WHOSE INFORMATION HIGHWAY WILL IT BE

This is a piece I wrote about ten years ago. 

Curious Carl

THE REHABILITATION COUNCIL: WHOSE INFORMATION HIGHWAY WILL IT BE?

By

Carl Jarvis

In theory Mass Transit is the ultimate solution to our traffic woes. But it is only effective if the masses choose

to use it. Otherwise it remains just another pretty theory. The same may be true for the Rehabilitation Council

for the Department of Services for the Blind.

The Rehabilitation Council exists for the purpose of insuring that persons who are blind in the state of

Washington receive the most efficient and effective services possible. It is also the purpose of the Council to

provide direct public and consumer guidance to the Director of Services for the Blind. Also, where

appropriate, to advise or report directly to the Governor, and to make recommendations to the state Legislature

to promote efficient and effective services. And finally, to enhance services, and opportunities and rights of

Washingtonians who are blind by working closely with other state councils, state agencies and state

organizations...

Although the Rehabilitation Council is advisory in nature it has broad duties and responsibilities to assist in

achieving Its purpose. Meeting on a quarterly basis with the Department Director and, in partnership with the

Department, the Council reviews, analyzes, develops, makes recommendations, and agrees to the

Department's state plan, goals and activities, budget requests, permanent rules concerning services for the blind,

and major policies... We will not outline the entire list here, but we do want to underscore one additional

responsibility. The Rehabilitation Council shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Governor and the

Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services Administration on the status of vocational rehabilitation programs.

The report should be made available to the public.

Like mass transit, the Rehabilitation Council is in the moving business, carrying information, recommendations

and concerns back and forth between the public and consumers, Department Director, the Governor, the

Legislature, and the RSA Commissioner.

In theory the Rehabilitation Council should be a free-flowing exchange of information, assisting the Director

and Department in improving the quality of programs and services. Toward this end, the Federal Government

has established requirements ensuring broad public representation on the Council. The members have

been expanded from 10 to a minimum of 16, plus the Department Director serving as an ex officio, non-voting

member.

As the Rehabilitation Council changed and expanded over recent years there has been a growing concern within

the blind community, that this expansion, rather than increasing the flow of information, is having quite the

opposite effect. As new members are sought, representing areas such as labor, business and industry, it becomes

increasingly more difficult to find individuals who are themselves blind, or have knowledge of blind affairs.

Instead of free-flowing information, the Rehabilitation Council must spend a greater portion of its time in

educating its members. In this area the Department does a good job. Program managers and staff present at

each Council meeting providing in-depth looks into their programs and activities, walking members through the

complexities of the state budget and state plan, and exploring innovative/creative plans for future services.

What is missing is a most critical element. Without it the Rehabilitation Council has no ability to fulfill its

purpose. What the Council members are missing is the on-going education about blindness; its culture; its

history; its struggle for equality. Without this backdrop how can the Council possibly determine which services

and programs are most efficient and effective for blind Washingtonians?

Who better to provide this education and training to the Council members than Us, the Organized Blind? It is

we who are living it day by day. It is our history, sharing setbacks and victories. We are the ones who will be

affected by the Department's future policies and programs. And we are the ones who must plan how to provide

this education to the Council members. Through the Council we have direct access to the Director and the

Department.

If there is to be a bright tomorrow for blind people, they need our collective wisdom.