One of the primary issues that NRA Members took to the Hill last week was their concern about the closure of the Rehabilitation Services Administration's (RSA) Regional Offices, the staffs of which, have the primary responsibility for and the EXPERTISE in monitoring States' compliance with the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, assuring the delivery of quality vocational rehabilitation (VR) services and providing technical assistance to the States VR Agencies, Centers for Independent Living, colleges and universities, and other stakeholders.
The closure of RSA's Regional Offices is on a very fast track (CLOSURE SET FOR SEPTEMBER 30, 2005) with NO ONE in the U.S. Department of Education -- or most principally -- in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) -- having conducted an IMPACT STUDY ON HOW THE CLOSURE OF THESE OFFICES AND THE 66 POSITION WHICH ARE TO BE CONSOLIDATED -- OR ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER -- WOULD AFFECT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, WOULD AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF RSA'S MONITORING THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED SUCCESSFULLY OVER THE YEARS OR WOULD AFFECT THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT IS PROVIDED BY RSA'S REGIONAL STAFF WHO ARE SEASONED IN PROVIDING BOTH MONITORING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
Indeed, several General Accountability Office (GAO) reports have documented the value and efficacy of the Regional Offices in responding to the needs of the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Labor.
More specifically, one GAO report stated: "Regional offices have more frequent and extended contacts with State agency staff and other grantees, resulting in long-term, customer-oriented relationships and trust."
Rather than conduct an impact study, the powers-that-be in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services -- which DOES NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE IN THE PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED UNDER THE REHAB ACT -- chose to make an arbitrary decision -- by administrative fiat -- to consolidate or eliminate 66 jobs, 43% of those positions held by individuals with disABILITIES.
TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NO PLAN IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THE SEPTEMBER 30, 2005, CLOSINGS OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES.
MOREOVER, HAVING "A PLAN TO PLAN" TO DEAL WITH THE ARBITRARY CLOSING OF THESE OFFICES IS NOT HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH WHAT THE NATIONAL REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION FEELS IS THE UNNECESSARY AND, CERTAINLY NOT SUBSTANTIATED, CLOSING OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES.
THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES' DECISION TO CLOSE RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES IS MISGUIDED, WRONG-HEADED AND MUST BE STOPPED.
The closure and consolidation or elimination of 66 jobs, as we said above, held by long-serving, seasoned individuals with expertise in the Public/Private Vocational Rehabilitation Partnership and the Rehabilitation Act, is especially troubling at a time when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released its Report chronicling the abysmal record of the Federal government in the hiring of individuals with disABILITIES in the Federal workforce. As we mentioned above, 43% of the 66 positions in RSA's Regional Offices which are scheduled to be eliminated or consolidated are held by individuals with disabilities.
Members of Congress need to know that U.S. Department of Education and, in particular, THE OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES (OSERS), DID NOT CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE IMPACT THESE CLOSINGS WOULD HAVE ON INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, ON THE INTEGRITY OF THE MONITORING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES PROVIDE TO THE STATES, OR ON THE 66 DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PROVIDED THESE SERVICES FOR YEARS.
Moreover, you should advise your Members of Congress, especially those on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees (list of Members attached) that the U.S. Department of Education is eliminating or consolidating these positions by administrative fiat and that certain individuals in the U.S. Department of Education, is saying that there is NOTHING THAT THE U.S. CONGRESS CAN DO TO STOP IT BECAUSE THIS CUT IS IN THE SALARIES AND EXPENSES (S&E) CATEGORY.
ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE A SAY IN HOW MUCH AND HOW FUNDS THAT THEY APPROPRIATE ARE TO BE USED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS CUTTING A STAFF IN HALF BY THE CLOSURE OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES. THE CONGRESS HAS NOT BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION AND IT IS TIME THAT THE CONGRESS BECOME INVOLVED.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL AND FOLLOW UP WITH A FAX TO YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND ASK THEM TO CALL THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, MARGARET SPELLINGS, TO STOP IMMEDIATELY, THE ELIMINATION OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES WHICH WILL ALLOW TIME FOR CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE THE ARBITRARY CLOSING OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE PRESENTLY HOME IN THEIR STATES AND DISTRICTS FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF FOR THE SPRING BREAK/DISTRICT WORK PERIOD. NOW IS THE TIME TO CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES.
AND, REMEMBER, FIRST THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GAVE ITS BLESSING TO THE DOWNGRADING OF THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF RSA, THE HIGHEST RANKING ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL WITH EXPERTISE IN THE REHABILITATION ACT. NOW, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WANTS TO ELIMINATE RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES -- THE ELIMINATION OR CONSOLIDATION OF WHICH CUTS THE RSA STAFF IN HALF.
THE REHABILITATION SERVICES ADMINISTRATION IS THE OFFICE THAT HAS THE EXPERTISE IN THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE VR PARTNERSHIP -- RSA IS THE OFFICE THAT HAS THE STAFF WITH THE EXPERTISE IN THE REHABILITATION ACT AND THE VR PROGRAM -- RSA IS THE OFFICE THAT SOME IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MAY BE TRYING TO DISMANTLE CALL/FAX YOUR MEMBERS TODAY AND ASK THEM TO PUT A STOP TO THIS ARBITRARY ACTION ON THE PART OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
ASK YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO CALL THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, MARGARET SPELLINGS, AND PUT A STOP TO THE ELIMINATION/CONSOLIDATION OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES.
REMEMBER, THERE WAS NO IMPACT STUDY DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON THE CLOSING OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES AND THERE IS NO PLAN IN PLACE -- JUST A PLAN TO PLAN -- TO DEAL WITH THE IMPACTS OF THESE CLOSINGS.
YOU CAN, AND HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE, IN THE LIVES OF ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES THAT WE ASK YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
To find contact information for your representatives visit the NRA website at: http://www.nationalrehab.org/website/govt/index.htmlUse the "Write to Congress" box at the bottom of the page, type in your home zip code and click the "GO" button. Doing so will provide links to your Senators and House Representative. If you have questions or we can provide additional information to you on this critically-important matter, please e-mail Patricia Leahy, NRA's Director of Legislative Policy and Governmental Affairs, at patricia@nationalrehab.orgTHANK YOU.
|