What does the E.D. really do for people with disabilities

This was picked up floating around and we are asking people's input to enlighten the Board of Directors how much time is involved to complete this work for her classes. Prep work, home work and anything else you can add would be greatly appreciated. If the E.D was not doing this at the expense of NILP and taking valuable services, funding and time from people with disabilities why then is she using NILP's e-mail address and telephone as her business address. Why does the BOD not request to see her e-mail and phone records.

Dear NILP Board Members,

As concerned taxpayers and advocates for people with disabilities we have a moral obligation to point out issues of concern about NILP.

We would like to bring to your attention the fact that the Executive Director of the Northeast Independent Living Program, inc. is using federal and state resources and funding for her own personal business as an adjunct professor, although, this may not be illegal it is highly unethical. As a board member each of you has a personal responsibility to ensure legal and ethical integrity. The board is ultimately responsible for adherence to legal standards and ethical norms. Do you know that the ED is using her NILP email and phone number as her contact information for her classes? If not, why do you not know and do you approve of the agency’s resources being used in this manner? This is a serious misuse of NILP’s staff, resources and funding and should be addressed immediately.

The Executive Director should be concentrating and performing the job duty’s she was hired to do and not using NILP resources, and funding for her own personal gain. We are asking that the Board of Directors address this issue as soon as possible and that the same be placed into her personal file.

There is an agency bus that has been sitting in the parking lot for many months sitting idle and not being used because the current van driver does not want to get his CDL license. We ask you then why is he still employed at NILP? This vehicle was purchased so that participants and the general public could have access to transportation. The Board of Director’s needs to be asking for accountability in matters that may potentially harm this organization! These vehicles are provided thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Transportation under the Mobility Assistance Program (MAP) under Chapter 33 of the Acts of 1991 and Section 5310 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended. Additionally, the Stevens Foundation, of North Andover generously provided them with the required 20% match. What would the Office of Transportation and the Stevens Foundation think about the bus sitting in a parking lot and not being used?

Program Eval & Assessment 6230 Graduate Lecturer: June Cowen

Program Evaluation and Assessment EDU 6230

Spring 2010 Syllabus

Course Schedule: Boston Campus

Start Date: Tuesday evenings from 5:50pm- 8:00pm

Beginning the week of April 12, 2010 – May 17, 2010

Six week Blended Learning Course

Location: Boston Campus

Instructor: June Cowen, B.S Ed, M.S. M.

Contact Info: jcowen@nilp.org

978-687-4288 ext.139

Required Text: Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels (3rd Edition, Donald Kirkpatrick

Course Description Program evaluation and assessment is critical to quality assurance and continuous improvement. In this course, students will learn how to establish goals based on measurable outcomes and how to set benchmarks for performance measurement. Mechanisms that demonstrate value added are also important to organizations that sponsor training and development efforts. Students will learn how to demonstrate the impact of a program on an organization's bottom line. In addition, issues related to accreditation and other academic program reviews will be examined.

Course Learning Objectives:

Upon Completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Define Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation.

2. Demonstrate how to write training and education goals based upon measurable outcomes.

3. Define performance management, Key performance Indicators (KPI) and ROI as it relates to

organizational learning outcomes.

4. Compare and Contrast benchmarks and benchmarking steps in organizational learning and

higher education environments.

5. Define the impact of sociolinguistic cultural differences into program evaluation efficacy.

6. Design a program evaluation tool for use in an organizational learning context or higher education environment.

7. Build and present a lesson or seminar that will serve as a capstone to integrate your own personal learning journey about assessment and program evaluation.

Teaching Strategies, Lectures, Student Presentations, Case Studies, Peer

Mentoring, Course Requirements, Assigned Readings, Current Events/articles- Abstracts & Presentations

FYI salaries for 2008 and 2009

I just got finished reading the minutes from the Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council meetings. I find it both ironic and hilarious that I.L. Centers say they are under funded.

Has anyone really been following this blog, does anyone think there is any false information on this blog. If any information on here is false I am sure that the lawyers would have pushed harder to get it removed or would have taken action. It is stated below that the NILP's budget in 16 short months went from $804.601 up to $1,009.699, someone please tell me where there is a shortage of money's.

I think that the wrong approach has been used here to explain the salary of the E.D. For those of you who lost your jobs, or on fixed incomes, have to survive on SSI or SSDI and are having a very difficult time making ends meet on $1,000 to $1,500 per month, give this some serious thought when you hear other people say ILC are under-funded, the ED at NILP makes approximately $8,500.00 per month, and has given what she calls her loyal staff some major increases in their salary.

