Public Meeting Notice  MCB Statutory Advisory Board (SAB) Meeting

SAB Attendees: Brian MacDonald, Blair Wong

MCB Staff Attendees: John Oliveira, Justine Muir, Nathan Skrocki, Lucy Evangelidis

Meeting held via Zoom, recording available to the public on the MCB YouTube channel

Public invited to participate through Q&A at the end of the meeting

Minutes

Due to the absence of a quorum, the approval of the June and July minutes was deferred to the October meeting.

Commissioner Update - John Oliveira

• MCB has officially completed its transition to the 40 Broad Street office in Boston. The move went smoothly.
• A new Communications Director, Julieann Cofone, has started at MCB and will support several priority communications projects.
• The agency is working with the phone provider to update outdated automated messages; this issue has persisted since July but will be resolved in the coming days.
• The FY25 books have closed and FY26 budget loading is complete. MCB is in stable financial shape.
• MCB received reallotment funding from RSA for one-year projects. Specific projects are pending and will be announced once contracts are finalized.
• Promotional materials promoting careers in the blindness field (O&M, VRT, etc.) have been completed and shared with interested state agencies and training programs.
• Internal financial system improvements have been implemented for smoother processing.
• MCB plans to host one or two town halls before year’s end.
• Social media and public-facing communications will resume under the new director after delays related to staffing gaps.

Programs and Services Update - Justine Muir

• Summer Internship Program:
• The closing ceremony took place at the State House, celebrating the interns' achievements.
• Interns gained hands-on experience at a range of employers including private businesses and state agencies.
• Google was honored with this year’s Employer Partner Award.
• A full write-up is available on the MCB website.
• Upcoming Events:
• Visions of Employment Webinar (September 10): geared toward employers with demonstrations, training resources, and success stories.
• Reverse Virtual Job Fairs (October 7 and 21): employer registration remains open.
• White Cane Awareness Day (October 24): at the State House; planning is underway and registration is open.
• College Info Session (End of October): for high school seniors and families. This year’s session will feature expanded student panels and AT/O&M presentations.
• Community Outreach - MCB continues to present at major community events. Recent highlights:
• Region 2 participated in Worcester’s National Night Out in August, connecting with thousands of attendees.
• Region 1 and Region 3 will attend large-scale health fairs later in September in Western MA and Danvers, respectively.

Board Discussion

• Blair Wong shared updates on collaborative efforts between MCB staff and his support group, including:
  • Coordination with Region 5 for medical in-service trainings.
  • Participation in an exploratory accessibility project with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Engineers navigated intersections blindfolded to better understand accessibility challenges related to bus lanes and bike paths in Boston’s Back Bay.
  • The project highlighted inconsistencies in accessible features like tactile strips and crosswalk signals.

Dashboard Update – Nathan Skrocki

• SR Services:
  • 899 children and 3,271 adults with open cases
  • 56 children closed (most transitioned to Pre-ETS); 1,175 SR closures YTD
• VR Services:
  • 212 youth (Pre-ETS) and 761 adults with open cases
  • 15 successful and 16 unsuccessful closures so far in FY
  • 47 individuals currently employed
• Other Metrics:
  • 5,878 Certificates of Blindness issued this year
  • 781 MCB IDs issued
  • 1,226 new registrations YTD
• MCB is monitoring successful closure metrics and expects an increase in the coming months.

Public Questions & Comments

• Certificate of Blindness Delays:
  • Jerry Barrier noted a delay in receiving his COB. Nate clarified typical turnaround is 1–3 days, with occasional mail-related delays.
  • Blair Wong reported receiving his COB promptly within 2–3 days.
• Federal Budget Concerns:
  • Blair inquired about federal funding stability.
  • Commissioner Oliveira confirmed that:
    • MCB is operating under FY25 federal funds through September 30.
    • FY26 federal funds are expected by October.
    • No federal funding cuts have occurred to date.
    • MCB has secured full state match funds and is receiving SSA reimbursements from successful placements.
• Closing Remarks:
  • Blair thanked staff for their work on White Cane Day and encouraged inclusion of local events on the MCB calendar.

Meeting adjourned.

1. Opening requirements:   
   1. Notification and Confirmation: This meeting is being held via Zoom under a law signed by Governor Baker on July 16^th, 2022 granting authority for virtual meetings. It was extended by Governor Healey through June 30, 2027.
   2. Confirmation that MCB records SAB meetings, allows for local recordings and makes such recordings available to the public.
   3. Welcome to members of the public attending the meeting and instruction about Q&A period.
2. Vote to accept minutes of the SAB meeting: July 1, 2025
3. Commissioner Report :  John Oliveira
4. Deputy Commissioner Update: Justine Muir
5. Program Updates: Nathan Skrocki
   1. Review of Dashboard on Registrations, Process, and Outcomes.
6. SAB Members additional questions or comments.
7. Comments or Questions from the public
8. Public Meeting Adjournment