BESB Deaf Blind Advisory Meeting
DATE: 06.09.2020
TIME: 10:00 a.m.‑ 12:00 p.m.
Source Interpreting
Captioned by: Chevelle

"This text is being provided in a rough draft format.  Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the class."
 
 SPEAKER:  Hey Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah.
 SPEAKER:  This is Andrew Norton , how are you?
 SPEAKER:  Oh, Andrew, how are you?
 SPEAKER:  I wanted to ask the captioner the question?
 SPEAKER:  When you say there is going to be a transcript, like a written verbatim transcript of this meeting that we will be receiving afterwards?
 SPEAKER:  I would say if we can have a copy of the transcript that would be ‑‑ that would be wonderful.  Because we are required to post a transcript or an audio tape and of course the audio tape, they will be audio taping, but that won't be accessible to folks who can't hear it.  So if we have the copy of the transcript, to post, that would be wonderful.
 SPEAKER:  This is Sara D'Agastino.  For those participants who will be utilizing the sign language interpreter, I would ask that you please identify yourself before you speak, so that way those participants will know who is speaking.
 SPEAKER:  Hi, this is Lisa.
The phone number I tried to reach Tyler on says that is not operational.
 SPEAKER:  Or, do you want me to hang up and ‑‑ Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah, yeah, we need her on the phone.  Maybe you can get a hold of her.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  I will call right now.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  How are you coming with the zoom connection?
 SPEAKER:  We have a connection, so just hold on a moment.
 SPEAKER:  Let me see if she emailed me, I don't know what is going on.
 SPEAKER:  Hi Brian, this is (INAUDIBLE) Clark, I am ‑‑ we are trying to work things out.  Having a little bit of a glitch here.  So we are trying to work it out.  Some of the audio is not working.  But apparently the interpreter can hear me, because she is able to interpret my conversation to you.  So give me two minutes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you.  Hold on.
 SPEAKER:  Hello?
 SPEAKER:  This is Sandy again, I am back.  I got ahold of her, and she is going to call in.  She says she has the zoom, but she has no sound.
 SPEAKER:  Well hopefully she can at least get on the conference call.
 SPEAKER:  I gave her the number, she is going to try.  Okay?
 SPEAKER:  Okay, thank you, Sandy.
 SPEAKER:  You are welcome.
 SPEAKER:  Hello?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, hello.  This is (INAUDIBLE) Tyler.
 SPEAKER:  Hi.  We have a little glitch with the ‑‑ trying fix the zoom feature.  So just waiting for Pat, but at least we have our chair.  So, what I am going to do is just try to see how many voting members we have for quorum.  We need 7 to make quorum.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  All right?  So I know that Barbara's daughter is on ‑‑ Barbara, are you on yet?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am.
 SPEAKER:  Hi, Barbara.  Okay ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Hi everybody.
 SPEAKER:  Hi Barbara!  
 SPEAKER:  Hi Barbara.
 SPEAKER:  So we've got Barbara.  Let me work my way down to the folks that are voting members that are on the line.
 SPEAKER:  I am on ‑‑ a non voting member.
 SPEAKER:  So, Barbara, you are on the call, right? 
 SPEAKER:  Yes this is Tracy.
 SPEAKER:  Yes, so Tracy.  And Sandy, you are on the call, correct?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  And Kathy Morgan, you are on the call, correct?
 SPEAKER:  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  A lot of feedback on the phone.
 SPEAKER:  Yeah.  Tara, you are on the call, correct?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, Tara is here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, folks, there is some definite feedback that is pretty bad.  So if you are not speaking, if you can mute your phone, I believe star 6 is the feature to mute it.  But somebody ‑‑ we have some terrible feedback.
 SPEAKER:  Yes, there is a feedback.
 SPEAKER:  So, again, I believe star 6 will mute the conference line, unless you have your own feature on your own phone.
That is much better.  All right.  I will continue making sure, and then once we call the meeting to order after Pat Clark ‑‑ Alan Sylvester, are you on the call?
 SPEAKER:  Alan is on zoom.
 SPEAKER:  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  No.  I am?
 SPEAKER:  He is a little guy.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Well, I am on the phone.  But however you see me.
 SPEAKER:  Alan Sylvester is on the call.  Okay.  We have Alan.  And we have Hannah.  So that is from the phone.  So, so far from the phone, we have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ‑‑ so we already have your 7 voting members.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  And then we can see who we have on zoom.
Pat, are you ready for us with zoom?
 SPEAKER:  I have zoom in front of me, yes.
 SPEAKER:  Pat, are you still with us?  Are the interpreters still on the line?
 SPEAKER:  Sorry, I was muted.  This is (INAUDIBLE) DAGASTINO.  So, this is a little confusing, but we're working on it.  I have the zoom up, but I can't hear on it.  I have to use the phone.
 SPEAKER:  Can the people on zoom participate yet?
 SPEAKER:  I am not sure.  Hold on one moment.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Thank you for your patience everyone.  We are working it through.
 SPEAKER:  Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Yes?
 SPEAKER:  Brian, if you hit star 6 to mute your phone, how do you unmute it?
 SPEAKER:  I believe star 6 unmutes that as well.
 SPEAKER:  Got it.
 SPEAKER:  I think it is a toggle switch.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, thank you very much.
 SPEAKER:  Give it a try.  Mute it, say something, and then unmute it and ask us if we heard you.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah.
 SPEAKER:  Oh good!  Yes, okay, great.
 SPEAKER:  Sandy, can you hear me?
 SPEAKER:  So star 6 is the toggle.
 SPEAKER:  Can you hear me?
 SPEAKER:  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, I will get muted again.
 SPEAKER:  So are we able to call the meeting to order?  Because one of the interpreters, can you let us know if the folks on zoom can participate?
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Are we ready?
 SPEAKER:  I am waiting for one of the interpreters, or for Pat to tell us if the people on zoom are able to participate.  They may be muted, because no one is saying anything that I can hear.
 SPEAKER:  Hold on one moment, still having a couple ‑‑ we still have a couple things we need to work out.  Hold on one second.
 SPEAKER:  Hello?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, who is this?  State your name?
 SPEAKER:  Muriel Aparo. 
 SPEAKER:  Yes, hi!
 SPEAKER:  Hi.
 SPEAKER:  So, Pat, it is 10:17 a.m., we really need to get this meeting going...
Can I ask one of the interpreters, are folks on zoom able to follow along if you interpret?  You are probably muted, I can't hear anyone.
 SPEAKER:  Brian, this is one of the interpreters, can you hear me?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I can.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  We have just started.  Everybody I believe can see each other, and everybody ‑‑ all of the interpreters can hear the meeting in progress.  So, we are going to get the attention of everybody and join in for the meeting.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Hannah, why don't you call the meeting to order.  Daryl, why don't you start the audio recorder.
 SPEAKER:  Give me about 5 seconds here to power up.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  All set.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, Hannah.  You can call us to order.  You are muted.  Hannah, you have to unmute.  Hannah?  You have to fix the unmute.  Hannah, are you still there?  Hannah? I don't know if she is muted?  Is Hannah by chance on zoom?  Can anyone tell me if Hannah is on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  Brian, the interpreter does not see Hannah on zoom.  We believe she is on the phone.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Then Hannah, you must be muted still.  Star 6 to unmute.  We cannot hear you if you are talking.
 SPEAKER:  Sandy, do you have any way of getting in contact with Hannah?  Maybe a text?  I think everybody is muted.
 SPEAKER:  I am not.
 SPEAKER:  (laughing) Brian, this is Sandy.  Can you hear me?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I can hear you.
 SPEAKER:  So I will go to my car and get my texting phone, I usually don't take that into work and I will text Hannah.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Daryl, Daryl, you may as well stop the recorder, because Hannah hasn't called the meeting to order.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  I stopped it.
 SPEAKER:  So when we begin again, that will be your starting point.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  I am sorry everyone for the technical glitches.  We have been working on this for several days and everything was working, so I don't know what has caused this this morning.
 SPEAKER:  Barbara, are you still on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  If we don't get Hannah on in the next minute or So, I will ask you to call the meeting to order so we can get the participants on the records as far as who is on the call and at least commence the meeting, because it is already 10:22 a.m.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  You are welcome.
 SPEAKER:  Hello?
 SPEAKER:  Hello?
 SPEAKER:  Hello?
 SPEAKER:  Okay, I hear everyone.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  You are back, Hannah?
