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State Plan for Independent Living Objectives

State Plan for Independent Living Objectives

Introduction: the State Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and the State Independent Living Council (SILC) developed the 2005 - 2007 State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) jointly.

The purpose of the California SPIL is to provide specific guidance to the DOR and SILC and promote the continuous improvement of independent living programs and services as defined by the Rehabilitation Act, as amended in 1998 (hereafter, the Rehab Act).

This attachment to the SPIL provides a description of the overall mission, goals, and objectives for independent living in the state. It further specifies the IL joint goals and objectives in California consistent with the goals and objectives of Title VII of the Rehab Act.

These goals include:

  • The priorities for types of services and populations to be served;
    • Support the provision of, and access to, services at the local level that will facilitate community organizing around system change activities.
    • Support California ILC assistive technology funding continuation.
    • Support increases to population funding for all California centers to empower them to more fully service their entire catchment areas.
  • The timelines for achievement of the objectives;
  • The financial plan to achieve each objective, when appropriate;
  • The evaluation measures to be used to determine when each objective has been achieved; and
  • An explanation of how the objectives of the SPIL are consistent with and further the purpose of Chapter 1 of Title VII of the Rehab Act.

This attachment addresses these three mandatory areas:

  • The scope of and arrangement for IL Services;
  • Cooperation coordination and working relationships among various agencies; and
  • Outreach to unserved and/or underserved populations and minority groups.

This attachment will describe a design for the establishment and maintenance of a statewide network of independent living centers that comply with the standards and assurances set forth in Section 725 of the Rehab Act.

Finally, the SPIL reflects the missions of the Independent Living and External Affairs Division (ILEAD) of the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), and the California State Independent Living Council (SILC).

Vision:
The vision of the California SILC is a world in which people with disabilities have equal opportunities for full participation and inclusion in all aspects of society.

Missions:
The SILC's Mission is to promote appropriate policies, programs and activities that maximize options for independence for Californians with disabilities.

The Mission of DOR's Independent Living and External Affairs Division is to create policy and promote systems change to maximize full participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and culture.

Based on the above missions, this attachment to the SPIL contains the plans and timelines for implementing the independent living goals and objectives. These will be implemented over the next three years to the extent funds are available under Chapters 1 and 2 of Title VII of the Rehab Act and California Welfare and Institutions Code, 19800 et seq.

The core values and strategies are as follows:

The SILC core values, defined as beliefs and principles that guide our daily behavior while accomplishing our mission, are as follows:

  • Equal Opportunity
  • Equal Rights
  • Full Access
  • Informed Decision-Making
  • Self-Determination
  • Choice
  • Empowerment
  • Public Participation

Core Strategies are the SILC's and DOR’s basic approaches to guide individual and organizational behaviors toward the achievement of our vision, and increase knowledge and programs, in order to improve the independence of persons with disabilities in California:

1) Public Participation: At every opportunity, the SILC, DOR and their partners will seek to raise the level of public participation of people with disabilities in the decision-making process.

2) Public Policy: SILC, DOR and their partners will research, evaluate and make recommendations for systems change and policy improvements, which will enhance the independence of people with disabilities.

3) Comprehensive Planning: All SPIL objectives and activities will be based on sound planning processes which actualize SILC's vision, mission and core value statements.

  • Public Education: The SPIL public education objectives promote the view that persons with disabilities are fully included and active participants in society and strives to eliminate the restrictive view of single disability stereotypes of persons with disabilities.
  • Quality Programs/Activities: All SILC programs and activities will be developed with the consumers served by those programs and will be designed and evaluated through the use of qualitative and quantitative outcome measures.
  • Partnerships: The SILC commitment to productive partnerships with agencies, departments, organizations and consumer and cultural groups will permeate SILC's work.
  • Leadership: SILC staff and members seek leadership roles in agencies, organizations and associations related to SILC's mission.

The 2005-2007 SPIL funding priorities are to ensure the viability of the entire network and to serve all Californians with disabilities who will benefit from independent living services.

The 2005-2007 SPIL Funding Priorities are listed beginning with the highest priorities:

  • Support existing independent living centers that comply with the standards and assurances set forth in Section 725 of the Act, at the level of funding for the previous year.

