
84% were first time visitors - Page Views – Number of pages looked at: 17,872
- Channels Used – How did people find the website
- Direct (people typed in the URL) – 1,299 (26.8%)
- Organic Search (people used Google, Bing, or other search engine to find the site) – 3,302 (68.1%)
- Social (people connected to the site via LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social media outlet) – 70 (1.4%)
- Referral (people clicked a link on a different website) – 178 (3.7%)
Online Referral Forms:
- Self-referrals: 124
- Physician referrals: 14
Social Media
- Total Likes: 197
- Total Followers: 213
- Total Reach: 3,661
- Top Facebook Posts:
- Lego just released audio and Braille instructions. They did it because of a blind man who never gave up. August 28. Reach = 145
- WE’RE HIRING! Rehabilitation Technician 2 – Seattle (2019-09128). September 19. Reach = 144
- Congratulations to Lt. Gov. Habib on summiting Mount Kilimanjaro! September 5. Reach = 122
- Total Followers: 93
- Unique Impressions: 358
- Total Impressions: 1,147
- Top LinkedIn Posts:
- Repost from Ron P. regarding Lighthouse and Continuous Improvement. August 22. Impressions = 113
- Repost: Attracting candidates with disabilities. September 4. Impressions = 104
- We’re Hiring! Seattle Admin. Team Manager. August 13. Impressions = 94
OTHER COMMUNICATIONS EVENTS / MEETINGS / TRAININGS
Washington Counts 2020
This is an effort by the state of Washington to get a full and accurate count of all people living in the state of Washington in the upcoming 2020 Census. The Complete Count is a priority project for Governor Inslee and has bi-partisan support in the legislature. Former Governor Locke is the chair of the committee. The project is funded through FY 2019 and FY 2020 funding is expected by OFM. Meetings will be held regularly throughout 2019 and early 2020.
- Complete Count Committee Meeting, Spokane/Skype, October 9, 2019
- Complete Count State Agency Meeting, Olympia, October 16, 2019
Disability Inclusion Network Kick-off
Tumwater WA, August 9
10th Legislative District Representative Information Request
The office of Representative Norma Smith (R) requested information for a constituent requesting information on providing visual description in the arts. Provided information collected from DSB staff. September 10.
Facebook Editorial Policy Requirements
Webinar, September 24
Washington Council of the Blind Annual Convention
Seattle, WA, October 25
National Federation of the Blind of Washington Annual Convention
Olympia, WA, November 1
FINANCIAL REPORT
Federal Fiscal Year Q4 2019, through September 30, 2019
2020 STATE FISCAL YEAR – REVIEW AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 (IN THOUSANDS)
| Source | Allotment Authority |
Expenditures | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund - State | $ 3,653 | $ 170 | $ 3,483 |
| General Fund - Federal | $ 12,630 | $ 3.332 | $ 9,298 |
| Donations | $ 27 | $ 4 | $ 23 |
| Pension Funding Stabilization Act | $ 86 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Total | $ 16,396 | $ 3,506 | $ 12,890 |
2020 STATE FISCAL YEAR – FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 (IN THOUSANDS)
| Grant | Grant Amount | SFY 18 Federal Expenditures |
SFY 19 Federal Expenditures |
SFY 20 Federal Expenditures |
Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Voc. Rehab Basic Services - $1.7 million is for Pre-ETS set aside |
$ 11,455 | $ 6,549 | $ 3,672 | $ 1,234 | $ 0 |
| 2019 Voc. Rehab. Basic Services - $1.4.2 million is for Pre-ETS set aside |
$14,866 | $ 0 | $ 5,400 | $ 2,120 | $ 7,346 |