 SPEAKER:  This is Hannah.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  I don't know what happened, we somehow lost you.  Okay, Daryl, start the recorder.
 SPEAKER:  All set.
 SPEAKER:  I am getting a feedback from the zoom.  So, one second here.
 SPEAKER:  Yeah, that is horrible.
 SPEAKER:  It is horrible.  (laughs).
Okay.  Let's give this a try.  Welcome everyone.  Can we introduce each other?  I am Hannah Tyler.  I will try to (INAUDIBLE) state your name, and who you represent.  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  This is ‑‑ Hannah, I have a suggestion.  Hannah, can you mute the zoom, or your audio on the zoom if you have both?  I think if you have both zoom and the conference call, they are echoing off of each ore.  You get the audio from the computer into the other.  Or something like that.
 SPEAKER:  So how do I ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  So there should be, I think, on the bottom left of your screen.  There might be like a microphone?  I think if you mute yourself on there.  Or, you can maybe just turn off the sound on your computer on that end, you should still hear through the phone, you shouldn't need to have both.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Yeah, I am trying to bring the volume all of the way down, but I am not able to, um, mute.
 SPEAKER:  Sometimes you can hit F1 or something for your volume to mute it completely.  But I think it is getting better now that you lowered the volume.  I think that is helping.
 SPEAKER:  Yeah.  I am muting the Ipad, and I don't see anywhere where I am able to ‑‑ hmm..
 SPEAKER:  You should be able to just hit the volume button down until it turns all of the way off.
 SPEAKER:  Right.  I have that all of the way down, hoping it would mute, but it is not.  (sighs).
Okay.  You know, I can just turn off the zoom then.
 SPEAKER:  Well, right now, it is fine.  Right now, there is no feedback.
 SPEAKER:  Oh!  Oh my goodness, look at that.  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  So, let's continue with who we have.  Maybe ‑‑ this is Brian.  Maybe it would be easier if I go down the list of who I have, so that our captioner can verify.  So I will call out names, and if you are on the conference call, or on zoom, please acknowledge through either.  I am sure the interpreters will let us know if someone on zoom has responded.
So Barbara (INAUDIBLE), on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  I am here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Lisa Flarity‑Baughn, are you on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Jessie (INAUDIBLE), are you on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am here.  Jessie, yes I am here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Do we have Phil FOWLER, or Christine from Oak Hill, do we have either of them on the phone?  We do not.
Do we have Heidi on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  Yes.  This is Heidi, I am here.  I am here on zoom.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, so we do have Heidi.
Do we have Mary Johns on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, you do.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Do we have Crystal Kelly on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, we do.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Do we have Eric CRANGLE on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  Yes.  Hi, this is Eric, I am here.  
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Do we have Chris Lassen on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, Chris is here.  And Margo Santos is, I believe replacing Marsha Brown.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  We will call for others after ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Do we have Sandy Miles on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  This is Sandy Miles.
 SPEAKER:  Kathy, do we have Kathy Morgan on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, this is Kathy Morgan.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you.
Do we have Emily MORGANTE on the phone?  We do not.
Do we have Tara OLSON on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Brian, excuse me, I think Emily retired.
 SPEAKER:  That could be the reason.  Well, she represents as a parent.  But thank you for that.
Karen OLSON, are you on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
And Tyler Brown Oglesby, are you on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Alan Sylvester, are you on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, this is Alan, on the phone.
 SPEAKER:  And Hannah Tyler, are you on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  I am on the phone.  I also have zoom, but I cannot ‑‑ I don't know why my visual is not on.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  And additionally I know that there is the following individuals have identified themselves as being on the phone, and I just want to verify.  Muriel Aparo, still on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Margo Santos, are you still on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am right here.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
So, let me work my way up and make sure I didn't miss anybody.  And then what I will do is we can ‑‑ Hannah, at that point ask if anyone else is on the phone.  Okay?  So let me just work my way up this list, bear with me one moment.  I know she wouldn't be here ... I have now gone through, scrolled through the whole list.  So at this point, if anyone else is on zoom who has not yet been identified, can you please identify yourself now?  And talk slow, and we may need to ‑‑ we may need to have ‑‑ anyone else who is on zoom that has not yet been identified.
 SPEAKER:  Hi.  This is Sue PATTERSON.  I am from Pan, Connecticut Agency Network.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Anybody else on zoom? 
 SPEAKER:  Yes, yes, yes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  We need your name.
 SPEAKER:  One moment.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Hi.  This is Brenda Moore, I am from Massachusetts.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Anybody else there on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  One moment.  One moment.  One moment.
Hi everybody.  My name is Jason CORNING from ‑‑ where?  Hold on one moment.
 SPEAKER:  From Maryland, and happy to join the call today.
 SPEAKER:  Is there anybody else on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  One moment, Brian, we are checking.
 SPEAKER:  Hi.  I am Pat, from Source Interpreting, I am also on zoom.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Does that conclude everyone who is on zoom?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, it does.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Now, there are some additional folks on the telephone.  And the ‑‑ probably we will just do the best we can to speak one at a time.  If your name hasn't been called, first off, I do know one other name, Alan GUNSBERGER, still on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, I am.
 SPEAKER:  Just so everybody knows, Alan is the most recent past chair of the state rehabilitation council, so I want to acknowledge and thank Alan for joining in as a participant today.
Is there anybody else who is on the phone whose name has not yet been identified? 
 SPEAKER:  Andrew Norton.
 SPEAKER:  Tracy ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  I am sorry, Tracy, I thought I called you.  Okay.  But Andrew Norton is on the phone.  Okay.
Is there anybody else?
 SPEAKER:  Lisa SANGWAY, secretary to Mr. SIGMUND.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Is that everybody?
All right.  Hannah, we have now gotten ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Yes!
 SPEAKER:  ‑‑ through the actual attendance.  You clearly have a quorum, so you may take the agenda.  I guess your first item under old business is the approval of the January 2020 minutes.
 SPEAKER:  Correct.  We have all of our introductions.  Let's take a couple minutes to review the minutes from January 28th and then we will continue.  So let's take a couple of minutes to review.
(participants take a few moments to read through minutes).
 SPEAKER:  Hannah, my suggestion is that when you are able to call for a vote, because these minutes they go ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  ‑‑ so they had a chance to review it.  When you take the motion and the second, give the folks on zoom the opportunity to either ‑‑ either the interpreter needs to let you know if one of them is making a motion or a second.  So we just have to do a bit of a pause.  But you can probably at this point call for a motion.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  So we call for a motion.  All approved, perhaps they can put their hands up to their ear as yes.
 SPEAKER:  So is there anybody making a motion yet to approve the minutes from January ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  This is Kathy Morgan.  I make the motion to approve the minutes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  So we need a second here.
 SPEAKER:  Barbara is seconding.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, Barbara.
 SPEAKER:  So that is seconded, and (INAUDIBLE) has also seconded.
 SPEAKER:  Hello, this is Al.  Can I take a look at the minutes, please?
 SPEAKER:  Alan?
 SPEAKER:  This is Al.  May I have a change to the minutes, please?
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Can you please remove that section where we talk about how I should be addressed?  That is fine for a transcript, but that really doesn't belong in the minutes.
 SPEAKER:  I am pulling them up on the screen, Alan ‑‑ Al.
 SPEAKER:  It is right up near the beginning.  And it obviously hasn't worked.
 SPEAKER:  So this must be under approved.  All right.  So you want to make a modification to the minutes where we delete the sentence that says change Mr. Sylvester's first name from Alan to Al?
 SPEAKER:  Yes, please.
 SPEAKER:  So that is an amendment to the minutes, and therefore Kathy and Barbara, the motion and the second, are you okay with that?
 SPEAKER:  Yes ‑‑ Barbara, yes.
 SPEAKER:  Only person who makes the motion has to agree to it.  The person who seconds, it is not really relevant.  Not to disparage the person who seconded it.  But only the maker of the motion has to agree with it.
 SPEAKER:  This is Kathy Morgan ‑‑ this is Kathy Morgan, I approve the change for the minutes from the October 22nd meeting.
 SPEAKER:  Mhmm.
 SPEAKER:  This is the 28th of January.
 SPEAKER:  No, this is January 28th, minutes.
 SPEAKER:  So then to clarify, she is in the section of the January minutes that talks about the approval from the October 22nd minutes.
 SPEAKER:  I see, okay.
 SPEAKER:  Oh, really?  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  So, she is actually correct.