California ILCs currently receive a mix of federal and state dollars. As communities organized and applied for funding to establish an ILC, the DOR and SILC used whatever funding was available at that time. Therefore, some ILCs are funded primarily with state funds, while others are funded primarily with Title VIIC funds. There are 29 ILC catchment areas covering all of California , receiving an assortment of state and federal funding mixes.

  • Provide for cost of living increases for existing ILCs that comply with the standards and assurances set forth in Section 725 of the Rehab Act.
  • Increase population funds to equal base funds, as funding becomes available.
  • Thereafter, for each dollar the base is increased, population dollars will be increased equally. The DOR and SILC have set this priority with the intention of increasing the population funds to equal the base funds for all existing centers using state and/or federal Title VIIC funds as they become available. In this way, the DOR and SILC plan to enable all California centers to branch out to the more remote and/or isolated regions of their catchment areas.
  • Fund new independent living centers that comply with the standards and assurances set forth in Section 725 of the Act.

I. Goals and Objectives:

Unless otherwise specified, items which the SILC or DOR are assigned as primary responsibility will be accomplished with the support, cooperation, or by contracting with independent living centers, other partner agencies, disability advocacy organizations, community-based organizations, or individuals with disabilities. Except where stated otherwise, all objectives will be met during the course of the entire state plan period of FFY 2005 - 2007.

Goal 1: Actively involve people with disabilities from unserved and underserved (hereafter, under represented) populations in State Independent Living Council (SILC) activities.

Objectives:

A. SILC will host community forums targeted to include statewide disability-related networks for the purpose of assessing community independent living needs and to identify possible collaboration projects.

B. SILC will host community forums (at least one in Northern California and one in Southern California) targeted to outreach to traditionally under represented cultural and ethnic populations to identify the independent living needs and obstacles to service delivery in their respective communities.

C. The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) will fund and evaluate the success of community organizing grants for education/advocacy projects aimed at increasing collaboration among disability-related networks. Evaluation will be based on the accomplishment of specific measurable objectives identified in each grant.

D. SILC will randomly request centers to report on the effect of grants on the community five years after completion in order to evaluate ongoing benefits resulting from the original implementation of the grants.

E. DOR will fund and evaluate the success of community organizing grants aimed at providing outreach to under represented populations, as identified by the SILC.

F. DOR and SILC will actively identify and recommend appointment of new SILC members representing Native Americans, Latinos, and youth/young adults.

G. DOR and SILC will provide technical assistance in the development of cultural competency plans and program development activities to assist each independent living center in California in achieving consumer demographics that reflect the demographics of their respective catchment areas.

H. DOR will assist all independent living centers in California in their efforts to increase statewide services to the following specific traditionally underserved populations:

  • Latinos: Increase from 20% to 30%
  • Persons with Brain Injury: Increase from 4 % to 7%
  • Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities: Increase from 15% to 20%
  • Children and youth: Increase from 12% to 20%

I. DOR and SILC will develop and strengthen IL options for youth and work with the appropriate agencies to educate parents and students regarding their rights during the development of individualized educational plans (IEP) and transition plans for students 12 years of age and older.

  • DOR and SILC will provide scholarship funds for conferences that further the priorities of the SPIL that will include travel expenses and accommodations for selected youth to attend the Youth Leadership Forum. The SILC will collaborate with the Youth Leadership Forum and other appropriate agencies to find sponsors and encourage the continuation of the program.
  • DOR and SILC will work with the appropriate agencies and lawmakers to establish building codes that exclude the uses of materials that are not environmentally friendly and provide education and information to the management of existing public buildings regarding a ‘scent free environment’ to accommodate persons with chemical sensitivities.
  • DOR will, in 2005, begin directing ILCs to collect consumer service data by zip code, and to examine it for consideration in their strategic planning and evaluation efforts. In 2006, the DOR will begin collecting the data for comparison to census information by zip code, and report its findings to the SILC within six months of the close of each fiscal year thereafter.

