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Center History
1983 - WISH (With Impaired Sight-Hearing) Begins.
1985 - The Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Inc. opened its doors
1986-87 - The Center become a Helen Keller National Center Affiliate
1988 - The Center evening program and services expanded
1989 - The Center began a support group for consumers to deal with issues of
grief and loss.
1990-92 – The Center relocates to Marian
Center for Non-Profits
and opens a new high tech training facility.
1994 - The Center implements a peer mentor program and began offering
employment services.
1995 - Three-year collaborative employment project with IndependenceFirst (formerly SEWCIL),
the Center for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, and Goodwill Industries.
1996 Transition Program in conjunction with Milwaukee Public Schools gets off
the ground.
1997 - The beginnings of the Support Service Program emerge.
1998 - Statewide technology drop-in
Center launched, WISH
celebrates fifteenth anniversary.
1999 - The center participated in National Trainings Programs for
professionals in rehab services. The
Center celebrated its fifteenth anniversary;
2000-2003 - The agency established Older Adult Program for seniors
experiencing vision and hearing loss.
2004-2005 –Distance Training embarks to reach clients beyond customary
geographic boundaries. The Center celebrated its twentieth anniversary.
1983
In September 1983, the first meeting of a social group for adults with
combined hearing and vision impairments met in donated space at the American Red
Cross Building
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Prior to the meeting, Ruth Silver, an individual with the dual sensory
loss, together with dedicated volunteers researched the need and identified
potential consumers. There were nine
consumers and nine volunteer sign language interpreters at the first
meeting. The group decided to meet
monthly and after a few meetings named the club WISH (With Impaired
Sight-Hearing). Although participation
in the group helped to reduce loneliness and was enjoyable, it was obvious
from the outset that there were many members in need of training and support,
and that there was no agency in Wisconsin specializing in services to this
population.
1985
The Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Inc. opened its doors part-time on
January 10, 1985, in donated space at St. John’s
Center (St. John’s School
for the Deaf) with seed money from the Wisconsin Council of the Blind. This event was preceded by sixteen months
of hard work on the part of a newly-formed Board of Directors who
investigated the need, documented the lack of existing resources, wrote
By-Laws, obtained non-profit status, located donated space, and implemented
fundraising plans. The agency started
with five consumers, one teacher, one volunteer director/teacher, and several
Center-trained volunteers. By the end
of the year, the agency was able to increase its hours of service and had
served twenty-one clients and had helped another eight consumers through
consultations with individuals or other agencies. Clients ranged in age from mid-twenties to
sixties with one lady of eighty-three.
Clients received instruction and were provided ongoing social
opportunities and emotional support.
Based on assessed needs, they learned one or more alternative
communication methods such as touch sign language, print-on-palm, Braille,
and Tellatouch (a print-to-Braille device). They received training in orientation and
mobility techniques (safe travel) to find their way within the Center. Some learned adaptive daily living skills,
such as identifying coins and time by touch.
All participated in the leisure skills program and learned creative
crafts and adapted games to fill empty hours.
Three clients received support and instruction to help them maintain
their jobs. This training was provided
in weekly three-hour evening sessions (after work).
Due to the nature of our first-year clients, who were totally or severely
deaf-blind and isolated, ongoing social opportunities were afforded. Clients were welcome to remain at the
Center during all hours of operation.
When not scheduled for training, they could play adapted games,
receive help with letter writing, have interpreters sign current news to
them, socialize, and share concerns with other clients and caring
professionals.
The Center was able to implement a Communication
Learning Center,
a unique program, which included training volunteers. Of the twelve volunteers (three deaf), nine
were systematically trained to reinforce communication skills taught by the
specialist. Their participation
allowed the Center to increase its hours of operation, motivate clients to
use their new skills, and allow clients to remain extra hours to interact.
In its first year, the Center offered a public education program to heighten
awareness as to the needs and potential of persons with a dual sensory
loss. Thirty visitors to the Center
observed and interacted with clients.
Presentations and workshops were conducted. These activities increased comfort level
with consumers and, in some instances, promoted inclusion.
The Center was fortunate in its very first year to receive funds from
foundations, civic organizations, businesses, individuals and three service
agreements from the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.
