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        SILC, DSU and CIL roles in implementing the SPIL.



        Presenters:  Thomas Kelley, Felipe Lulli, Sean Barrett, Pamela Hodge and

   Elizabeth Akinola.



        >> SHARON: Good afternoon, everyone.  Welcome to today's webcast and

   teleconference:  SILC, DSU and CIL roles in implementing the SPIL, presented by

   RSA in conjunction with the CIL-NET and the SILC-NET.  My name is Sharon Finney

   and I'm with the IL NET project.  I'll be assisting with today's presentation as

   well as voicing questions that are E-mailed.

        Before we get started, I want to remind you about E-mailing your questions.

   To submit your questions, you can send them directly to webcast@ilru.org.  And

   that's webcast@ilru.org or click on the link at the bottom of your player.  Feel

   free to send your questions now or at any point during today's presentation and

   I will pose those questions to the presenters.

        We will also pause for questions from our teleconference audience during

   this presentation and our operator today will give you those instructions.

   Additionally, if you do have any technical difficulties, call us at

   (713)520-0232 and dial 0 for the operator.  The number is both voice and TTY

   capable.

        Our operator will give instructions now for the teleconference.

        >> OPERATOR:  I would like to welcome everybody to the conference call.

   All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise.  After the

   speakers' remarks, there will be a question and answer session.  If you'd like
                                             2

   to ask a question during this time, simply press star and the No. 1 on your

   telephone keypad.  If you would like to withdraw your question, press the pound

   key.

        >> TOM:  Thank you, operator, and thank you, Sharon, for all the work

   you've done coordinating with us and leading up to the conference.

        Let me talk first about the background and put a little context around the

   call we're going to have here today.  And thank you everyone in the audience for

   coming.

        The SPIL and approval process was challenging for all of us in the IL

   community because of the federal laws and regs with which the SPILs were

   reviewed.

        This rigor was not the result of any changes in RSA interpretation of the

   law, instead, it was a result of RSA's more centralized focus on independent

   living and the increased monitoring and technical assistance resources that RSA

   is providing to the IL programs through its state monitoring and program

   improvement division.

        Also I believe the SPIL review process benefited from the increased

   expertise within the IL Unit.  For those of you who do not know, the majority of

   the IL team members have directed or worked in CILs and/or served on SILCs and

   participated in SPIL development in various states, including the implementation

   and evaluation of the SPIL activities.

        In hindsight, we could have done a little bit better job of communicating

   with the IL community before the SPIL review process began.  Although RSA

   offered teleconference and webcast training on the SPIL last spring, we

   underestimated the concerns that would arise from our SPIL reviews.  Perhaps we
                                             3

   could have done more to address these concerns ahead of time.

        RSA is undertaking several initiatives to improve our communication with

   the IL community and to promote greater understanding of RSA's policy guidance

   and technical assistance.  Since last fall, RSA has met with several NCIL

   representatives in Washington here in our office and we have responded in

   writing to specific questions posed by NCIL, attended the SILC Congress and

   addressed the conference where we took questions from the audience as well as

   appeared before the last NCIL board meeting here in Washington.

        The purpose of the event -- this event today is to further address your

   concerns, to promote a greater understanding of DSU, SILC and CIL roles and

   responsibilities and to support the goals and objectives by encouraging SILC,

   DSU and CIL collaboration consistent with federal law and regulations.

        Let me take a few moments here and give an overview of today's agenda.

   What we'd like to do is discuss SPIL review and approval process and DSU's, SILC

   and CIL roles and responsibilities under federal law and regulations.  We will

   be taking questions and answers including specific questions about RSA -- RSA's

   responses to the questions that were posed to us from the community.  We'll be

   providing some examples of what we see as possibly helpful practices of DSU,

   SILC and CIL collaboration that we've seen in some states, followed by more

   questions and answers.  And we'll talk about RSA's SPIL monitoring and technical

   assistance activities, the state monitoring and program improvement division's

   onsite reviews and the SILC-NET and CIL-NET programs that we worked with.  We'll

   have a summary, more questions and answers.  So we hope that this will be more

   of an iterative process where we can have some good dialogue and we look forward

   to that.
                                             4

        So, let's start with the SPIL review and approval process.  And I'd like to

   explain this section and then we'll move on to other areas as we go through.

   RSA's overriding goal during the process was to strengthen the capacity of

   states to serve individuals with significant disabilities by maximizing the

   involvement of and the collaboration among the SILC, DSU and the CILs within the

   parameters of federal law and regulations currently enforced.

        During the process, RSA provided the SILCs and DSUs with policy guidance

   and technical assistance based on existing federal law, regulations, OMB

   Circulars and where available congressional intent as expressed in publicly

   available documents.  We also, of course, look at all of the relevant provisions

   of the Rehab Act, specifically within Title VII, the codes of federal

   regulations.  We have the Education Department's general administrative

   regulations, which govern many of our grant-making, which have very specific

   guidelines on grant-making and contract activities that we engage in.

        RSA's policy guidance and technical assistance focused on the following

   areas:  The SILC's independence and autonomy with respect to the DSU, the SILC

   and the DSU's ability to exercise their respective statutory duties, both

   independently and collaboratively where appropriate, financial resources,

   administrative support services, and written policies and procedures necessary

   for the SILCs fulfillment of its statutory duties as well as its personnel and

   fiscal management requirements.

        The design for the statewide network of CILs that addresses the need for

   the expansion -- for expansion into underserved or unserved areas, outreach to

   minorities in urban and rural populations and CIL compliance with relevant

   service provider requirements.
                                             5

        Finally, we wanted to make sure that the plans for SPIL implementation

   review, monitoring and evaluation, you know, are responsibility for which SILC

   plays a preeminent statutory role.  RSA's approach was to work collaboratively

   with the DSUs and SILCs and work with the goal of approving every SPIL.

        When RSA encountered a SPIL provision that did not fully comply with rules

   and regulations, RSA staff discussed with their DSU and SILC counterparts

   alternative approaches and modifications that would render the SPIL approval.

   In some cases the SPILs were approved with assurances.  This is not an

   unordinary occurrence as we go through the same process when we work with states

   on their vocational rehab state plans and any other number of relevant plan

   requirements under which funds are awarded at the Department of Education.

        Let's talk now about RSA's review of SILC activities in the SPIL.  RSA

   recognizes that states have many unfulfilled independent living needs.

   Including the need for more funding and systems change and a number of others,

   including transportation, deinstitutionalization and access to services, any

   number of things that may occur in the local community as well.  RSA also

   recognizes that as a statewide body, the SILC is in an ideal position to help

   meet these needs.  SILCs can exert an important leadership role in both

   effecting systems change and securing additional IL funding.  This leadership

   role must be exercised in accordance with the SILC's authorized duties and

   functions outlined in Title VII of the act.  Systems advocacy and resource

   development are among the independent living services that Title VII requires

   CILs to provide.  They are not among the SILC's functions authorize in the act.

   Nevertheless, there are a number of activities related to systems change in

   resource development that are consistent with and flow directly from the SILC's
                                             6

   exercise of its statutory duties.

        For example, Title VII allows the SILC to help achieve the state's systems

   advocacy goals by identifying and prioritizing statewide systems advocacy issues

   in the SPIL.  Coordinating the inclusion of sufficient federal, state and other

   funding for systems advocacy in the SPIL financial plan.  Facilitating and

   supporting CIL's systems advocacy activities at both the state and local levels.

   Involving the SRC, other councils, commissions and other organizations in

   systems advocacy efforts throughout the states.  And evaluating current systems

   advocacy efforts, identifying challenges and opportunities and recommending

   adjustments to make it more effective.

        With regard to resource development, the SILC can positively influence the

   availability of IL resources in the state directly through its fulfillment of

   SILC statutory duties.  For instance, the state agency the CIL coordinates with,

   may offer in-kind or other resources in support of specific SPIL obvious ties or

   initiatives.  The SILC has other opportunities other than using federal funds to

   obtain other public and private sources of funding.

        For example, SILC members or staff may pursue resource development

   opportunities on their own time.  SILCs may use other funding sources such as

   private funds or nonmatch state government funds that do not grab at the

   recovery of resource development costs to pursue funding.

        During its SPIL reviews, RSA did not question whether the SILC should be

   involved in the achievement of SPIL goals and objectives including systems

   advocacy.  Instead, starting from the recognition of the need for SILC

   involvement, RSA's review focused on the particular type of SILC involvement

   being proposed to ensure that the nature and scope of the involvement conformed
                                             7

   with the Rehab Act, and the corresponding regulations.  Whenever RSA determined

   that a particular SILC involvement exceeded its authority under the act, RSA

   provided technical assistance in order to bring the proposed SILC involvement

   into compliance.