Goal Two: Develop and strengthen the Independent Living Network in California.
Objectives:

  • DOR will provide core funding, training and technical assistance for the purpose of strengthening the current network of independent living centers. Funds specifically allocated for technical assistance activities will be used as follows:
  • To develop a manual and provide training for center staff on Fund Accounting and Accounting Ethics and address issues identified by local independent living centers;
  • To address issues related to increasing services for traditionally under represented populations, as identified by SILC; and
  • To address other identified issues related to statewide independent living barriers, as identified by DOR and SILC.
  • SILC will develop and recommend amendment proposals for consideration in the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act. These recommendations will be submitted to the Rehabilitation Services Administration and to the National Council on Independent Living as appropriate and timely.
  • DOR and SILC will provide funding for emergency and emerging issues, as determined by agreement between both entities. The SILC will review this fund at the first meeting of each fiscal year.
  • DOR and SILC will recommend appointees to the Assistive Technology Advisory Committee and coordinate activities with the Assistive Technology Network and similar statewide organizations to increase the availability of information and funding related to the use of assistive technology in independent living centers.
  • The DOR and SILC will participate in the implementation of the California Olmstead Plan for the purpose of facilitating the deinstitutionalization of persons with disabilities by means of:
  • 1. Developing a public education campaign to inform the public of choices about home and community based care versus institutional care.
  • 2. Working with the appropriate agencies to revise California ’s Medicaid Plan in order to incorporate the goals of California ’s Olmstead Plan.

F. DOR and SILC will seek to increase the availability of funding for assistive technology for consumers, including those who are members of traditionally under represented populations.

G. SILC will, at its last meeting of each calendar year, evaluate and update the State Plan for Independent Living. This will include the evaluation of progress toward meeting SPIL goals and objectives; the identification of any obstacles that may be impeding implementation of the SPIL; and to identify emerging issues and possible solutions.

H. The SILC (Policy and Issue Development Committee) will use identified emerging issues to develop recommendations for potential solutions to identified problems at its last meeting of each calendar year.

I. DOR will provide ongoing compliance monitoring, grant administration, training and technical assistance and compliance reviews for all 29 California independent living centers.

J. SILC will provide ongoing support for the conduct of meetings and public hearings; for SILC member training and travel; for SILC member participation in statewide and national educational activities and conferences; and for the production and dissemination of information to the general public, independent living centers, partner agencies, the Legislature and the Governor related to independent living and disability issues.

K. SILC will participate as an active member in such organizations as the NCIL, APRIL, SILC Congress, and other statewide or national organizations representing the disability community.

L. SILC will conduct educational forums and provide research reports on issues critical to the disability community, as requested and approved by the SILC membership.

Goal 3: Promote the development of community resources to enhance the independence of Californians with disabilities.

  • SILC will review, monitor and promote state and federal legislation, policies and regulations that will enhance the independence of people with disabilities. SILC will provide policy recommendations and technical assistance to the Governor, Legislature, and public and private entities to enhance the independence of persons with disabilities in California.
  • The DOR and SILC will create an ad-hoc committee to work collaboratively with other agencies, and seek partners, to establish an updateable information technology (IT) resources database and advocacy system to promote independent living. This database will include comprehensive accessible and/or affordable public and private housing listing, IHSS issues, deinstitutionalization issues, etc. Such a system will be developed under the auspices of one or more California independent living centers and the DOR in consultation with other appropriate local agencies.

The goals of this system will include but not be limited to:

  • Promoting the use of IT to enhance the delivery of IL services;
  • Enhancing employment and independent living options for consumers of DOR services;
  • Creating a statewide independent living resources database that gives consumers a self-directed, independent and seamless look at programs and services across service boundaries;
  • Expanding and enhancing the information and referral services of all statewide independent living centers;
  • Developing a two-way process that allows ILCs, DOR, advocates, community service providers, consumers and others to add their own information and knowledge about IL resources to the system;
  • Generating a statewide advocacy alert and electronic response system to enhance IL consumers’ abilities to influence policies and legislation relating to disability issues;
  • Giving ILCs, consumers, researchers, policy makers, state agencies, community organizations and others a comprehensive view of resources for independent living, census and other demographic data for the purpose of improving services, systems change policy development and networking; and
  • Facilitating localized and statewide public and private funding initiatives to further support the development and long-term sustainability of the IT system.

