December 11, 2020
Seattle, Washington
Attendance
All members attended via videoconference
Council Members Present:
Corey Grandstaff, Jerri Clark, Jerry Johnsen, Julie Brannon, Kim Conner, Linda Wilder, Marci Carpenter, Steve Fiksdal, Michael MacKillop
Council Members Absent:
Chris Alejano, Sheila Turner
Staff and Visitors Present:
Meredith Stannard, Yvonne Grimes, Lisa Wheeler, Tricia Eyerly, Jeannie Brown, LaDell Lockwood, Kim Canaan, Alice Klein, Jennifer Bean, Reg George, Alco Canfield, Andy Arvidson, Colette Arvidson, Nathan Brannon, Doreen Cornwell
Welcome and Introductions: Marci Carpenter, Chair
Marci reviewed the agenda and went over the election process to take place at today’s meeting. Corey and Julie are running for Chairperson, and Linda is running unopposed for Vice Chairperson. Members will use the “raise hand” function in Zoom to cast their votes for Chair. Meredith and Yvonne will count the votes and announce who is elected.
Tentative dates offered for the 2021 quarterly meetings: all on Fridays, March 5th, June 4th, September 10th, and December 3rd. Jerry J. asked for time to everyone to check on these dates before deciding. Marci advised the calendar has to be set by the end of the meeting, so people can check between now and when it comes up on the agenda to approve the dates.
Approval of September 2020 Minutes:
Corey moved and Linda seconded acceptance of the September 2020 meeting minutes. Motion carried.
Acting Director’s Report: Michael MacKillop
Michael offered a Native land acknowledgement for Seattle. He thanked Marci for being Chairperson of the SRC for the last two years, for her guidance as he started in his new role, and for leading and advocating for those who are blind or have low vision.
DSB VR was able to resume in-person Orientation and Mobility (O&M) services in September, using required PPE and sanitization guidelines. However, have had to limit to outdoors only after the pandemic spikes in November. Have been able to find a lot of ways to provide theoretical instruction to participants, but at some point cane training must be done in person. Overall, numbers of participants served is lower and applications have slowed down, but it remains steady. There are jobs to be had out there, and VR had successful employment outcomes in the 4th quarter. In fact, DSB has hired five new employees since the pandemic shutdown began, all have been onboarded and are working remotely. This is where the job market is switching to, the jobs that can be done remotely.
The OTC continues to operate remotely. Will possibly be late spring or early summer at the earliest before they can return to in-person, after the coronavirus vaccines are available and distributed.
Kim Canaan will talk about Independent Living later in the meeting. Michael wanted to mention that DSB’s relation to DVR has changed regarding the Part B monies that DVR received for the state and DSB is now reporting on a monthly basis to DVR.
BEP vendors are some of the hardest hit with the shutdown, and most have had to close. Even past-COVID there won’t be a built-in customer base anymore and the program model needs to change drastically to stay viable. Some new grants recently became available for small businesses, however the online tool was not very accessible. DSB notified Dept. of Commerce about the difficulties, and BEP staff have been tremendously helpful getting vendors connected to resources and assistance. Jim Hemmen and two BEP operators will join the meeting later to give a full report.
DSB is getting ready for the upcoming budget session. Jeannie Brown, SFO, has done a lot of work to build relationships with DSB’s Office of Financial Management liaison and Legislative liaisons. The Governor’s budget will be published around December 21-22. DSB has asked for no cuts to IL, and a small additional amount for VR in anticipation of a spike in applications once people can fully return to work. DSB typically has around 400 applicants but that was down to 230 in 2020, most likely due to people who are self-restricting. Michael anticipates seeing the usual number apply plus the people who decided to wait.
If less money is received from the State than in the previous biennium’s budget then DSB will incur a Maintenance of Effort penalty from the feds for spending less that we did two years ago. This is a dollar for dollar penalty. Should that happen it would probably result in Order of Selection being reinstated and additional cuts at DSB. Will have a better idea of what may be ahead once the governor’s budget is published.
