An update from Dr. Schroeder
RSA Commissioner
On Thursday, December 24, the full Senate confirmed the appointment of Lynnae Ruttledge as the 11th commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration.
Commissioner Ruttledge began work on Monday, January 4, 2010.
Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act
There are no new developments concerning Congressional action on reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) which contains the Rehabilitation Act as Title V. For some time both Houses of Congress have expressed an interest in moving the WIA reauthorization, however health care reform has been all consuming. Given that the House and Senate health care proposals will need to be conferenced, it is likely that health care will continue to dominate Congressional action. Both the House and Senate staff from the respective authorizing committees have held meetings with various stakeholder groups to gather input into the process; however it is not known how soon substantive action will occur.
Restoration of the RSA Regional Offices
Senator Harkin has expressed interest in restoring the RSA regional offices. Senator Harkin, as Chairman of the Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee, has directed Committee staff to gather information regarding the feasibility of reinstating the regional offices. It is hard to imagine that, with the current budget deficit and concerns about the mounting national debt, that Congress will approve approximately $7 million to restore nearly 70 staff positions together with the funds needed to rent space, etc.
VR Funding Formula
Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) expressed an interest in examining the funding formula for the vocational rehabilitation program. The formula has remained untouched for many years, and it is highly unlikely that the Congress will make changes to the funding formula in the upcoming reauthorization. Nevertheless the GAO together with the Rehabilitation Services Administration and its contractor, Mathematica, is planning a meeting on Wednesday, January 20 to discuss the GAO's findings and recommendations.
Washington State Department of Services for the Blind
In early December Washington State Governor Gregoire released her proposed budget which included a recommendation to move the Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) into the state's social services department. Under the Washington State Constitution, the governor is required to submit a balanced budget to the legislature. Given the downturn in the state's economy, the Governor's budget contained numerous cuts to state programs and recommended the consolidation of many programs into larger departments. Both consumer organizations of the blind together with the State Rehabilitation Council have come out against reorganizing DSB.