Okay.  Hannah, I guess you can call for your vote.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  All in favor?  Put your hands up on zoom and say aye.
 SPEAKER:  Aye.
 SPEAKER:  Aye.
 SPEAKER:  Aye.
 SPEAKER:  Aye.
 SPEAKER:  All right.
Anyone who abstains?
 SPEAKER:  Some of the participants on zoom are still looking at the minutes to find the amendment that was requested, please give us a moment.
 SPEAKER:  All right.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian.  So for the interpreter, the amended section is at the very top where that mentions the October minutes being approved.  That is where ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Yes, Brian.  We have that.  It just takes them awhile to get their vision away from the computer and and onto the paper, and then back onto the computer ‑‑ it just takes a minute for them to be able to do that.
 SPEAKER:  I understand, take your time.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Brian, if I am understanding everyone correctly, everyone on zoom has raised their hand in support of approving the minutes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, great.
Anyone against?  Abstained?  (hannah)  Okay, we can move on.
Everyone okay with that?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah, yeah.  (Brian).
 SPEAKER:  (Hannah) the next thing we will go to updating 2020 funding utilization.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian.  Chris is going to ‑‑ Chris Lassen is going to give the report.  So please unmute.
 SPEAKER:  I am unmuted, thank you.  (Chris)  So, if you would refer to the deaf blind advisory committee, or DBAC expenditure report dated June 1, 2020, that was distributed.  I will summarize the utilization of funds through the beginning of this month.
First off, I will list the three organizational vendors oak hill had a contract amount for community inclusion of $44,897.  They expended $13,577, or just over 30 percent of the the funds allocated and served 11 of 32 total clients.
Second, CAN, the Communication Advocacy Network had a budget of $141,353.  They expended $72,271, or just over 51 percent of the allocation and served 17 of 17 eligible clients.
Third, UCP, or the United Cerebral Palsy of eastern Connecticut had $99,999 to serve one client, and expended $65,300, or just over 65 percent.
Then there were four individuals served through purchase of service contracts.  Client JH was allocated $7,055, $1,089 was expended, which is just over 15 percent.  And client AJ had an allocation of $9,987, expenditures were $7,191, or 72 percent.  Client JS was allocated $2,536, and $1,663 were expended, or just under 66 percent.  And client JR had $9,999, and through June 1, $9,980 were expended, or just under 100 percent.
The total expenditures for community inclusion services were $112,000 and out of 125 of those dollars, or just under 50 percent, and that represented 33 of 54 eligible clients getting services.
Are there any questions about those figures at this point?
In addition, there were $17,459 in additional expenditures, a little bit over $4,000 for ASL interpreters.  $1,193 for rehab technology purchases, $11,469 for braille instruction, and $784 for adaptive devices in the form of environmental notification systems.
So the total expenditures brought from the total amount of $265,269 were $129,760 for 49 percent of the amount available.  That's the end of the update.
 SPEAKER:  Hannah?
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Thank you, Frank [SIC], for that update.
Now let's go to the update for deaf blind technology program.
 SPEAKER:  This is Barbara.  I was wondering, can we ask a question regarding something on this list now?  Or should we wait?
 SPEAKER:  We certainly can, sure.
 SPEAKER:  On the Oak Hill contract (Barbara) I was wondering, does that include camp?  Or that is usually paid in June?
 SPEAKER:  No, it does not.  So there was a set aside of $18,000 for camp that is normally paid in June.  And that amount was not included.
 SPEAKER:  Mhmm.  Thank you (Barbara).
 SPEAKER:  This is Kathy Morgan.  I am looking at the total numbers.  So the total numbers for the year expended was less than 50 percent, correct?
 SPEAKER:  Just under 50 percent (Chris).
 SPEAKER:  (Kathy)  Right.  Then my question is, because of the status of the world, I am sure this is effected by the COVID‑19.  So the other 50 percent goes back to the state?  Or can that be put into a lay over fund, once we get through this?  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian speaking.  Under the COVID‑19 update on the agenda item is where I was going to actually be talking about some of the things that are related to these funds.  So, chairperson Tyler, with your permission, I would like to defer my response to that section of the agenda.
 SPEAKER:  (Hannah)  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  This is Kathy, thank you.
 SPEAKER:  Muriel, are you on the phone?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah.  So we are all set with questions?
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  All set.  So more questions we can go onto the technology program (Hannah).
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  This is Muriel Aparo and I run the deafblind technology program.  For quarter 3, which is January first through March 31st, we have suspended services right now started in March, due to COVID‑19 services.  But during that time, I have still processed applications.  Happy to say we have two individuals that have been approved.  So as soon as we can resume services, we already have them ready to be evaluated and move on with their applications.
During that time, we were able to still send out 5 devices that were purchased.  We spent $386 and 20‑cents on eligibility of the consumers.  We sent $5,460 and 6‑cents for equipment ‑‑ I am sorry, I didn't give you the year to date on eligibility, which was 2,528.588.  And the total year to date is 13,269.88.
For installation and training of the consumers we spent 2,122.73 for quarter 3.  Also for the year to date on installation and training is 6,423.51.
For outreach we only spent $53 and 27‑cents, that is also due to COVID‑19, because at this point in time, we can't go to any fairs or anything like that to be a presence in that to send ‑‑ you know, tell people about our services.
So year to date we only spent $520.
For administrative cost, that is for know run the program, for Eileen to run the program, for us to get, um, paperwork and all of the outreach things done and the administrative cost was 1,731, that is also orders equipment and things for the consumers.
Total spent in quarter there was 28,000 ‑‑ total spent so far with the grant, I should say, year to date, is 28,399.
Now, in the last month, we have reallocated $70,000 back to the FCC.  That is because our spending is way down obviously because of corvid.  We are trying to figure out some ways to get things done once we resume.  They have given us permission to purchase some safety equipment, sanitation equipment, so we can be prepared to go back and meet with the consumers in their homes.  So masks, things like that, they are giving us the opportunity to send in a request and everything will be either approved or denied.  But at this point, most of it is being approved so that we can move forward.
Other than that, we are holding steady and trying to come up with ways to be able to start services back.
We are mailing anybody who is returning to the program who has been part of the program before and we evaluated them.  Some of those consumers are receiving additional equipment that is being mailed directly to their home and if they have a family member to assist them in connecting it, then that is great.  If not, we are trying with the evaluators to give the individual a call to try to talk them through setting it up.  So that is about where we stand right now.
 SPEAKER:  (Hannah)  Well thank you, Muriel.  I do want to say that is a fabulous program I am one of the recipients and the one thing I would like to suggestion is I know this is my second one, when someone does get an Ipad to assist, I would like to say ‑‑ call on the individual.  Because after so many years, they need to be updated.  So my older Ipad could not be updated.  That was limited and then I was not able to utilize certain apps, so I don't know if the individuals who do have it, you know, they may be running into that problem.  So you only have a time lapse, like say 3 years, or I am not quite sure, but they are limited, and at some point you cannot even utilize them.  So they need to get another, or a newer version.
 SPEAKER:  I am glad you stated that Hannah, because yes.  I try to see every three years to reach out to individuals that I will sheafed our equipment previously.  It doesn't always work (laughs) but we definitely welcome ‑‑ but we definitely welcome anybody to each out to us and say, hey, I need to have something updated, I need to, you know E we look into this.  Because we also in contact with them.  Leek we had a individual break their screen.  Now, we were able to fix that through the program.
 SPEAKER:  Right.
 SPEAKER:  So if you reach out to us, we are more than happy to see if the individual still qualifies for the program and take it from there.  Because, yes.  Everybody ‑‑ and also, their disabilities change.  Their eyesight may get worse.  Or something like that.
 SPEAKER:  Right.
 SPEAKER:  So we are more than willing to talk to the individual.  Again, I try to look back at our files and contact individual, but sometimes that doesn't always work because of other things that I am doing.  But that is definitely a good thing to look back at individuals that have received in the past, yes.
 SPEAKER:  Right.  Okay.  Very good.  Thank you, more yell.  (Hannah).
Okay.  We will move onto new business.
Community inclusion services through June 30th, 2020.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian.  I will take this particular agenda item.
 SPEAKER:  Okay (Hannah).
 SPEAKER:  (Brian) because I am certain the folks would expect the COVID‑19 pandemic has radically altered the delivery of services across state government, and our bureau is certainly no exception in that regard.  We have had to stop direct in community services and we asked all of our third party vendors to ‑‑ if ‑‑ to do the same, or to demonstrate in advance what pro toe call they have to ensure the safety of our clients, if the service is one that absolutely must proceed.