C. SILC staff and/or members will serve on committees and task forces with other state, federal and private entities to define and recommend solutions to barriers to independent living, including but not limited to:

  • Promoting long-term care services for people with disabilities in their home and community;
  • Promoting accessible, affordable housing for people with disabilities by working with the appropriate agencies and lawmakers to procure more vouchers for section 8 housing, prevent housing discrimination for persons with disabilities and facilitate implementation of universal design for housing accessibility;
  • Promoting equal access to affordable transportation for Californians with disabilities in both rural and urban settings;
  • Maximizing employment options through cooperation with the DOR Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the DOR Independent Living Program, federally funded Senior Employment and Older Americans Act, State Workforce Investment Board, California Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and with the Employment Development Department to ensure that One-Stop Centers established under the Workforce Investment Act are accessible to and able to address the employment and independent living needs of people with disabilities;
  • Promoting accessible, affordable health care for persons with disabilities (For Example: Working with Social Services in rewriting the Medicaid Plan);
  • Enhancing training opportunities for, and the availability of, communications access for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
  • Promoting use of technology to enhance the delivery of human services.

Goal 4: Effect improvement in the quality of community life for people with disabilities through systems change and self- advocacy activity.

  • DOR and SILC will evaluate the transfer of the Empowerment Team Leader positions from the statewide network to the independent living centers.
  • DOR will fund a centralized Systems Change Network “Hub” to coordinate statewide systems change efforts. DOR and SILC will meet annually with the grantee to develop statewide systems advocacy priorities.
  • DOR will fund community-based self-advocacy training and activities.

Goal 5: Be actively involved in the implementation of the California Olmstead Plan in order to provide increased opportunities for people with disabilities to live in their communities, rather than living in institutional settings.

  • DOR and SILC will maintain an Institutional Transition Fund to be used by independent living centers to assist people with disabilities in transitioning from being housed in institutional settings to living in the community.
  • DOR and SILC will plan, support and coordinate a series of Consumer Caucuses providing opportunities for people with disabilities to discuss strategies for improving opportunities for community living.
  • DOR and SILC will fund the second and third years of a demonstration project on transition from institutional settings.
  • DOR and SILC will fund a second year pilot to test the consumer-centered assessment instrument used in determining the appropriateness of transitioning individuals with disabilities from institutional settings to community living.
  • DOR and SILC will support the second year of DOR and SILC-sponsored work being performed by community organizing and advocacy projects addressing issues related to Traumatic Brain Injury survivors and their families.

II. Scope of and Arrangement for Services:

  • Core Services – The DOR and SILC will during the course of this SPIL review the core services listed in the W&I Code 19800 et. seq. and propose appropriate changes as needed. This will include a review that will address the effect of the public authorities on personal assistance services provided by centers in California , the option of adding deinstitutionalization services as a core service, and other issues as appropriate.
  • Peer Counseling: All California ILCs provide peer counseling (peer support). Some ILCs also provide professional and transitional counseling for consumers who request short-term counseling for a specific goal.

Many centers provide peer counselor training either informally through supervision or more formally through classes or on-the-job internships. In general, the ILCs that provide professional counseling use Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), or psychologists as staff and/or consultants. As a rule, consultants are also persons with disabilities.

Peer and professional counseling services are provided at the center, in person, over the phone, and at the home or other appropriate location for the consumer. Individual and group counseling are also provided.

All California ILCs provide housing referral services. Housing-related services may include:

  • Housing registries;
  • Housing modifications;
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development certification; Section 8 certifications and/or after care certificates;
  • Emergency housing assistance;
  • Funding for start up rent and utilities;
  • Transitional housing;
  • Development of congregate housing; and
  • Fair housing discrimination counseling.

Other housing services are provided in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), and local programs.

  • Personal Assistance:
    • All California ILCs provide personal assistance services.
    • ILCs organize the services based on community needs.
    • The scope of personal assistance services provided by local independent living centers has a direct relationship to the absence/presence of a public authority within the area.
    • The public authority acts as employer of record for personal assistants and in home care employees.

Centers work with the public authority in their area and may train consumers to recruit, hire, train and dismiss personal assistance employees. Some ILCs provide informal mediation services to assist in working out problems between consumers and personal assistants. 

  • Information and Referral: All California ILCs provide information and referral services. Primary users of this service fall into the following categories: Persons with disabilities and their families; and
  • Public/private organizations, agencies, employers, businesses and educational institutions.

