|
Administration login
|
May 2008-News & Notes IRA NEWS ‘N NOTES
CHAPTER NEWS
NORTHERN-SUBMITTED BY SALLY BERVEILER
It has been a busy planning quarter for the Northern Chapter. We have been firming up plans for the Brain Injury conference to be held at Elgin Community College Conference center on June 12th. This is a free conference to Northern Chapter IRA members. CEU's will be provided. The training is currently listed on the training DRS website. Registration is by mail to Gail Andrews and if the northern chapter member is an employee of DRS by the training registration site. Non members of the Northern Chapter are invited to attend but for these individuals there will be a $50 registration fee.
Plans continue for the Girl Scout Disability Awareness Day for the Girls Scouts of South Chicago, South Chicago Suburbs and North Western Indiana to be held October 11, 2008 at the Prairie State College in Chicago Heights Il. Virginia Reynolds is the Chairman of this project.
The Northern Chapter award winners for the 08 year are: Jacqueline Hanback Award; Virginia Reynolds, Personal Achievement: David Farber, Media Award: Rich King. Our Chapter is happy to report that David Farber also won the State IRA award for Personal Achievement. The awards will be awarded at the Brain Injury Conference Luncheon at the Elgin Community College Conference Center on June 12th.
Northern Chapter College Representative; I want to announce that at the last News and Notes I did not report who a is our Board College representative. She is Josephine Herrera Miller. We are very excited to have her on our board.
A meeting of the Northern Chapter members and board was held on April 20 in the Lobby at the Pere Marquette Lodge. The next meeting will be July 29 at 10AM at the Starved Rock Lodge or the La Salle office.
2009 ANNUAL IRA CONFERENCE - SUBMITTED BY LINDA FERGUSON
The 2009 IRA Annual Conference, hosted by Central Chapter, will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign/Urbana April 22 - 23, 2009. The theme of the conference will be “It’s a Jungle Out There - A Trek to Effective Rehabilitation”. More information will be made available in the future. If you have any q1uestions concerning this conference you can email Linda Ferguson at linda.ferguson@illinois.gov.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS - SUBMITTED BY-KRISTIN MURPHY
Illinois currently has 259 professional, student, and life members.
Professional: 211
Student: 29
Full Life: 18
Organization: 1
National Membership Total: 5,974
Division memberships listed below:
JPD, Job Placement Division, 34 members
NAIL, National Association for Independent Living, 3 members
NARSS, National Association of Rehabilitation Support Staff, 1 member
NAMRC, National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns, 14 members
NARL, National Association of Rehabilitation Leadership, 14 members
RCEA, Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association, 33 members
NASPPR, National Association of Service Providers in Private Rehabilitation, 10 members
VEWAA, Vocational Evaluators and Work Adjustment Association, 8 members
NADBS-National Association of Disability Benefits Specialists, 1 member
Total Division memberships: 118 members
National Division memberships: 2,510 members
If you are interested in joining a division or if you have a name, address, or phone number change, or would like to add your email, please contact:
National Rehabilitation Assn., 633 S. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, Ph 703/836-0850, Fax 703/836-0848 TDD 703/836-0849 info@nationalrehab.org
If you have any membership questions please feel free to contact Kristin Murphy at
847-931-2360 or Kristin.Murphy@illinois.gov.
JPD News - SUBMITTED BY GARY RAINALDI
The Illinois JPD (Job Placement Division) is alive and well and on the move
here in Illinois!
We welcome our new Board and President:
President: Gary Joseph Rainaldi
President Elect: Susan Taylor
Past President: Jan Koch
Treasurer: Dave Reed
Board Members:
Ingrid Halverson
David Clarida
Stephanie Haverstock
Kathy Murphy
We are thankful for the participation of our new board!
We also have a training planed for Friday May 30, 2008. It will be located at the McLean County Governmental Center Room 400, 115 East Washington Street, Bloomington IL 61702
The Researchers that will be presenting their papers are:
Rupa Chandrashekar - Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Campus
Topic: "Increasing Quality of Life and Awareness of Deficits in Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study."
Kathleen Oertle - University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana Campus
Topic: Bridging the Gap through Leadership: The Role of the Rehabilitation Professional in the Transition Process."
Diane Smith - University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana Campus
Topic: "The Relationship of the Type Disability and Employment Status in the United States from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System."
The above have all been published in the Rehabilitation Journal. If anyone would like more information, please contact: Gary Rainaldi at 708-687-6475 for further details.
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS SUMMIT -SUBMITTED BY GARY RAINALDI
Report from Governmental Affairs Conference
I would like to thank the Board for the Financial and Board Support for my attendance at this National Conference.
Governmental Affairs Conference - 2008
Sunday March 9, 2008
The conference began with the Welcome from Ray Feroz, 2008 NRA President, President elect Butch McMillan, and Past President Carl Flowers.
11:15am-12:15pm
Pre-session for First Time Attendees:
Government Affairs Committees Co Chairs Dr. Ralph Pacinelli and Kathy West-Evans and NRA's Director of Governmental Affairs presented on effective legislative strategies and advocacy. This was helpful for new attendees and the protocol for their visit to Capital Hill.
