WRA Newsletter Archive
WRA Newsletter, Spring 2005 |
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WRA
Newsletter Article 1
President’s Message:
| Karol Buckingham (President) Happy spring everyone! Recently, WRA completed a membership survey, and a significant number of respondents wanted membership certificates and/or cards. The WRA Board is happy to report they are ready for distribution. If you receive this newsletter by regular mail, they are included in this mailing. If you receive this via email, watch for your new certificate in the mail. |
The National Organization for Disability website has a startling article entitled Landmark Disability Survey Finds
Pervasive Disadvantages. According to this article: -Only 35% of people with disabilities reported employment compared to 78% of those without disabilities. -Three times as many live in poverty with annual incomes below $15000 -People with disabilities remain twice as likely to drop out of high school. -They are twice as likely to have inadequate transportation. -People with disabilities remain twice as likely to drop out of high school. -They are twice as likely to have inadequate transportation, and a much higher percentage go without needed health care. (18% vs. 7%). -People with disabilities are less likely to socialize, eat out, or attend religious services than their non disabled counterparts. These statistics are appalling! Given current budget constraints, it is more important now to collaborate and build relationships with other agencies to make your voice heard. Another method is to join and become active in professional membership organizations such as the National Rehabilitation Association, and local chapters and divisions such as the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association. |
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Inside this issue:
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 Jackie and Glen "wrestle" conference issues More pictures inside! | Each year, WRA collaborates with Rehabilitation for Wisconsin (RFW) for an annual conference. The event was held this spring from April 13-15th at the American Club in Kohler, and provided a great opportunity to network, build relationships and learn “best practices”
WRA also sends representatives to the NRA Government Affairs Summit, is active in advocacy for rehabilitation services, and helps sponsor the “Rehabilitation Technology Expo” in the fall at UW Madison. As you can see in this issue, there are many special interest areas you can get involved in through chapter membership, such as counseling (WRCA), job placement (JPD) and multi-cultural issues (NAMRC), to name a few. So here is the challenge—I encourage every member to recruit at least one new member. I also hope you will consider joining a chapter of WRA, and running for a board position of interest to you If you have new member referrals, or any questions about future conferences or events,contact Karol Buckingham at 608 327 9250, or at www.dimensionsassociates.com |
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WRA Newsletter Articles 2
Awards ArticlesJPD Awards and Activities
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| The Wisconsin Job Placement and Development Division of the Wisconsin
Rehabilitation Association meets throughout the year with the purpose
of enhancing efforts directed toward competitive placement of people
with disabilities. In 2004 JPD co-sponsored a training conference
at UW-Stout entitled “Psychiatric Disorders in the Workplace”.
This training was very well received. JPD is now busy planning another
training session to be held this fall—watch for the upcoming
news! JPD honored employers for their efforts in hiring persons with a disability by having “employer of the year” awards. JPD also sponsors a $200. Scholarship to a student who is enrolled in the in the field of rehabilitation, placement or a related field. If you are interested in any of the JPD efforts, or would like to join or attend a meeting, contact Ava Gray at (715) 848-4585. |
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JPD Franchise Employer of the Year |
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| Ranch Community Services in Menomonie Falls, Wi. nominated The Gap
for Franchise Employer of the Year. The Ranch has worked with Gap
stores in the Milwaukee-Waukesha area since 1998, and has 5 people
with disabilities employed at their clothing stores in the Mayfair,
Bayshore, Grand Avenue, and Brookfield Square Malls. |
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| The Gap has worked to foster self sufficiency and promote community integration even off store premises. The Gap taught one worker, Brian, how to obtain his own cup of coffee at his break, so he did not have to wait for others to get it for him. With Carl, they made accommodations in how he punches in, so he can do it independently. Carl now uses a swipe card verses having to remember his ID number. | With Nick, the Gap staff have provided daily coaching on how he can improve as a worker (and get more hours). The staff have met with both his parents and the Ranch staff to look at his strengths and weaknesses, and what can be done to make him a more valuable employee. Many other employers wouldn’t show the patience that The Gap has shown with Nick. If you would like more information about The Ranch’s work with The Gap, then please call Beth Lohmann at 262 251 870, ext. 315 or Tom Shafer at 262 251 8679 ext 222. You can also e-mail us at blohmann@ranchwi.org, or tShafer@ranchwi.org | |||
WRA Newsletter Article 3
Wisconsin Rehabilitation Counseling
Association (WRCA) |
