A Quarterly Pubication of the Vrginia Rehabilitaton Association 2009 Second Quarter, April –June No. 34 Presidential Pondering by Jane Bennett Hello all! I sure hope spring comes along soon – I need some sunshine and I suspect you all are thinking the same thing! Needless to say, I hope all of you have had a great beginning to 2009. (Can you believe it’s already April 2009??) VRA has been busy developing educational opportunities, meeting with Legislators, attending an annual legislative reception and coordinating with the other rehabilitation associations within the state to bring you ample opportunities for trainVRA board continues to meet on a quarterly basis and I’d like to invite any member of VRA to attend if interested in volunteering on a committee or just would like to know what VRA is up to. Board meetings will take place at the Resources for Independent Living in Richmond from 10 am to 2 pm on April 17, 2009, July 10, 2009 and December 11, 2009. Listed below are some of the trainings that are already scheduled through the hard work of the VRA and VARL Education committees. trainings are for you – the members of VRA. The Latest And Greatest In Assistive Technology Richmond, VA NAMI Peer To Peer All Veteran Class HampVARL Training: “Half Full: How to Increase Optimism and Increase Success” with Terrie Glass Richmond VA Autism Training, Richmond, VA VARL Training: Workshop title to be announced, with Amy Armstrong Prince William Co. VARL Training: “What Were You Thinking?”, Sabrina Harmon, (NISH) You can find more information about these trainings on our website: www.vra.org As many of you know, March 22, 2009 was National Rehabilitation Counselor Day I want to thank all of you for the fine work you do in assisting people with disabilities to prepare for, enter into and maintain employment. Our jobs are particularly difficult during this time when the economy isn't doing well and the unemployment rate is higher than it has been in years. My hope for all Rehabilitation professionals is that you continue to see success in your job and that you continue to enjoy the work you do in helping others. Congratulations on a job well done and best wishes for a great year! The Legislative Committee has been incredible busy in these few months of the year. In January several board members and the Legislative Committee participated in a Legislative Day and Reception at the Old City Hall in Richmond, VA. Some of the activities for the day included – Personal Visits with Legislators throughout the day; a VA Alliance of Brain Injury Service Providers Breakfast and the Legislative Reception later in the evening. This event was very successful in that many of the committee members were able to meet with legislative representatives to discuss the public rehabilitation system and how we can improve upon the good work that we do to assist people with disabilities. In early March, the legislative committee attended the NRA Governmental Affairs Summit in Alexandria and learned vital information for lobbying at the Federal level. Thanks to Bonnie Hawley, Eleanor Williams, Susan Cianfaglione and Shawn Zimmerman our NRA/VRA legislative issues were presented to legislative aides for the Presidential Pondering (continued on page 2) pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  page 2 Presidential Pondering Pres VRA. year. thyard sales across Virginia this Spring. We’re hopby: 1. you 2. 3. 4. tee: (Continued from page 1) following: Senators Warner and Webb Congressman Connelly, Wolf and Cantor. The committee will continue to reach out to our legislative aides on the federal level in order to continue promoting NRA issues. Special thank you goes to Carol Thacker for being the Legislative Chair of this committee and leading the group in the important issues of NRA and The Ways and Means committee has been busy planning for some significant fund raisers this Our annual golf tournament is planned for Tuesday, September 15 this year at Hunting Hawk Golf Club in Glen Allen, VA. This is always a fun day and raises a considerable amount for VRA which allows us as an association to continue to provide our members with the excellent services. As a fun fund-raising activity and a way to get rid of your “stuff”, VRA will be sponsoring a series of ing for events to be held regionally in Richmond, Tidewater, NOVA, the Valley, Southwest, the Mountains, the “Rivah”, wherever there is interest. VRA members (and others, of course) may donate yard sale items to be sold to the public with all proceeds going to support VRA’s training and legislative activities that benefit Virginians with disabilities. Your help is needed. Support your Association Saving items to donate to a yard sale near Volunteering to host a yard sale site Helping out the day of the yard sale Helping to advertise the yard sale to friends and family If you