        The purpose of this technical assistance was to adjust the nature and scope

   of the SILC's involvement in specific SPIL goals and objectives, not to preclude

   wherever possible RSA recommended alternative ways in which the activities could

   be conducted in line with federal law and regulations.

        This technical assistance was geared towards steering the SILC away from

   the nonauthorized activities towards those that the act does authorize.  As a

   result, the SILC's involvement in each of the SPIL goals and objectives was

   retained in the SPIL albeit with the required modifications.

        The next topic I'd like to mention here or go into a bit are the DSU, SILC

   and CIL roles and responsibilities under the federal law and regulations.  The

   DSU, SILC and CILs all work to fulfill the purposes of the SPIL en Title VII of

   the act, but they must do so through the activities authority for each of them

   under federal law and regulations.  Each entity is not authorized to use federal

   funds to engage in every activity envisioned in the law.  Rather, the DSU, SILC

   or CILs engage in these activities with federal funds if and to the extent that

   these activities conform with each of its roles and responsibilities as outlined

   in the act.  Therefore, the SILC may engage from a given activity with federal

   funds, only if and only to the extent that it directly relates to one or more of

   the SILC duties authorized -- and authorized activities outlined in section 705

   of the act.

        The primary DSU responsibilities are to develop and sign the SPIL jointly
                                             8

   with the SILC, receive, disburse and account for Part B funds, provide

   administrative support services to the state independent living services program

   and fund other SPIL-related activities in accordance with the approved SPIL.

        In addition, the DSU is required to provide directly or through grants or

   contracts IL services with federal, state or other funds.  Essentially, the DSU

   is responsible for supporting the development and implementation of a SPIL that

   meets the independent living needs of the state while ensuring that available

   resources, particularly the Part B and state matching funds, are used in

   compliance with applicable federal and state laws.  The DSU works with the SILC

   and the CILs to identify statewide IL priorities, goals and objectives, identify

   available resources for the SPIL financial plan and the SILC resource plan, and

   participate in specific SPIL strategies and activities as appropriate.

        The SILC's primary responsibilities are to develop and sign the SPIL

   jointly with the DSU, monitor, review and evaluate the implementation of the

   state plan, coordinate activities with the state rehab council and other

   councils and commissions, ensure that all regularly scheduled SILC meetings are

   open to the public, and sufficient advance notice is provided, prepare jointly

   with the DSU a plan for the provision of resources necessary and sufficient for

   it to carry out its duties, supervise and evaluate staff consistent with the

   state law, and keep any records that are consistent with the state law, and hold

   such hearings and forums as it determines to be necessary to carry out its

   duties under the act.  Fundamentally, the SILC serves as the primary voice for

   individuals with significant disabilities, their communities and the

   organizations that serve them as it relates to the independent living movement

   in that state.  In partnership with the disability community, the SILC
                                             9

   identifies the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, prioritizes these

   needs, and helps develop strategies to meet those needs throughout the state.

        These needs, priorities and strategies form the basis of the goals and

   objectives, advocacy plans, outreach plans, designed for the statewide network

   of centers, priority populations and services and other aspects of the SPIL.

        The SILC's role does not end with the development and approval of the SPIL.

   The SILC also contributes to the achievement of the SPIL goals and objectives by

   exercising its statewide coordination, monitoring and evaluation roles.  The

   SILC continuously engages other councils, commissions and agencies in support of

   the SPIL.  Eliciting their ideas and encouraging their participation in SPIL

   goals and objectives.  Also, the SILC continuously gathered feedback from CILs,

   consumers and other IL stakeholders regarding the implementation of the SPIL.

   This feedback enables the SILC to identify the challenges as well as the

   opportunities.  After assessing and analyzing this feedback, the SILC recommends

   new approaches and/or takes action consistent with federal law and regulations

   to respond to the challenges and opportunities effectively.  Depending on the

   circumstances, the SILC may wish to recommend changes in a SPIL objective,

   engage in brainstorming sessions with the CILs or obtain greater involvement

   from the SRC and other disability-related organizations.

        The CIL's primary responsibility is to meet the IL needs of their consumers

   in accordance with the local community service priorities and available

   resources.  If the CILs also play a unique role in the development and

   implementation of the SPIL.  Their local priorities are considered and

   incorporated by DSUs and SILCs as appropriate in the process of developing the

   SPIL goals, objectives and strategies by implementing their annual and
                                            10

   three-year work plan for addressing individual and community needs within their

   service areas consistent with the approved SPIL.  CILs play an indispensable

   role in implementing the SPIL's service delivery, outreach and advocacy plan at

   the local level.

        Moreover, the CILs challenges and opportunities provide valuable input to

   the SILC as it's valuates the implementation of the SPIL and it may serve as the

   basis for possible modifications and adjustments to the SPIL.

        RSA is responsible for ensuring the proper balance among the DSU, SILC and

   CILs in the development, implementation and the evaluation of the SPIL.

        In F. Y. 07, RSA fulfilled this responsibility by ensuring that all the

   activities in the SPIL reflected a proper understanding of the DSU, SILC and CIL

   statutory duties.  In this regard, we're going to be continuing a twofold focus,

   that the DSU, SILC and CILs fully exercise their statutory duties and be that

   they do so without exceeding their authorization under the act or impeding and

   conflicting with each other's authorized duties.

        While providing for distinct DSU, SILC and CIL roles and responsibilities,

   the act also envisions a high degree of collaboration and coordination among

   them.  I had conversations with numbers of people over the last year who you

   know, recall that -- tell me that this was an act representative discussion

   point in the development of these laws.  Therefore, you know, accordingly, a

   significant portion of RSA's policy guidance and technical assistance was

   directed at promoting and facilitating collaborative interactions among DSU,

   SILCs, CILs and other IL partners during '07 and we want to continue that going

   forward.

        We now can pause for questions and answers.  Operator.
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        >> FELIPE: Operator, would you open the lines for questions?  Tom is going

   to -- (inaudible) before he actually takes questions.

        >> TOM: The one note I was going to make is that RSA has provided detailed

   and legally-based written answers to many questions related to the SILC's

   authorized activities and they have been available publicly for a bit.

        Here, we'll do our best to answer your questions in layman's terms without

   getting too involved.  We like to keep the discussion open and flowing.  For

   more technical answers to your questions, I would encourage you, though, to

   review the responses to NCIL's questions that are available on the ILRU website.

        During this teleconference, we're discussing broad questions that apply to

   all states.  And our purpose here today is not to discuss specific issues in

   particular states.  If you need more specific RSA guidance, you may E-mail us

   your questions.  We're happy to respond to those.

        Where possible, your inquiries should include a little background

   information and, you know, differing perspectives from all of the interested

   parties.  So thank you.  Operator...

        >> OPERATOR: Would you like all the lines to be open now, sir?

        >> TOM: Yes, please.

        >> OPERATOR: One moment, sir.  All the lines are now open.  All the lines

   are now open.

        >> CALLER: Hello, can you hear us?

        >> FELIPE: Are there any questions?

        >> CALLER: We don't know if you can hear us.  Hello.  Hello?  This is Beth

   from (inaudible) in Los Angeles.  Can you hear me?

        >> FELIPE: Yes, very well.
                                            12

        >> CALLER: Thank you.  Basically as a director I really would like to

   understand the funding streams coming through the SILC, you know, what are they?

   What are they for and also those that come to VR separately because we're

   actually a (inaudible) year old independent living center and basically are

   (inaudible) funds have remained the same and our federal funds have actually

   diminished.  But when we're asking for other resources -- and we're new, so we

   would like to be enlightened in the understanding of those funding streams.

   Thank you.

        >> FELIPE: This is Felipe Lulli.  I'll respond first.  Thank you for your

   question.  For a Center for Independent Living receiving funding from a variety

   of sources, there is no set number of sources.  Most typically, of course --

   well, first and foremost, the centers supported by RSA directly receive Part C

   funds as you are well aware.

        >> CALLER: Yes.

        >> FELIPE: And in many states centers also receive Part B funds.  Part B

   funds are funds that we provide to the state directly and every three years

   through the SPIL development process, the decision-making process takes place

   where the DSU in collaboration with the SILC considers what is the best use of

   Part B funds.

        >> SHARON: Let me just say -- this is Sharon.  Those people that are on the

   teleconference, if you could put your phone on mute, we're picking up all this

   outside conversation.  Thank you.

        >> FELIPE: Can you hear me okay?

        >>Mighty suggest that maybe Felipe we ask the operator to mute the lines

   and do the questions in the queue like we had talked about earlier.
                                            13

        >> FELIPE: Are we doing that?

        >>No, all of the lines are open right now.

        >> FELIPE: Oh, you know, we want all the lines open.  Thank you, Pamela.

   We want you to just open the lines for the person asking the question.  We'd

   like the operator to manage that process a little bit.

