Rehabilitation Services Commission Elected to Govern State Disability Agency

Cutline (from left): Commission for Rehabilitation Services Vice Chair Ray Kirk, member Steve Shelton from Edmond, Chair Ben White and Oklahoma Department from Rehabilitation Services Director Michael O’Brien, Ed. D.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Ben C. White, the newly elected chair of the Commission for Rehabilitation Services, is concerned about the impact of state budget cuts on critical services for Oklahomans with disabilities.

The commission is the governing board for the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, DRS, which served more than 68,750 people in 2008 through vocational rehabilitation, employment, residential and outreach education programs and the determination of medical eligibility for disability benefits.

”It’s going to a challenging year because of the way the economy is going in the state,” White of Lawton said. “We’ve seen budget cuts and difficult times before, but we are hopeful that the economy will improve before we have to take drastic steps that will negatively affect education and employment services.”

Governor Brad Henry announced last week that state agencies must absorb a five percent reduction in state revenue through June 30, 2010, the end of the state fiscal year.

Newly elected commission Vice Chair Ray Kirk of Muskogee and immediate Past Chair Steve Shelton of Edmond share Commissioner White’s concern, but are confident in DRS and legislative leadership.

“… I believe in DRS and the outstanding services provided for people with disabilities by the agency and our School for the Blind in my hometown of Muskogee,” Kirk stated.

Kirk, who operates a cattle and thoroughbred horse ranch southeast of Muskogee, was reappointed to his second three-year term on the DRS commission by current Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, a Republican from Oklahoma City. Former President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, a Democrat from Stillwater, first appointed Kirk three years ago.

Kirk believes that the outstanding leadership of the new DRS Director Mike O’Brien, Ed. D., will enable staff to continue providing services to citizens who need help as well as the taxpayers and agency employees in an excellent manner.

“We responded to early warnings about potential budget cuts by delaying new hires and holding off on equipment purchases so we could continue to offer services to clients,” O’Brien said.

“However, if budget reductions continue, DRS could lose four-to-one federal match dollars for every state dollar in our vocational rehabilitation and employment programs and experience service reductions in state-funded programs, such as the School for the Blind, School for the Deaf and Library for the Blind.”

A former DRS client who is legally blind, Commissioner Steve Shelton is senior application programmer and consultant for Fidelity National Information Services. He credits education and job placement assistance provided by DRS’ Visual Services and Vocational Rehabilitation program as a key factor in his successful information technology career.

“We’ve always done a good job in meeting clients’ needs for goods and services,” Commissioner Shelton said. “Now we need to put even more emphasis on helping clients and students develop the self-confidence needed to become self-reliant, independent and productive citizens.”

For more information about programs and services for people with disabilities, visit the DRS web site at www.okdrs.gov  or contact the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services at 800-845-8476. The number is accessible by telephone and telecommunications equipment for the deaf.

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