can help, please contact one of the following members of the VRA Ways & Means CommitDale Batten - Dale.Batten@drs.virginia.gov Jennifer McDonough - jltodd@vcu.edu Liz Smith - Elizabeth.Smith@drs.virginia.gov Andrew Stowe - Andrew.Stowe@drs.virgina.gov Our first Yard Sale is scheduled as follows: Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009 Time: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Place: Resources for Independent Living 4009 Fitzhugh Avenue To Donate Items: * Drop them off at Resources for Independent Living on Thursday, May 28 or Friday, May 29 between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. * Bring them to the sale at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30 * Contact Liz Smith at lizred@verizon.net, 291-1108 (h), or 662-7071 (w) to find out about other options As you can see your association continues to work diligently to make VRA most effective for its members! Again, I invite you to attend any of our meetings or fund raisers and get involved! Best wishes to all for a save and relaxing spring 2009. Rehab rocks, Jane E. Bennett, MA, CRC, CRP VRA President, 2009-2010 your email address upon reVRA NewsNotes is now available in .txt format upon request. It will also be posted on the web- site at www.vra.org in this alternative format. As an accommodation, it can be sent directly to quest. Submit requests to info@vra.org pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  page 3 VRA Yard Sale As a fun fund-raising activity and a way to get rid of your “stuff”, VRA is sponsoring a yard sale in Richmond. VRA members (and others, of course) may donate yard sale items to be sold to the public with all proceeds going to support VRA’s training and legislative activities that benefit Virginians with disabilities. Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009 Time: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Place: Resources for Independent Living at 4009 Fitzhugh Avenue To Donate Items: Drop them off at Resources for Independent Living on Thursday, May 28 or Friday, May 29 between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.. Bring them to the sale at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30. Contact: Liz Smith at liz- red@verizon.net, 804-291-1108 (h), or 804-662-7071 (w) to find out about other options. To Help Out at the Yard Sale: Contact Dale Batten Dale.Batten@drs.virginia.gov Jennifer McDonough jltodd@vcu.edu Liz Smith Elizabeth Smith@drs.virginia.gov pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  page 4 The Virginia Rehabilitation VRA Legislative Liaison Going into this year’s session, there was ample reason for the prevailing mood of despair. Everyone knew more cuts would have to be made to the budget and worse yet, no one was really sure how deep those cuts would have to be since revenue projections were still being guided lower. Funding for Extended Employment Services (EES) and Long Term Employment Support Services (LTESS) had been dramatically cut and the Department of Rehabilitative Services had been forced to close it’s last “open” service category under the under of selection and would not be serving any new clients until next fiscal year. The shoes seemed to keep dropping. In response, VRA and vaACCSES submitted budget amendments requesting the restoration of funding to LTESS and EES and dollars to serve consumers on the waiting list at DRS although we were told by the Governor’s office and legislators from the money committees that there “simply wasn’t any money” and the situation was likely to get worse before it got better. The mood at the General Assembly was absolutely grim until news began to leak out about a possible “stimulus” bill that would provide assistance to states to address not only their budget shortfalls, but also provide critical funding for programs such as Medicaid and Vocational Rehabilitation. As more details emerged, the discussions gradually shifted to understanding what was being proposed in the bill; the dollar amount; rules for how the money could be spent; and whether or not the bill could get through Congress before the scheduled end of session. In short, the stimulus bill or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), was a game changer this session. Our budget amendments for the order of selection were supplanted by the funding for vocational rehabilitation under ARRA, which is far in excess of what we were asking. We’re hopeful the cuts to LTESS and EES can be softened, but we’ll have to wait and see. We should know something in the next couple of weeks. In fairness, the ARRA isn’t without its detractors. Some feel the spending is not being used to speed an economic recovery, but rather to carry- out a social – political agenda on the scale of the Great Society. They are also alarmed be the size of the projected deficit and the cost to