        >> OPERATOR: The lines are now closed.  If you'd like to ask a question,

   press star and the No. 1 on your telephone keypad.

        >> FELIPE: I'll continue to answer the question and I hope you heard my

   response so far.  As I was saying the Part B funds go to the state, but the DSU

   and the SILC together decide what makes the most sense in terms of the use of

   the Part B funds so the Part B funds can go to the CIL, it can go to help

   support CIL activities and it can also go to centers.  So Part B funds can be

   another funding stream for centers.  Now, aside from Part B funds and Part C

   funds, there is almost unlimited number of possible sources of funding for

   centers.  I can't possibly get into those now, but I will say that there are a

   lot of centers across the country that have very creative and very systematic

   resource development activities whereby they have received funding from other

   state agencies, local government agencies, private foundations and a host of

   other entities and I would suggest that you contact or work with other centers

   perhaps with the help of ILRU and its CIL-NET program to identify -- develop a

   plan for your center to access additional funding sources.

        Any other questions?

        >> OPERATOR: Your next question comes from Richard.  Sir, you have the

   floor.

        >> CALLER: Hi, this is Richard Kriner with the Virginia Statewide
                                            14

   Independent Living Council, and my question is a two-part question.  I was

   hoping I could get some more examples regarding the role of the SILC in

   monitoring and evaluating the activities of a SPIL and how they can coordinate

   that effort with the DSU.

        And then the second part of that question was I'm looking at ways of

   working with the SILC to be more effective at outcome measurements, particularly

   around use of the logic model as a tool for doing that.  And I'm curious to kind

   of get your feedback as to whether or not we're moving in the right direction

   with that.  Thank you.

        >> FELIPE: Okay, Sean or Pamela, would you like to take a stab at answering

   this question?

        >> PAM: Well, I will say I'll let Sean take it.  I'll just put a few

   comments in, but as far as the outcome based models, I think you are going in

   the right direction.  It's definitely what the feds want to see and what we want

   to see and it's what, you know, what we're being asked for.  So I think you're

   headed in the right direction and I know in reviewing some of the 704's, one of

   the things I've seen strongest in terms of training is folks want additional

   training on outcomes measured information and so, I'm sure the ILRU will be

   moving in that direction.  Sean, you want to take the other part?

        >> SEAN: Actually, as far as specific examples I think we have a section of

   the agenda where we're going to give examples.  So just in the interest of time

   management, why don't we save that for that portion.

        As far as outcome measures stuff, I think that it's important -- there is

   two phases when we're using the broadest possible terms when we talk about

   outcomes for SILCs is the regulatory stuff.  Are we meeting the laws?  Are we
                                            15

   meting the regs?  But the other stuff is more related to what are your goals?  I

   think that one of the things you'll see more and more out of RSA in the upcoming

   years and especially on state reviews is are goals written in SPILs in such a

   way that they can be monitored and they can be tracked and then that information

   can be used to make future decisions.  I know that we recently provided some

   guidance to some centers and just as a quick example, it's often increasing

   funding is a goal, but as a cohort of mine would say, here is a dollar.  Have

   you met your goal?  So working on having definable, usable outcomes so they did

   actually influence your process is important.

        I would differentiate the goals or the outcome measures between -- as I

   said before how are you meeting the regulatory requirements?  But more

   importantly, are we doing it in such a way that for example not just do we have

   51 percent of people with disabilities on the SILC, but what cities are we

   having meetings in?  How many groups are we building relationships with?  Those

   type of things which speak more to actually getting and progressing through your

   goals.

        >> FELIPE: Thank you, Sean.  And I wanted to add another aspect, and that

   is I just want to repeat the evaluation of the SPIL implementation is primarily

   the role of the SILC.  Primarily, but not exclusively.  The DSU needs to be an

   active partner in evaluation of the SPIL.  We encourage that in evaluating the

   SPIL that you access the SILC and the DSU activity seek input from the centers.

   Their work plans hopefully have influenced the development of your SPIL to begin

   with in establishment of the goals and objectives in your SPIL.  So as the three

   years progresses, it's very important to get feedback from the centers and to

   understand any challenges they are facing in implementing their own work plans
                                            16

   and also to identify any opportunities in local service areas that could be

   supported by the DSU and the SILC.  So the last thing I want to say about the

   evaluation of the SPIL, is that the SILC monitoring and evaluation of the SPIL

   implementation should not go into monitoring the centers.  The centers

   themselves are not monitored by the SILC as the SILC monitors the SPIL overall.

   Depending on the funding stream and/or the DSU.

        Any other questions?

        >> OPERATOR: Yes, sir, your next question comes from rose.  Ma'am, you have

   the floor.

        >> CALLER: Yes, hello.  My name is Rose and I run an independent living

   center in Puerto Rico.  I have a question related to the powering of the SILC

   requesting bimonthly reports from our centers in regards to activities to be

   done, plans, statistics and all this other we are being requested all this

   reporting when we believe that The 704 Report and the cop that I is given to

   them is for the purpose of evaluating the implementation of our activities as a

   SILC and if they have the right to be requesting such bimonthly reports.

        >> FELIPE: Okay, that's a question that relates to what I said.  We can't

   speak to specifics about whether it's reasonable, if a SILC is requesting these

   reports.  That's one of those specific issues we would have to address with more

   information and detail.  But what I would say is the important thing here would

   be what does the SPIL say?  Because if the SPIL includes several activities

   involving the CILs supporting the SPIL goals and objectives, it does make sense

   for the SILC to gain an understanding of how things are progressing with the

   centers in these state-related goals.  It's part of the communication process.

   As to what kind of reports and how frequently, that's something that has to be
                                            17

   worked out in each state.  It has to be reasonable and it has to be something

   that the SILC and the DSU and the CILs feel comfortable about.  If the CILs and

   the DSU and the SILCs don't feel comfortable about any aspects of this

   evaluation process, then the three parties -- or the parties need to discuss

   this and arrive at something that is comfortable for everyone and at the same

   time further the purpose of improving SPIL and monitoring the SPIL

   implementation.

        >> CALLER: When you referred that we are doing like common activities,

   collaborations and of course we're going to sit down and talk about it to ponder

   better, but they are requesting, daily, monthly activities related to each local

   center, not necessarily a partnership or event that we're working together as a

   collaboration.

        >> FELIPE: Yeah, what SILC requires or the DSU requires for implementing

   the SPIL are more directly related to the SPIL activities.  So there has to be I

   would say a link within the SPIL and the request being made for information.

        Now, if you need more clarification, we'd be happy to provide guidance and

   we've been in touch about this, so I encourage you to contact us, but what I

   would suggest is that as Tom said earlier, that you send us a communication from

   both parties, let's say, or all three parties so we understand all the

   background information and the perspective, what is it the SILC is trying to

   achieve, what is the DSU trying to achieve, what are your concerns as a CIL

   director because the more information we have and including from all the

   perspectives, the better we are able to provide technical assistance and

   guidance.

        >> CALLER: Okay.  Because the only monitoring authority that we have is
                                            18

   RSA, not the SILC.

        >> FELIPE: Right, the SILC does not monitor centers, but we need to talk

   about this more separately.

        >> CALLER: Okay.

        >> FELIPE: But the important principle here is that the SILC does not

   monitor the center per se, the SILC can ask information about how the CILs are

   doing in implementing the statewide goals in their local community as expressed

   or outlined in the SPIL.

        >> CALLER: Okay.

        >> FELIPE: Any other questions?

        >> CALLER: That's it.  Thank you.

        >> FELIPE: Thank you.

        >> OPERATOR: Your next question comes from Donna.  Ma'am, your line is

   open.

        >> CALLER: Okay, thank you.  I had a question as to trying to determine

   what would be a reasonable, usual, customary percentage amount of a CIL's

   funding to spend on researching other sources of funding?

        >> FELIPE: In answer to your question -- Sean, do you want to give it a

   shot?

        >> SEAN: I think this question -- not to be redundant, screams out that

   it's one of those things we'd have to ask a lot of questions about the specific

   situation from the specific state and take up a lot of time on the call.

   Generally speaking, I would say that -- you would need to be careful or pay

   attention to developing in the area of resource development.  Felipe --

        >> FELIPE: I was just going to say that there is no guidelines in this
                                            19

   regard.  It really depends on each center and each service area -- local service

   area.

        >> CALLER: Okay.

        >> FELIPE: So we can't answer your question unfortunately directly.  What I

   will say, though, is -- RSA is moving towards searchable data and data from

   centers that can be analyzed and very soon you'll be able to go into our

   management information center and, you know, look at what other centers are

   doing in terms of raising additional dollars.  RSA will tell you how much time

   was devoted by the center to raise funds -- additional sources of funding, but

   the MIS will tell you how much in nonfederal funds other centers typically

   raise.  So you can do some comparisons that might help you determine what is a

   reasonable, customer level of resource activity.

