1999 - 2000 Annual Report

Executive Committee:

Purpose and Principal Tasks

Establish Full Council Meeting Agenda.
Manage Council Activities between meetings per the Decision Matrix.
Provide information for Support Project Administrator to use in supervising staff.
Assign tasks to committees, as needed,
Complete staff performance review forms annually.
Oversee production and distribution of PA-RC Annual Report.
Oversee planning of Annual Retreat
Monitor the Council's resource plan.

Accomplishments

Conducted 6 Council meetings.
Initiated a collaborative Planning Retreat with the OVR Board.
Distributed over 900 copies of the Annual Report nationwide.
Provided leadership to the Committees regarding CareerLink Accessibility assessment.

Customer Satisfaction Committee:

Purpose and Principal Tasks

Assure that OVR and the Rehabilitation Council meet or exceed assessment requirements under the Rehab Act.
Conduct independent assessments of OVR customer satisfaction.
Conduct follow-up activities to the survey.
Participate on OVR workgroups related to satisfaction assessment.
Monitor OVR's customer satisfaction survey and results.
Monitor the Independent Hearing process and decisions.

Accomplishments

Designed and commissioned and independent survey of current customers of the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services.
Designed and commissioned an independent survey of former OVR customers.
Assessed processes for informing customers of due process options and made recommendations to make the process more "user friendly"

Disability Agenda Committee:

Purpose and Principal Tasks

Increase collaboration with other groups described in Section 105, c,6 of Rehab Act to influence policy development and funding.
Maintain and expand database of organizations and advocates.
Review Transition Guidelines
Review Status/progress/content of Governor's Exec. Order 8/98 regarding coordination of OVR/Education, etc. in planning for special needs students.
Special attention to relationship with SILC, per Rehab Act specifications

Accomplishments

Increased communication with the SILC, Mental Health Planning Council and Developmental Disabilities Council as well as the State Board of Education and the Department of Education.
Initiated improvements to the PA-RC website.
Initiated redesign of the PA-RC business card to include Braille and Large Print.

Legislative Committee:

Purpose and Principal Tasks

Identify proposed legislation and/or public policy that will affect persons with disabilities, particularly those items that will impact employment.
Identify Federal and State legislation and/or policies that affect the VR system and/or employment of persons with disabilities.
Educate legislators and other public officials about the impact of said legislation or policy.
Maintain a network of federal, state, and local level contacts to assure exchange of relevant, current, information.

Accomplishments

Participated in advisory groups to the Department of Transportation, resulting in development of rural transportation pilot projects.
Increased legislative contacts at the federal and state level.
Broadened the PA-RC's legislative network of national and local resources.
Attended Government Affairs training and met with nearly all of the PA delegation in Washington.

State Plan Committee:

Purpose and Principal Tasks

Assure that the Rehabilitation Council meets its shared State Plan development and implementation responsibilities as defined in the Rehabilitation Act.
Develop the Rehabilitation Council's Attachment to the OVR State Plan.
Actively participate in leadership of public meetings and stakeholders meetings.
With OVR, develop policy(ies) to clarify roles and responsibilities as described in the Rehab Act and WIA - particular attention to joint development of Plan, Goals and Activities as well as consultative relationship between the PA-RC and HRIC.
Review OVR's revisions of forms and practices to meet 1998 Rehab Act Amendments.
Review all OVR policies and practices related to Section 103 of the Rehab Act

Accomplishments

Suggestions concerning public meetings were incorporated into OVR's process and generally well received by constituents.
Increased communication with Consumer Advisory Committees in the districts to obtain feedback for development of the PA-RC's attachment.
Prepared the FY 2000 attachment and secured PA-RC approval.
Improved coordination and communication with OVR staff relative to Plan development and implementation.