1986-87
The Center was selected to become a Helen Keller National Center
Affiliate. This included a modest
grant for each of five years. It also
included the ongoing opportunity to be part of the nationwide affiliate
program of information sharing with other professionals in the field.
Based on need, the agency implemented off-site services. The staff traveled to homes to provide
support and instruction to persons unable to come to the Center for medical
or other reasons. Follow-up services
were also provided for Center-based clients needing reinforcement training at
home.
Service to family members evidenced benefits to both clients and their
families. Services included were
support, information, instruction in communication methods and safe guiding,
and tips on day-to-day living.
Public awareness and education expanded to include workshops for University
interpreter training students, slide presentations and demonstrations in the
community, and a deaf-blind awareness campaign targeting television, radio,
newspaper coverage, and personal appearances.
1988
The Center strengthened its evening program for persons employed during
the day by working with their employers as well as training them after work
hours on new skills needed to accommodate declining sight and hearing.
The Center began to provide adjustment services in conjunction with community
mental health professionals for clients with extraordinary issues. This year, the staff reached out to
caregivers at nursing and group homes to demonstrate communication methods,
safe guiding techniques, vibrating signal systems (for doorbell, phone, smoke
alarm), etc.
In addition to the usual outreach efforts, the Center held its first open
house. The event brought 143
professionals and community residents to the agency. Participants reported greater understanding
after receiving information and observing specialized procedures for this
population.
The Center networked with more agencies and organizations. The network included vocational
rehabilitation, job sites, transitional living services, mental health
organizations, social services, organizations for
the deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and group/nursing homes.
1989
The Center served individuals from seven neighboring counties and
received calls for information and consultation from throughout Wisconsin. Visitors came from as far away as New Zealand
to observe the Center’s program and get ideas for developing services in
their home community. A total of 173
persons toured the Center, some attending our second open house. Attendees not only observed and interacted
with clients but also were able to talk with two employers who had hired
consumers with a dual sensory loss.
The employees stood next to their employers and proudly demonstrated
and described their job tasks.
The Center implemented a support group for consumers to deal with issues of
grief and loss. This new program arose
from the request of a young deaf woman who was losing her sight, and felt she
could not enter the rehabilitation process until she had met others in a
similar situation and resolve some concerns.
The support group has been ongoing since that time and requires sign
language interpreters for clients who are deaf with low/no vision and
assistive listening devices for those who are blind and hard-of-hearing. Participants may invite family members to
the group. The support group has been
heralded by consumers as one of the Center’s most beneficial programs in
aiding in adjustment to deaf-blindness.
Members of the monthly social group took over its direction. They required
adaptations for communication but otherwise took charge of planning and
decision-making. Since many
individuals who are deaf-blind become accustomed to being managed, it took
years of nurturing encouragement for them to truly believe they could be
capable and independent managers.
1990-92
The agency had to move from St.
John’s Center
because the building was sold. We leased
space at the Marian
Center (St. Mary’s
Academy) and moved on May 31, 1991. We
were to occupy the school’s former cafeteria, necessitating extensive
renovations. These, together with
setting up long-term lease arrangements, took two years to complete. The Center operated in temporary quarters
in the building during this interim, managing to reinforce old and add new
programs.
The Center opened its first high-tech lab, which offered computer instruction
with Braille and large-print access.
Clients interested and able to participate reported that this opened a
window onto the world of information and communication with disabled and
non-disabled people.
The Center offered a program of self-advocacy. As a result of small group training
sessions, clients learned more about themselves, their abilities, needs, and
rights. Their increased confidence
made them more willing to communicate with visitors to the Center. Some recorded spot announcements for radio
broadcast, participated with the staff in workshops for university students,
and gave presentations in the community.
Staff and clients learned that individuals who are deaf-blind are
their own best spokespersons.
In response to the community’s request for a daytime sign language class, the
Center offered one for adults followed by a summer class for children
accompanied by a parent or other designated adult. They were both successful. The latter was such a hit that it received
media coverage.
The Center took an active part in the new Wisconsin Deaf-Blind Concerns
Committee, continued to be represented on the Board of Directors of the
American Association of the Deaf-Blind, and maintained its working
relationship with the Helen
Keller National
Center.