Services that absolutely must proceed are services that are primarily in the, you know, in the emergency nature type of a service.  We are otherwise providing services remotely through using technologies that are available to us.  And in fact, one of the 2 braille instructors whose contract is through the deafblind technology fund have worked out a way of providing some braille instruction in a remote way with a client that she is working with.  But many of the plans that were well under way through CAN, and through oak hill which included field trips needed to be curtailed and unfortunately did not occur to date.  And it does not appear likely that they would be able to proceed before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.  So the year following the governor's executive orders will see that phase two of the reopen Connecticut plan will be resuming next week, prior to the weekend.  And then there is a phase three, which would be occurring at some point, I believe that is early July at this point.
Obviously, as COVID‑19 is an evolving pandemic, guidance, changes in accordance to that.  So that is very unlikely that I would have permission to make any promises of how things will occur and when they will occur because of the actual pandemic is a fluid situation.  So once we are told that we may resume close contact services, we would than proceed with providing close contact services.  But for now, you will see if you looked at the exec TV order where the governor has identify the types of close contact services that have resumed, or may resume with the phase two roll out.  And these services are not contained within that.  Those are services that are not these one on one types of service delivery.  So we are awaiting that change so that we can then safely ‑‑ and I have to emphasize safely ‑‑ resume either providing direct close contact services ourselves, or authorizing third party vendors to resume with the protocols that are required in place...
So for our clients that are recipients of services through this grant, the only services we have been able to offer are those which can be done in a remote way where the provider of the service, and the recipient of the service are not in physical contact with each other.  We certainly recognize the incredible difficulty that this has resulted in, particularly for the clients that are served through these funds, but we are also required to follow a restrictions and safety protocols that are in place, so that we don't put people at risk, or engage in behaviors that could promote the spread of the virus.
So, that is where we are at right now for the community inclusion services and I would say that because of the question that Kathy Morgan raised, I think that this might be the better section of the agenda for me to address that, certainly that could have also been addressed under budget updates.
But as it stands right now, we do not know what the ultimate plan will be for unexpended funds across all of the funded line items on our budget.  We do know that the impact of COVID‑19 has been expelled across every one of or program's budget, be it children services, or vocational rehabilitation, or business enterprises, all of the budgets have been impacted as an example in the vocational rehabilitation program.  So venders are not providing services there either.  So there are funds that are not being expended where there are requirements to expend certain level of levels of funding for federal requirements.  So we are aware that the COVID‑19 pandemic has impacted substantially in all of the program budgets as it has been impacted on other bureaus within the agency.  Because there are limited opportunities for services to be provided due to the social distancing restrictions that are in place.
So, unfortunately to respond to Kathy's question, I would have to say that we do not yet know in terms of the deficit for Connecticut that they will be talking about b how line items are going to be impacted for the current yeah, whether these funds might in some way be made available to the vendors that were otherwise put in situations where they blocked funding that they were anticipating receiving for the delivery of services, we just simply, at of this moment, don't have answers for anybody.  And I ‑‑ I am sorry.  I know that is a difficult response to hear if you are a vendor who was in need of these funds in order to meet your expenses.  But I just sadly, as of this moment, I truly don't have additional information on how the unexpended funds are going to be (INAUDIBLE) with any of the appropriated line items for the agency.  I will pause there ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Sorry, Brian, don't mean to interrupt.  But, are you ‑‑ is the agency at least in discussion with OPM about this situation?  Because I am sure ‑‑ well, it wouldn't be best be, but I am sure that is not the only agency that is ‑‑ that you couldn't use, because of circumstances beyond its control.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian, Yes, absolutely.  The answer to that is yes.  And our business manager has been asked to provide financial estimates of how much vendors across the various programs have lost as a result of not being able to provide services, as a result of COVID‑19.  So that information has been requested of us, and it has been provided.  And from there forward it was forwarded to the office of policy and mangle, along with all of the other burr rows within aging and disability services.
I just as of now though do not know what the outcome will be as a result of that information being provided.  But it has been provided.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you (Chris).
 SPEAKER:  Brian?  This is Sara, the interpreter.  I have two participants on zoom who have questions.
 SPEAKER:  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  Oh ‑‑ okay.  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Ron Thomas.
 SPEAKER:  Hold on a moment, we have a question.
 SPEAKER:  I am sorry, did you say Ron ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Lisa Flarity Baughn has a question.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Hi Brian, this is Lisa.  I have two things I would like to add with the COVID issues with the deafblind community, as well as the hard of hearing community ‑‑ is that all right if I mention them now?
 SPEAKER:  Um, if it is related ‑‑ if this is Brian, if it is related to the expenditure of these funds and these services, yes.  Otherwise, if it is in general discussion around COVID‑19, there is an agenda item coming up that we will have I believe a broader discussion around COVID‑19 and issues that the deafblind community is experiencing.  So I don't know what your question is, but I would frame it in that way.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Then I think I will hold off, because they are two concerns that I have in regards to the COVID‑19.  So I will hold off on my comments until we reach that point in the agenda.  Hang on one moment ‑‑ having a little trouble seeing the interpreter.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, Brian.
 SPEAKER:  Hold on.  We have one more person on zoom who has a comment.
 SPEAKER:  I just want to make sure I have that individual's name as being in attendance.
 SPEAKER:  Hold on.  Lisa is having a little trouble with the interpreter.  Trying to make sure that she can see.  We also have Jason who is on zoom who has a comment.  Oh, excuse me, this is Lisa.  I am a deafblind associate of Connecticut President.  And when COVID hit, it was very disconcerting for us, a bit traumatic because we lost all of our socialization at that point.  People were talking about the safety and the social distancing and it was very scary for us.  They are now making announcements about the openings, we are seeing announcements on TV, we have the interpreter and the captioning which is great for the deaf community, but for the deafblind community, is not as successful.  There is information that we are missing, that we are unable to receive, because we are unable to see the interpret on the TV, or the captioning.  Sometimes the transcript has too many words, very difficult to follow that.  Is incredibly overwhelming.  And very often those of us in the deafblind community are very detached and have a serious lack of understanding as a result of this.  So I wanted to make some sort of proposal, maybe during the new business discussion.  I think MEDSI needs to hire somebody, or is have someone on staff who can provide this information ‑‑ not as a transcript, but more as ‑‑ more of an informational outline of what is important, what it is that we need to know.  Not the full transcript of the governor's addresses, but just the main points.  So that we need to know what we need to do to be safe so that we can continue to be safe.  Because trying to read the transcript of the governor's address and other information is very, very confusing.  But we still need to have this information.  So I would suggestion if you can hire somebody, or have a staff member that can do that, that would be incredibly helpful for those of us in the deafblind community.
Also, for the SSP we need to have some sort of training in regards to safety of COVID, who we can contact?  What the social distancing requirements are, and how we can be safe.  We still need our SSPs, but we need to remain safe with them.  So I wanted to say those two dependents and I appreciate your time.  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  Mhmm.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  And there is a comment from Jason on zoom as well.  Go ahead, Brian.
 SPEAKER:  So I wanted to say this is Brian.  Lisa, thank you for your recommendations.  They are much appreciated.
 SPEAKER:  And Brian, this is the interpreter, I believe ‑‑ yes.  We have Jason.  Jason CORNING has a comment as well.
Hi, this is Jason.  And a couple or three weeks ago I was in discussion with Lisa and Jessie.  And my business is a consult assistant business about informational access.  I am here in Maryland in the government office for the deaf and hard of hearing.  And I am able to receive all of that new us and I am able to provide a signed kind of a blog about the information that is being presented.  So, I don't know if maybe there is a mistake in the interpretation, but that is very important that the deafblind participants and citizens receive all of the information.  And that is it, Brian.