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| John Lui, President At the recent RFW/WRA conference, WRCA again organized and provided continuing education credits. As usual, WRCA provided a $400. Thornton Fund scholarship for a student to attend the conference—the recipient this year was Jessica Moret, a UW Stout student. To help offset the cost, the Board Members donated items for a gift basket and sold raffle tickets at the conference. Through their hard work, enough money was raised for next year’s scholarship. WRCA will continue to work with the conference planners to make sure that we deliver sessions specifically recommended or sponsored by WRCA to meet the needs of our membership. For 2005, one of our goals is to establish a stronger relationship with WRA, our parent organization, so that WRCA member needs are included in their planning process in terms of website use, conferences and membership recruitment and retention. To this end, we have had very fruitful dialog with Karol Buckingham, 2005 WRA president. At the present time, we are working closely with Dr. Norm Bervin of UW-Madison to plan for the Tech Expo this fall—more details to follow. | WRCA, as one of the entities allowed by the Wisconsin State Board to approve LPC continuing education units, intends to develop a Continuing Education Review Program as one of our long term goals. As a result of member feedback, we also want to focus on other training opportunities for our members during the year. Another goal is to develop a mentorship system between students and practitioners. This may explain why we are interested in becoming part of the WRA website which, if feasible, could provide a forum for dialogue and possibly a discussion board. To assess your interests and needs, we will do a membership survey this fall—again, your response is much appreciated. It is my strong belief that CONTINUITY is the key to maintain our focus. As a steward of this organization for a short duration of 12 months, I will therefore work closely with Susie Eberhard, WRCA Past President, and Cayte Anderson, WRCA President-Elect. I also urge you to get involved with WRCA. (Editors note: John Lui has been a member of WRCA since 1973, and is a past president of NRA) | |
WRA Newsletter Article 4
National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns |
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| Linda Sanchez-Reid The Wisconsin chapter of NARMC has been working with UMOS in promoting services to benefit migrant workers with disabilities and with Native Americans with disabilities as this year’s focus | The Wisconsin Chapter of NARMC also sponsored door prizes at the WRA hospitality reception at the recent RFW/WRA conference. NAMRC is offering to offset the cost of one member to attend the annual conference in San Antonio, TX July 20-24. To qualify for the $180. Registration cost, you can call to request an application form that you will need to fill out and return by May 30, 2005, to be considered for the selection process. The selected person will need to make their own travel arrangements or may ride down with me as one cost effective option, and may share the cost of the hotel fee with another attendee. Please call Linda Sanchez-Reid at 262-335-5327 or 920-420-7577. |
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| The WRCA raffle is a hot ticket at the RFW/WRA conference! |  |
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WRA Newsletter Article 5
THE 2005 REHABILITATION AND
TRANSITION CONFERENCE |
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| Dennis Carriere, Program Chair
The 2005 WRA/RFW Rehabilitation and Training Conference was held on April 13 at the American Club in Kohler, and attended by 438 individuals. Information and insights were gained from keynote speakers and break-out sessions focusing on disabilities, employment, transition, risk management, disability grants, ethics, and more. On Wednesday, Keynote speaker Terry Ludeman, Department of Workforce Development labor economist, presented labor market statistics, the impact of persons with disabilities in Wisconsin’s Labor market shortage, and enlightened the audience with statistics of male to female salaries: Wisconsin ranks 45th, ahead of Alabama and West Virginia. On Thursday, Keynote speaker Alvin Law, who was born in the 60’s without arms due to Thalidomide, told the audience that he believes no one is handicapped; with the right tools, contacts and motivation, everyone is able to do something to better society. He went on to demonstrate what he was told he “couldn’t do” , like play the piano, or perform a perfect drum roll with his feet. Allen Anderson’s video conference focused on generating employment outcomes, and drew over 125 in Kohler, Madison and Steven’s Point. Mr. Anderson believes job developers should develop a relationship with employers to foster good communication and to assist employers with their unmet needs. WRA provided four conference scholarships to area rehabilitation students, including Anthony Dzialowy from Chippewa Falls (UW-Stout), Susan Zwicker from Neenah (Lakeland College), Ramon Wemmer from Menomonie (UW-Stout), and Dawn Heckenkamp from Menomonie (UW-Stout). Initial reports are that they all found the conference very interesting, and we hope they will join us again. Congratulations! Congratulations as well to Laura Rice and Kaylen Hagens. Laura Rice, the director of the Wisconsin State Use Program, won the Government Leadership Award, and Kaylen Hagens, social worker for the Columbia County Dept. of Health and Family Services, won the Rehabilitation Leadership award. (pictures below courtesy of RFW website) |
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 Kaylen Hagens and RFW president Michael Kirby |
 Laura Rice and Michael Kirby | |
WRA Newsletter Article 6
CONFERENCE PICTURES! |
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 What a spread! Refreshments provided at the hospitality session by REACH and NARL |
 Disability navigators plot their course... |
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 Bob Marley and Kate Pierson (B-52’s) |
 The Music Men ! |
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 ALL kinds of people...unite and PARTY! |
L-R: Cayte Anderson WRA legislative chair,
Jim Hill WRA president-elect, Karol Buckingham, 2005 WRA president
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WRA Newsletter Article 7
| WRA C/O Karol Buckingham
Dimensions 313 W. Beltline U.S, highway, Suite 120 Madison, Wi. 53713 |
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Calender of Events2005 NAMRC Training Conference.“Focusing on the Future: Realizing Multicultural Rehabilitation Outcomes” July 20-24, 2005 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, san Antonio, Texas. 2005 Wisconsin Rehabilitation Technology Expo. UW Madison. TBA. Usually last Friday in September. 2005 NRA Annual Training Conference and Exhibit Showcase. October 27-30, 2005 Hilton Mark Center, Alexandria, VA. 2006 Rehabilitation and Transition Conference. April 19-21, 2006 at the American Club, Kohler. Reserve your room today at 1-800-344-2838. |
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WRA Newsletter, Spring 2005 |
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