| 2018 Supported Employment | $ 46 | $ 5 | $ 2 | $ 0 | $ 39 |
| 2019 Supported Employment | $ 45 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 2 | $ 43 |
| 2019 Independent Living Part B | $ 65 | $ 0 | $ 55 | $ 0 | $ 10 |
| 2019 IL Older Blind | $ 673 | $ 0 | $ 468 | $ 90 | $ 115 |
| Total | $27,150 | $ 6,554 | $ 9,597 | $ 3,446 | $ 7,553 |
2020 STATE FISCAL YEAR – TOTAL EXPENDITURES BY PROGRAM AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 (IN THOUSANDS)
| Program | Grant Funds | State | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voc. Rehab Services Adults | $ 2,553 | $ 87 | 0 | $ 2,640 |
| Voc. Rehab Pre-ETS | $ 674 | 0 | 0 | $ 674 |
| Supported Employment | $ 2 | 0 | $ 2 | |
| Independent Living Part B | $ 87 | $ 7 | 0 | $ 94 |
| IL Older Blind | $ 156 | $ 75 | 0 | $ 231 |
| Birth through 8 (Not Grant Funded) |
0 | 0 | $ 4 | $ 4 |
| Social Security Revenue | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Business Enterprise Program | 0 | 0 | $ 139 | $ 139 |
| Total | $ 3,470 | $ 171 | $ 143 | $ 3,784 |
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF DSB BUSINESS AND FINANCE?
At the end of a federal fiscal year, VR state programs may relinquish unspent federal grant funds. States who have the ability to match additional federal grant dollars can submit a reallotment request. DSB submitted a request for additional VR grant funds and was approved $5.4 million. Over time, these funds will allow the agency to provide Vocational Rehabilitation Services to all applicants from the wait list. DSB also requested $900,000 in additional Independent Living grant funds for older blind; however, this request was not approved.
HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATE
NEW HIRES/PROMOTIONS/TRANSFERS
| Personnel | Job Title | Team | Duty Station | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Friedman | Program Specialist 3 | CS/OTC | Seattle | 08/16/2019 |
| Donna Lawrence | Program Specialist 3 | CS/OTC | Seattle | 08/16/2019 |
| Robin Loen | Program Specialist 3 | CS/OTC | Seattle | 08/16/2019 |
| Kim Massey | Program Specialist 3 | CS/OTC | Seattle | 08/16/2019 |
| Kara Gieschen | Program Specialist 3 | CS/South Region |
Lacey | 09/01/2019 |
| Anne Ives | Program Specialist 3 | CS/South Region |
Vancouver | 09/01/2019 |
| Deja Powell | OTC Administrator | CS/OTC | Seattle | 09/23/2019 |
| Brooke Allan-Davis | Voc Rehab Counselor 4 |
CS/East Region |
Yakima | 10/01/2019 |
| Carolyn Hoppe-Denend | Voc Rehab Counselor 4 |
CS/South Region |
Tacoma | 10/01/2019 |
| Taurus Richardson | Voc Rehab Counselor 4 (in-training) |
CS/East Region |
Spokane | 10/01/2019 |
| Elizabeth Tunison | Seattle Admin: Team Manager |
CS/Admin | Seattle | 10/01/2019 |
| Eric Wharton | Voc Rehab Counselor 4 |
CS/East Reigon |
Spokane | 10/01/2019 |
DEPARTURES/RESIGNATIONS/RETIREMENTS
| Personnel | Job Title | Team | Duty Station | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Brannon | OTC Administrator | OTC | Seattle | 11/01/2019 |
CURRENT AND FUTURE OPENINGS
| Status | Job Title | Team | Duty Station | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiting | Rehabilitation Technician 2 | CS/Admin | Seattle | 08/12/2019 |
| Recruiting | Program Specialist 3/O&M | CS | Yakima | 08/22/2019 |
| Recruiting | Contracts Specialist 2 | BEP | Lacey | 09/25/2019 |
Previous Quarterly Reports
Fiscal Year 2020
- 3rd Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 1st Quarter
Fiscal Year 2019
- 4th Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 1st Quarter