future generations. Everyone has strong opinions - you’ll have to decide. But there is one thing I think we can all agree on and that is without the ARRA funds, many of the under funded programs serving Virginians with disabilities today would be in far worse shape over the next couple of years. The ARRA provides a bridge for providing needed services giving the Governor, legislature and agency heads needed time to come-up with a plan for sustaining services once the stimulus funding is exhausted. On April 1, 2009, the ARRA began its roll out in Virginia with the U.S. Department of Education awarding 50 percent of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) funds. The remaining funds will be awarded by September 30, 2009. DRS is targeted to receive approximately $10 million and is required to fully obligate all of it by September 30, 2011. Again folks, at the beginning of the session, no one could have ever envisioned this amount of money being made available. According to the U.S. Department of Education, these funds should be used for short-term investments rather than for long term, reoccurring commitments that the state might not be able to sustain once the funds are expended. They are also encouraging states to consider serving people on waiting lists; increasing service provision to eligible consumers; and expanding services to people who have been traditionally underserved and unserved populations in the state, including students with disabilities transitioning from school to employment. State Independent Living Centers (SILC) will receive about $342k in increased funding for Part B activities as defined in Title VII of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and federally funded centers, i.e. those in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Northern VRA Legislative Liaison (continued on page 5) pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  The Tom Stewart Scholarship Fund page 5 VRA Legislative Liaison (Continued from page 4) Virginia, Roanoke, Hampton and Harrisonburg will receive more than $ 1.7 million in new funds to expand their services. Disability Determination Services (DDS) will receive funding for 60 new positions to meet what is a nationwide trend in the increase in applications for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Application spikes mirror periods of high unemployment in recessions. In closing, a special thanks goes out Liz Smith, Carol Thacker, Debbie Veal, Susan Cianfaglione, Eleanor Williams, and Bonnie Hawley for coming down to the General Assembly this year and meeting with their legislators. I’ve said it before; constituents are a powerful voice for VRA – we need more volunteers. Thanks again ladies for all your help and a job well done. Submitted by David Williams enough people to make it Herm Albright A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy worth the effort. (1876 - 1944) Each year the National Rehabilitation Association selects applicants for the Tom Stewart Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to some of the first time attendees of the Governmental Affairs Summit. This Scholarship is named in recognition of the Director of Government Affairs for the National Rehabilitation Association from 1993-2002. On March 15, 2002, just days after the conclusion of a very successful Governmental Affairs Seminar, Mr. Stewart suffered a heart attack and died. It seemed that Mr. Stewart was destined to work in Washington DC, having been born only five blocks from Capitol Hill. He attended college at George Washington University and ultimately came to work in Congressman Frank Annunizo’s office until Mr. Annunzio’s retirement in 1993. Mr. Stewart worked passionately for NRA. He handled his personal experience with disability with grace and humor. He was always on top of disability related issues and he could be found at numerous meetings within the community, advocating to make a difference. I knew Tom for only a short time but during the time I knew him, he left a lasting impression and inspiration. When I think of people that I wish I had the opportunity to know longer, he is on that list. He passed away during the time I served as President of VRA and I represented our State Chapter at his Memorial Service. Many spoke of his dedication, honesty and friendship. Each year, this scholarship helps us to remember the impact that one person can make… and each year, there is an opportunity to for us to make a difference by contributing to the Tom Stewart Memorial Scholarship Fund. Proceeds from this fund are awarded annually and I am proud that the Virginia Chapter has elected to donate $200.00 this year towards this scholarship. For information about how to apply for the scholarship or how to donate, please see the NRA Website or contact the NRA office. I encourage each member to donate on an