Annual Report - Fiscal Year 2007

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October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007

From the Executive Director, Clarice Hausch

West Virginia Advocates is pleased to send you our Annual Report for FY 2007. This report covers the period October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007. Releasing an Annual Report is a new initiative for us and I hope you will find the information useful. West Virginia Advocates is a federally funded, nonprofit 501c with eight separate federal grants, and a state contract. Our mission is to protect and advocate for the human and legal rights of persons with disabilities. Most of our services are available to people with qualifying disabilities, regardless of age, or income. We employ more than twenty staff, and have offices located in Charleston, and Clarksburg. We are strongly committed to the work we do and want to share what we accomplished with you. We hope you will gain a better understanding of who we are and what we do from this report.

2007 was West Virginia Advocates thirtieth anniversary as West Virginia's Protection and Advocacy System. It was a busy and challenging year for us and I want to share just a few of the highlights. We served over 1,000 individuals in all 55 counties. Our programs received the same funding as in FY 06, but the number of people we served increased. We grew in our systemic advocacy work, collaboration efforts with organizations statewide and nationally, and increased our outreach efforts. We improved our monitoring at the state psychiatric hospitals, increased our work with jail inmates, and our support of self-advocacy conferences and events. We dedicated resources to the establishment of a specialized unit for the investigation of neglect and abuse and did a significant death investigation. As a result of that investigation we were able to make a contribution to the creation of important systemic change. We participated in Disability Day at the Legislature, and our newsletter, the Advocare, resumed publication after being out of print for several years. We served on a number of Councils/Advisory Boards including the MR/DD Waiver QA/QI Council, Olmstead Advisory Council, Developmental Disabilities Council, and WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities Councils, Mental Health Planning Council, TBI/SCI Rehabilitation Fund Board. We trained voting officials from throughout the state on disability voting rights and our staff presented at a number of state conferences. Our staff received an award for their work in disability employment, and on a national level, two of our staff were selected to serve on a Committee and the Board of Directors of the National Disability Rights Network, and we served on the Ohio Valley TBI Advisory Council.

It is our intention to continue to grow in serving the disability community in 2008 despite significant budget cuts by Congress. We are constantly looking for new approaches to serve more individuals with the funds we receive and to trim our operating costs. This year, in addition to continuing our usual advocacy work, we are looking forward to developing advocacy services for veterans surviving Traumatic Brain Injury, making improvements to our web site, starting a new advisory council and increasing community outreach and self-advocacy activities. We hope that you will join us in our continued efforts to provide protection and advocacy to individuals with disabilities by visiting our web site, giving us input and suggestions, and offering to serve on our advisory councils and Board of Directors. Equality occurs only when the community recognizes and commits to the reality that every person living in the community has a valuable contribution to make.

WVA Programs

WVA has eight programs that are federally mandated and funded and one state contract. Each program serves individuals with different disabilities and related rights issues.

Agency Funding % per Program in FY 2007 Budget

Disability Rights Priorities and Objectives

WVA develops annual disability rights related Priorities and Objectives (P&Os) by gathering information from the public, our clients, their families, and disability advocacy groups.

These P&Os guide our attention and resources, determine the applicable WVA program(s), the types of issues to be addressed, and the service(s) WVA can provide.

Services and Activities

• Systemic Advocacy Services

  Activities or projects which have the potential to impact populations or systems, such as advocacy on behalf of groups, investigations, monitoring and research. It also includes collaboration, agency support or participation on committees, task forces, and class action/group impact litigation.

• Community Advocacy Services

  Activities or projects that provide outreach and educational presentations to people with disabilities, professionals, and the community at large. It also includes training in self-advocacy, training professionals, needs assessments, publications and media.

• Direct Advocacy Services
  • Information / Referral

    Any caller can receive basic information provided by WVA, or referred to another agency or resource. Information resources can be provided over the phone, via mail or the internet.

  • Technical Assistance

    Information and assistance specific to a particular problem such as coaching the client in self-advocacy.

  • Short Term Assistance

    Time limited advice and assistance which may include: reviewing information, counseling a client on actions one may take, and assisting the client in preparing letters, documents or making telephone calls to resolve the issue.

  • Investigation Abuse / Neglect

    Investigation of an allegation of client abuse or neglect.

  • Representation at Meetings

    Attending a meeting with a client or representing the client at a meeting or series of meetings.

  • Representation at Hearings

    Represent client in an administrative hearing.

  • Litigation

    An issue handled by an attorney using the court system for complaint resolution.

WVA Service Area

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, WV Advocates provided services to individuals with disabilities in ALL 55 counties in West Virginia.