 SPEAKER:  Mhmm.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  This is Brian again.  I am aware that Lisa FLARITY has been participating in the functional needs work group that Kathleen SULLIVAN from the agency is sharing.  And Lisa's recommendations have been being forwarded to statewide leadership toward nation of the COVID‑19 response.  And I also will be as we get into the agenda giving MARGIE Santos an opportunity to speak and introduce herself.  I do believe that some of these recommendations that are being made today by Lisa are things that we at MESBI could do looking forward to some sort of informational strategy to be sure that if there are individuals that are served by MESBI that aren't fully, um, either understanding what the information means that have been forwarded, or they are looking for some additional information, beyond what has been forwarded and shared, then perhaps Margo could be a role or assistance on a one on one basis for those who are looking for additional information beyond what is the shared relatively routinely.  I also just want to add that I did forward out to the distribution list that I utilize and everyone who is on the deafblind advisory committee is on that distribution list.  I forwarded the links so that folks could seen up for the governor's updates.  I had Jessie NABRY who is one of the rehab technologists confirm that it is accessible, so folks could sign up using their computers so that you could get those updates as quickly as they come out.  And those updates are shorter summaries of the actual governor's executive order and changes that are occurring as a result of COVID.  So if folks are not yet signed up, I would encourage you to do that.  Because again, those are shortened summaries and any executive orders are attached.
But I personally have found the summaries to be very helpful because in a very short email, you are finding the most brief updates what they are.  So I would just offer those two aspects in my response.
The next agenda item, and we do have a section for COVID‑19 updates.
 SPEAKER:  Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah?  Yeah?
 SPEAKER:  Just want to add additional comments.
I have been having difficulty can Kathleen SULLIVAN because she doesn't seem to have a full understanding of what a deafblind's person needs for accessible.  And I feel that I am constantly having to explain and reexplain.  So I really want to suggestion very very strongly that you contact Jason in regards to any information about accessibility for deafblind persons in Connecticut.  He has the expertise.  I would love to have him hired as a consultant for Connecticut, for the deafblind needs.  Because he can ‑‑ he can teach.  He can teach Kathleen what it is that is needed ‑‑ I mean, that is his business.  That is what he does.  He is a consul assistant.  So I have to strongly recommends that you involve Jason in working with the deafblind individuals in Connecticut.  Because I don't want to have to reexplain and reexplain everything over and over and over.  Jason has experience with this, he has experience working with a variety of governments throughout the U.S. and I have to recommend that he would be the best person to bring in to work as a consul assistant with Kathleen and for our needs in the deaf blind community.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian.  Thank you for that recommendation.  In terms of contracting with fee for service vendors, that is a process that goes through the centralized contracting unit.  So I wouldn't be able to on this call make a commitment as to what vendors might be in a position to be recipients of contracts from our state agency.  But I certainly will look into the matter and will do some research on what his particular company offers.  I believe the website information has been shared so that we can start by doing a review of the information that is on his website.  And then I could subsequently have a discussion with the head of our fiscal area where contracting units exist.  But that would be ‑‑ all I would be able to commit to here because there is a very specific process by which vendors become contractors of the state of Connecticut.
 SPEAKER:  Brian, there is another hand raised in the zoom room.  Lisa familiarity is saying thank you so much.  And Sue PATTERSON has her hand raised.
 SPEAKER:  Good morning, Brian.  This is Sue.
 SPEAKER:  Good morning.
 SPEAKER:  I wanted to thank you for all of the information and feedback today.  When we were discussing the budget, I am obviously a vendor of yours and on that list.  So ‑‑ the interpreter is asking for clarification.
So my question is, I am wondering what the deadline is for submitting invoices ‑‑ is it June 30th?  Working in the communication network I would like to know when the deadline is for submitting invoices and I am sure other vendors would like to know too.
 SPEAKER:  Typically, invoice is received by June 12th would be paid with current year funds ‑‑ typically.  Funds for the following year would be used to pay invoices received after that date.  So it is not so much a matter of when you must have your last invoice in, because let us assume that for ‑‑ to have some services occur during the month of June, but after June 12th.  You may still bill in July for those services that you didn't bill for in June.  So I would say you don't need to be concerned about receiving payment for the services that are rendered.  That only becomes a matter of which fiscal year's funds they will be paid out of.
 SPEAKER:  Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Okay, thank you very much Brian.  I appreciate that information.
 SPEAKER:  Is that Chris?
 SPEAKER:  Yeah.  Yes.  (Chris) I would just ask ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Hole on one moment, please.  We have the interpreter still working.
 SPEAKER:  I know that in the past we tended to make sure things were in by June 21st or so.  But you are saying June 12th is the better date.  That is great information to have.  So thank you for your explanation, Brian.
 SPEAKER:  And this is Brian.  I just want to be sure that I am clear.  You will still be paid for the services after you bill for the services.  The only question is which funds the service bills would be paid against.  So I don't want you to be worried that if you don't get a bill in by June 12th that you won't be getting paid.  Because you would get paid.  That is just a matter of which of the budget years it goes against.  So, you are welcome.  I just ‑‑ I just don't want anybody to be overly anxious.  I think there is a lot of, you know, concern.  This is not one that you need to have.
Crit?  You wanted to ask something?
 SPEAKER:  (Chris) I just wanted to suggestion that if Sue ‑‑ if Sue could ‑‑ I will send Sue an email about the specifics of her billing, just to let her know.
 SPEAKER:  So, Hannah, would you ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  I had a question, but I want to thank you for your explanation again.
(overlapping voices).
 SPEAKER:  ‑‑ and I know that the June 12th date ‑‑ I know that we are trying to use money that we have allocated.
 SPEAKER:  So I understand that because of the COVID‑19 there has been an impact on the budget.  So my question is which financial year.  Suppose we provide service on June 20th and that is past the June 12th deadline, I just want to know which budget it is coming from, or if there will be an effect in the moneys that we already allocated due to the COVID‑19 and the issues that have come up as a result of that.
 SPEAKER:  The budget for this program, barring any updates that Andrew will be giving that might have something more current that I might not otherwise be aware of, the allotment for next year is the same amount of funding that is allotted for the current year.  So there should not be an issue in terms of concern for having sufficient funding available to cover those two weeks of June services that might end up being paid out of next year's budget.
This budget, as you all know, has had some difficulties in past years, even procedure to COVID, pending all of the funds.  So, I truly don't have any concern if two weeks of June's service get paid out of July for the year, I do not have a concern that that would have a negative impact on the availability of funding for services in fiscal 21.  In fact, that is the next agenda item.  So with your permission, madame chair, I would like to actually go straight into that agenda item.
 SPEAKER:  Go for it!  The (INAUDIBLE) and budget update.
 SPEAKER:  (Brian)  So I would like to speak for the agenda item fiscal year 21 services and plans.
Chris has done significant due diligence in identifying 5 individuals that could potentially benefit from services and the contract allow for us to add new clients to the CAN contract and Chris has actually already call add meeting of the work group of the deafblind advisory committee to discuss these new clients, so I would like Chris to have an opportunity now to update us all on where things are at.
 SPEAKER:  Sure.  Thank you, Brian.  Can you hear me?
 SPEAKER:  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Yes.  So, the staff of the adult services program have elaborated both with children services and with our vocational rehab program to identify four ‑‑ five ‑‑ I beg your pardon, five new clients who ‑‑ all of whom would qualify as persons with deafblindness and would be eligible for services.  I've given brief descriptions of the ‑‑ some of the basically, I have let Sue PATTER SON know about these five clients and the likely needs that they would have for SSP services.  For example, three of them are currently college students here in Connecticut.  One is someone who lives independently down on the shoreline in Clinton, and another recently came to our attention who is a 50 year old VR client in Dan bury.  So we have given these ‑‑ sort of identified these clients to CAN, which is the vendor that would be able to add new clients to their contract.  They ‑‑ as only about 50 percent of the funds were used this year, I think that is interpret likely that CAN could certainly get a good start on assisting these clients without needing to revise the budget, at all, in the beginning of the year.  And in fact, yesterday Tara Brown Oglesby yesterday sent me the particulars of yet another client in Connecticut who we are trying to get listed on our registry of persons with legal blindness and it is a possibility that we would be also referring him for services.  So, it is a little unusual that we have such a large number of referrals here right at the end of the fiscal year, but we are very happy that we have been able to identify those folks and look forward to adding them to the lest of persons to be served by CAN.
 SPEAKER:  So, this is Brian.  To bring things back to the overall fiscal year 21 budget.
 SPEAKER:  Mhmm.
 SPEAKER:  As we are approaching the new fiscal year, we do still have some uncertainty about when close contact services will be resuming, therefore when activities such as camp would also be resuming.  There is in the governor's exec TV order some instructions pertaining today camps, not resident shall camps which may begin in July with social distancing requirements, capacity restriction, and other safety protocols.  So if there were some camps that chose to operate during this summer, that could fulfill those restrictions that are in place, there would potentially be the possibility for individuals served through this funding, particularly through oak hill to then have those camping opportunities.