        >> CALLER: What I was asking, it would not tell me how much money they

   spend of the federal funding to get to these other sources?

        >> FELIPE:  No, it would not do that.  Sean -- Donna, you're right.  Sean,

   you had a comment?

        >> SEAN:  I apologize.  Are you from a SILC or a CIL?

        >> CALLER:  I'm from a DSU.

        >> SEAN:  And the question is how much time CILs are spending on this or

   SILCs?

        >> CALLER:  How much CILs are spending.

        >> SEAN:  I'm sorry.  We don't ask centers -- you know, I can't think of

   anywhere where we ask people to report how much time they spend on certain

   things.  So as a result, we'd have a hard time answering the question, but you

   could certainly look at -- and I think the long way to do this might be not
                                            20

   right now, but you'll have better tools to go on the MIS as Felipe said and look

   at what percentage of their funding is nonfederal or what percentage of their

   funding comes from certain line items on the 704.  And that would be something

   you could combine with actual in-person conversations with them to find out how

   spending time on this?  How are your efforts going?

        >> CALLER: And I think that's a good point is that sometimes in the 704

   when you're talking about your resource development, a lot of the centers don't

   mention everything.  You know, they may put, well, we applied for and received

   such and such grant.  What we often don't see is what they applied for but might

   not have gotten, and that's important, too, because that is time that, you know,

   centers and center directors are spending towards trying to develop their

   resources.

        >> FELIPE: Yeah, and the final thing I want to say about this -- this is a

   good question -- is that the federal government -- the law and the regs

   encourages centers to do significant resource development.  The centers for

   independent living program is one of the few federal programs that not only

   allows federal funds to be used for resource development, but it actually

   requires the centers use federal funds to develop more resources and so if the

   effort of a center or the dollars invested by a center in finding more sources

   of funding is producing fruit so to speak and they are able to spend the

   resource development, that is all we want to see.  So we don't want to put a cap

   on dollars or time spent on resource development as long as it's fruitful, but

   one of the indicators -- the compliance indicators for centers is that they

   conduct resource development activities and it's important for the SPIL because

   the SPIL includes in the financial plan resources that are available to centers
                                            21

   and to the extent that centers have resources -- more resources, the state and

   the SPIL has more resources to serve individuals with significant disabilities.

        >> CALLER: One other thing I would add to that, too, is that a lot of times

   when CILs think about resource development, they think about fund-raising, and

   you do have to be careful about fund-raising with your federal funds.  It's not

   something that you should be asking your staff to devote a lot of time to if

   they are funded by your Part C grant.  But that's not to say, you know, you

   couldn't use other funds.  But, you know, understand that fund-raising is not

   the only way of developing resources.  It's applying for grants.  It's applying

   for, you know, looking at foundations -- all kinds of things.  So I just wanted

   to make that point.

        >> SHARON: Felipe, I do have an E-mail question.  The question is do you

   feel the SILC could effectively monitor, evaluate and coordinate SPIL objectives

   if the DSU were to hold the subcontracts with other agencies charged with the

   implementation of specific SPIL objectives?

        >> FELIPE: Okay, I didn't quite understand the question.  Unless one of my

   colleagues understood it better.  Tom, Elizabeth, Pamela?

        >> TOM: It's a little hard -- I'm not sure what the questioning is asking.

   This is Sean.  I think what it's asking is if the DSU is contracting out.

   Hopefully they did this with SILC input, parts of the Part B dollars, would that

   infringe on the SILC's ability to, you know, fulfill its mandated duties.

        If that's the question, then absolutely I think the SILC could still do

   that.  I think the SILC's responsibility is -- one of the primary responsibility

   is to monitor the implementation of the state plan across the state and that

   includes any number of different groups that may or may not be participating or
                                            22

   doing activities with Part B dollars.  So that might be -- because it's an

   E-mail question, it's hard to follow up with the individual.  I think that might

   be worth that person contacting their IL rep if we didn't answer the question.

        >> FELIPE: What I would say is that we have to speak very clear the

   distinction between monitoring the SILC and monitoring the centers.  So I'm

   hoping that that distinction will help answer the question., but again, as Sean

   said, feel free to send us the question in writing with more particulars, we'll

   be happy to answer that question.

        >> SEAN: I would add to that it's monitoring the implementation.  How is it

   working?

        >> FELIPE: Exactly.  How did we make it better?  You know, I think we have

   time for one more question before going back to the presentation.  Any other

   questions?

        >> SHARON:Felipe, this is just a response.  I just noticed it.  Our people

   are having trouble hearing you.  It's kind of muffled.

        >> FELIPE: They are having trouble hearing me?  Mr. Loud mouth Lulli?  How

   about now?  Thanks for the comment.  I hope you heard something of what I said.

        >> SHARON: Thank you.

        >> FELIPE: So another question?

        >> SHARON: That was all the E-mail questions I have at this time.

        >> FELIPE: Any more from the floor, from the phone calls?

        >> OPERATOR: Yes, sir, you do have one question left from Ms. Navarro.

   Ma'am, your line is open.

        >> CALLER: Hello, thank you again.  Given that many different ILCs have

   different data programs here in California, I think a couple of us are
                                            23

   increasingly doing the (inaudible), but still even with that software, there is

   a diverse interpretation of how to count stats.

        What is RSA doing to assist ILC's towards a more standardized system so

   that when the reviews happen or when we do the quarterly reports, we're really

   accurately giving a more realistic picture of what's being accomplished at the

   center?  Thank you.

        >> FELIPE:  Pamela, go ahead.

        >> PAM: I get this question in every review I go to.  Probably we all do,

   so it's not a problem, you know, just in your center or just in your state.  And

   I can tell you, and I'm sure Sean and others can tell you that we hear you and

   we understand, but if you're looking for RSA to, you know, come up with a

   program to help standardize things, that's probably not going to happen.  And I

   think rightfully so because each of you has so many specific reporting

   activities that it will be very difficult for us to develop something that's

   going to work for everybody.  And in terms of, you know, how you drag and how

   you collect your 704 information, you know, everybody is using something

   different.  What I can tell you is that, you know, I've seen centers develop

   their own systems, their own programs.  They basically got to the point where,

   you know, you got to do what works for you.  And I'm sure Sean would agree with

   that and he's kind of our data geek on stats.

        >> SEAN:  Geek?

        >> PAM:  So you have to find that niche that works for you.  If you have a

   program that's not, it's not doing what you need, then I encourage you to, you

   know, maybe contact somebody at a local university, their computer science

   department who needs to do a project.  I've seen a lot of centers do that and
                                            24

   they are pretty successful.

        >> FELIPE: Sean, go ahead.

        >> SEAN: Let me jump in here real quick.  Two quick things:  We know that

   doing 704 training that in all honesty a lot of the questions we got about the

   new 704 were on things that were the same on the old 704.  So obviously there

   were still a lot of questions about interpretations.

        I think it's still on the NCIL site or the ILRU sight -- it is on the NCIL

   site -- we had a frequently asked question document about how do we interpret

   this or that, and it's something we address in reviews.  If you have questions,

   I strongly encourage you to contact your IL representative.  I'm sure that your

   IL representative at RSA would be happy -- and I would -- to be on a conference

   call with the centers or at a coalition meeting or something impacting that

   method.

        The other thing I would add is that we're not -- unless something changed

   and I don't foresee and Tom with jump in here if I'm wrong -- but RSA endorse ag

   certain software package.  Hopefully you understand that sets up all sorts of

   potential nightmares for us, but at the same time we want to provide as many

   resources and be as clear as possible as what kind of data we get.  I would

   encourage strongly the IL community to use their collective financial pour wear

   to encourage somebody to produce a product and maybe this product is out there

   and I haven't seen it.  That's perfectly possible, that meets their reporting

   needs and responds to what we -- the state looking for.

        >> FELIPE: Thank you, Sean.  I just wanted to emphasize the other side of

   the equation in terms of reporting, we have two sides, one is the software that

   collects -- software for reporting data, but the other side is that we want to
                                            25

   be sure that everyone is clear as to what we expect in terms of the reporting

   and that's why we've had the 704 trainings the last couple of years, and we will

   continue to offer training to CILs and SILCs and DSUs so that everyone

   understands what kind of data we're looking for, how to classify services, how

   to categorize, how to avoid duplication and so forth.  So Ms. Navarro, in answer

   to your question, we're committed to continuing to educate the whole community

   about data collection and reporting and hopefully the whole community will come

   together and develop good software programs that will be a good tool in your

   reporting to us.

        Now, Tom is going to continue his presentation discussing some examples of

   effective collaboration.

        >>Hello?

        >> FELIPE: One moment.

        >> SHARON: I think we're having a small technical difficulty.  So please be

   patient with us.

        >> TOM: Okay, can you hear me?