individual basis to this very worthy cause. All contributions, large or small are tax deductible and will enable more members of NRA to attend the Governmental Affairs Seminar for the first time. I think Tom would have liked that….. Submitted by Mary Kaye Johnston pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  LEADERS st . th in Richmond. On ndboard member. page 6 EMERGE ! Virginia Association for Rehabilitation Leadership “The VARL MISSION is to develop, improve and strengthen leadership skills and practices in both public and private rehabilitation organizations.” The board members of VARL are involved in another exciting and fruitful year. We function to serve the leaders of vocational rehabilitation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. You are missing out by not attending our meetings. VARL is once again planning to host Terrie Glass on June 8, 2009. We are sure that everyone remembers the wonderful presentation she provided last year. The evaluations were great. This year she will be presenting a full day training titled “Half Full: How to Increase Optimism and Increase Success”. This is a very timely subject considering the conditions of the day. Registration information for this training will be available soon, it is important that you register as soon as you see the announcement for this training, because we expect a full house. Amy Armstrong will be presenting a training sponsored by VARL in Prince William County on July 21 There will be an exciting announcement coming out soon regarding our October training. In an effort to make it convenient for you to attend our meetings we will continue to make it a point to have our meetings available on a VTC facility near you. We have recently hosted meetings in Charlottesville and Manassas. Our annual training meeting will be held June 8December 10, 2009 we will have our annual organizational meeting in Richmond. Please plan to attend a VARL meeting in order to see what you have been missing. At each meeting we have a short planned presentation covering an aspect of leadership. I always leave the meetings reflecting on the points of the presentation. Again this year, we are looking for that special professional in the vocational rehabilitation field who deserves special recognition as an Emerging Leader. We would like to know who you think should be nominated to receive the 2 Annual Emerging Leader Award. The person who is nominated does not need to be a VARL member. However he/she should be engaged in noteworthy activities that demonstrate he/she deserves this award. The award which will be presented at Collaborations, will entitle the award winner to a VARL membership for a year. We are proud to announce that Shawn Zimmerman was nominated and confirmed as our newest Shawn is a Vocational Evaluator from Manassas. She has much experience and involvement with NRA. We welcome Shawn and are excited to have her join us. We are in the process of scheduling Lunchtime Leadership Chats. Would you like to host this easy and convenient way to communicate with other leaders in your area? It is motivating to have the opportunity discuss leadership ideas in such a convenient manner. We will come to provide the materials and facilitate the discussion. We just ask you to schedule the office and help us publicize the lunchtime chat. VARL Leaders Emerge! (continued on page 9 ) pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  page 7 Legislative Liaison pages 4 & 5 Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12 GETTINGHIRED® ® war veterans.” Thomas.muscalino@GettingHired.com Center for Career and Business Development Commonwealth of Virginia Rehabilitative Services .COM LAUNCHES FIRST FULLY-ACCESSIBLE CAREERS & COMMUNITY PORTAL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES First Employer Subscription-based Model Combined with RightMatch™ Technology Guarantees Qualified Matching Between Candidates with Disabilities and Employers BEDMINSTER, N.J. (November 12, 2008) – GettingHired.com announced today its launch as the first employer subscription-based online career center and social networking community for people with dis- abilities. Incorporating advanced and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 508 compliant technology, GettingHired.com is the first job portal and social network that enables the nation’s 22.3 million work- ing age people with disabilities to connect – without limitation – to peers, mentors, employers, advo- cacy groups and a network of national service providers catering to the career advancement of those living with disabilities. “Our mission is to create significant employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities and en- able them to socialize and network in an environment that was previously unavailable to them,” said Tom Muscalino, chief operating