However, as of today, I have not been informed that oak hill is intending to operate those camps.  If that changes, and the camps were for instance to resume later in the summer, we would certainly have to look towards using new year dollars to pay for those camps if we are not told before the cut off date in June that the camps would occur in the summer, keeping in mind the contract says that we pay for the registration.  And typically the registrations would occur during the month of June, and those payments would occur in June.
I am not concerned that we will run out of funding based on the current allotted level for FY 21.  Again, we don't know with absolute certainty at this moment what the budget for the agency will be in FY 21, and that is because we don't know if there are any discussions about adjustments to budget.  Andrew will, when he gives his update, let us know if there is anything more current than what I have.
But what we are being told right now is that most of the vendors have already switched over to ouring camps remotely rather than in opinion for this summer.  And part of the reason for that is there is much of advanced planning that needs to occur for a camp to actually happen during the summer.  And because of the, you know, COVID‑19 restriction, some of those plans could not proceed.  And so now, many of the vendors we work with are offering camps in a virtual way using computer based technologies to gather groups of individuals together from the safety of their own homes.
So, I just want to say that as we speak today, our plans for when these services can be resumed, or for new clients implemented in a close contact way, still remains undetermined.  And I will share as soon as I know with all of these constricted vendors when close contact services can resume.  But I did want people to have the most current update.
 SPEAKER:  Brian, sorry for interrupting.  I just want you to know we lost our captioner for a short time.  The power went out and they are working to reinstate the captioning as soon as possible.  So if anybody lost it, it should be starting up very soon.  Thank you.
(fixing captioning)  
 SPEAKER:  ‑‑ COVID‑19?  Which she can ‑‑ 
 SPEAKER:  I was wondering if there is a process of deaf blind persons because of the social distancing that you had mentioned, you can't do any in person or close contact services.  So, what are your thoughts?  Because a deaf blind person who may be going shopping, or may have a doctor's appointment require as close contact.  Do you have any suggestions on how we can deal with this issue?
 SPEAKER:  Thank you for that question, Jessie.  This is Brian.
My response would be that to the extent that remote technology could be utilized, either directly or through the help of an SSP to, for instance, order groceries for delivery.  I know of one particular large super market chain that does offer an online shopping option with a home delivery option available so that the groceries are provided without the shopper ever needing to leave their home.  I would suggest that would could be of assistance in providing the adaptive technologies for those who need them.  Or perhaps through the new employee Margo, come up with some strategies to be of assistance in helping a person during the ordering of those products.
I also believe there are some pharmacies that are also providing delivery services.  I know the pharmacy I go to, they have Steinem right there about delivery options.
I feel that for doctor's offices, many of them right now are not seeing patients in the office, unless it is an urgent issue.  They are seeing patients remotely.  I can speak for the experiences of my own son who had numerous doctor's as a part of his life and they are having their appointments with him through technology such as zoom.  They are not having him go, and when he has to go to the hospital for a follow up, the protocol is in place where tremendously strict and felt that, frankly, even though he needed to have some accommodations in order to utilize the wheelchair independently, they were not going to back away from their protocols.  So he was unable to manually operate his own wheelchair, because they require he had to have a mask.  And he operates his wheelchair through a Simmons joystick.  So we are finding that safety protocol is being first and foremost, ahead of every other consideration to stop the spread of the virus.  So, unfortunately for right now, where we are in the reopen plan, we are moving in a direction where there will be some easels as we go forward.  We are just not yet at appoint where close contact types of services where there is touch involved are ones that I can offer you an alternative, unless of course that falls into one of those very specific categories that is covered through the executive order.
 SPEAKER:  This is Lisa.  Hi.  This is Lisa through zoom.  Thank you for ‑‑ oh, sorry.  Thank you, brine.  I just want to make sure that this is very, very clear to everyone.  This, at times this can be a little bit confusing.  Because we are required to have the social distancing, we are able to meet today, which is great.  Unfortunately we weren't able to do that before.  But in my world as a deaf blind individual I became incredibly disconnected as a result of this social distancing the governor is requiring.  It was interpret shocking to me.  And you were ‑‑ you are talking about having the five new clients and bringing them in, but without having an S SP, or not having the training for the SSP or, you know, setting up safety protocols of the SSP as a result of this COVID‑19, that is concerning to me.  We need to make sure that people are safe.  We can't have close contact.  People do need to remain at a distance.  Touch is not allowed.  So for me, that is very, very confusing.  Really having a difficult time understanding it, whether touch is allowed or not allowed, that is a very confusing time right now.  But also a concern of mine as well.  I just wanted you all to be aware of that.
And I believe we also have Jason has a comment as well.
 SPEAKER:  Can I please respond ‑‑ can I please respond ‑‑ hold on one second.  Brian, hold on one second.
Again, that is Jason from Maryland, and we do have social distancing as well.  I have seen a lot of frustration within the deaf blind community, also because of braille and some websites that have been set that unfortunately access is not allowed.  The pictures have not been clear, there are are not descriptions of the pictures so unfortunately those websites that you are talking about while the technology is there, they are not accessible to deaf blind persons because they have not followed the pro toe calls for deaf blind requirements.  So there are some ‑‑ sometimes you can actually have a friend go, send the list, they can go and make the purchase for you.  But for deaf blind persons to leave the house, that has been very difficult.  We had discussions with the governor here in Maryland for guidelines for the SSPs, if a person needs to go to a hospital, or another place.  If the person is deafblind, gloves need to be used, masks needs to be used, and some SSPs prefer actually to use a full face shield when working with the deafblind consumers here in Maryland.  Because it allows them to see everything, but can reduce the concerns about the COVID being spread through someone's breathing, because they have the full face on.
So I understand that there are rules, but at the same time and we need to encourage people to be safe with those rule, but some flexibility is actually necessary to deal with some of these herbs.
Also, one of the recommendations that we ‑‑ excuse me, the Maryland governor approved a bill, a couple or three years ago that allow used us to set up home communication facilitation.  We call that the C app or communication in home.  So if you are having difficulty with relay, or unable to see sign language through the video phone, or have a interpreter, we actually can have a person come into our home to provide that interpretation.  That program will will be starting in fiscal year 21, and that will be a program similar to that would probably be a wonderful benefit for Connecticut, I just wanted to put that information out there as well.
All set, Brian, on the zoom comments.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Thank you.  This is Brian, thank you for those comments.  They are very, very helpful.  That is very much appreciated.
I believe that the COVID‑19 crisis fell upon the nation, certainly upon our state very rapidly in the middle of march.  We, on a Friday went home from work, and by Monday morning, we were finding ourselves implementing TELEWORK for 80 some employees in our ‑‑ that was across the government.  That became an overwhelming pandemic that required substantial rapid response and unfortunately, that is some of the examples that you are bringing up speak to the urgency by which the safety protocol had to be put in place, but to preserve life.  And now as we are moving forward into a reopening phase, I am hopeful that we will be sooner rather than later at a point where we can safely resume many of these important services.
I want to ensure you that I truly want to unsure you that I am very, very aware of the hardships that COVID‑19 has presented to not only the deafblind community, but to the blind community, and to those such as my son who have significant physical disabilities.  It has been a tremendous lifestyle adjustment for a great many vegs with challenges.  And I hear your recommendations and to the extent that we can implement changes, and also learn from what we experienced so that God forbid if there is ever something like this again, we would be at the ready with other protocols that we would have an ability to implement rapidly.  I think these are all things that this learning experience will allow for.  But I just wanted to finally say, you know, that please understand, your points are valid, they are heard, and we are hopeful that we can have things put in place into the future that will resolve these things for a long time to come.  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  We also have a comment from Sue PATTERSON on zoom as well.
 SPEAKER:  Hi, thank you.  This is Sue.  Again from Communication Advocacy Network, and I just want you to know we are aware of all of the safety protocols.  We have 8 SSP providers who are willing to work and help our deafblind consumers through this COVID‑19 pandemic.  They feel comfortable going out with a mask on, and bringing some of the consumers out to go food shopping, or a doctor's appointment.  They do have to sit in the back.  They need to have their masks on.  Most of the deafblind consumers have been getting a lot of help from their family is as well, but I am also very happy for Lisa and Jessie and Jason as well that I want us to be sure we are aware of the needs of a deafblind person.  And CAN, we are trying to do everything we can still following the protocols of providing the supports as necessary.  We were able to receive a grant to get a trainer for the SSP, so if we ever hire new SSPs, we will be able to train them to meet your needs with working with deafblind consumers.  With we also appreciate the feedback we are received as well as trying to keep you informed as we try to move forward through them unfortunately, we have to also follow the governor's protocols so doing the best we can, and concerned about your safety as much as our employee's safety as well.  But we definitely do appreciate your comments.  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  This is Hannah Tyler, the Chair.  I just wanted to alert you, it is almost 12:00 p.m.  Maybe a couple minutes.