        >> SHARON: I do have one question if you'd like to take that E-mail

   question.

        >> TOM: Well, can we include it?  Let's put the E-mail question off until

   our next set of questions.

        >> SHARON: Okay.

        >> TOM: And then I'll, but keep it in mind for us.

        Okay, what we wanted to do is we're getting out in the states on a regular

   basis and we've gone through the approval process and SPIL approval process.

   And we'd like to just talk a little bit -- for a little bit here about just
                                            26

   examples of DSUs, SILC and CIL collaboration that we see in doing our work here

   at on monitoring SPIL approval.

        The SILC is critical to the success of the independent living program and

   each state's SPIL obviously.  The SILC's duties encompass many important

   activities that have broad impacts on individuals with disabilities throughout

   the whole state.  Although the act lists a limited number of SILC duties, there

   is a variety of creative, meaningful and allowable ways in which the SILC may

   fulfill each of these duties.  The SILC's involvement in the SPIL can be active,

   substantial and comprehensive within the guidelines established by federal law

   and regulation.

        As I mentioned earlier, before the question and answer period, there are a

   number of activities related to systems change and resource development that

   flow directly from the SILC's exercise of its statutory duties.  And here are a

   few examples:  SILCs listen to and advocate for individuals with significant

   disabilities in the process of developing the SPIL in conjunction with the DSU.

   SILCs advocate for independent living on a year-round basis through its

   interaction with a variety of disability-related councils, missions and

   organizations at the state, local and federal level.  In this way, SILCs promote

   a better understanding of the IL philosophy and the needs of individuals with

   disabilities.  They encourage new collaborative initiatives and resources in

   support of the SPIL goals and objectives and influence the state's ability -- or

   disability policies and practices.

        SILCs support the CIL's systems advocacy activities, for example, by

   coordinating with the state or local transportation agencies to address or

   identify transportation needs and to support CIL initiated activity.  SILCs
                                            27

   ensure the SPIL is implemented that effectively addresses the needs of people

   with significant disabilities in the state.

        Based on its assessment, the SILC may advocate for new approaches or

   amendments to better serve the needs of individuals and communities.  It's

   important to note, however, that although the CILs may interact with the state

   and federal legislatures by for example being invited by a state legislative

   committee to provide testimony on an IL-related issue or proposal, the federal

   government identifies certain interactions -- those issues we'll be working on

   going forward.  All grantees and subgrantees are prohibited from using federal

   funds to actively engage in lobbying.

        We do have a few examples of things that states are doing in the

   implementation of their SPIL that we thought might be illuminating for some

   people on the call.  Let me actually cue Sean.

        >> SEAN: Okay.  Thank you, Tom.  And these are examples taken from

   states -- I won't mention which ones or parts take phren different states.  The

   first one in no particular order, I'm sure most people can relate that typically

   a SPIL -- the goal section looks like goal 1, there is a problem statement.

   It's sort of brief, maybe a paragraph that identifies the problem.  Then it

   talks about the goals, what do we want to change and then it says how are we

   going to address those goals.  One state I know is working on taking that

   problem statement, that identification of a problem, and really, really

   expanding it and talking about the history, the funding streams, what goes into

   it, making a much more enhanced version of that problem statement.

        I wouldn't technically call it a position paper in the sense that it

   doesn't say because of these things you should vote this way or you should do
                                            28

   this.  That's one of the lines where we start thinking about lobbying, but what

   it does is it paints a very thorough and very in-depth picture of the issue

   which becomes a tool.  It becomes something that members of the SILC and friends

   of theirs and friends of theirs can use to inform and educate the multiple -- in

   any given state there is probe hundreds if not thousands of other groups that

   are facing similar issues and it gives a tool for these IL community members to

   say, hey, here is a little more information or a lot more information about this

   issue and a perspective that this one statewide group that I know of believes it

   is coming from.  And that is a tool for implementing and multiplying the power

   and the impact of it.  By not specifically saying vote this way, it also is a

   tool that has a longer shelf life.  It's a tool that explains whatever the

   particular goal or issue is which could apply whether it's an issue that's

   occurring today, tomorrow or ten years from now.

        No. 2, also in no particular order, we have one SILC that does an

   extraordinarily great job of implementing a very, very wide range of input in

   writing their SPIL.  In talking to all the different players in the state,

   everybody said I absolutely feel I'm included in the SPIL.  Well t advantages of

   that or one of the things they do, the SILC does after that is once SPIL is

   written, they send a list to people who have agreed that they want to work on

   certain things saying what they agreed to work on.  It's not a binding list.

   Its neat a contract.  It's not something the SILC can enforce, it's just a

   reminder.  Hey, look, this is what you said you were going to do.  I think we've

   all sat through a number of SILC planning meetings where ideas were tossed

   around but when it became a goal written down in concrete, it didn't -- people

   forgot what he said or didn't fulfill what they said they were going to work on.
                                            29

        Then the SILC follows up and every six months sends these people or these

   groups that letter again, but it has boxes.  The left side says here is what we

   said you were going to work on.  Here is the SPIL goal related to that and here

   is a box where you can fill in what you've done.  Once again, the SILC doesn't

   have the authority to require people to fill those out, but it certainly is a

   tool that reminds people that they were working on, it fostered that

   communication and the degree to which the SILC gets this info back which I

   understand is quite significant, allows them to track and monitoring the

   implementation of the state plan.

        No. 3, also in no particular order, one of the things that's very common

   when I talk to people from different SILCs and DSUs and CILs, that if

   communication isn't going well, and if people just aren't getting along, nine

   times out of ten, obviously people stop talking, but it teams that a common root

   of that issue is a lack of understanding of the rules and roles and

   responsibilities of the individual groups.  A better way to phrase what I just

   said, a more positive way, is to say that almost universally, the groups that

   tend to work well together are the ones who spent significant amount of time --

   and I know of one state in particular -- who designed and implemented training

   where SILCs talked DSU's about what the SILCs role is and back and forth,

   sharing the multiple roles, CILs were go to D. VR offices and they would share

   what their different roles and responsibilities are.  One of the interesting

   things that always occurs out of this or at least so far, is you see a

   commitment to I might not agree with you.  I might not understand you, but now

   that I know where you ee coming are and what your 9 to 5 job responsibilities

   are, I can have conversations and commit to resolving our difficulties.
                                            30

        And lastly, No. 4, is that one of the big challenges from the CIL world, I

   think coming from running a center myself, is sometimes knowing that the SILC

   has more than just an understanding of IL in general, but know how it's being

   actually manifested on the ground in individual CILs.  One of the things that we

   worked on in the state I'm from -- I left before it was implemented, but we

   started on -- was having individuals or having everybody who is on the SILC take

   responsibility for knowing very well what's going on in at least one CIL.  Now,

   honestly this gets difficult in large states like California with 50 CILs.  We

   called it a liaison, that it was helpful for SILCs to take responsibility for

   knowing very closely what's going on in an individual CIL.  As center directors,

   we made it clear that doesn't mean we're offering them a job or promising them

   to be on the board, but there is lots of things you can do to go in and get a

   tour and talk to the director about their priorities and their challenges and

   then take that knowledge when you go back to SILC activities of not just we know

   housing is a goal, but we know housing just for an example is a goal and this is

   how the different centers have specifically attacked and approached this issue

   and the challenges that they face.  There you go.

        >> FELIPE:  Pamela or Elizabeth, you want to mention something?  Any

   examples?  I would like to give a couple of examples along the lines of what

   Sean has just expressed.  One thing we found states doing is because resources

   are limited, certain states have recognized the need to leverage resources, to

   work together so that the state agency and the Center for Independent Living and

   in some cases even the older blind program, their representatives come together

   in a working group.  The centers describe what kind of services they provide,

   and what kind of services they can make available to the VR agency, for example,
                                            31

   on a fee for service basis.  Then the VR agency, they share what their needs

   are.  For example, some VR agencies have -- they get consumers who are seeking

   employment, but they are not really ready to actively pursue employment goals

   because the consumer hasn't developed good IL skills levels or self-advocacy

   skills or they are still working on managing their household and it's hard for

   them to focus on employment.

        So the VR agencies have a fee for service arrangement with centers whereby

   the centers provide the IL skills training and self-empowerment training to the

   VR consumers, then once the consumer is prepared through the help of the center,

   it's referred back to the VR program and the consumer is able to achieve a

   successful employment outcome.  So in this scenario, the VR program is able to

   better meets its mission of finding employment and the centers receive a new

   funding source and is able to provide -- realize or fulfill its mission of

   promoting independent living.  So both the VR agencies and the centers gain from

   this.  So in SPILs, one of the objectives in the SPIL is to bring together the

   SILC and the DSU and the centers and other partners to see how their mutual

   interests could be brought together for the benefit of all.  That's one example

   I'd like to share.