Direct Service Requests Open Fiscal Year 2007

Fiscal Year	Service Requests Opened
2007	1077
2006	1061
2005	1044
2004	725

 

Program	Service Requests Opened
CAP	25
PAAT	36
PABSS	50
PADD	302
PAIMI	375
PAIR	271
PATBI	18

Types of Service Requests Fiscal Year 2007

Type of Service Request	Service Requests Opened
Information and Referral	691
Representation at Hearings	11
Representation at Meetings	78
Short-Term Assistance	201
Investigation Abuse / Neglect	33
Technical Assistance	63
Total SR Opened in FY 07	1077

Protection and Advocacy Developmental Disabilities

Established by Congress under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights (DD) Act of 1975. In 1977, the PADD program was established in West Virginia. The PADD program serves to advocate that individuals (adults and children) with developmental disabilities are afforded appropriate services in accordance with their individual needs.

PADD Service Request Problem Areas

PADD Funding Source

Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Protection Advocacy Individuals Mental Illness

Established by Congress under the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act of 1986. PAIMI was formed to help individuals with mental illness in both institutional and community settings and to investigate abuse, neglect and rights violations on their behalf.

PAIMI Service Request Problem Areas

PAIMI Funding Source

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services

Protection Advocacy Individual Rights

Established by Congress under the Rehabilitation Act of 1993. In 1994 WVA was designated the Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR). The PAIR program was formed to assist individuals with disabilities who were not already eligible for other advocacy programs within WVA.

PAIR Service Request Problem Areas

PAIR Funding Source

Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education.

Protection Advocacy Traumatic Brain Injury

PATBI was created in 2002 to expand advocacy services for individuals with traumatic brain injuries and to expand the service delivery system for this group of individuals.

PATBI Service Request Problem Areas

PATBI Funding Source

Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Protection Advocacy Assistive Technology

PAAT was created in 1994 when Congress expanded the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with disabilities Act (Tech Act). This program was formed to help individuals with disabilities obtain assistive technology devices and services.

PAAT Service Request Problem Areas

PAAT Funding Source

Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education.

Client Assistance Program

Established as a mandatory program by the 1984 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act, the CAP Program was formed to help individuals receiving services funded under the Act.

CAP Funding Source

CAP Funding Source

Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special Ed. and Rehabilitation Services, U.S. Department of Education

Protection Advocacy Voting Access

Established in 2003 as part of the Help American Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The PAVA program seeks to ensure that individuals with disabilities have full participation in the electoral process through voter education regarding registering to vote, casting a vote and accessing the polling sites. Activities also include training of poll officials and polling site accessibility surveys.

PAVA Funding Source

Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Protection Advocacy Beneficiaries Social Security

Established by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Improvement Act of 1999 for individuals with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) who want to work or return to work.

PABSS Funding Source

PABSS Funding Source

The Social Security Administration.

Potomac Center

This monitoring project is part of the Hartley case in WV Circuit Court and emphasizes community placements, rights protection, educational services and discharge planning to 24 resident children of the Potomac Center in Romney, WV.

Potomac Center Funding Source

WV Department of Health and Human Resources.

Community Advocacy

In FY 2007, WVA provided numerous outreach and education opportunities to diverse audiences throughout the state on WVA services and disability rights advocacy issues or topics.

• Aging and Disability Resource Center
• Autism Society
• Broaddus Hospital
• Buckhannon Support Group
• Camp Gizmo
• Community Resource Drop In Center
• Coordinating Council for Independent Living
• Diocese of Wheeling/Charleston
• Disability Advocacy Day at WV Legislature
• Families Conference Event Planning
• Fayette & McDowell County Education Trainings
• Give-Em-A-Break Home Health Care
• Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley
• Harrison County OPTIONS/SPOKES Program
• Job Squad, Inc.
• Legal Aid of WV
• Many Faces of Mental Illness Conference
• McDowell County Education Training
• Morgantown Workforce
• WV MSPCAN Resource Fair
• Northwood Health Systems
• Partners in Policymaking
• People First Conference
• REM Community Options
• Road to Freedom Tour (ADA bus) Event Planning
• Roane County Commission on Aging Health Fair
• Sharpe Hospital
• South Central Regional Jail Evaluation Unit
• Veterans Facility Community Employment Placement Programs
• Volunteers of America
• Womens Day at the Legislature
• WORKFORCE WV Annual Conference
• WV Association of the Deaf Biannual Conference
• WVU CED/One Stop Navigators
• WV Homefifi nding & Adoption Conference
• WV Mental Health Consumers Association
• WV Secretary of States Annual Election Official Training
• WV Social Work Conference
• WVSU 1st Annual Human Rights Conference
• WVSU Disability Awareness Fair
• WV TBI/SCI Advisory Council

Systemic Advocacy

WVA dedicates signifi cant resources to collaboration efforts, agency support or participation on numerous committees, task forces or projects for the purpose of: reaching systemic goals or mission based outcomes;networking and information sharing; supporting self advocacy; and federal funding requirements.