12:30p-1:30pm
Keynote Luncheon
Mr. Dan O'Brien, Acting Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Employment Support Programs, Social Security Administration, accompanied by Ms. Sallie Rhodes, CESSI, and Program Specialist to the Ticket to Work will discuss the new proposed regulations for the Ticket. This was reviewed and goals for the future were addressed.
1:45p-3p
Discussions: RSA's Proposed Restructuring of the RRCEP's
NRA's President Ray Feroz, Celane McWorter, Executive Director of ASPE, and Patricia Leahy presented NRA's Position on the Restructuring of the RRCEP's and how this will affect the future of the services that RRCEP's provide.
(Position paper on IRA website www.illinoisrehab.org).
3p- 5p
Presentation on NRA's Position Papers
Government Affairs Co-Chairs and Committee, as well as Patricia Leahy, provided information and reviewed the Position Statements and Principles to Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. (Position paper on IRA website www.illinoisrehab.org).
March 10th 2008
8a-10a
NRA's Leadership and Advocacy Breakfast Forum The Leadership and Advocacy Breakfast Forum is a new component to the NRA's Governmental Affairs Summit which was interactive and focused on principles, shared information, and effective practices. State VR reported on the opportunities and challenges facing the VR agencies and CRP's in regards to State fiscal policies.
Presenters included:
Patricia Leahy, Director Governmental Affairs NRA
NRA President Ray Feroz
Kathy West Evans
Dr. Ralph Pacinelli
The Keynote: Ms Joan Wodska, Director of Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee of the National Governors Association.
She presented on the State of the states and how the State budget shortfalls came about and how they will affect all programs in the future.
10:15a - 12p
Congressional Keynote Speakers
Connie Garner: Director of Disability Policy to Senator Kennedy (D. MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. (HELP).
Aaron Bishop: Director of Disability Policy to Senator Enzi (R. WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. (HELP).
Lee Perselay: Disability Counsel to Senate Tom Harkin, (D. IA), He discussed the ADA Restoration Act.
Richardo Martinez and Sharon Lewis were unable to attend.
1:30 -3:45
Business Panel
Kathleen West-Evans CRC, Employment Specialist Formally of RSA's Region X office, Currently Director of the VR Business Network for the Counsel of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation, CSAVR. Ms. West Evans discussed the developments in the successful VR business networks for both consumers and businesses with a focus on collaborations on Federal partnerships and the hiring of individuals with disabilities, including veterans.
Panelists Included:
Lee Guilanda: Chief Accessibility Coordinator, the Internal Revenue Service
Allison Levy: Departmental Selective Placement Coordinator of the Disability Resource Center, U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
James A. Rothrock: Commissioner Virginia Department of Rehabilitation Services.
Virginian Miller: Policy Analyst, Office of the Chief Accessibility Coordinator, the Internal Revenue Service.
Evelyn Kaiser: Business Development Manager, Northern Region Virginia Department of Rehabilitation Services.
Tamira Bradshaw: Acting Employment Supervisor U.S Department of Veteran Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Veteran Services.
Herbert Thomas Jr.: Employment Coordinator, U.S Department of Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services.
4p-5p
RSA Update
Beverlee Stafford Director, Training and Service Programs Division (TSPD). Ms. Stafford administers the Training Program Unit, Which includes the Rehab Training, Demonstrating and Training and the Service Program Unit.
Carol Dobak: Division Head also presented and goals.
March 11, 2008
Capital Hill
The NRA Governmental Affairs Awards were presented to the Following:
1. Elmer C. Bartels
2. Aaron Bishop - Senate Committee Staff
3. Congressman Ruben E. Hinojosa, Texas. Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness, Committee on Education and Labor.
4. Congressman George Miller - Chairman Committee on Education and Labor
GREAT LAKES REPORT - SUBMITTED BY GARY RAINALDI
NRA Great Lakes Region will plan to meet in St. Louis during the NRA Annual Training Conference. The Great Lakes Region Board members will be notified, in advance of the meeting date, time and location.
This year, the Great Lakes Region will select our representative to the NRA Board of Directors for a term to begin January 1, 2009 and conclude December 31, 2011. Ed Alenxander from Indiana has been appointed the election coordinator. A call for nominations will be published later this year. The goal is to have the election completed by 9/30/08, prior the NRA Annual Training Conference.
I am working to fill some openings within the region. Specifically, president-elect, membership chair, and legislative chair. Anyone interested in a leadership roles, please e-mail Brad Romine at: BLRDC@aol.com <mailto:BLRDC@aol.com>
AGENCY HIGHLIGHT - SUBMITTED BY GARY RAINALDI
Sertoma Centre, Inc.
The Sertoma Centre located in Alsip is designed to meet customer needs and employment desires.
Their mission is to provide opportunities and empower individuals with disabilities to achieve personal success.
The Employment Service Coordinators and other staff work with the customer, their family and the DRS Counselor to help find and maintain employment.
Job readiness classes are available to help you gain valuable information and skills including: interviewing, resume writing, wellness, communicating with others, etc.
Job coaches can assist with on-the-job training and supports
Community Based Assessments allow you to tryout difference community jobs.
|