Brian, I don't know if the translators stop at 12:00 p.m.?  But it is getting to a closing time.
 SPEAKER:  Hannah, if I may, Pat Clark, can I ask a question?  Because it was kind of due to technical difficulties that we got a fairly delayed start.  I believe the chairperson didn't get a chance to call the meeting to order until 10:20 a.m. 
 SPEAKER:  Oh.  But it is ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  Are we able to continue on because of that?
 SPEAKER:  Sure.  Yes.
 SPEAKER:  Brian, we have to check with the interpreters to see whether or not they are available.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Can you please let us know then?
 SPEAKER:  Hold on ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  This is Sara.
 SPEAKER:  Go ahead, Sara.
 SPEAKER:  Sorry, this is Sara DAGASTINO, I could remain on the call until 12:30 p.m., but I would have to leave at 12:30 p.m. 
 SPEAKER:  I need leave at 12:15 p.m. for another appointment.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  So my understanding, Pat, is that we must have two interpreters; is that correct?
 SPEAKER:  We could check to see whether or not Sara would be able to cover for the last 15 minutes alone.  But that would be her decision.
 SPEAKER:  This is Sara.  Yes, in the interest of the technology and everything that everybody has gone through to set this meeting up, I absolutely would be able to continue the final 15 minutes on my own.  Definitely.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you, Sara.  Appreciate it.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you all.
So Hannah, I guess to answer your question, since we had the delay in the start of the meeting, unless there is any objection from any of the membership to continue, I would recommend that you continue on.  Open it up to see if anybody objects to continuing to the agenda and go from there.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  So does anyone have any questions ‑‑ well.
 SPEAKER:  This is ‑‑ sorry.  This is Al.  I apologize but I have to leave, I have another meeting at noon.  So unless we need to take a vote and there is no quorum I will have to excuse myself.
 SPEAKER:  No objection to the meeting continuing?
 SPEAKER:  No objection.  Just I will not be here.  So no point in my objecting.  So I just have to leave.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  So there is still a quorum.  So thank you.
 SPEAKER:  All right.  Thank you, guys.  Thank you, Alan.
 SPEAKER:  This is Karen Olson, I wanted to let you know that Tracy had to leave.  So if there are any more votes coming up, I will vote in her stead.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian, thank you for letting us know.  So for quorum purposes, we will still allow for that vote, thank you.
 SPEAKER:  Brian?
 SPEAKER:  Yes?
 SPEAKER:  This is Barbara.  I can only stay on until 12:15 p.m.  So same thing.  If we need a quorum, I don't know how that will effect that.
 SPEAKER:  We have a pretty strong quorum at the moment.  So I think we will be okay.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  Hannah, I guess the next item on the agenda is Andrew Norton and the legislative and budget update.
 SPEAKER:  Yes.  I apologize for jumping into that earlier.  But let's get to the legislation and budget updates.  Andrew?
 SPEAKER:  Hello.  Well, maybe mercilessly in the course of time, don't have much to report.  Ages and disability services had a bill with really just some minor changes in the law we were anticipating asking for.  And then also just as an aside, the advisory group for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing was working on a couple of ideas.  They got a lot done on the education front last year, but there was one more idea they were looking into.  But again there, the legislature went home in mid March with the idea that for four days they would do a deep scrubbing of the building.  And then come back.  They have never come back.  A handful of legislators came back in the first week of May to officially adjourn the session.  So they have, in effect, transacted no business, you know, that the governor has delegated powers for six months to act in an emergency, so that holds true for a few more months of.  I think they do want to get back to pass a budget, and of course now, there is a lot of interest in coming back to address the policing.  And policing protocols because of the recent huge controversy across the whole country.  But I don't know when the legislature will reconvene even to pass a couple of big items.  But I don't think in pursuing the bills that we were interested in.  And so, the legislature for the first time in a long, long, long time really had no session in effect.  Again, they got a few items of business before they went home done, but not much.  And so, it really will be mostly ‑‑ and for most people's ideas for legislation, see ya next year.  So that is kind of my report.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you, Andrew.  That is understandable.
 SPEAKER:  Andrew, this is Brian.  Do you have anymore recent information on the budget situation?
 SPEAKER:  I just don't.  I know that the legislature is, of course, anticipating in the branch shortfalls in revenue from sales taxes and income taxes in the case where there hasn't been as many sales and as much income.  But, I haven't seen any particular proposals, because they were talking about needing to cut the budget to make up for revenue losses.  But I have not seen any specific proposal ‑‑ even now, maybe I missed something?  But I haven't seen a specific date for coming back in.  I would guess that maybe we will come back in the July?  But what they will act upon, if they feel they need to pass a budget, I just don't know.  And as you may recall that Connecticut now operates with a 2‑year budget, but they really almost always work on the budget even half way through the two year budget to at least fine tune the second year of the two year budget, which will start July first.  But the need isn't as great to take action, because there is a budget that is in law.  So I think they will want to come back in to do a budget, but I just don't know when.  There may be people at the high level crafting some proposals but they haven't been share with me, or shared publicly just yet.
 SPEAKER:  Okay, thank you.
I guess the next agenda item is me, that is the report from the MESBI director.  And at this point I would like to defer to Chris Lassen so that he may introduce the staff person Margo Santos and talk about how things are being structured with her being brought on board and then Margo can have a couple moments to talk just a little bit about her background as that relates to deafblindness.  So, Chris?
 SPEAKER:  Thank you very much, Brian.
So, many of you remember Marsha Brown who for many years worked to facilitate a lot of the operations behind the scenes and during the meetings of the deafblind advisory committee.  Marsha retired on December 31st.  And in the months there after, we were fortunate to be able to advertise for a couple of social worker replacements and we did that and some time in march, we were fortunate enough to be able to hire two new social worker, one of whom is Margo Santos who is assuming a lot of the responsibility of case management for the clients with deafblindness and also doing a lot of the work along with me at the beginning to facilitate the deafblind advisory committee and process pay.S to our vendors.  So Margie Santos will not just be work welcome clients with deafblindness, but covering a case load of clients in northwestern Connecticut, but that will be smaller than the typical goa graphic area in recognition of the need for her to provide some intensive case management.  So I would like to introduce Margie and ask her to tell you a little about herself.
 SPEAKER:  This is Margie Santos, thank you Chris for that introduction.
I just like to speak a little bit about myself and I am hired as the new social worker.  And my personal background is I am married to a man who was mainstream, but he does have usher syndrome type two.  When we first got the diagnosis of him going to be losing his vision, I went to school at heck community college to learn sign language and took the Deaf studies program.  I then furthers my education to become a rehabilitation and community counselor and I am a certified rehabilitation counselor.  I have been ‑‑ I worked for a non‑profit agencies that work with individuals who are visually impaired and that have also their use and transition.  And so there was learning different career explorations.  I also worked in group homes that had individuals who were all deaf, all of the staff were deaf, and the individuals that were in the group home, they had intellect shall disabilities, and I also have experience as a program coordinator working with cleans that have a disability for the wall green's ready program.  That is a program that takes clients who have a disability and place them in a wall green's and we teach them different customer service skills and just how to facilitate the individual to obtain a job.
And then lastly, I also worked with in collaborating with ‑‑ I am from Massachusetts.  So I worked with mass rehabilitation communication and that along with the hire CF and we were able to get out of our 12 student that we had that had deferent types of disabilities, they all varied we were able to place 9 of the 12 students that had a disability into CVS pharmacies working as a pharmacy technician.  And then lastly, very familiar with the SSP services of from Massachusetts, which is the DB can connect, or DBCAN, sorry.  That is a different program, so DBCAN is a program that is similar to the CAN program in Connecticut.  And at the time, that was approximately 20 years ago I start with that.  I have been an on and off provider with them.  When things were kind of like very busy for me in school I would take time off and then when they needed me again I would work.  So I have been on and off working with people in the, you know, for the SSP services.  So that is a little bit about my background and history and stuff.