Jerry J. asked – Is there any flexibility due to the pandemic? Michael confirmed that the feds have been asked and they know that all state VR programs will be impacted by the expected reductions in state budgets. RSA might forgive the penalty, but they likely won’t decide anything until DSB has actually been penalized.
One positive benefit to meeting remotely, the conferences and conventions that have been held virtually have felt more intimate and more meaningful to some degree. More people were able to attend, and many DSB staff and OTC students attended both the national and the local consumer conventions. Both consumer groups have put out resolutions to increase electronic voting access for people with disabilities, and DSB supports this however they can.
At the last SRC meeting there was discussion about getting feedback from current participants to understand how we are doing, and a survey is in progress now. The survey questions were shared with the Survey Committee and Michael appreciates any feedback that was given. It has been sent to just over 600 participants and there have been almost 150 responses received so far.
Valuable feedback on participants’ experiences during COVID and suggestions for changes has been received. There will be a lot of information for the agency to review and analyze. Michael said he also wants to share the comments with the SRC members for their perspectives on the feedback that is received. One caveat from Michael, the survey is electronic via Survey Monkey and 75% of the respondents say they are very comfortable with online technology. This may indicate the respondents are folks who are further along in their rehabilitation and that we are not hearing from people with lack of knowledge or access to technology.
The regular customer service satisfaction survey feedback from 4th quarter closures was disappointing; respondents expressed a lack of communication/contact, and feeling neglected. The big picture survey of currently active participants shows a more positive result around engagement. VRCs have confirmed that some participants don’t want more contact.
Michael wrote a Cabinet Transition Briefing document in October. The Governor requests this document every four years before the election. It contains a lot of good information about all of DSB’s programs over the last four years and their current status, and is worth reading. For SRC members it’s a useful document for getting an overview of the whole agency. It will be posted to the DSB website, and Michael hopes to refresh it annually.
LaDell added that she is working with Liz to create a survey script so the Seattle Admin Team can contact people who have asked for help taking the survey rather than completing it online.
Jerry said bravo to DSB for sending the survey and he looks forward to discussing the results.
Julie commented congratulations on the survey results so far. And she thanked Michael for the Briefing document, she has read it all and it’s very informative.
Linda said she appreciates that Michael took action after hearing suggestions.
Marci offered her thanks too, and can confirm that some people want more contact than others.
Doreen asked if electronic voting will be one of the Legislative bills that DSB will track? Yes, it will.
Kim Conner commented that this is an opportunity for the WASILC to support DSB’s efforts that have been mentioned, i.e. the federal $1 to $4 match, electronic voting, vaccinations and testing sites, etc… The WASILC has previously joined with other partners on these types of issues, and Kim wants to offer assistance to DSB and to the SRC however it’s needed.
Before moving on to the next agenda item, Marci added acknowledgment that we are on Native lands wherever we are in Washington state.
Independent Living Report: Kim Canaan
Kim said her report will be mostly status quo for the IL program. They’ve been providing in-person services since late summer, and have been closely following the strict COVID protocols for providers and participants. Provider experiences and the challenges they’re having are discussed monthly at the provider meetings. Kim would like to talk to the OTC instructors for ideas on how they’re instructing remotely, especially home-ec skills.
Kim reminded the SRC that she held money back at the beginning of the contract last year (7/1/2019) due to anticipated cuts. Then came the program closure and slowdown because of the pandemic and Kim anticipates they will not be able to spend down all of their funds again this year. The money that she previously held back will be used to reinstate providers’ to their former level of payment.
There continues to be a shortage of providers, leaving large areas covered by very few people. Kim wants to be more pro-active in signing up providers rather than responding to losses. It can take a long time to complete a contract and onboard a new provider before they are able to provide services. Kim plans to brainstorm with DSB and other service agencies around the state to see how they are soliciting for providers. Her goal is to have more providers serving smaller areas.
Lastly, the IL Program has recently revised their database and will be unable to provide some of the same demographic data as they did previously. Kim would like the SRC to let her know what information they’d like to see continue in the quarterly IL report.