officer, GettingHired.com. “At a time when our talent pool is shrinking due to boomer retirement and attrition, we are excited to launch this important resource into the mar- ketplace and help raise awareness of this deep well of untapped talent ranging from college students to The GettingHired Mission: To create sustainable employment growth and opportunity for people with disabilities. The GettingHired internet based portal accomplishes its mission by serving and connecting: Job seekers with Disabilities; Committed Employers; Advocacy Organizations; and Service Providers Our portal has incorporated several unique free services designed to help people prepare for the work place and build their careers. Our social networking medium offers individuals a platform to connect with each other and career mentors. Job seekers will find opportunities posted by employers who ex- pressly use our portal through paid annual subscriptions to hire them. Our portal identifies and high- lights individual skills, talents and backgrounds. No person will be asked to disclose a disability any- where on the GettingHired portal. Our Right Match technology matches individual qualifications to spe- cific job requirements facilitating employment success. For more information call (866) 352-7481 or visit www.gettinghired.com. Press Contacts: Thomas L. Muscalino,Chief Operating Officer, GettingHired, LLC, 908-212-3628, Lisa Kaslyn, Media Relations, PFS Marketwyse, 845.225.7571, lkaslyn@pfsmarketwyse.com Submitted by William E. Seaton III Marketing Specialist pages 4 & 5  Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12 page 8  page 9 Education Committee Our March 27, 2009 Working with Challenging People, while maintaining self balance was a success! I would like to say “thank you” to Dr. Robert Froehlich for volunteering to present for this training. The feedback we got from the evaluations was above average to excellent! Our next training is April 20, 2009 and will be on the Latest and Greatest in Assistive Technology, you don’t want to miss it! Make sure you check out calendar or see our flyers for our upcoming trainings coming soon! Submitted by Samantha Ruppert VARL Leaders Emerge! (Continued from page 6) Entering spring reminds me of new growth , ideas and excitement. Each of us is responsible to nurture and grow relationships and encourage our colleagues and others that we come in contact with. Spring is a time of new energy. We can and should be catalysts to bring excitement and energy into the worlds where we serve people who happen to have disabilities. Each morning let’s consider how we can make our workplaces and the lives of the people around us more worthwhile and meaningful. Encouraging others is one way to help us all EMERGE!!!!! Look for more information on the web site and via email. We hope many of you will join us to see what is happening in the world of Leadership development. Yours in leadership, Jack Smith, VARL President, Jack.Smith@DRS.Virginia.Gov VARL 2009: President Elect – Naomi Aitken, Past- President – Shirley Lyons, Treasurer - Eleana Boyer, Sec- retary – Amy Mosher, Board Members, Teri Bertsch, Doug James, Jane Bennett, Kem Kirby, Ralph Figaro and Shawn Zimmerman Send VRA News for the July 2009 issue by 7/1/09. Please send all the VRA articles by email to Steven Sommer at steve.sommer@drs.virginia.gov. Also read the NewsNotes at www.vra.org Run An Ad in the VRA NEWNOTES 1/4 PAGE 1/2 PAGE Full Page This Ad Space Could Be Yours Call Steve Sommer at 804-662- 2009. $ 15 / issue : $ 50 / year $ 24 / issue : $ 90 / year $ 50 / issue : $ 175 / year 7159, and your ad will be seen by more than 250 leaders in the field of Rehabilitation, starting July Tell a friend! pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  page 10 News from the world of Intellectual Disabilities There are many initiatives occurring in the Intellectual Disabilities area that will impact how services are being delivered as well as how individuals will be offered more opportunities for choice and improving their quality of life. The first impact will be felt on or around July 1, 2009 when the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services changes its name to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (BHDS). Efforts to remove the words “mental retardation” from the Code of Virginia has been delayed, primarily due to concerns about the unintended impact of the change in certain parts of the criminal code. This departmental name change is the first step towards more person -centered language in the Commonwealth. The second major impact is the use of the Supports Intensity Scale as the primary assessment to be used by all 40 Community Service Board Case Managers for persons with mental retardation who are served under the Intellectual Disabilities and Development Disability Community Waivers. There has been