I am very much an advocate at heart, that is my heart to help people and to advocate for them so they can ‑‑ so people can do things and it is society that puts the barriers on them and that rally frustrates me and bothers me with the baryes that are in place right now with the COVID and the pandemic that take into consideration is very frustrating to see how people with a visual impairment and are Deaf, they cannot communicate and, in my opinion, they are being very isolated and that really bothers me.  So hopefully we can get some other accommodations, like working with the government and things like that.  So to facilitate getting out into the community and my personal belief is if an SSP worker would like to work with somebody who has a deafblindness, if the two of them have agreed and communicate with each other that they are going to go out, my personal belief is they should be able to make that decision themselves.  But that is just my personal opinion.  But I will come under and submit myself to what the agency's rules are.  But that is just how I feel with my heart, to facilitate all communications.  So that is just a little bit about me.  And then I will be taking over clients that receive the CAN services, and also the northwest territory ‑‑ or the north ‑‑ Yes, the northwest territory of Connecticut.  I am looking forward to starting.  It has been difficult starting from home, but very grateful that I am able to start at home.  I have been doing a lot of training with the other social workers and with conferences ‑‑ like this conference call.  So that has been very Ben for for me to be home and to learn the different things that are deferent.  But I am up for the task.  So, thank is ‑‑ okay, that is all I have.
 SPEAKER:  Well thank you Margie, that is an impressive background and so glad with what you intend to do.
 SPEAKER:  Hannah, excuse me.  This is Lisa.  I have a comment.
Hi Margie, very nice to meet you.  I am very surprised that you have been hired, but at the same time, very excited by it.  I had wanted a deafblind social worker and honestly, there was a little bit of disappointment because you are hearing.  I realize that you have a lot of experience, but I was looking forward to working with a deafblind person to help educate the community about deafblind needs.  So, I am a little bit surprised that you were hired, that you have been hired, because I didn't have information on it, I wasn't notified about it.  So I hope that there will be more deafblind persons hired and working in BESB?  
Again, this is my opinion, and that is very nice to meet you, but I think that would be a great benefit for BESB.
 SPEAKER:  This is Margie.  I understand ‑‑ like, I get it.  My husband is of the mindset that, you know, people that have deafblindness, they can do anything.  So I am also coming from the other aspect of somebody who is like my husband.  Deafblindness comes in many different forms.  My husband was mainstreamed, he was not in a Deaf school and he did not learn sign language.  And I really do believe of the whole communication of everyone being able to communicate, whether that be someone like my husband who is not accepted culturally he is ‑‑ I mean, he is kind of accepted, but not really accepted by the deafblind community, because he doesn't know sign language.  But then also not accepted by the hearing world, because he is, in their mind, he is deaf, he is blind, so I am like in the middle.  I feel like I am more of a go between to help people who are like my husband.  There are other clients that have ‑‑ that are hard of hearing, but considered deaf.  You know, looking at an audiologist's report, they are considered moderate to severely deaf.  And they really do need the services that are needed at CAN.  They are isolated as well.  I mean, not as isolated as someone who has full deafness, but they ‑‑ I really feel that my job is to help with all people to get the communication T access that they need.  So I do hear what you are saying.  And my husband and I totally believe that people needed to be given an opportunity.  They have skills and they can speak to the situation where somebody as having vision and having hear, you really truly can't see it, except that we see it through someone else.  So I live it through my husband, the frustration that he is going through.  My brother is also blind and has an intellectual disability and is hard of hearing so much I see what he is living through too.  So that is mow I feel my job, I do really have a heart to help Minnesota who has any type of a disability, or that is culturally deaf, that is just my heart.  And I hate to see lines drawn.  I just want to facilitate salesperson I look forward to meeting everybody and just so you understand too, I look at each person as a veg.  And I look forward to working with everybody.  And I hope that came out not like offensive or anything, I am hoping that the way that is being presented is that I am very inclusive of all people and I just want people to know that about me.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you, Madam Chair, that concludes the director's report.  So where I am to report from the chair, and then the announcements and just as a time check, we have the interpreter for 9 more minutes.
 SPEAKER:  And Brian, this is Lisa.  I have a comment back to Margie.
I just ‑‑ I wanted to be able to say something.  You know, I just feel like it is time now to, you know, break down the barriers.  As a deaf blind person, you know, over the years I wouldn't say anything, but I really ‑‑ I need the say something now.  There is a culture within the deafblind community.  And that is very important that a person who is working with the deafblind person be aware of that culture.  I understand that you are open and you work with all people, but there is a tough touch that is required and there is cultural norms within that touch.  And how to touch.  And I just want to be sure you are aware of all of that.
 SPEAKER:  This is Margie.  Yes.  I am very aware.  I did get an education, you know, in Deaf studies and again, I have many deaf friends so I am aware of that.  And again, I am just ‑‑ I am not trying to draw lines or anything, but I am ‑‑ I am very inclusive of all people.  And hopefully people will see me that way as well.
 SPEAKER:  Okay ‑‑
 SPEAKER:  So again.  This is Lisa again.  And another question for you, Margie.  I understand that you are very inclusive, but again, I want to be sure, this is very very important to me that where you have an understanding of deafblind culture.  And also, are you fluent in ASL?  Fluent in the different communication styles within the deafblind community?  You know, there are semideaf blind persons who speak, there are semideaf blind persons who use American Sign Language, I just want to be sure you are versed in all of the different types of communication and that you are fluent in sign language.
 SPEAKER:  Yes, this is Margie.  I did go to school to learn sign language, I originally wanted to be a interpreter.  I decided to not become a interpreter, because I saw how it was translating information to another and being, you know, married to a man that is hard of hearing, or in the world that is deaf, I saw that there is miscommunications all of the time.  And I would stop the conversation and I would say ‑‑ he didn't understand you.  My husband was thinking that the conversation was a certain way, but then it wasn't.  So I knew as a interpreter I wouldn't be able to interrupt and stop it.  So I decided I backed out of being a interpreter.
I am very aware of the different types of communication modes.  And I also have worked with different people in Massachusetts that use SSP services of that communicate in different ways.  So I am very aware ‑‑ I haven't used sign language for almost a year, so if I don't use it, I lose it.  I am looking forward to rebuilding my skills back again, and I will do my best to facilitate anything ‑‑ you know, any communication that people have.
 SPEAKER:  Madame Chair, you are almost about ready to lose the interpreters based on the time.  So I would ask that you take charge of the agenda.
 SPEAKER:  Oh.  Okay.  Brian, so now we will ...
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian.  The report from the chair.
 SPEAKER:  This is Lisa, again.  I just want to say I am disappointed that you hired a hearing person.  I realize that you are ‑‑
(overlapping voices) 
 SPEAKER:  ‑‑ I want to understand that there is so much that is necessary as a deafblind person, I want to be sure that this person is fully aware of deafblind culture.  And really looking forward to working with a deafblind person, a deafblind social worker, and I just want you to understand right now how I am feeling about this hiring.
 SPEAKER:  Can I ‑‑ excuse me.  I would like to interrupt as the adult services program supervisor.  This position was advertised in accordance with state guidelines and regulations.  We interviewed quite a number of candidates.  We were required to consider not just the needs of the deafblind community, but the needs of all of our clients.  We at present staff have only 5 case managers having only added Margie and one of her colleagues.  And so, I want to make it clear that we picked the best two candidates from among the ‑‑ those who applied for those positions.  And I don't think it is productive any longer to dwell on our not having hired a person with deafblindness.  We advertised, we hired the two most qualified candidates and we will go forth and do our absolute best to serve every client with legal blindness in the state.
 SPEAKER:  This is Brian.  I must chime in, because the interpreters are going to be gone in 3 minutes, which means this meeting must adjourn in 3 minutes.  
So Madame Chair, I have to turn the meeting back to you.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  All right.
May we have a vote to adjourn?
 SPEAKER:  You need a motion, Madam Chair.
 SPEAKER:  A motion, I am sorry.
 SPEAKER:  This is Eric from zoom.  This is Eric.  I make a motion.  I make ‑‑ hi, this is Eric.  I make a motion to adjourn.
 SPEAKER:  This is Karen Olson, I second.
 SPEAKER:  Okay.  The meeting is adjourned.  Thank you all for coming.  That has been certainly a challenging time, but we have covered so much.  I appreciate all of the conversation.  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you, Madam Chair for conducting the meeting.  Very much appreciate it.
 SPEAKER:  Thank you.
(Meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.)  
"This text is being provided in a rough draft format.  Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the class."