        Another example that I would like to share is there is another state within

   its SPIL goals and objectives has included emergency funds for technical

   assistance funds for centers in particular need.  So centers that are going

   through a transition and are having difficulty, whether it be personnel or

   resource development or the provision of services, and so this fund -- I think

   it's Part B funds as well as perhaps other nonfederal funds or maybe state funds

   are made available to train centers and provide mentoring to centers.
                                            32

        Now, this program was partially the brain child of the SILC in

   collaboration with the DSU. but the funds for this project are administered by

   the state because it's appropriate for the state to manage the Part B funds, but

   it's a program developed by the DSU and the SILC and it benefits centers.  So

   that's another good example of the kinds of collaboration between the DSU, the

   SILC and the centers.  And after giving those two examples, I think we're ready

   for some questions.

        If you can, let's start with questions from the webcast.

        >> SHARON: All right, I have a few questions.  First question is coming

   from Washington.  In addition to CILs, can a SILC use part of their funds for

   resource development that expands over all IL capacity within the state?

        >> FELIPE: Okay, I'm not sure if I understand the question correctly.  I

   will paraphrase and I hope that I'm understanding the question.

        >> SEAN: Felipe, do you mind?  I think I know what they are talking about.

        >> SHARON: This is Sharon.  I'm sorry.  Could you introduce your selfs.

   I've gotten questions as to who is speaking.

        >> FELIPE: Sean Barrett, go ahead.

        >> SEAN: This is Sean Barrett.  I think what they are talking about is

   using Part B funds to hire somebody or contract out some specialty who that

   person's responsibility would be increasing the capacity of centers across the

   state.

        Felipe, if you want to take a shot at the answer, I would just say

   generally SILCs -- it's not SILCs money, it's state money, it's Part B money

   than could be an effective use of Part B dollars, and I'll defer to Felipe on

   this, but it will be a position or a contract or whatever that would come out of
                                            33

   the DSU or out of the VR agency and not the SILC itself.

        >> FELIPE: That's right, Sean.  This is Felipe Lulli.  This idea to provide

   technical assistance and training to centers for resource development can be

   something that the SILC -- an idea that the SILC has developed because of its

   contact with centers and the SILC might even flesh out the idea and then

   together with the DSU and so it is something where the SILC is really involved

   in initiating, however, as Sean said, the money -- the flow of funds for such a

   training or such a program, if it involves Part B funds or state matching funds,

   would have to be administered by the DSU and not only in the disburse meant of

   the funds or managing the request for proposal for this project, but also

   monitoring -- fiscal monitoring of the funds.  So, again, the SILC is necessary

   to be involved.  The DSU is necessary to be involved and the CILs are necessary

   to be involved each in its own way.

        Any other questions?

        >> SHARON: Yes.  If the SILC is not a private nonprofit and the DSU is

   their fiscal agent, and the DSU imposes certain controls relative to SILC staff,

   i.e. time sheets, performance evaluation, internal audit, et cetera, is the DSU

   exempt from labor laws such as paying into FICA, disability, employment

   insurance and from offering benefits to SILC staff?

        >> FELIPE: This question is beyond our expertise.  This is a question that

   our fiscal unit needs to respond to.  So I think -- you know, I think we

   received this question already, but I'm not sure.  If we haven't, I suggest that

   you submit that in writing with as many details as possible so that our fiscal

   unit can respond.

        But I just want to make a point that is helpful that when the SILC receives
                                            34

   Part B funds or state matching funds from the DSU, the DSU cannot impose

   conditions that really undermine the independence of the SILC.  For example, in

   terms of staff performance evaluation, you know, I won't get into particulars,

   but generally it's the SILC's responsibility to evaluate its staff.  Okay?  So

   that is a SILC responsibility supervise and evaluate its staff.  There are other

   areas where the DSU can impose -- I guess for lack of a better word can

   establish fiscal policies that the SILC needs to meet because RSA holds the DSU

   responsible for the funds that we provide it.  So the DSU has a responsibility

   to follow procedures allowed by state law and federal law to monitoring the

   funds that it gives to the SILC or to the centers or to any other service

   provider.  Sorry we can't answer your other more technical question in this

   call, but we will try to do so outside of this call.

        >> SEAN: This is posted on the ILRU discussion board and I can't express

   strongly enough or agree with what Felipe said.  There are any number of

   conditions around what is the exact set up of this particular CIL, what are the

   laws related to how the SILC is set up that we would have to know before the

   fiscal unit or anybody else could make a rational stab at the answer, it's also

   important enough and technical enough that if we took a bad stab at it, it could

   be problematic.  So contact your IL person.

        >> SHARON: Thank you.  I have no further questions from the web.

        >> FELIPE: Well, how about from the callers?

        >> OPERATOR: As a reminder, if you'd like to ask a question, press star 1

   on your telephone keypad.

        >> FELIPE: Are there no questions?

        >> OPERATOR: There are no questions from the phone lines, sir.
                                            35

        >> FELIPE: Wow.  We'll continue with the program and we'll have time for

   more questions afterwards.  Now Tom is going to talk a little bit about RSA's

   monitoring and technical assistance activities.  (field monitoring) I'm going to

   ask everyone to bear with me.  We're having a little bit of a technical issue we

   have to address and it will take a few moments.  Please bear with us.

        >> SHARON: For those of you on the call --

        >> TOM: Okay, can everyone hear me again?

        >> SHARON: Yes.

        >> TOM: Okay, at this point, what I would like to do before we conclude is

   give some examples or talk a little bit about our monitoring and technical

   assistance activities that some of you are experiencing and some will be

   experiencing as we get out into states more.

        But in short, when we examine the IL program, the CIL SILS, the state

   independent living services as they are set up in a state, we are looking at,

   you know, all of the issues that we've been discussing related to policy on how

   the SILC, the CILs and the DSU perform their duties and how they operate

   collaboratively and hopefully and possibly where they are not to be able to

   offer technical assistance about ways to improve collaboration and cooperation.

        While we were on site, we look at the fiscal issues as well.  We have a

   fiscal unit team that will be doing that in collaboration with the team that

   visits your state.

        We look at SILC autonomy while we're on site.  We examine the CIL goals and

   strategies including your outreach plan.  We, as I said, look at the financial

   plan and the resource plan.  We talk to you and look at the statewide network of

   CILs and of course we look at the DSU contract administration process and how
                                            36

   well that's happening.

        While on site, we often provide technical assistance sort of on the spot

   technical assistance or we will work with the state to develop a plan for

   technical assistance once we get back here and we can discuss -- further discuss

   the real needs of the state.

        We have a lot of avenues in place here in RSA now that are being developed

   and some products that we already have in place.  First, as far as the avenues,

   as I mentioned, we have on the spot TA.  We do issue a state monitoring review

   or report at the end of the year which will contain all of our -- all of the

   information about the review and how it went, related to IL and it will actually

   talk about some of the challenges, if there are any, in the ways that we have

   jointly agreed to add dross those issues.  So we will develop a technical

   assistance program or plan with you in collaboration.

        I was going to turn to Darrell for five minutes to talk about the role that

   SILC-NET and CIL-NET play in this process.

        >> DARRELL: Okay, thanks, Tom.  Can everyone hear me okay?

        >> SHARON: Yes.

        >> DARRELL: Okay Kay, good.  Thanks.  Good afternoon everyone.  My name is

   Darrell Jones, and I'm the program coordinator for the IL NET.  I wanted to take

   just a couple of moments to update you on the IL NET program and explain how the

   program may be of benefit to you in implementing the work of the statewide

   independent living councils and the work of the centers for independent living

   as well.

        You are probably aware that in the most recent funding cycle, which began

   October 1, 2007, RSA funded two separate national training and technical
                                            37

   assistance programs, one for SILCs and one for centers.  And we are calling the

   program for SILCs the SILC-NET.  And the program for centers is the CIL-NET, and

   they are both component parts of the IL NET, which is the overall program that

   you are familiar with.

        Having two distinct programs allows us to carefully consider the needs of

   each group and to target trainings and technical assistance accordingly, but

   this distinction was not intended to artificially separate the two groups.  It's

   important to know that the same team made up of Independent Living Research

   Utilization, the National Council on Independent Living or NCIL, and the

   Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living, APRIL, plans and

   implements both programs.  And one of our most important objectives is to honor

   the interconnectedness of independent living and to ensure that the training and

   technical assistance, while it may be more specifically targeted, always

   provides a vehicle for centers and SILCs to learn from each other.  It's one big

   learning community.  So you will notice in announcements, for example, about

   training programs that although a particular training might be targeted to

   SILCs, it may say that the program is of benefit to centers as well and vice

   versa.