a pilot program for several years and now all CSB’s will be implementing the SIS this spring, beginning in April 2009. As part of that process, a new way of planning has been developed and is being incorporated into new regulations and licensing requirements. This process will hopefully result in plans that are more person-focused, more strength and interest – based and which will result in individuals having a fuller and more inclusive community life. The planning process will be integrated into the system beginning on April 1, 2009 and fully implemented when staff and families become familiar with the ideas and receive training on the system change. Training is an on-going process and is being implemented at different levels and timelines in different regions across the State. New Medicaid Waiver regulations are reported to have built-in these new ideas and should be ready for public review in the near future. The waiver application is due to be renewed on July 1, 2009. Finally, the latest reports indicate that there will be a delay in implementation of a change from the current unit billing system to an hourly billing system for day support. This change will be discussed and a committee will work on the change, but the new date for implementation is now July 1, 2010 instead of this upcoming July. Submitted by Shirley Lyons, VRA member “Able to Choose” Campaign The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities’ new ABLE TO CHOOSE campaign is about changing individual attitudes and actions, business practices, community and civic activities, and public policy to make all aspects of community life accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to people with disabilities. This public awareness campaign showcases the personal stories of Virginians with disabilities at work and play, their relationships with family and friends, community and civic involvement, volunteerism and advocacy, and all other aspects of daily living. To learn more about the campaign, about individuals with disabilities living successfully in communities of their own choice, and about how you can get involved and pledge your support visit: www.abletochoose.org. Submitted by Tom Driscoll VIRGINIA BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES thomas.driscoll@vbpd.virginia.gov pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12  page 11 LEADERS EMERGE ! TheVirginia Association for Rehabilitation Leadership Presents Half Full: How to Increase Optimism and Increase Success It's true that optimists are born. But they can also be made. An effort to do so with your clients and yourself is worthwhile because optimism is a significant factor in success. In this workshop we will explore the notion of "learned optimism" and build skills to increase it in ourselves and others. Given our current situation, there is no time better than the present to figure out how to see the glass as half full! Presented by Terrie Glass Terrie Glass is the President of Leadership Solutions. She had a 20 year career in the Community Services Board system and has been a trainer and consultant for the past 5+ years. Terrie’s clients include those in behavioral health, rehabilitation services, healthcare, the financial industry and many others. She has done training for the Dept. of Rehabilitative Services, the Va. Rehabilitation Association as well as VARL in the past. She is energetic and passionate about the work of helping others – clients, staff, and ourselves – to reach the potential that lies within all of us. Terrie has a MSW, teaches at VCU, and has been a keynote speaker and presenter at the Collaborations Conference. Monday, June 8, 2009 9:30 – 4:00 Check in and refreshments at 9:00 a.m. (CRC credits available) Lunch on your own Dept. of Rehabilitative Services, Central Headquarters Building Forest Office Park 8004 Franklin Farms Drive, First Floor Registration fee: $15 VARL members/ $25 non members Pre-registration/payment requested due to seating limitations. Disability related accommodation requests must be received by Monday, June 1. To register, please contact Susan Green at Susan.Green@drs.virginia.gov or 804-305-4009. Mail your check payable to VARL to Attention: Susan Green, 8004 Franklin Farms Drive, Richmond, VA 23229 pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12 pages 4 & 5  An NRA minute…. For th – 13th … Best wishes, Bonnie Hawley President-elect Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12 page 12 Thank you for your membership in the National Rehabilitation Association / Virginia Rehabilitation. Your membership represents an important role in a vital network to promote the profession of rehabilitation that provides services to assist people with disabilities in finding valued employment. By way of a quick update on your National Office, at the last NRA Board meeting, it was