RSA-227 for FY-2025: Submission #22

State name Nevada

Report through date 09/30/2025

General Information

Designated Agency Identification

Name Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center

Address 2820 W Charleston Blvd. #11

Address Line 2

City Las Vegas

State NV

Zip Code 89102

E-mail Address lasvegas@ndalc.org

Website Address https://ndalc.org

Phone 702-257-8150

TTY

Toll-free Phone 1-888-349-3843

Toll-free TTY 711

Fax 702-257-8170

Operating Agency (if different from Designated Agency)

Name

Address

Address Line 2

City

Zip Code

State

E-mail Address

Website Address

Phone

TTY

Toll-free Phone

Toll-free TTY

Fax

Additional Information

Name of CAP Director/Coordinator Kate Osti

Person to contact regarding report Kate Osti

Contact Person Phone 702-257-8150

Contact Person E-mail Address kate@ndalc.org

Part I. Non-case Services

A. Information and Referral Services (I&R)

1. Information regarding the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program 26

2. Information regarding independent living programs 0

3. Information regarding American Indian VR Service projects 1

4. Information regarding Title I of the ADA 1

5. Other information provided 1

6. Information regarding CAP 2

7. Total I&R services provided (Lines A1 through A6) 31

B. Training Activities

1. Number of training sessions presented to community groups and public agencies. 3

2. Number of individuals who attended these training sessions. 86

3. Describe training presented by the staff. Include the following information: 1. On 6/08/2025 NDALC provided training to DD/ID Council's class on Partners in Policy - NDALC provided a workshop on accommodations in the workplace: when, how, and to whom do you request a work place accommodation. NDALC also provided guidance on what an employer can request in support of the accommodation. NDALC also prepared a special segment on service animals in the workplace.
2. On 05/14/2025 NDALC again provided training to DD/ID Council's class on Partners in Policy - NDALC provided a workshop regarding Support Decision Making (SDM) agreements for individuals seeking employment or currently employed. NDALC discuss the importance of SDMs for individuals to feel supported during their employment journey. Individuals identified trusted individuals that would help them make decisions around employment and post-secondary education.
3. On 04/14/2025 NDALC attended the Clark County School District spring STAR fair for transition age students, parents/caregivers, staff. NDALC provided 2 presentations (morning & afternoon) regarding transition services offered through Nevada Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, how to access these services, and what to do when problems arise with these services.

C. Agency Outreach

Describe the agency's outreach efforts to previously un-served or underserved individuals including minority communities. NDALC attends community outreaches in all communities throughout Nevada regardless of ethnicity, race or religion.
* On 10/5/2024 NDALC attended the annual S. Nevada Disability Awareness Day to provide NDALC programmatic information including the CAP program.
* On 1/11/2025 NDALC attended Chicanos Por La Causa resource event to provide NDALC programmatic information including CAP info.
* On 2/6/2025 NDALC attended Silverado High School's Transition Night. NDALC provided information regarding BVR transition services to students with disabilities, parents/caregivers, and staff.
* On 2/26/2025 NDALC attended Foothills High School's Transition Night. NDALC provided information regarding BVR transition services to students with disabilities, parents/caregivers, and staff.
* On 3/19/2025 NDALC attended Communities in Schools Resource Fair providing information regarding the CAP program to CCSD staff, students with disabilities, and parents/caregivers
* On 4/12/2025 NDALC attended CCSD's STAR fair for transition age students, parents/caregivers, staff. NDALC provided information regarding NDALC services including CAP program. NDALC also provided 2 presentations noted above in trainings.

D. Information Disseminated To The Public By Your Agency

1. Agency Staff Interviewed or Featured on Radio and TV 0

2. Articles about CAP Featured in Newspaper/Magazine/Journals 0

3. PSAs/Videos Aired about the CAP Agency 0

4. Publications/Booklets/Brochures Disseminated by the Agency 579

5. Number of Times CAP Exhibited at Conferences, Community Fairs, etc. 7

6. Other 0

Please explain below The Nevada Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation(BVR)/Bureau of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired (BSBVI) provide a NDALC Client Assistance Program (CAP) brochure to each BVR client. BVR also has NDALC/CAP program information posted through out their offices.
Southern Nevada Center for Independent Living (SNCIL) and Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living (NNCIL) provide CAP brochures to all clients and caller requesting their services.