        And over the course of the next five years, we will be offering in the

   neighborhood of 150 training programs overall for SILCs and centers.  These

   include on-location training, online courses, which are facilitated by Utah

   State University, webcasts/teleconferences and topical work groups.  And we are

   also pursuing a new approach to offering some of our trainings which will

   involve online tutorials and we're kind of excited about that.

        We know that there have been a number of concerns and issues that have
                                            38

   arisen recently around RSA's clarifications of the roles and responsibilities of

   SILCs and the process of developing and evaluating implementation of the state

   plans for independent living.  We have heard your concerns.  We will be having

   more trainings this year which will help you process these clarifications, but

   we also wanted to remind you that in addition to offering trainings, we continue

   to provide peer mentoring through APRIL and intensive support through our

   long-time colleague, Bob Michaels.  We also provide short-term technical

   assistance through our entire IL NET team, and for the SILC-NET specifically, we

   have an additional group of SILC consultants who work with us.

        Some of you asked earlier about things such as outcome measurement, and I

   did want to assure you that we have some trainings in the works for that topic

   as well as a broad range of other things that we hope will be relevant to you.

        And we hope that you will contact us if you have any training or technical

   assistance needs or any questions at any time.  We always look forward to

   hearing from you.

        So thank you all very much for this opportunity to give you this little

   update, and Tom, I will turn this back to you.

        >> TOM: Thank you very much, Darrell.  I wanted to add something to what

   Tom said about the state monitoring.

        >> FELIPE: When we go to the states, one of the most important things we do

   is meet with the SILC and with the CILs as groups and separately actually and

   understand from the SILC and the CILs what the particular needs and challenges

   and opportunities in those states and also how the CILs and the SILC think

   perhaps that we try to get their suggestions as to how the IL program in the

   state can be improved and how RSA might support improvement in the IL program
                                            39

   within the state.  And also I just wanted to say when we do the review st state

   agencies, we review both the independent living program in the general agency,

   if there is a general agency, as well as in the blind agency where there is a

   separate blind agency and we also look at the older blind program, too.  When

   we're on site doing state monitoring, we learn a lot about what the creative

   collaborative activities going on between the DSU and the SILC and the CILs and

   when we see opportunities for more collaboration among CILs, SILCs and DSUs, we

   provide suggestions and technical assistance using lessons we've learned in

   other states.  And just want to bring up also that another example of what we've

   seen is that many cases -- well, first I want to emphasize again the role of the

   SILC being a statewide body, how important it is for the SILC being creative

   incoming up with statewide initiatives and in many states there are statewide

   conferences, statewide trainings, some of these training are conducted in

   different regions and are available to centers.  These are all very good

   activities.  And we've been able to help states to allocate the role so that we

   make it clear that the funds -- the DSU administered the funds.  The SILC

   oversees the implementation of the project -- there is a lot of exciting

   activity that is we look forward to learning about when we are on site.

        We'd like to go to the last part of our program and that is to provide a

   little summary of what we've just discussed and discuss briefly our next steps

   and again the purpose of this teleconference is to increase mutual understanding

   between the DSU, the SILC and the CILs.  This is a process.  It's a process that

   we look forward to and that we will continue to support.  The bottom line here

   is collaboration and coordination.  There is a lot of room for creativity and

   being very ambitious and very, very -- reaching for the stars so to speak on
                                            40

   behalf of individuals with significant disabilities.

        What's really important is that all the players come together to understand

   what the reals are, the needs and the challenges, kind of a meeting of the

   minds.  The overall arching theme is we'd like to see -- there is a lot of the

   meeting of the minds between the SILCs, the DSUs and the CILs, we'd like to

   encourage more of that and RSA would have to be part of the process as

   appropriate.  We want to be a partner with you all in this regard.

        We encourage you to review from the ILRU website RSA's responses to

   questions received from NCIL, some of the legal questions, and also to use the

   bulletin board made available at ILRU's website for this conference.  This

   website also has helpful materials related to those calls such as the SPIL

   instrument and instruction.

        As I said before, RSA is committed to continue the dialogue with the IL

   community.  This is just a beginning.  Darrell has talked about ILRU and

   SILC-NET and CIL-NET.  So through ILRU and these two projects, there will be

   more opportunities for dialogue with RSA.

        Also we hope to have more regularly scheduled teleconferences with you all

   on selected topics.  And of course as Tom said, the on site state review

   provides excellent opportunity for dialogue and technical assistance.

        We're going to now lead to our final question and answer period and then a

   Sharon Finney will give us some closing housekeeping remarks and then we'll

   close the teleconference at that point.  I wanted to kick off the question and

   answer session with this question to all of you -- DSUs, CILs and SILCs.  What

   would you like to see from RSA to help implement and evaluate the CILs in your

   state?
                                            41

        >> OPERATOR:  Again, if you'd like to ask a question, press star and the

   No. 1 on your telephone keypad.  And your first question or comment comes from

   Lily Beth Navarro.  Ma'am, your line is open.

        >> CALLER:  Hello.  My practical answer is the money.

        I have a question about is the IL funding -- I don't know where it is in

   terms of the national budget given the economic climate we're in, we tend to

   worry a lot more about our ILCs going to survive.  We have a lot of great

   inspiration and a lot of idealism and zeal for independent living, but will we

   have the money to really pursue that even in the next five years how are our

   funds safe?  And I know it behooves all of the ILC's to really push for more

   funding, but from where are you, what are you seeing?  Thank you.

        >> FELIPE: Thanks for your question.  You know, RSA does not have control

   over what Congress appropriates for the program, and we don't have a crystal

   ball as to predict the future.  We hope that there will be funding and

   increasing funding for the program, but we don't know.  There are a lot of

   factors as you said, the current economic environment for one.  This year the

   Congress had level funding for the program, but then because of the budget

   enacted an across the board cut in all discretionary programs which

   unfortunately affected the IL program and soon in the next month or so or maybe

   even sooner than that, all the centers and the DSU and SILCs will get a memo --

   E-mail letter from us indicating how much each center is going do receive and

   how much each state is going to receive.  So I'm sorry, I can't give you a more

   promising or certain answer, Ms. Navarro.  Any other questions?

        >> SEAN: Felipe, can I address that real quickly?

        >> FELIPE: Of course.
                                            42

        >> SEAN: Felipe is right.  We're not -- we don't have control of that and

   we don't know the answer to that question right now for the future.  I would

   encourage you, however, I would go back to something that Felipe said earlier

   about how the laws and the regs actually enforce or encourage centers -- and

   this is rare, super rare among federal programs -- to do resource development to

   get different types of funds.  We don't know where IL funding is going, but

   every nonprofit, for profit, anybody will tell you that diversify funding and

   having funding from different sources is the key to long term growth and

   sustainment of any program anywhere, no matter what you're doing.  None of us

   have crystal balls.  None of us know where it's going to be in five years.

   Funding sources go up and down and left and right, and having different sources

   of funding and diversifying that funding enhance's centers abilities to ride out

   the valleys and the peaks of different sources.

        >>I would absolutely agree with that.  The more you diversify the funding

   streams the better off you're going to be.

        >> FELIPE: Yeah, and you know going back to the SPIL, there is two things

   come to mind.  One is it's not a matter only of raising new money or finding new

   sources of funding, but it's also a matter of leveraging existing resources,

   kind of pooling resources among centers and I mentioned earlier coming up with a

   list of what a center can offer a state agency and what a state agency can offer

   a center in terms of fee for service.  That's another way of gathering resources

   in this difficult time.

        The other thing is some states -- somebody mentioned trainings, as part of

   the SPIL, providing resource development training to centers and that would be a

   very good use of Part B funds and so if your state -- if your SPIL doesn't have
                                            43

   such an idea now, those are the kind of things that you can be considering for

   the next SPIL or even -- you might even consider -- there is nothing wrong with

   your coming up with that idea now and actually amending the SPIL.  But there are

   a lot of creative ways of helping to increase resources or to leverage existing

   resources and it goes back to the meeting of the minds between all of the

   partners in the SPIL.

        >>I think you're absolutely right, Felipe.  This is Pamela.  One on they

   thing I would add is if your center is at a level funding and you've been at

   that same level funding for awhile, if you're kind of stagnant, I think that

   does you no favors and I think what all of us are saying is the more you can

   diversify your funding the better off you will be.

        >> FELIPE: Any other questions?

        >> OPERATOR: Yes, sir.  Your next question comes from Richard Kriner.  Sir,

   you have the floor.

        >> CALLER: Thank you.  This is Richard Kriner again from Virginia Statewide

   Independent Living Council, and first off I just wanted to thank y'all for the

   wonderful document you put on the web, the RSA responses to the NCIL questions.

   I thought that was a wonderful tool and it did a really good job of concisely

   explaining a number of challenges that come up in terms of the implementation of

   the SPIL.  And just in terms of answering your question, what would be of value

   to our SILC and DSU and centers for independent living as we move forward with

   implementing the SPIL and developing new ones, I think anything you can do in

   terms of being able to share best practices that are going on in other states.

