About the State
Rehabilitation Council...

New York State has another council with similar goals and mission serving through the Office of Children and Family Services Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped.

Goal

Raise the Employment Rate of People with Disabilities to a Rate that is Equal to the Rate of People without Disabilities

Statutory Authority

The Council was originally established by VESID in 1992 to fulfill the requirements of the Federal Rehabilitation Act amendments of 1992. Those amendments stressed consumer responsiveness and greater accountability for state vocational rehabilitation agencies to provide services. Section 105 (of the Amendments) gave created the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council and reflected the expectation that state VR agencies would be held accountable for the delivery of services.

According to the Act, the purpose of the SRAC was to review, analyze, and advise the designated State unit regarding the performance of its responsibilities under Title 1 of the Rehabilitation Act. The section detailed the manner in which the SRAC would achieve this end. It was expected that the Council members would become involved in the State Plan, consumer satisfaction surveys, and networking with partners.

The 1998 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act were incorporated as Title IV of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), enacted in July 1998. However, funding for vocational rehabilitation services was maintained as a separate entity. With Section 105 – the SRAC identification was changed to reflect the expanded role and responsibilities of the Council. The role of the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) is no longer "advisory"; rather, members work in strategic partnership with the VR agency, while establishing and maintaining the Council’s operational autonomy. Under the 1998 amendment, the SRC took on additional responsibilities to work jointly with the state vocational rehabilitation agency to develop a statewide needs assessment, set goals and priorities, report on program effectiveness, provide policy advice, identify impartial hearing officers, measure consumer satisfaction and develop and manage a resource plan for the Council.

The focus of the Council is to review, analyze and advise the New York State Board of Regents, the Commissioner of Education, and the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) with regard to the provision of vocational rehabilitation services.

The Council was established to fulfill the requirements of the the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended and to advise the New York State Board of Regents, the Commissioner of Education, and the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) with regard to the provision of vocational rehabilitation services. 

To review, analyze, and advise regarding the performance of the responsibilities of VESID under the Rehabilitation Act, particularly responsibilities relating to:

• eligibility (including order of selection);
• the extent, scope, and effectiveness of services provided; and
• functions performed by State agencies that affect or potentially affect the ability of individuals with disabilities in achieving employment outcomes.

In partnership with VESID:

• develop, agree to, and review VESID goals and priorities, and evaluate the effectiveness of VESID’s vocational rehabilitation program.
• assist in the preparation of the State Plan and amendments to Plan applications, reports, needs assessments, and evaluations.
• conduct a review and analysis, to the extent feasible, of the effectiveness of and consumer satisfaction with:
   
  • the functions performed by VESID; and
  • vocational rehabilitation services----
     
    • provided by State agencies and other public and private entities responsible for providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act; and
    • employment outcomes achieved by eligible individuals receiving services under the Rehabilitation Act.

Individuals are appointed to the Council by the New York State Board of Regents. Potential nominees are identified by soliciting recommendations statewide from organizations and individuals representing a broad range of people with disabilities. Members should be knowledgeable about services that ensure access to employment for individuals with disabilities. Also, the majority of members should be individuals with disabilities and represent a diverse population.

Specifically the Council must include:

• at least one representative of the Statewide Independent Living Council;
• at least one representative of a parent training and information center;
• at least one representative of the Client Assistance Program;
• at least one vocational rehabilitation counselor;
• at least one representative of community rehabilitation program services providers;
• four representatives of business, industry, and labor;
• representatives of disability advocacy groups representing a cross-section of individuals with physical, cognitive, sensory, and mental disabilities; and representatives of individuals with disabilities who have difficulty representing themselves or are unable due to their disabilities to represent themselves;
• current or former applicants for, or recipients of, vocational rehabilitation services;
• at least one representative of the directors of projects providing services to American Indians under Section 121 of the Rehabilitation Act;
• at least one representative of the State Education Department (agency serving students with disabilities); and
• at least one representative of the State Workforce Investment Board.

Christine Zachmeyer
Membership category: Statewide Independent Living Council

Janice Silber
Membership category: Parent Training and Information Center

Michael Peluso
Membership category: Client Assistance Program

Patricia McKay
Membership category: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Tina Conneely
Sharon McKee, Vice-Chair
Margaret Raustiala
Francine Tishman
Membership category: Community Rehabilitation Program Service Providers

John DiCamilla
Howard Gross
Gina Regensburger
Sidette Warren
Membership category: Business, Industry, and Labor

Kathleen Dollinger-Meyer
Susan Dooha

Scott Ebner
Connie Glover
Thomas GoldenKathy Hoffman
Ernestine McElvene
Jeanne Ricigliano
Lisa Koop-Yilmaz, Chair
Kimberly Walters
Membership category: Disability Advocacy Group

Frank Graziano
Membership category: Former applicant, and recipient of, vocational rehabilitation services

Jason McDonald
Membership category: Native American Projects (Section 121)

Dora Lee Stanley
Membership category: State Education Department/Special Education

Vacant
Membership category: State Workforce Investment Board

Rebecca H. Cort
Membership category: Deputy Commissioner, Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities

Geraldine Malone Kraushaar
VESID, Council Coordinator

Tobi Bickweat
Frank Coco
Diane Marshall
VESID Staff Serving as Committee Liaisons

Ex-Officio Member Directory

Maryann Van Alstyne
Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped

Caroline Forsberg
State University of New York

Rosemary Lamb
Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities

Michael Orzel
Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

Valerie Sewell
Department of Labor

Nick Rose
Developmental Disabilities Planning Council

Doug Ruderman
Office of Mental Health