Centers focus their information and referral systems on local community resources, which can be used by the consumer within their community. The ILC Network is available for issues that cannot be resolved in the local community.

  • Individual and Systems Advocacy: All California ILCs provide advocacy services, as required by state and federal law. These services include both individual and systems advocacy. The statewide system advocacy grant has proven to be effective in effecting change in California.
  • Independent Living Skills Training: All California centers provide ILS Training, as required by state and federal law. The purpose of IL skills training is to assist individuals in developing the basic skills needed to live independently in their homes and communities. Several centers provide independent living skills training in cooperation with other community programs such as community mental health, agencies for the blind, and educational programs.
  • Other Services include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Outreach: The ILCs promote their services in the community through targeted outreach efforts. The centers advertise on the radio and in newsletters targeting persons with disabilities and their families. ILCs also distribute posters and flyers and make public presentations to schools, hospitals, senior centers, agencies serving persons with disabilities, and parent programs. In addition, ILCs reach out to underserved and unserved groups through ethnic community agencies, community centers, churches and county or city agencies.
    • Assistive Technology: All ILCs provide assistive technology services. Some centers provide assistive technology directly while others work with and make referrals to other agencies or assist the consumer in identifying ways to purchase assistive devices and related technology.

In addition, the DOR is the lead agency coordinating a grant from the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research. The purpose of the grant is to fund the Assistive Technology Network in California . This grantee is the California Foundation of Independent Living Centers, which is a trade association for ILCs.

The assistive technology grant objectives are public education, outreach, information and referral, case management, limited training in the use of assistive technology, coordinating the loan guarantee/buy down program, development of funding resources and development of a recycling program.

  • Transportation Services: All California ILCs advocate for equal access to public transportation for persons with disabilities. Many ILCs provide mobility training on how to use public transportation. Other transportation services include:
  • Certification of disability for local transit systems;
  • Distribution of tickets, schedules and maps for local transit systems; and
  • Active participation on local and state transportation boards.
  • Prevention and Mitigation Services: By prevention of a decrease or loss of independence, which includes disaster and/or emergency training and response, ILCs strive to empower each individual with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain their own independence.
  • Youth Services: Several centers provide training and/or mentoring programs for youth on such topics as adjustment to disability, development of employment skills, civil rights, and empowerment of persons with disabilities.

III. Working Relationships

DOR and SILC have addressed maintaining and strengthening partnerships, committees and commissions that affect independent living as a highest priority.

A. Enhancing Local Relationships:

Developing solutions to issues such as housing, transportation, accessibility and health care requires networking, coalition-building, and consumer involvement at all levels. The DOR, SILC and ILCs continue to develop strong linkages with local public and private programs. In addition, ILC staff and board members are encouraged to become active members of city and county governmental bodies, other not-for-profit advisory committees and boards, and community coalitions and task forces.

Cooperative relationships and networking are vital to the success of the independent living movement. All ILCs are required to document their efforts in this area for new grants and grant renewal. ILCs are asked to include the above initiatives and accomplishments as part of the grant narrative. These issues are verified during the compliance review process. The purpose of these requirements is to assure that the ILC is promoting the philosophy of coordination, and is multi-dimensional in its approach to fund-raising, cultural and cross disability advocacy, and program development.

B. Fostering Statewide Relationships:

Through the DOR and SILC, coordination on a statewide basis is being increased. DOR staff, SILC staff and members represent the SILC on a variety of disability issues in public forums and foster strong statewide relationships by working with other public and private agencies. The SILC, as an independent state agency, is in a position to serve as an important source for information relevant to independent living in California.