Taken from the minutes of the SILC meetings.

Joe Castelani My name is Joe Castellani, Executive director of Ad lib, and I just wanted to say that we support the executive director input as presented by Mary Margaret. I look forward to that again and I think it adequately addresses the historical underfunding of the centers, takes into account the real probability that we're going to endorse some more cuts very quickly, and has a plan for us to cope with these cuts.

It is proven that ILC have been grossly under-funded for years but please do support those IL centers that are using their funding for you, using their funding to provide advocacy to help you as a person with a disability live a more independent life style.

The year ending in June 2009 the agency had less employees either terminated or left because of the hostile environment.

Figures received from the Statement of Functional Expenses for the year ending in 2009 the salaries range went from $804.601 in 2008 to $1,009.699 in 2009. Ask yourself how can this be with LESS staff.

If you are a Massachusetts Taxpayer or a person with a disability you need to take action to save NILP. If you continue to sit back and not take action then your tax dollars will continue to be wasted and people with disabilities - have been and will continue moving backwards, again.

People with Disabilities First

Should be People with Disabilities First

The Council is working with a broad coalition of human service providers to implore the Governor and Legislature to put People First! when considering any 9C cuts to the state budget. This campaign will continue through the FY 2011 budget deliberations. The People First! campaign will have many messages, but one banner to reflect the solidarity of our mission driven work. You will be hearing more about this campaign in the days to come.

Update: Please sign our petition asking Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo to put People First! when crafting the FY '11 budget!

For more information on our public policy efforts and this initiative, or to learn about other ways to get involved, please contact Michael Ripple.

Urge Governor Patrick to Save Programs that Strengthen our Communities

Clients, consumers, caregivers, and our communities are taking action on October 20th to call on Governor Deval Patrick and the legislature to put people first and find alternatives to cutting vital programs that support the most vulnerable in our communities.

Human services and the residents of the Commonwealth that we serve have shouldered the burden of this year’s budget cuts, with countless individuals losing services they depend on and countless caregivers losing jobs. And now, the Commonwealth faces another budget shortfall and the likelihood of further cuts.

Clubhouse advocates showed out in numbers at the State House to SAVE OUR CLUBHOUSES. The old NILP would have been there supporting other disability organizations. Well we have more bad news for you, keep tuned in more to follow. We are waiting for the minutes to give you word by word details, during the hearing and after the hearing.

This happened to be on the Independent Living of the North Shore's web page and just thought it should be shared with everyone on here. It was said from the start that an Independent Living Center should be run BY and FOR people with disabilities. It's a remorseful day when someone is promoted to interim assistant director who does not have the qualifications for the position and does not have the disability community in their best interest.

On June 26,2009 more than 200 activists jammed into and around Nurses Hall in the Massachusetts State House to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision. It was great to see most of the IL's Executive Directors in attendance.

A choice few from the New NILP office showed up for a quick appearance, but could not take the time to join in with other activists to deliver the position platform and to thank Governor Deval Patrick, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Therese Murray, but referred to those who chose to stay and participate as DERELICTS.

According to the statement on the blog at the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann it was posted that the interim assistant director stated that Charles Carr (MRC Commissioner), Bill Henning (Executive Director of the Boston Center for Independent Living), Mary Margaret Moore (Executive Director of ILCNS),Jean Mcguire (Assistant Secretary of Disability Policy) and Secretary Bigby (Executive Office of Health and Human Services) "all blew hot air, and it was a hugh waste of time".

Short Update's

This was taken for the Rumbo News paper dated August 1, 2009. "The salaries in the Human Service field are not especially high. Estimates from national data a few years ago suggested that earnings for beginning workers ranged from the low $20,000s to the low $30,000 range per year. So, individuals who pursue this field need to know that they are not going to get rich". Makes me wonder if NECCO ever looked into the salaries at NILP, and maybe the B.O.D should have done some research such as this before their decision over a year ago.

Some interesting news was posted on the blog site at the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann Center related to NILP's interim assistant directors take on a rally held at the State House. Sorry to say it has since been removed from that blog site, but stay tuned I have a feeling it will be showing up again.

As you all know some long time advocates and dedicated people for the Independent Living Movement have been terminated or had resigned for that agency. Keep up your good work and don't let the movement take any more steps backwards, enough damage has been done.

Thanks to all that have visited this site, and left comments or questions, further updates will follow in the near future.

Read First - Dear Friends - I need your help

Dear friend,

As you read this letter, you have probably been touched in one way or another by the Northeast Independent Living Program. Maybe they helped you find an affordable, accessible apartment or advocated with you for benefits. Perhaps you received support with eligibility and ongoing use of personal care assistance; employment assistance; access to interpreters; accessibility complaints, and the list goes on.