voted to purchase “Weblink” a new membership database. This new software will enable NRA to keep more reliable and up to date membership information for all State Chapters, Regions and Divisions. those members who work for DRS, you probably remember the conversion from our VRIS database to AWARE… such that it will be with WebLink. There will be a number of steps to go through so please be patient with this process, it will take some time, but the end result will be better membership information and service. Thanks to the efforts of Carol Thacker, representatives from VRA met with the aides of elected representatives from Congress during NRA Legislative Summit held on March 8-10th. Many thanks to Carol for her efficient and effective advocacy as Legislative Chair of VRA and to members of the Virginia delegation who took the Issue Statements of NRA to Capitol Hill… Be sure to stay tuned to the Washington Wire for the latest updates on national legislative news that affects our Profession. Congratulations to Susan Cianfaglione, newly elected Board Member at Large for RCEA and to Eleanor Williams, the new President Elect of NARL. These VRA members are working hard at both the local and national level of NRA to bring additional representation to you… and we thank them for their willingness to serve. Also, if you are on Facebook, be sure to check out the new NRA site. Join in the fun of Facebook and get connected with NRA members and rehabilitation professionals across the United States. Plans are underway for yet another great Annual Training Conference, this year in Louisville Kentucky. Check out the NRA website at http://www.nationalrehab.org/ for all the details and save the date for September 10In closing, I hope that all rehabilitation counselors enjoyed their day of appreciation on March 22, 2009… National Rehabilitation Counselor Appreciation Day…. It was a day of appreciation for all that rehabilitation counselors have done, continue to do, will do and can do! It is a pleasure and privilege to work with you in our mutual mission of full employment of people with disabilities. I encourage each of you to reach out to a colleague and invite them to join the National Rehabilitation Association. Opportunities for training, information on professional advocacy and networking can all be found in one place… at the National Rehab Association… If you have any questions/concerns/ideas, my email door is always open! Bon- nie.hawley@drs.virginia.gov National Rehabilitation Association  page 13 Collaborations Conference Virginia Beach October 4-5, 2009 A CALL FOR PAPERS Hosted by VaACCSES, VRA & VA-APSE Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, VA Proposals are due by May 15, 2009. Mail to Marilyn Morrison, 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153 or Fax to (703) 569-3932 attention: Marilyn Morrison. You may also email to Mmorrison@vaaccses.org . Questions – please contact Marilyn Morrison at (571)339-1305 Call for Papers form must be completed with attachments included to be considered: Lead Presenter: Organization: Address: Phone: Fax: E-mail (Required): _______________ Topic: Length of Presentation (please circle one): 1.5 hours Or 2 x 1.5 hours (3.0 hrs) Would you be willing to repeat the session: yes ___ no ___ Session is targeted to: Direct Services Staff _____ Employment Specialists ______ DRS Counselors _______ Managers/Supervisors _______ Executive Staff ______ Other Sessions will be on Sunday and Monday. Please indicate when you are NOT AVAILABLE: Package must include the following to be considered: .. Objectives to be learned. (3 training objectives) (Please Attach for CEU’s) .. Abstract of presentation in 150 words with presentation title. This should be a comprehensive description of your session that will be printed in the program booklet and will assist attendees in determining if they wish to attend your session. (Please Attach) .. Biographical Paragraph of 75 words or less of each presenter (to be printed in Program Booklet). This is not a full Vita. Please go to the www.vra.org website for the full application pages 4 & 5Legislative Liaison Education Committee page 9 NRA Moment page 12 Virginia Rehabilitatio n Association PO Box 71864 Richmond, VA 23229-9998 http://www.vra.org PRESIDENT: Liz Smith TREASURER: Eleanor Williams Ron Simmons VARL Jack Smith Jane Bennett PRESIDENT-ELECT: PAST PRESIDENT: Amy Miller SECRETARY: Tanya Portela BOARD MEMBERS: Andrew Stowe Jennifer McDonough Maggie Butler Carol Thacker Adair Jensen-Smith Samantha Ruppert Kelly Hickok Ericka Umbarger VRCEA Debbie Veale NEWSNOTES EDITOR Steven Sommer Please submit NewsNotes articles to the editor by Email at : Steve.Sommer@drs.virginia.gov Or send by US Mail to: VRA NewsNotes c/o Steven Sommer, DRS Henrico Office, 1601 Willow Lawn Dr., Suite 370-A, Richmond, Virginia 23230 Phone 804-662-7159