NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Public Comment on the Proposed Vocational Rehabilitation Services Portion of the Commonwealth's Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Combined State Plan for 2020—2024
[49 Pa.B. 6203]
[Saturday, October 19, 2019]The Department of Labor and Industry (Department), Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) announces a period of public comment on its proposed Federal Fiscal Year 2020 Combined State Plan (Plan) for 2020—2024. The Plan is the blueprint for the provision of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services to persons with disabilities in this Commonwealth. This notice is provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014.
Every 4 years, OVR is required to develop and implement its VR Services Portion as part of the Commonwealth's WIOA Plan. The current WIOA Plan is in effect from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2020, and is a compliance document on file with the United States Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration and United States Department of Labor. In addition, OVR must obtain public input prior to the submission of the VR Services Portion of the Plan under 34 CFR 361.20 (relating to public participation requirements). Public meetings are being held throughout this Commonwealth in all OVR district office locations. ''Public meeting'' means a gathering of people in a physical or virtual (as in the case of videoconference or teleconference) location to gather valuable input from individuals with disabilities, community rehabilitation programs and other stakeholders.
This comment period provides individuals, advocates and other interested parties or organizations, or both, opportunities to present their views and recommendations regarding VR services for persons with disabilities. In this Commonwealth, these services are provided by OVR through a network of 21 district offices and the Hiram G. Andrews Center. Comments are being solicited regarding the following:
• Input and recommendations of the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council.
• Coordination with education officials.
• Coordination with employers.
• Statewide assessment.
• Comprehensive system of personnel development.
• Annual estimate of individuals to be served and costs of services.
• OVR's goals and priorities.
• Order of selection.
• Goals and plans for distribution of Title VI funds.
• Supported employment services.
• Innovation and expansion activities.
In addition, the agency's Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) will accept public comment on:
• The Business Enterprise Program.
• Specialized services for children and adults.
• Independent living services for older persons who are blind.
The OVR public meetings will be held concurrently in each OVR district office on Thursday, November 7, 2019, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and then repeated from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A list of the OVR district offices and contact information is provided. The duplicate sessions are intended to allow more flexibility for public participation. It is not necessary to attend both sessions. For those unable to attend in person, a conference line is available:
Date: 11/07/19
Time: 1—2:30 p.m.
Line: (800) 260-0712
Access Code: 472711Date: 11/07/19
Time: 5—6:30 p.m.
Line: (800) 260-0712
Access Code: 472712All meeting sites are accessible and interpreters for people who are deaf or hard of hearing will be available. For additional information, reasonable accommodation requests or alternative format requests, call the OVR district office conducting the public meeting you wish to attend. Written comments may be submitted by mail to the appropriate district office serving the area in which the individual/organization member resides or by e-mail to OVRFeedback@pa.gov.
All written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2019.
To obtain a copy of the proposed 2020—2024 VR Portion of the Plan visit OVR's web site at www.dli.pa.gov/ovr and click on Publications.
Additionally, a copy of the WIOA Plan for 2016—2020 is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioa/state-plans/index.html.
OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION DISTRICT OFFICE
STATE PLAN MEETING INFORMATION Allentown BVRS District Office
(Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton Counties)
45 North Fourth Street
Allentown, PA 18102
(800) 922-9536 (Voice), (888) 377-9207 (TTY)
Contact Person: Susan Storm (610) 821-6441Altoona BBVS District Office
(Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Somerset and Union Counties)
1130 12th Avenue
Fourth Floor Conference Room
Altoona, PA 16601
(866) 695-7673 (Voice), (844) 242-1060 (TTY)
Contact Person: Anne Strollo (814) 946-7330Altoona BVRS District Office
(Bedford, Blair, Centre, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties)
1130 12th Avenue
Fourth Floor Conference Room
Altoona, PA 16601
(800) 442-6343 (Voice), (814) 414-4707 (Video Phone)
Contact Person: Colleen Woodring (814) 946-7240Dubois BVRS District Office
(Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Coun-
ties)
199 Beaver Drive
DuBois, PA 15801
(800) 922-4017 (Voice), (814) 371-7505 (TTY)
Contact Person: Christina Palmer (814) 371-7340Erie BBVS District Office
(Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, For-
est, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango and Warren Counties)
4200 Lovell Place
Erie, PA 16503
(866) 521-5073 (Voice), (888) 884-5513 (TTY)
Contact Person: Dawn Sokol (814) 871-4401Erie BVRS District Office
(Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties)
3200 Lovell Place
Erie, PA 16503
(800) 541-0721 (Voice), (888) 217-1710 (TTY), (814) 240-2477 (Video Phone)
Contact Person: Jack Hewitt (814) 871-4551Harrisburg BBVS District Office
(Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties)
Forum Place
8th Floor
555 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(866) 375-8264 (Voice), (888) 575-9420 (TTY)
Contact Person: Nicole Wade (717) 787-7500Harrisburg BVRS District Office
(Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin and Perry Counties)
Forum Place
8th Floor
555 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(800) 442-6352 (Voice), (877) 497-6545 (TTY)
Contact Person: Tracie Maille (717) 787-7834Johnstown BVRS District Office
(Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland Coun-
ties)
Hiram G. Andrews Center
Seminar Theater
727 Goucher Street
Johnstown, PA 15905
(800) 762-4223 (Voice), (814) 255-5510 (TTY)
Contact Person: Margie Duranko (814) 255-6771New Castle BVRS District Office
(Armstrong, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence Counties)
1745 Frew Mill Road
Suite 1
New Castle, PA 16101
(800) 442-6379 (Voice), (888) 870-4476 (TTY)
Contact Person: Gail Steck (724) 656-3070Norristown BVRS District Office
(Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties)
1875 New Hope Street
Norristown, PA 19401
(800) 221-1042 (Voice), (888) 616-0470 (TTY)
Contact Person: Stephanie Perry (484) 250-4340Philadelphia BBVS District Office
(Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties)
801 Market Street
Suite 6034
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(866) 631-3892 (Voice)
Contact Person: Alexander Shay (215) 560-5700Philadelphia BVRS District Office
(Philadelphia County)
801 Market Street
Suite 6034
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(800) 442-6381 (Voice)
Contact Person: Shari Brightful (215) 560-1900Pittsburgh BBVS District Office
(Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland Counties)
531 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(866) 412-4072 (Voice), (888) 870-4474 (TTY)
Contact Person: Lawrence Shock (412) 565-5240Pittsburgh BVRS District Office
(Allegheny County)
531 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(800) 442-6371 (Voice), (888) 870-4474 (TTY)
Contact Person: Marci Katona (412) 392-4950
Reading BVRS District Office
(Berks and Schuylkill Counties)
3602 Kutztown Road
Suite 200
Reading, PA 19605
(800) 442-0949 (Voice), (484) 334-4494 (Video Phone)
Contact Person: Carole Homolash (610) 621-5800Washington BVRS District Office
(Fayette, Greene and Washington Counties)
201 West Wheeling Street
Washington, PA 15301
(800) 442-6367 (Voice), (866) 752-6163 (TTY), (724)
705-0341 (Video Phone)
Contact Person: Darla Openbrier (724) 223-4430Wilkes-Barre BBVS District Office
(Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Sus-
quehanna, Tioga, Wayne and Wyoming Counties)
8 West Market Street
Suite 200
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
(866) 227-4163 (Voice), (570) 820-4848 (TTY)
Contact Person: Maureen Taylor (570) 826-2361Wilkes-Barre BVRS District Office
(Bradford, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Sulli-
van, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties)
8 West Market Street
Suite 200
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
(800) 634-2060 (Voice), (570) 820-4848 (TTY)
Contact Person: Heather Nelson (570) 826-2011Williamsport BVRS District Office
(Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Tioga and Union Counties)
The Grit Building
Suite 102
208 West 3rd Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
(800) 442-6359 (Voice), (800) 654-5984 (TTY)
Contact Person: Susan Swartz (570) 327-3600York BVRS District Office
(Adams, Franklin, Lancaster and York Counties)
2550 Kingston Road
Suite 101
York, PA 17402
(800) 762-6306 (Voice), (717) 666-7301 (Video Phone)
Contact Person: Susan Richeson (717) 771-4407Hiram G. Andrews Center
727 Goucher Street
Seminar Theater
Johnstown, PA 15905
(800) 762-4211 (Voice), (814) 225-5873 (TTY)
Contact Person: Jill Moriconi (814) 225-8200W. GERARD OLEKSIAK,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 19-1564. Filed for public inspection October 18, 2019, 9:00 a.m.]
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