Vocational Rehabilitation Presentation with DSB Vocational Rehab Counselors:
Ardell Burns-Vancouver, Kara Thompson-Seattle, and Karla Jessen-Yakima
Ardell talked about how VRCs are keeping participants engaged during the pandemic. Many do not want to actively search for work right now. Finding other virtual ways to keep and improve their work readiness skills. A lot of counselors are utilizing free community resources for training, for example, Goodwill’s Job Connections has basic computer classes and also classes on Microsoft Office Suite. Updating resumes and cover letters for those who do want to move forward on a job search. Working on participants’ phone and Zoom interviewing skills by practicing with providers since this is how all hiring is being done right now and in the near future. There are virtual WorkSource workshops with valuable information; and Ardell attended one recently that talked about how to use social media to help job search, such as LinkedIn. Their ResCare Academy offers self-directed online courses on a multitude of topics, and participants receive a completion certificate. Counselors check in with participants after they attend training to see what they learned and found useful, and it’s another reason to stay in touch. The key thing right now is the personal contact with participants, checking in, seeing how they are doing, listening if they need to share or vent, and letting them know someone cares. It also assures them that their case remains open, and there are still services and resources available.
Kara shared challenges VRCs have faced working with their caseloads remotely. They had the tools to work from home right from the beginning, such as laptops, but the first thing they had to figure out was how to actually work with their participants remotely. Some transitioned easily to the phone, harder to figure out with some participants who are low vision and prefer face to face. For Kara herself, as someone who is deaf, she said that prefers to have those in-person face to face interactions to build the relationship. They tried several different platforms, at first there was only Skype which was not effective for video. They’ve had to reframe/restructure their workflow, re-examine the structure from the bottom up, and change internal processes. She really appreciates that they’ve had the full support of the E-Team through all of these changes, and that updated information has come out on a regular basis. Kara said they all miss the daily in-person contact with their colleagues. Trying to keep that contact through other virtual means, and the VRCs in the North region have started having a “VRC huddle” on a regular basis to discuss their cases, any challenges they might be having, and brainstorm together.
Karla spoke about the creative approaches they have come up with to serve participants, and processes that have had to change due to providing remote services only. This includes counseling, completing intake forms, and eligibilities. VRCs want to ensure security for participants’ information, and also ensure they provide meaningful and beneficial interactions with participants. One example of a new process: after gathering all the information from the participant over the phone, applications and intake forms are filled out by the VRC and sent to the Rehab Tech using secure email. The Rehab Tech prints out the documents and mails them to the participant for wet signatures. When the signed forms are returned to the office, the Rehab Tech will scan them and add them to the Client Management System where the VRCs are able to access them for review. VRCs have just recently received their own printer/scanners to use at home, so they will be able to send the forms out themselves with mailing supplies provided by DSB. A lot of training is done by phone, Zoom and Skype meetings, and sending out videos for specific training. She has a participant who is attending the OTC and is also receiving VR services, they have their virtual learning and then receive local in-person O&M. Karla said that not traveling has given her a lot more available work time and she’s been using it for increased contact with participants to provide counseling and guidance. She has started seeing several returning participants recently due to the changed remote working environment.
Kara added that one thing is evident, however, with the increased contact with participants. Not being able to provide in-person assessments in person has had a big impact. Especially for low vision and assisted tech needs. It’s so critical and integral to their work with the participants to have that assessment information, e.g. being able to physically try out different assistive tech devices to learn what works best for them. It makes it much more challenging to make solid recommendations for low vision and assistive tech. Those assessments also inform the plan for the participant’s adaptive skills training plan, and those skills are so important for the participants to gain independence and get ready for working. It has led to a lot of creative and out-of-the-box thinking to provide remote solutions.
Kara added that another recent challenge is there are getting to be fewer and fewer deafblind interpreters available and willing to go out for in-person services.
Ardell wanted to clarify that they are doing the adaptive skills and the assistive tech assessments, they just have to do them over the phone, and recommended equipment is sent to participants directly. Everyone is doing their best to keep participants moving forward in their plans.