  • The DOR and SILC serve as an information resource, in an advisory role, and work closely with the Governor's Office regarding independent living and disability related issues.
  • The DOR and SILC serve as an information resource for both the Senate and Assembly on independent living and disability related issues.
  • The DOR and SILC will work with relevant state agencies to assure that programs designed to further independent living complement existing programs and continue to further the philosophy of independent living. An example of such agency cooperation is the DOR and ILC representation on the Statewide Long-Term Care Council and its workgroups. The DOR staff, SILC staff and members represent IL concerns and present relevant issues on national and statewide task forces, steering committees, and at meetings and conferences of several other organizations. Further, DOR and SILC will continue to work with the Governor’s office on implementation of California ’s Olmstead Plan.
  • In addition to working with government entities, the DOR and SILC work with the ILCs and the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (California 's trade association of ILCs), to identify problems which require creative solutions, including resource development and other issues that concern ILCs in California.
C. Fostering National and International Relationships:

The DOR and SILC strive to assure that national organizations, which impact people with disabilities and independent living, are cognizant and respectful of California 's needs. To accomplish that, the SILC staff or Council members are members of the National Council on Independent Living and are active participants in the national SILC Congress. Both DOR and SILC also participate with RSA, at the regional and national levels, on activities that vary from training and ILC reviews to conferences and meetings with other SILCs and vocational rehabilitation agencies.

The SILC is also a member of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living, which is the national organization supporting rural independent living. Staff of the California SILC has been selected to provide technical assistance to other SILCs in Region IX, and have supported conference calls and other activities to increase communication and coordination within the region.

Other national and international involvement includes the selection of SILC staff and Council members as representatives to national committees on a variety of subjects. These include transportation, funding for IL and disability-related research projects, and improvement of the ability of people with disabilities to prepare for fire emergencies or other disasters. CA SILC staff and ILC employees have been invited to present at international IL conferences, and our state continues to be a preferred destination for visitors from other countries who want to learn about the IL movement. To encourage such visits, SILC and DOR staff will continue networking with international IL contacts through electronic communications and the coordination of visits to local Centers.

D. Financial Resources and Related Policies:

A combination of federal, state, local, county, city and private dollars currently fund California 's ILCs. The coordination of federal Title VII and state 204 funding, both directly and indirectly, to ILCs provides a continuing funding base.

Through implementation of this three-year SPIL, the DOR and SILC will continue their policy of funding existing ILCs and strengthen the independent living network by working to bring the level of population funding up to the level of the centers’ base funding. DOR and SILC understand that rural communities receive less in population funds than urban centers. However, urban centers are serving fewer consumers per capita than rural centers. In addition, the DOR and SILC will explore opportunities to assist ILCs in increasing their local public and private funding potential.

E. Electronic Networking, Reporting, and Relational Data Management Systems:

Over the next three years the DOR and SILC, in partnership with ILCs and other service providers, will work together to implement and improve communication statewide. A network of electronic communication, reporting and relational data management systems has been established. The systems are aimed at improved communication among service providers, the SILC, the DOR, and consumers.

The DOR and SILC have each established an Internet presence designed to serve as vital links to ILCs, consumers and others in the independent living community. The DOR and SILC Internet homepages also serve as a resource to peer agencies in other states, and are available to anyone who is interested in administration of the independent living program in our state. The SILC website also contains copies of all SILC reports, agendas, and a statewide Disability and Long-term Care calendar maintained by staff.

Implementation of this system has already begun to decrease the reporting paperwork burden on ILCs and increase consumer involvement and control. Billing forms, quarterly reporting requirements and grant submission have become streamlined and quarterly reports are now routinely submitted electronically.

IV. Outreach Plan

Information obtained from public comment and independent living statistical reports indicates the need for continuing targeted outreach. Consequently, during the three-year period of this state plan for independent living, SILC, DOR and ILCs will continue to work toward better understanding of the cultural and/or language barriers of California 's diverse population. This approach enables centers to become more culturally competent in providing independent living services to persons with disabilities of all ethnic and/or cultural backgrounds. Statistics, although showing an improvement from previous years, still show a need for targeted services to Latino, youth, persons with traumatic brain injury and those with psychiatric disabilities. The specific outreach goals are outlined in the goals and objectives portion of this attachment. (See goal 1 of this attachment.)

To ascertain how thoroughly ILCs serve their catchment areas, the Department will, in 2005, begin directing them to collect consumer service data by zip code, and to examine it for consideration in their strategic planning and evaluation efforts. In 2006, the Department will begin collecting the data for comparison to census information by zip code, and will report its findings to the SILC within six months of the close of each fiscal year thereafter.

