WKBT La Crosse, WI-NewsChannel 8-Wisconsin Policy for Disabled Workers Could Change

Reported by Kristen Elicerio

Wisconsin Policy for Disabled Workers Could Change

Reported by Kristen Elicerio
Email: kelicerio@wkbt.com

Every five years Wisconsin must renew it's Family Care Waiver that provides services to senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Come January 2010, Wisconsin's contract for these services with the federal government is up for renewal.

In order for the state to renew it's Family Care Waiver, it must comply with all federal regulations, including a recent one that's slightly changed a person's ability to find prevocational work.

Previously, there were no regulations about how long a person could work at what the government calls a "sheltered work setting."  A place like Riverfront.

Now, the federal government says prevocational services should only be used to prepare people for paid employment and integration into the general workforce.

"The work that people do here is a real job. They are performing real functions that are benefiting the community." said Marcia Jagodzinske.

The new regulation worries Sally Berekvam, the mother of Riverfront employee 21-year-old Carrie Berekvam, who has disabilities much like autism and is non-verbal.

"I'm not sure if there are really any employers in our area that would be able to support Carrie with her need with the level of support that she needs," said Sally Berekvam.

Jagodzinske said, "A lot of the folks that we serve require some assistant with personal care. With eating, with toileting, with ambulation. They need access to someone providing them with coaching services on an ongoing basis."

Other Riverfront employees, like Irene Caarstad, who has previously held a job in the general workforce say community work isn't as rewarding.

"It's a relaxing environment and we get to have a lot of fun with our job coaches and people that we work with," said Caarstad.

And that's something Jagodzinske thinks every employee should be entitled to, "We all take pride in our work. We all recognize the value. For some people it will mean they will not have that opportunity."

If accepted, the new regulation would require that all prevocational employees be working towards some type of integration into the community.  However, the proposed definition does not specify any amount of time for this transition to take place, knowing that it could take some with disabilities longer than others.

Local representatives in our area are concerned about the issue and are asking the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Gov. Jim Doyle to reconsider the proposal so that disabled citizens can continue to work and serve their community at the place they choose.