1993
In September, the Center’s renovation was complete. The space had been transformed from a
cafeteria to a model-training center for persons with combined hearing-vision
impairments. In designing the space,
special attention was paid to maximizing remaining vision and hearing. For those with remaining sight, there was
color contrast and lighting options.
For those with residual hearing, acoustic ceilings (ceilings had been
lowered) were installed and carpeting and drapes were selected to absorb
noise. In addition to classrooms for
teaching high tech, low tech, and leisure skills--there was a modest
apartment. The latter allowed for
teaching independent living skills in a real-life setting. The stove, microwave, dishwasher, and
washer/dryer had Braille/raised and large-print markings. Cupboards and items within were also
labeled. A dining area allowed for
staff and clients to eat lunch together, increasing social opportunities.
The support group was moved from evening to daytime, permitting more clients
to participate. The continued use of
assistive listening devices and sign language interpreters provided
access. Family members and close
friends were allowed to join the group with the consent of the client.
1994
At the request of the Milwaukee County Eye Institute, the Center director
co-facilitated a new support group for older adults with combined
hearing-vision impairments at the Institute.
The other co-facilitator was a low-vision specialist/counselor at the
Eye Institute. All participants used
the Center’s assistive listening devices, with or without hearing aids, to
funnel speech directly into their ears.
This was helpful in most cases, but there were two individuals whose
hearing loss was so severe that they needed to have summaries of the discussions
printed on their palm.
The Center implemented a program of peer training. Interested clients learned to work as peer
tutors, helping new clients to interact and reinforcing skills taught by
Center instructors. The program proved
gratifying and beneficial to all.
Other new or expanded areas included: retraining individuals for jobs as well
as continuing the evening program of rehabilitation training for those
working daytime; home tutoring for individuals with physical or mental-health
issues; planning, preparing, and conducting of monthly social events by
consumers with little staff assistance; gains in advocacy; more consultations
than ever before; largest number of visitors to the Center; and formal
collaboration efforts with other major agencies.
1995
The Center entered into the first of a three-year collaborative
employment project with three other agencies:
IndependenceFirst (formerly SEWCIL), the Center for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, and
Goodwill Industries. The project
focused on securing competitive and supported job opportunities for the
traditionally underserved deaf and deaf-blind. In addition to working independently, the
agencies met on a regular basis to report on progress and address problems. Northern
Illinois University
was a partner in the project, tracking and evaluating data.
1996
The agency started working with its first transition-aged students. The Milwaukee Public Schools allowed two
high school students with a dual sensory loss to spend a designated number of
hours during the week at the Center.
This enabled the staff to work one-on-one on the assessed needs of
each student, and also provided the opportunity to offer the schoolteachers
with useful deaf-blind specific procedures.
The Center staff was invited to participate in M-Team meetings. These revealed the vast benefit of the
collaborative effort.
A new ruling mandated that the state of Wisconsin provide telephone access to
every disabled resident. The Center
was selected to be the demonstration site for telecommunication equipment for
persons who are deaf-blind. Included
were telephones with volume controls, loud-tone ringers, phones with
typewriter keyboards and Braille/large-print displays, and flashing light or
vibrating signals systems to alert the user to the sound of the ringing
phone. The Center staff assisted
consumers in identifying appropriate equipment and provided the training and,
when necessary, created clear instructional materials in Braille or
large-print. The availability of this
formerly cost-prohibitive telephone equipment made an immediate and profound
impact–opening window upon window of information and social contact.
This year the Center began working with its first supported employment
client. She was one of the new
referrals to our Collaborative Employment Grant. The other Center clients receiving training
under this grant were seeking competitive employment.
1997
The Center implemented a Support Service Program. Some clients, even those who had
successfully completed comprehensive training, were without a family member
or friend to assist them in the community.
The Support Service Provider (SSP) was to empower the disabled
individual by providing access and information, thereby allowing the consumer
to interact in the community and make informed decisions. Areas of assistance included shopping,
banking, mail reading, and apartment search.
