Over
70 NFB of Colorado members converged on the Colorado Capitol on Friday,
February 28 to introduce the concerns of blind Coloradoans to the General
Assembly.
We
were fortunate enough to meet with many members of the House and Senate. Almost none of them were aware that there was
a waiting list for Vocational Rehabilitation services, let alone that the
Colorado wating list was not only the largest in the country, but double its
closest rival. They know now.
Below
is the Fact Sheet from the NFB of Colorado’s 2014 Legislative Memorandum
concerning DVR’s waiting list. Every
member of the General Assembly received a copy of this full document. It can be found at <a haref=http://www.nfbco.org>www.nfbco.org</a>.
<h3>ELIMINATE
DVR’S WAITING LIST</h3>
The
Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) under the Colorado
Department of Human Services (DHS), aids
and assists people with disabilities in procuring skills training, post
secondary education, transition services other employment related
opportunities, and ultimately competitive employment. DVR receives approximately eighty percent of
its funding from the federal government based on a formula which includes
approximately a twenty percent state match.
If the State does not provide the full amount of match, DVR cannot
secure the maximum amount of federal funding.
Since April of Last year, DVR has been on an “order of selection.” This means that it has not been accepting new
clients and, therefore, not providing the core services which it is mandated to
perform. Currently DVR has an active
caseload of approximately 7,500 individuals while over 6,100 individuals are on
a waiting list. More persons with
disabilities are waiting for rehabilitation services in Colorado than any other
state in
the
union.
The
Federation believes that past mismanagement of the agency is largely the cause
for the historically high numbers on the waiting list. Last year’s legislative audit confirmed these
very disturbing past practices of the Division.
However, the plan identified to resolve these past issues seemed largely
reasonable and achievable during the prescribed time periods. We applaud DHS’s Executive Director, Reggie
Bicha, and his team including Vicki Manley, Director, Office of Community
Access and Independence and the new Director of DVR, Joelle Brouner, for
navigating DVR through the difficult audit period and setting a new course for
the agency.
One
of our major concerns is that the audit findings are being used to hold DVR
back and prevent it from fulfilling its core purpose. As stated above, over 6,100 individuals are
on a waiting list due to DVR's order of selection and are not being
served. We receive many calls each week
regarding blind individuals who are in desperate need of vocational
rehabilitation services and are being forced to struggle needlessly.
We
have received word that as of February 24th, DVR will be taking 500
individuals off the waiting list. The
NFB of Colorado will be meeting with Director Bicha and senior management at
DHS very soon to discuss ways DVR can eliminate the remainder of its staggering
waiting list as expeditiously as possible.
We will keep the General Assembly informed as to the progress made and
the need for possible Assembly intervention in some manner including potential
supplemental appropriations to capture all federal dollars to serve those in
desperate need.
For further
information contact:
Scott C. LaBarre,
President
National
Federation of the Blind of Colorado
Phone: 303
504-5979
Fax: 303
757-3640
Email:
slabarre@nfbco.org
