The official policies of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania are established every year with annual resolutions adopted at the state convention.
The resolutions committee meets early during the convention. Each proposed resolution is read, spoken for by the authoring member, considered, and then ultimately withdrawn or recommended for passage or disapproval by the Convention.
Resolution 2011-01: Regarding National Accreditation Council of Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Impaired
Whereas the National Accreditation Council of Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Impaired (NAC), is an organization which portrays themselves to be and authority on how to provide quality services to the blind of our Nation; and,
Whereas, services provided by NAC accredited agencies are not always provided by properly educated and trained individuals; and,
Whereas, there are several documented accounts in the Braille Monitor, published by the National Federation of the Blind, of poor standards and quality control by agencies with NAC accreditation; And,
Whereas, NAC has approached non-profit blindness agencies in Pennsylvania in an effort to increase their own membership; and,
Whereas, in these difficult budget times, the monies spent by these agencies to become accredited by NAC are tax dollars provided to these agencies to provide already contracted services to the blind of Pennsylvania, and,
Whereas, historically accreditation by NAC has never improved the quality of services provided to the blind;
Therefore let it be resolved, this 13 day of November in the city of Middletown, Pennsylvania, that the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania(NFB of PA) condemns and deplores NAC’s attempt to accredit private non-profit blindness agencies in Pennsylvania;
Let it further be resolved that the membership of the NFB of PA will work tirelessly to educate the blind of the Commonwealth about the unnecessary need for NAC accreditation;
And let it further be resolved that the membership of the NFB of PA will educate the legislature about the lack of oversight and quality control NAC provides as an accrediting body.
Resolution 2011-02: Regarding Pennsylvania Association for the Blind
Whereas, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) provides funding to the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind (PAB) for specific and reviewable contracted services to be performed by their member agencies; and,
Whereas, the only function of the PAB is to lobby for additional funds so that their member agencies can provide services to the blind of Pennsylvania; and,
Whereas, the PAB has recently directed these member agencies that they must become accredited by the National Accreditation Council of Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Impaired (NAC) if they are to receive a share of monies appropriated by the state legislature for blindness services; and,
Whereas, accreditation of an agency by NAC does not necessarily indicate that quality services are being provided by that agency; and,
Whereas, the Pennsylvania legislature did not attach any such provision that these private blindness agencies become accredited by NAC in order to become eligible to receive funding for blindness services; and,
Whereas, the PAB is requiring that the member agencies use Pennsylvania tax dollars to support a meaningless agency based in Ohio and thus reducing the impact of the appropriated funds for blind individuals in Pennsylvania from receiving necessary services; and,
Whereas, if these 28 member agencies each apply for NAC accreditation, this would create a large flow of Pennsylvania tax dollars away from the citizens for whom the funds were intended
Therefore let it be resolved this 13th day of November in the city of Middletown, Pennsylvania that the membership of the NFB of PA condemns and deplores these actions of the PAB
Let it further be resolved that membership of the NFB of PA will work tirelessly to educate the residents of Pennsylvania as to how their tax dollars are being spent; and
Let it further be resolved that the membership of the NFB of PA will also work diligently to educate private funders of the PABs as to how their monies are being spent.