As a result of our collaborative employment grant and an increase, in
general, in the area of work, the Center hired its first employment
specialist. This person worked on
contacting employers to learn of local business opportunities, acquaint them
with the potential of this population, and assure them of the support our
agency would provide. While
identifying prospective job sites, the employment specialist worked
one-on-one with clients. Training
areas included social skills, grooming, career exploration, resume writing,
filling out applications, transportation options, interviewing techniques,
and job shadowing, placement and coaching.
Although the job specialist had an uphill struggle to sell employers
on the idea of hiring a person with combined hearing-vision loss, the pioneer
effort began gradually to pay off. The
Center’s new job resource pool/employer education program together with the
collaborative employment project increased options and successful job
outcomes.
The Center developed a state-of-the-art technology lab. More clients took part in technology
instruction this year than in all preceding years combined. With Braille, large-print, or amplified
speech access, they learned keyboarding skills, word processing, internet
use, scanning and converting from print to Braille, and printing and
embossing documents. Motivation
included college prep, future employment, and personal independence. There is growing evidence that modern
technology is narrowing the gap between individuals who are deaf-blind and
their hearing-sighted counterparts.
1998
Following is a list of additions and/or program changes this year: implemented a statewide technology drop-in
Center for persons with a dual sensory loss using equipment purchased by the
state; adapted tactile phone access to replace discontinued models;
collaborated with other agencies to work with the Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation and Milwaukee County on an employment project; integrated more
consumers into the community through support services; expanded leadership
and advocacy opportunities through committee work and training; responded to
requests for peer tutoring opportunities; first comprehensive preparation of
a client for university entrance including an orientation to the campus for
her and her dog guide; celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the monthly
social club (WISH); and increased direct service hours by fifteen percent.
His employer, Northwestern Mutual, selected Harvey Pogoriler, the president
of the Center’s Board of Directors, as their “Exceptional Volunteer of the
Year.” His selection was based on ten
years of outstanding service to the Center and its clients as well as his leadership
of the Center’s dedicated Board. The
honor was accompanied by a $10,000 grant from the company to the Center.
1999
The Center celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. The highlight was the successful completion
of the first year of a two-year project, which allowed the technology
department to create a computer-training curriculum. Clients learned a variety of programs using
Windows via keyboard commands (a tactile method) to replace the mouse and to
do so using Braille, large-print, or amplified speech.
This year proved to be a banner year for strengthening programs and
increasing successful outcomes. It was
also a time of gratifying invitations for the Center to share its
expertise. The Center gave
presentations in the Northern Illinois University Deaf-Blind Certificate
Program, the Helen Keller National Center Affiliate Program, and a host of
others.
2000-2003
The agency established new services for older adults. The Center had worked with some seniors
over the years, most of whom had one disability from
early on and acquired the second in childhood or adulthood. The new services were geared to older
adults who had had normal sight and hearing and developed age-related losses. The agency had noticed an increase in this
population as people started living longer.
These individuals were totally unprepared for their disabilities and
were often depressed, ashamed, and in denial.
The initial project offered an interactive series of five
presentations at retirement homes, meal sites, and the like. Seniors learned about hearing loss, vision
loss, independent living tips, alternative communication, and coping
strategies. One-on-one training was
provided when indicated. Because of
the unique needs of this population, special strategies were required that
differed somewhat from those used by other categories of persons with a dual
sensory loss.
The agency undertook the design of its first website. The goal was to inform people of the
multitude of services available at the Center, as well as to offer
information and resources on deaf-blindness.
The Center established a second two-year technology project. It focused on research and development of
adaptive software/equipment and training strategies. The outcome was familiarization with the
latest programs and equipment and the creation of help-reference outlines of
deaf-blind specific procedures that consumers could learn to use
independently.
2004-2005
The Center celebrated its twentieth anniversary. The Board of Directors and staff were proud
of the long list of accomplishments.
From its modest beginning, the Center had come to be nationally
recognized as a program of exemplary services for persons with combined
hearing-vision loss.
For the first time, the Center implemented Distance Training for one client
and her family through State Telecommunications Relay Services and adaptive
e-mail technology. At designated
intervals, the client, spouse, (and sometimes her three young children)
traveled to the Center for demonstrations, comprehensive checks on progress
and reinforcement. This distance
training enabled the agency to reach beyond its customary geographic
boundaries. It is anticipated that this
service will continue and expand.
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