V. Title VII Chapter Two Services to the Older Blind

Since the Title VII Chapter 2 program has been available to the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), the department has administered the services through subgrants to private non-profit blind/disabled service agencies. The program included grants made for specific purposes, such as transportation services, assistive technology demonstration projects,and outreach. Competition for grants was conducted on a statewide basis and was open to blind service agencies, independent living centers, and any other organization with demonstrated expertise in serving individuals with visual impairment.

At the beginning of the last three-year cycle, commencing on October 1, 2001, DOR revised the grant process. In order to ensure that core services were available throughout the state, DOR created fourteen geographical regions. A request for proposal was issued soliciting proposals to provide a range of services to older blind individuals in each of these geographical areas. Agencies were invited to bid in one or more of the regions. In prior cycles, the competition for Title VII Chapter 2 funds had been statewide, with all bidders competing with all others. The result of this process was that frequently, several agencies in one area would be funded while no grants would be awarded in other parts of the state. Large, professionally operated and experienced agencies tended to obtain grants while new agencies or innovative programs did not.

In 2001, grants were made to fourteen agencies. To the extent possible, the prior service-specific grants were folded into the new grants, reducing the overall number of grants and the conflicting reporting requirements and schedules.

The RFP emphasized the need for outreach and for demonstrating methods of reaching the unserved and underserved. There was also an invitation to propose innovative ways to meet the needs of the growing elderly blind population. The Annual Report 2003, submitted to the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), provides narrative detail of these activities.

For Federal Fiscal Year 2005, approximately three million dollars ($3,000,000) will be available to California . While DOR will retain approximately 20% for the administration of the program and for use by DOR Counselor Teachers to serve their elderly blind consumers, DOR will offer the bulk of the funds for grants to private non-profit agencies specializing in the provision of services to older blind individuals. In the most recent annual report, DOR reported serving 2,874 individuals at a total expenditure of $2,868,360, or approximately $1,000 per consumer.

Goals for 2005-2007
  • Serve three thousand consumers
  • Focus on core services. Core services include:
  • Adjustment to Blindness, including mentoring, peer counseling and support groups
  • Advocacy, including Benefits Counseling
  • Orientation and Mobility
  • Communication training, including Braille and the use of assistive technologies
  • Independent Living skills training, including personal, household and business management such as handling money, managing a bank account, paying bills, etc,
  • Using available types of transportation.
  • Require that grantees, which do not provide all of the services directly, ensure that all the core services are provided to their Title VII consumers through arrangements with other local agencies and that they monitor their referrals and provide follow-up.
  • Require that applicant agencies have a physical presence in any geographical region in which they are applying for funds.
  • Continue the focus on reaching special populations, which are currently underserved.
  • Continue the regionalization of the program which has facilitated the availability of services in rural areas thus addressing the problem of serving a major segment of the underserved, the rural population.
  • Support programs that reach non-English speaking seniors with visual impairment.
  • Emphasize the need for agencies to develop networks in their communities to ensure that visually impaired seniors are integrated in other senior service systems.

VI. Consumer Service Records (CSRs) and Independent Living Plans (ILPs)

The DOR works closely with ILCs to meet state and federal requirements in record keeping while minimizing the burden on service providers. ILCs have policies and procedures in place related to documentation of eligibility that includes both entrance and exit criteria for each service provided by the agency.

California has modified its quarterly report for grantees to match the requirements of the Federal 704 report, with a few additions that provide information the state requires for its own statistical reporting purposes. Since California has changed its reporting requirements to match those of the Federal 704 report, there has been a marked improvement in the consistency of ILCs’ reports. DOR staff is currently working with the regional RSA staff on areas that appear to show a need for further clarification.

Most ILCs have automated their consumer service records. This streamlines the process of information retrieval for reports. ILCs are required to have written policies and procedures in effect to provide information to consumers about the Client Assistance Program and the National Voter Registration Act, and how to access these services. Generally, this information is provided in writing during intake, and requires the consumer's signature that these services were offered and fully explained.

Acronym Glossary:

  • AT (Assistive Technology)
  • CFILC (California Foundation for Independent Living Centers)
  • DOR (Department of Rehabilitation)
  • IHSS (In-Home Support Services)
  • IL (Independent Living)
  • ILC (Independent Living Center)
  • RSA (Rehabilitation Services Administration)
  • SILC (State Independent Living Council)
  • SPIL (State Plan for Independent Living)