• American Association for Retired Persons
• ADA Coalition
• ADAPT-WV
• ASO Quality Improvement Council
• Collaborative Network for Student Success
• CAC National Organization on Disability
• Fair Shake Network
• Families Conference Planning
• Financial Exploitation Workgroup
• Harrison Co. Consumer & Rehab Advisory Council
• Job Accommodation Network
• Legal Aid of WV
• Marshall University Autism Training Center
• Medicaid-Work Incentive Program
• Mental Health Coalition of WV
• MH Associations of Monongalia County and Greater Kanawha Valley
• Mountain State Parents CAN
• Ombudsman Behavioral Health MOU Group
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Association of Social Workers
• NDRNs Board of Directors, Resource Advocacy Committee
• Parent Partnership Work Group
• Positive Behavior Support Trainers Network
• Supported Employment Leadership Network
• Transition Initiative
• WVUCED
• WORKFORCE WV Inclusion Team Region 5
• WORKFORCE WV Region 4
• Region VI Business Services Team
• WV Assistive Technology System
• WV Behavioral Healthcare Providers Association
• WV Birth to Three Program
• WV Bureau of Medical Services
• WV Bureau of Senior Services
• WV Centers for Independent Living
• WV Department of Education Transition Workgroup
• WVDHHR - State Hospital Linkage Workers
• WV Developmental Disabilities Council
• WV Division of Rehabilitation Services
• WV EMS Technical Support Network, Inc.
• WV Mental Health Consumers Association
• WV Mental Health Planning Council
• WVDHHR Office of Behavioral Health Services
• WV Olmstead Advisory Council
• WV Specialized Family Care Provider
• WV State ADA Coordinator
• WV State Family Support Council
• WV State Rehabilitation Council
• WV Statewide Independent Living Council
• WV TBI/SCI Advisory Council
• WV Transportation Alliance Steering Committee
• WV Welfare Reform Coalition

Systemic and Community Activities Highlights

WVA monitors services in a variety of settings where individuals with disabilities are at risk of neglect or abuse including state psychiatric hospitals, group homes, personal care homes and schools.

WVAs partnership with Workforce WV was a new initiative in FY 2007. Historically the disability community has been underserved by the WV WORKFORCE limiting peoples choice for employment services.

WVA is a participant on the Developmental Disabilities Council Advisory (DDC) Council and workgroups addressing grievance processes, legislative priorities, grant review and abuse/neglect. The DDC has made integrated and accessible community recreation a priority, and WVA will address state parks accessibility for FY08.

WVA is a member of WVU Centers for Excellence in Disabilities Advisory Council (CED) which provides input for the activities of the WVU CEDs programs and services.

WVA is a governor-appointed member of the WV TBI/SCI Rehabilitation Fund Board, a federally mandated advisory board the purpose is to advocate for appropriate services for TBI survivors in WV. In FY 07, a subgroup was formed to recommend ways to fund and support sustained TBI services in WV. The committee was court ordered to oversee the WVDHHR implementation of $1,000,000 settlement in Hartley/TBI services intended to provide services to survivors of TBI, including veterans.

WVA has an appointment from the Governor to serve on the WVDHHR MR/DD Waiver Quality Improvement Council which is mandated by federal Medicaid. The council monitors the quality of service provide to recipients of the Title XIX Medicaid MR/DD Waiver program and provides feedback and recommendations to WVDHHR.

WVA is a member of the WV Fair Shake Network (WVFSN), a grass roots organization of people with disabilities and other stakeholders concerned that people with disabilities get a fair shake. The activities of the organization are education on self advocacy, disability issues and current legislative activities. Members developed a Disability Agenda for the West Virginia State Legislative Session; coordinated Disability Day and Transportation Day at the Legislature, and the West Virginia Transportation Alliance. This year WVFSN members planned for the Road to Freedom Tour supporting the federal reauthorization of the ADA in FY 2008.

The Olmstead Advisory Council is responsible for acting as an oversight committee for the Olmstead Office and the Olmstead Plan. This year the work group focused on the residential/community based services for people with disabilities to live in their communities of choice. The Council supported: the WVDHHR application for the Money Follows The Person grant; a study on a Medicaid funding rebalancing; and the development of the WV Transition Initiative Program.

WVA has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the WVDHHR Behavioral Health Ombudsman and other programs providing advocacy. This group addressed; chronic overcrowding in state psychiatric hospitals, monitor and provide feedback on the TBI court order, and unresolved Hartley issues, complaints of abuse/neglect and other systemic advocacy issues.

WVA is a member, and on the leadership team of the WV Positive Behavior Support Trainers Network to increase the availability of PBS throughout WV by developing training and support for facilitators. The team developed a DVD based training kit on PBS which includes learning activities, a facilitators guide and participant workbook.