NILP has touched thousands of people like you and me for the past 30 years. Many of you weren’t even born when it started. What would you do if NILP slowly slipped away and then one day was gone? Think about it! Do not think too long because it’s happening as you read this.

The Northeast Independent Living Program was built on a strong foundation of consumer control. Since its inception, people with disabilities who live this life every day and personally understand why programs and services are so important to our lives have run it. Unfortunately, that has changed. The board of directors of NILP recently chose a non-disabled executive director to pick up where Charlie Carr left off after 27 years. He and his staff set the standard for Independent living in Massachusetts. Sadly, the Board of Directors had an opportunity and, quite honestly, a moral imperative to fill this position with a qualified person with a disability. Not only have they failed, but also they have opened the door to the slow death of the most important source of community living for people with all types of disabilities in the greater Merrimack Valley – NILP.

Based upon my experience and training at NILP as well as the federal standards and assurances that NILP must meet as a center for independent living my observation of the Board's choice for the new Executive Director of NILP leads me to question the Board's capability to fulfill the mandates of the articles of Organization and By-Laws of NILP.

The cost of your inaction and outrage will truly be a gradual loss of your independence. Most definitely, the executive director does not understand your needs, and will do what’s expedient to run a business. Quite often, business decisions compromise consumer control and don’t embrace choice. Only a leader with a disability who is in a position to make these business decisions will stop and find other ways to keep the Independent living philosophy intact as well as taking care of the bottom line.

I call on you to rise up and take a stand for independence. Stand up for consumer control and choice in NILP. This decision the Board of Directors made can be changed and must be changed! Only you can do it. You must join in with a growing number of voices calling for a reversal of the decision to install a non-disabled Executive Director. NILP must return to its rightful place with a qualified person with a disability as its leader; as its executive director.

Here’s how…

• We must demand that the executive director:
• Embraces and is knowledgeable of the Independent Living paradigm/movement
• Possesses extensive personal and professional experience and credibility with disability services and systems
• Has experience with the cross disability and cross-age services programs and services
• Has experience with consumer control as defined in Title VII and is knowledgeable with the federally defined standards and assurances for Independent Living Centers
• Has knowledge of requirements of the state service delivery system for persons with disabilities
• Has experience and knowledge of the state purchase of service rules and operations specifically for: cost reimbursement, unit rate costs, and Medicaid provider regulations
• Possesses knowledge about alternative methods of communication
• Is sensitive to cultural competency issues.

I ask that you please join me in requesting an emergency meeting of the Board of Director’s to address issues relating to what appears in my eyes to be the Board’s violation of the NILP's mission, placing in jeopardy NILP's commitment to the IL paradigm, and a breach of faith with NILP’s participants.

We must act now so whatever you can do to save NILP’s commitment to consumer control (writing a letter to the Board, attending a Board meeting to voice your concerns, etc.) please let me know.

I had requested under the Freedom of Information Act a list of NILP’s participant’s, and the contract between the Executive Director and the Northeast Independent Living Program, and was denied access to this information.

NILP is going through some drastic changes that will affect all of our lives. I need your help and cooperation to get this valuable information distributed.

I am pleading for anyone that knows of a participant of the Northeast Independent Living Program to have them e-mail me with their name and address so that I can send out this information regarding what impact the board’s decision is going to have on their life.

Become a Board Member - Get Involved

Each year at the Annual Meeting, NILP membership nominates and elects directors for the Board of Directors. Membership votes on a slate nominated by the Board Development Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at a regular meeting. Additionally, nominations for director made be made from the floor. These nominations are approved by majority vote of members present at the Annual Meeting. Those who are approved for nomination then begin a process to consider and be considered further as for a director position.

The process consists of:

• A two-way interview with the Board Development Committee
• Attendance at one or two Board meetings
• Recommendations by the Board Development Committee to the full Board of Directors to elect the individual to the Board
• Vote by the Board to elect the candidate who, if elected, has full responsibilities and privileges as a director
• Included on the nomination slate of the Board of Directors presented at the next following Annual Meeting

There are several reasons for this procedure:

• The Board must maintain at least 51% director representation of individuals with disabilities.
• The Board makes every possible effort to maintain balanced constituent and demographic representation of the community served by NILP.
• The Board fills vacancies as needed with individuals with education and experience necessary to maintain a Board of Directors highly capable of effectively directing and supporting NILP.

Your participation at the Annual Meeting is very important. Nominations for the Board of Directors of members and others who can bring ideas, resources, energy, effort and/or leadership to NILP as a director are most welcome.