Linda thanked the VRCs for their presentation and for the work they all do for the agency. She said that she has talked to Beth Sutton, who is a Rehab Teacher, and she would like to hear from Rehab Teachers at a future SRC meeting. They are using very creative techniques to get their job done and support participants. Linda also made a recommendation that it could be really informative for the IL providers to meet with the DSB ROMERs to learn about some of their creative solutions for providing remote services.
Marci reiterated gratitude for the VRCs presentation today, and for the work that they and all the VRCs continue to provide DSB participants.
SRC Elections
Elections were held to elect the SRC Chair and Vice-Chair for 2021. Members used the “raise hand” function in Zoom to cast their vote for Chair, and Meredith and Yvonne tracked the results.
Marci announced that Corey Grandstaff and Julie Brannon were both running for Chairperson. She asked for additional nominations from the floor and there were none. Corey and Julie each gave a brief statement on why they were running for the Chair position and then members voted for each candidate. Julie Brannon received the majority vote (5-3) and was elected as the new SRC Chairperson.
Marci announced that Linda Wilder was running for Vice-Chairperson. She called for additional nominations from the floor and there were none. Corey moved to vote for Linda as Vice-Chair by Candidate Acclamation, and Julie seconded the motion. The motion carried, and Linda was elected as the new SRC Vice-Chairperson.
Public Comment
There were no comments offered by the public.
Jerri C. asked if there would be a chance to learn about the different committees and make a change if another committee seems a better fit? Marci replied that committees would breakout today with current members, and then at the SRC meeting in March there will be an opportunity to change committee membership if desired.
Jerry J. asked Michael to thank the VRCs again for coming to the meeting, their presentation, and their continued work for participants and the agency.
Marci asked if there is a line item in DSB’s budget for the SRC? Michael replied that yes, there is, mostly to support the SRC meetings and the staff who support the SRC. Marci said it would be good to know more about it, she and Michael will talk offline.
Business Enterprise Program Presentation with Jim Hemmen-BEP Manager, and BEP Owner/Operators Bob Miller and Shannon Warnke
Jim talked about how the quarterly report showed the reduction in revenue in the program. It’s been all about the pandemic and learning to navigate the governor’s phases and initiatives. They managed to get a couple businesses reopened. Finding all of the required PPE was an initial challenge, and learning all of the rules for distancing, shields, masks, cleaning protocols, etc...
Jim was given the go-ahead to fill the BEP Contracts Specialist position during the summer, and Austin is working out great. He has a lot of passion about the work, and has told Jim that he plans to learn everything Jim knows about the program and food service, so he can fill the BEP manager position when Jim retires. He is excited by this news as it gives him a chance to mentor Austin, and to create a succession plan for his position in BEP.
All of the BEP team is doing what they can to provide assistance remotely. Offering mental and emotional support to vendors as they stay home, and also looking ahead to what will need to change with the program to sustain it into the future. Early in the pandemic, when it became clear that things would stay closed for awhile, the team started offering Zoom meetings 2-3 times a week to give support to the vendors, and to get ideas flowing about how their business models will need to change before they can re-open. The full cafeteria model with a hot grill and salad bar is not going to be feasible, needs to be based more on already-prepared “grab and go” food items.
Bob, who leads the Vendor Committee, shared about trying to deal with the re-opening unknowns. When will it be? It keeps changing constantly, there have been a number of tentative re-opening dates that have made them hopeful and then it gets pushed out again. In addition, when they do re-open, how many people will physically be in the building? Will it be at 30-40-50% occupancy? Even at 100% occupancy there are some sites that struggle to stay profitable. The food service model has changed drastically over the past ten years. Can any of the vendors last for 6 to 12 months or more at a reduced capacity?
Bob said the Vendor Committee is now hosting the Zoom call every 2 to 3 weeks, and there are usually 6 to 10 vendors on the call. They discuss what resources and assistance are available, general sharing about how they are doing, planning for re-openings, their business models for the future, and how to change the overall program. Maintaining mental wellness with no business and staying at home is challenging for many, and continues to be an important reason to have the conference calls regularly.
