FY 2011 Priorities and Objectives - Public Comments =================================================== Comments about the P&O process and disclosure --------------------------------------------- * During public input, provide the status of the current P&Os. Are they met or not met? Why? What has been, is being, and will be done in regards to each objective. * Provide a public document/report that provides a complete picture of the P&Os, work plan, public comment, met/not met status, barriers, etc. The PPRs are too long and unwieldy. Provide action/note associated with each public comment. Show how it influenced a P&Os or work plan. Comments about no particular P&O or several P&Os throughout the document ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Make the language regarding objectives that require a client to contact WVA consistent, accurate and clear. Potential wording: “when complaints are received form a person with a disability or their legal guardian.” * Objectives that are a single stage of a total goal (“WVA will develop …”) should be worded to indicate the overall goal of the objective (what will WVA do after developing). * WVA’s name is still not very well known, we need to do more aggressive outreach like the recent employment programs poster. * It seems that it is difficult to get Summer School for our autistic children. It seems that in their attempt to reduce the number of children that attend it, the teacher is encouraged to say that the child does not qualify for Summer School. I got it for my child, but it was not easy. It makes me feel that I need more tools, and more ways to know how to defend his rights. Particularly, it is difficult at times to have the right language to express his needs which form the basis for his need for Summer School. It would be good to learn a bit more about that. It would also be good if WVA could attend IEPs, but realizing that this may be unrealistic, I wonder if other ways of helping could be helpful. EIP trainings are always good, even for people who have been trained before. It's easy to forget things. * Deaf individuals are being overlooked and neglected by the WVCDHH * WVCDHH is NOT advocating and supporting those who are abused or neglected. * The WV State Department of Education is not holding counties responsible for not abiding by deaf/hh student's IEP by not providing them with certified interpreters according to policy 5202. * WV State Department are allowing counties to get away with not advertising for certified educational interpreter positions and are hiring uncertified persons "in house" and without posting jobs. * Deaf individuals are being denied equal opportunities of employment by discrimination * There are no Social Workers in the state of WV for the deaf population. The deaf population needs support! * The WV DRS and DHHR are not supporting members of the deaf community.Many deaf persons have been turned away and not helped through these federal programs .These programs are a waste of money when they are not benefiting individuals in need. * Deaf persons are being denied certified interpreting services in doctor and medical facilities. * Deaf children are being taught by teachers that are not certified under the NCLB * There needs to be a in service program set up for facilities such as hospitals, doctor offices, polices, ambulance, schools by a deaf certified instructor to teach these persons key points of deaf culture and education. * Hearing parents who cannot communicate with their deaf child are home schooling their child! The WV State Department is allowing this to occur! How can this child learn when the parent(s) CAN NOT communicate with their child! They need to be evaluated by a certified ASL instructor or certified ASL specialist. Just because the parent can sign a few home signs does not mean that they can interpret a concept to a child. * Deaf persons are being denied certified interpreting services in doctor and medical facilities. * Deaf persons are being told that their medical cards are not accepted at the medical facilities. * Deaf children are being taught by teachers that are not certified under the No Child Left Behind. * There needs to be a in service program set up for facilities such as hospitals, doctor offices, law enforcement detachments, EMT workers, school personnel systems, this needs to be set up by a deaf certified instructor to teach these persons key points of deaf culture and education. * Deaf individuals are being overlooked and neglected by the West Virginia Commission of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (WVCDHH). * West Virginia Department of Rehabilitation Services and Department of Health and Human Resources are not supporting members of the deaf community. Many deaf persons have been turned away and are not helped through these Federal programs. These programs are a waste of money when they are not benefiting the individuals in need. * There are no Social Workers in the state of West Virginia for the deaf population. The deaf population needs support! * WVCDHH is NOT advocating and supporting those who are abused or neglected. * The West Virginia State Department of Education is not holding counties responsible for not abiding by the deaf/hh student's IEP by not providing them with certified interpreters according to policy 5202. * WV State Department is allowing counties to get away with not advertising for certified educational interpreter positions and are hiring uncertified persons "in house" and without posting jobs. * Deaf individuals are being denied equal opportunities of employment by discrimination. Comments about Priority 1 ------------------------- * Priority 1 addresses children and youth’s access to public education, but no priority addresses adults and veterans’ access to post-secondary education, youth transition to post-secondary education, and post-secondary accessibility issues like access to alternative format text books. * Collaborate with CED regarding adult education outreach projects. * Make the objective that addresses that housing, community living, and recreation are a part of education rights and IEPs. Comments about Priority 2 ------------------------- * Address ventilator care legally was they are a gross violation of civil rights. * WVA needs to litigate against the State in regards to their compliance with Olmstead. * The objective regarding training for attorneys needs to be more specific and clearly defined than it was in FY 2010’s P&Os. Comments about Priority 4 ------------------------- * WVA should do something to help reduce the very high rates of sexual abuse in group homes Comments about Priority 5 ------------------------- * Conduct outreach in urban areas, such as Wheeling, Parkersburg, and Morgantown, regarding housing issues. * Reword the language of the Priority so that the areas addressed and in sync with the laws that are cited. * Add objective to seek systemic change to get more opportunities for people with disabilities. * Add objective to seek to systemically enforce requirement of housing authorities to comply with federal mandates and equivalent State laws. Comments about Priority 9 ------------------------- * Find a better or new priority to move objective 4 under. Comments about Footnote and Additional Information -------------------------------------------------- * Detail the process of accepting clients above and beyond those mentioned in the Priorities and Objectives.