Top 10 Ways To Ruin A Center For Independent Living

1. Make sure the founders are people with backgrounds in Special Education, Social Services, and other helping professions, people who have never faced discrimination as a person with a disability, fought back, and moved ahead with their lives. Once the founders agree upon an organizational direction, survey the group to see if anybody is willing to confess to having
a disability. If not, find some mild mannered people with disabilities to comprise a majority of the board. You are on your way to establishing an embarrassment to the independent living movement.

2. Hire an Executive Director with a background and mindset developed in the social service/human service arena, who has notexperienced discrimination as a person with a disability, fought back, and moved ahead with his/her life. He or she will have
no problem taking your CIL down the path of social services.

3. When hiring Independent Living Specialists, Peer Counselors, Program Directors, etc., make sure you require a college degree-BA, MA, BS, etc. Ignore the fact that advocacy and peer support are nurtured in personal experiences, not college classrooms. Exactly what degrees are relevant to advocacy and peer support? Here's a hint, NONE. As you set up these artificial barriers, you are eliminating a vast pool of qualified applicants with disabilities who never graduated from college, and in many situations, never attended any college. What sort of degrees does ADAPT require to participate in an action?

4. Provide minimal reasonable accommodations. Provide what ADA requires-interpreters, alternative formats, etc. If an applicant or employee needs a Personal Assistant on the job, make them pay for it. If you look hard enough, you can probably find a justification in Title I of the ADA to deny staff members PAs as an accommodation. You have effectively eliminated
some of the most severely disabled applicants from working for you.

5. Ignore the history and the wisdom of Ed Roberts and the original CIL at Berkeley. One of his great statements was that independent living should focus on "Advocacy, Advocacy, and Advocacy, but not necessarily in that order". He understood that issues facing people with disabilities are sociological, political, cultural, and economic. Hence, so are the battles.

6. Confuse advocacy with education. Understand that "advocacy won't work in this community", as we have all been told. If you simply tell people what they are required to do, they will do it. Education is not advocacy. Wash your hands and believeyou've met your obligation. Advocacy basically amounts to having an active role in holding your community accountable for removing barriers that inhibit full and equal participation by people with disabilities. CIL STAFF ARE PAID TO BE ADVOCATES.
Nobody else is going to hold your community accountable. Additionally, of course, advocacy is relevant to focusing on changing legislation, policies, and practices that tend to limit persons with disabilities in their pursuit of independence.

7. Pursue funding that tends to inhibit advocacy and compromise independent living philosophy. Take lots of corporate money,let them stamp their corporate logo on your programs or projects. Don't concern yourself with whether or not the corporation violates the rights of persons with disabilities. Don't think in terms of growth in the context of the rich history and traditions of the founders of the independent living movement, just grow and increase that budget.

8. Believe that our civil rights will take care of themselves. In 1977 the battle was to get the regulations implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act finalized and published. That battle was won. However, section 504 never was pushed by advocates once the regulations were signed. Getting legislation and regulations passed is step one, holding covered entities accountable is equally important. Covered entities are not going to gleefully comply with our civil rights laws.

9. As Executive Director, blame your board, your staff, or any other scapegoat for ruining your CIL. The Executive Director is the key person in a CIL. The Executive Director must have a good grasp of the rich history and philosophy of the independent living movement. The Executive Director must be able to persuade the board of what does and does not fit within a CIL. Persuade your board, confront your board, and, if necessary, bring in help from other CILs to meet with your board.

10. Don't share these ten items with your staff or board.

Reverse the boards decision

As a long standing member of the Northeast Independent Living Program, Inc. I am outraged at the boards decision to hire an Executive Director who has no knowledge of the Independent Living movement, its philosophy or the service delivery system.

The Board must install an Executive Director who embodies IL and who:

• Is knowledgeable and embraces the Independent Living paradigm/movement
• Possesses extensive personal and professional experience and credibility with disability services and systems
• Has experience with the cross disability and cross-age services programs and services
• Has experience with consumer control as defined in Title VII and is knowledgeable with the federally defined standards and assurances for Independent Living Centers
• Has knowledge of requirements of the state service delivery system for persons with disabilities
• Has experience and knowledge of the state purchase of service rules and operations specifically for: cost reimbursement, unit rate costs, and Medicaid provider regulations
• Possesses knowledge about alternative methods of communication
• Is sensitive to cultural competency issues.

I demand that the board reverse the decision to hire a non-disabled person who has no true IL experience and rescind the contract between June Cowen and NILP effective immediately.