   Ways of leveraging resources or effective strategies for collaboration amongst

   the partners, the CILs, the DSUs and the SILCs.  Things like maybe a matrix that
                                            44

   broke out and put things side by side in terms of what the roles and the duties

   and responsibilities of the SILC and the DSU and the CILs are in terms of

   developing and implementing and monitoring a SPIL.  And all those kind of things

   I think would be real useful.  I know from a local level we'll be working on

   developing those kind of tools, but anything that RSA can put together, if you

   have access to that type of information, would be valuable I think at the local

   level.  Thanks.

        >> FELIPE:  Those are great suggestions, Richard.  And I think also that's

   the kind of thing we'll be doing with the help of ILRU and other avenues and

   that is a direction that RSA is going in.  Not only for IL, but also for the VR

   program.  We do need to share promising practices and we're committed to doing

   so.  We really appreciate that.  And Richard prompted a thought in terms of

   leveraging resources is many states have associations of CILs and when those

   associations are an excellent opportunity to look at leveraging of resources and

   even establishing in some cases quality indicators if the centers themselves

   come up with what they consider quality indicators for centers and in addition

   to RSA's compliance indicators, and so that's just another example of how we can

   leverage resources and pool ideas.  Any other questions?

        >> SEAN:  Felipe, real quick, I want to chime in.  This is Sean.  On that

   question, one of the things that's part of the state reviews that we're going on

   is the technical assistance unit which is part of -- or works in collaboration

   with the IL unit and other units on the review is collecting these promising

   practices of different states in hopes that we can do exactly what you were just

   talking about, which is sort of build the database of these things that are

   going well so that in the future when we're in a state and we see an issue or
                                            45

   see a question and we can go, hey, I remember a state that either our team or

   another team found that has a good practice in that area and then we can share

   them.

        We are one -- let's call it a year and a half into a four year review

   cycle.  So that list will get bigger and bigger over time.

        >> FELIPE: Thanks, Sean.  Any other questions or comments?

        >> SHARON: I have a couple of questions from the web.

        >> FELIPE: Absolutely.

        >> SHARON: The question is can we expect to see an increase in training

   opportunities provided by RSA to the DSUs?  One avenue of suggestion would be to

   offer content sessions through the CSAVR meetings.

        >> FELIPE: Well, that's a good suggestion.  We'll definitely consider this.

   One thing that happens out of RSA is that the IL unit is part of a larger team

   structure where you have IL, VR, technical assistance, fiscal and data

   collection experts, and together we come up with how best to support states and

   grantees within states including DSUs, and so this idea of yours will definitely

   will bring it to our team and to the division, to the state monitoring of

   program improvement division and see what we can do with that and work with

   CSAVR.  I can't guarantee anything.  I'm just a peon here, but what I would say

   regarding DSU training, this call is being hosted by RSA precisely because we

   wanted to have the DSU as an equal partner in this call.  If it were ILRU

   hosting this call, the DSUs would not be able to participate because our

   training and technical assistance dollars are, by law, are restricted to SILCs

   and CILs.  So RSA wanted to open it up to DSUs and we will continue to do that.

   We'll continue to open up as many opportunities for training and idea exchange
                                            46

   with DSUs as well as their partners, SILCs and CILs.  So thank you.

        >> SEAN:  This is Sean.  As your states get reviewed when we're on site or

   through that year long process, if you have specific questions or TA needs, let

   us know and we're usually happy to schedule those sessions when we're on site.

        >> SHARON: Thank you.  Next question in response to Felipe's question, I

   feel that not only establishing a best practices, but perhaps finding a way to

   reinforce best practices through partnering states with promising practices with

   other states and allowing for collaboration between states would be of great

   value.

        >> FELIPE: Hmmm.  Well, that's an interesting idea.  We hope that some of

   that is already going on, and we would like to learn about states that are

   collaborating among themselves because the more we know about these kind of

   activities going on, the more we can replicate these across the states

   initiatives and also that is also the role -- that's how also ILRU can help.

   We're going to rely a lot on ILRU in promoting promising practices, whether they

   be within states or between states.  So I hope there will be more and more of

   that dialogue between states.

             >> SHARON:  And my last question is in response to what would RSA like

   to assist with?  Insofar as future training is concerned, it would be very

   helpful for RSA to offer training and technical assistance to SILCs on staffing,

   especially for those SILCs that are not 501(c)(3).

        >> FELIPE:Thank you.  That's also a good suggestion.  And I know that our

   colleagues at ILRU are taking note of these suggestions and we'll intend to work

   with ILRU on these and other suggestions.

        Now, we have -- we have about 15 more minutes that we can use for more
                                            47

   questions and answers and then we'll start closing the program.  This has been

   very helpful.

        >> SHARON: Felipe, I have a direct question as to what is the appropriate

   format for E-mailing questions to RSA to ensure a response?  How should or who

   should they E-mail them to?

        >> FELIPE: Well, we have -- part of RSA reorganization, each state has a

   team devoted to it.  A team of RSA staff.  The team includes as I mentioned

   earlier an expert from IL, from vocational rehabilitation, data collection,

   fiscal and technical assistance.  In addition, each state has what is called a

   state liaison.  The state liaison is the person who normally receives the

   inquiry from the state.  And that means CIL, SILC or DSU and then that state

   liaison involves the team members who are most appropriate for responding to

   that inquiry.  So if you don't know -- if you don't have that already, if you

   don't know who your state liaison is, we'll do what we can to make that

   information better known.  Maybe we'll work with ILRU to provide that

   information to you, but that would be the best way to go is to provide them the

   inquiry to the state liaison, or you can contact ILRU or anyone of us.  I can

   give you Tom Kelley's E-mail.  And if inquiry, he will forward it to the

   appropriate liaison or IL unit expert.  But aside from that, again, what I

   really want to encourage you, if your inquiry involves another partner -- if

   you're representing a center and your question involves the sill SILC and a DSU,

   we would like that question to come from all of you and we would like your

   question to reflect the background information we need to make a good

   determination or good decision or provide good guidance and also we'd like to

   know what each of the parties thinks about the issue.  Reflect the positions of
                                            48

   each party and that way we will respond to everybody at the same time and in

   that way promote mutual understanding of the guidance and follow up steps.

   Again, thank you for that question.

        >> SEAN: This is Sean, just real quick, either your state Lee I soon or IL

   person is very likely the individual you worked with on your SPIL.  If you're

   not exactly sure who that is, just back to that.

        >> FELIPE: We have time I think for one more question from the web or from

   the phone.

        >> SHARON: I'm sorry, are there any questions on the telephone?

        >> OPERATOR: Yes, ma'am.  There is one question from Samuel.  Sir, you have

   the floor.

        >> CALLER: Okay, thank you.  Good afternoon to everybody.  It's a pleasure

   just spending some time talking to all of you and we really appreciate y'all

   having this teleconference; but one of the things that could help Tennessee --

   and I hear it from the SILC, and as the SILC liaison is experts coming to the

   state and meeting with the SILC and DSU and going over some of the same things

   you've gone over today.  I don't know if funding is available in one of these

   sources, maybe ILRU or somewhere, where you all can send experts to us to

   discuss significant situations that's identical to Tennessee.  That would be

   helpful to us.  And thanks again for all that you all do.

        >> FELIPE: Thank you very much for your comment.  Good suggestion.  We will

   definitely consider, but again, when we go to a state to do a state monitoring

   review, that's what we do.  We meet with the DSU and the SILC and discuss

   particular issues and provide tailored technical assistance.  So we'll continue

   to do that on site as well as we'll look for other opportunities to provide
                                            49

   state by state guidance and technical assistance.

        Well, I think we're going to have to wrap up.  This has been a wonderful

   opportunity for us to meet with you and talk with you.  We're going to give the

   floor to Sharon to provide the closing housekeeping remarks and then we'll

   give -- then we'll close.

        >> SHARON: Thank you, Felipe.  Thank you all for your presentation today.

        Please feel free to share the archives of the presentation with your

   colleagues.  They will be available on Friday at www.ilru.org.

        The CIL-NET and SILC net are pleased to host this trapping.  This training

   was presented by the Rehabilitation Services Administration, your sponsor, and

   finally, the webcast would not be possible without the efforts of the ILRU

   webcast team, Rob Dickehuth, for his technical expertise and our captioner

   today, Marie Bryant.  Everyone, thank you for joining us and have a great the

   afternoon.

        >> TOM: And thank you.  This is Tom back in RSA.  We deeply appreciate all

   that you do for individuals with disabilities, those of you who are on the front

   lines.  We respect your work and we hope to have more discussions like this

   around topics that will continue to enhance all of us and in our ability to

   provide quality services to individuals with disabilities.  So thank you very

   much.