Shannon said vendors spend their time working on the new business model and cleaning their facilities, or whatever they can focus on so as to not focus on all the unknowns. She shared that personally, the conference calls and the direct calls with Jim are a lifeline for her, and that she had been sinking into depression. Now she feels less overwhelmed and alone in this. She’s excited to re-open and believes it will be better than ever.
Bob expressed concern for all of the vendors, and the program itself. He also checks in with Jim on a regular basis. Most vendors had not had any previous experience with closing things down, laying off staff, liquidating inventory, and continuing to keep their facilities clean even while closed down.
Linda said that her heart goes out to all of them during this time. She loves their attitude and work towards staying positive. She’s known some of the vendors for many years and is very proud of their accomplishments.
Marci said to let her know if there is anything that she or the SRC can do to help and to support the program. Marci also asked if the Newsline service is still being supported by BEP? Lisa explained that it has been moved to VR and is being paid for by Pre-ETS; and they’re currently working on cleaning it up.
Committee Reports
Membership
Reported that an application for the Education Agency position was received at the governor’s office. Will follow-up with Tribal rep in Spokane to see if he has submitted his application. For the CRP position, both Corey and Linda are following up with people they know. They have three business leads to follow up on, and the committee plans to meet a couple of times prior to the March quarterly meeting. They’d like to involve the governor’s liaison more, if possible. They are also looking ahead at the next large group of council members whose appointments will expire in 2022 to start planning now.
Jerry J. said he has reapplied and he asked if they’ve heard anything? Yes, Corey said they just heard from the governor’s office on Wednesday, and Jerry J., Linda, and Chris have all had their terms renewed.
Kim Conner asked if the governor’s office will help with staggering terms? Corey said they were working on it and then the liaison changed, so it did not happen with the recent renewals. They will bring it up again with the new liaison.
Survey/Annual Report
Reported that there continues to be a lack of survey responses, and they need to really look at the survey and at ways to increase the response rate. This committee also needs more members.
Policy
Reported they need to know what the budget is for the SRC. Then talk about what is needed this year for the council and/or members? What about funds from last year that were saved by having virtual meetings?
Marci talked the Executive committee and its role. This committee should make agenda recommendations for the meetings, and be more connected to policy development at DSB. Jerry J. suggested some sort of regular communication to the committee regarding ongoing policy development and changes at DSB. The SRC would like to be involved along the way rather than just before a new or revised policy is implemented.
SRC Training Discussion
Yesterday’s training was a good overview, Marci’s sorry that some people missed it. She encouraged people to listen to the recording that was made. There was discussion of creating a new member welcome packet. Julie asked if this was an ongoing committee? A Training Committee is not mandated by regulations, Jerry J. says it falls under the purview of the Executive Committee. They’ll put it on the agenda to discuss at the next Exec Committee meeting in 2021.
Future Agenda Topics
Linda would like to hear from the Rehab Teachers/O&M Instructors about working with participants remotely.
Marci said they’ve talked about looking closer at each of the SRC mandates over a few meetings.
Corey said he really likes the idea of creating a calendar for the SRC in 2021 for better organization and focus on necessary business at the meetings.
Jerri C. commented that she would like to have the Zoom option continue for Council meetings even after we are scheduled to meet in person again.
SRC 2021 Meeting Schedule
After a brief discussion of the proposed dates, it was proposed to set them all on the 2nd Friday of the quarterly months. Linda moved to accept these dates for the 2021 schedule and Julie seconded the motion. The motion was carried. The 2021 SRC Schedule is set:
Friday, March 12th; Friday, June 11th; Friday, September 10th; and Friday, December 10th
All meetings scheduled on Zoom from 9:00am – 12:00pm unless otherwise communicated.
Yvonne will submit the 2021 dates to the State Register.
Meeting Adjourned
Julie moved to adjourn and Linda seconded. Motion was accepted. Meeting was adjourned at 12:20pm.