E. Information Disseminated About Your Agency By External Media Coverage

Describe the various sources and information disseminated about your agency by an external source. N/A

Part II. Individual Case Services

A. Individuals served

1. Individuals who are still being served as of October 1 (carryover from prior year) 3

2. Additional individuals who were served during the year 1

3. Total individuals served (Lines A1+A2) 4

4. Individuals (from Line A3) who had multiple case files opened/closed this year. 4

5. Individual still being served as of September 30 (Carryover to next year. This total may not exceed Line A3.) 3

B. Problem areas

1. Individual requests information 0

2. Communication problems between individual and VR counselor 2

3. Conflict about VR services to be provided 2

4. Related to VR application/eligibility process 1

5. Related to assignment to order of selection priority category 0

6. Related to IPE development/implementation 2

7. Related to independent living services 0

8. Other Rehabilitation Act-related problems 0

C. Intervention Strategies for closed cases

1. Short Term Technical Assistance 0

2. Investigation/Monitoring 0

3. Negotiation 2

4. Mediation and other methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution 0

5. Administrative / Informal Review 2

6. Formal appeal / Fair Hearing 0

7. Legal remedy / Litigation 0

8. Total 4

D. Reasons for closing individuals' case files

1. All issues resolved in individual's favor 1

2. Some issues resolved in individual's favor 2

3. CAP determines VR agency position/decision was appropriate for the individual 0

4. Individual's case lacks legal merit 0

5. Individual chose alternative representation 0

6. Individual withdrew complaint 0

7. Issue not resolved in clients favor 0

8. CAP services not needed due to individual's death, relocation, etc. 0

9. Individual not responsive/cooperative with CAP 1

10. CAP unable to take case due to lack of resources 0

11. Conflict of interest 0

12. Other 0

(Please explain below) N/A

E. Results achieved for individuals

1. Controlling law/policy explained to individual 0

2. Application for services completed 1

3. Eligibility determination expedited 0

4. Individual participated in evaluation 0

5. IPE developed/implemented/Services Provided 2

6. Communication re-established between individual and other party 0

7. Individual assigned to new counselor/office 0

8. Alternative resources identified for individual 0

9. ADA/504/EEO/OCR complaint made 0

10. Other 1

(Please explain below) 10. Other: Client stopped responding to agency

Part III. Program Data

A. Age

1. Up to 18 0

2. 19 - 24 0

3. 25 - 40 1

4. 41 - 64 2

5. 65 and over 1

6. Total (Sum of Lines A1 through A5. Total must equal Part II, Line A3.) 4

B. Gender

1. Females 3

2. Males 1

3. Nonbinary or Another Gender 0

4. Unknown 0

5. Total (Lines B1+B2+B3+B4. Total must equal Part II Line A3.) 4

C. Race/ethnicity of Individuals Served

1. Hispanic/Latino of any race 0

2. American Indian or Alaskan Native 0

3. Asian 2

4. Black or African American 1

5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0

6. White 1

7. Two or more races 0

8. Race/ethnicity unknown 0

D. Primary disabling condition of individuals served

1. Acquired Brain Injury 0

2. ADD/ADHD 0

3. AIDS/HIV 0

4. Amputations or Absence of Extremities 0

5. Arthritis or Rheumatism 0

6. Anxiety Disorder 0

7. Autism Spectrum Disorder 0

8. Autoimmune or Immune Deficiencies 0

10. Other visual impairments 1

11. Cancer 0

12. Cerebral Palsy 0

13. Deafness 1

14. Hard of Hearing/Hearing Impaired 1

16. Diabetes 0

17. Digestive disorders 0

18. Epilepsy 0

19. Heart and other circulatory conditions 0

20. Intellectual Disability 0

21. Mental illness 1

22. Multiple Sclerosis 0

23. Muscular Dystrophy 0

24. Muscular/Skeletal Impairment 0

25. Neurological Disorders/Impairment 0

26. Orthopedic impairments 0

27. Personality Disorders 0

28. Respiratory Disorders/Impairment 0

29. Skin Conditions 0

30. Specific learning disabilities (SLD) 0

31. Speech Impairments 0

32. Spina Bifida 0

33. Substance abuse 0

34. Other disability 0

35. Total (Sum of Lines D1through D34. Total must equal Part II, Line A3.) 4

E. Types of Individuals Served

1. Applicant of VR 6

2. Individual eligible for VR services currently on a wait list 0

3. Individual eligible for VR services not currently on a wait list 1

4. Applicant or individual eligible for Independent Living 0

5. Transition student/High school student 0

6. All other applicants or individuals eligible for other programs or projects funded unther Rehabilitation Act 0

Part IV. Systemic Activities and Litigation

A. Non-Litigation Systemic Activities

1. Number of non-litigation systemic activities not involving individual representation that resulted in the change of one or more policy or practice of an agency. 1

2. Describe the systemic activities conducted by CAP during the fiscal year and its impact on other agency's policies or practices. The Executive Director (ED) has an appointed seat on the Nevada State Rehabilitation Council (NSRC) as the CAP representative. She has and will continue to attend the quarterly NSRC meetings to monitor the meetings and report on NDALC CAP activities. She has and will continue to attend quarterly meetings with the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) – Deputy Administrator of Programs to discuss the impact of new BVR initiatives, and trends in the client data being reported.

The Client Assistance Program (CAP) participated in the discuss and review of the final draft of the Vocational Rehabilitation Participant Services Policy Manual updates. One such example was the change to the Dental Services section. The manual has been changed to include all licensed dentists in the State Nevada. A client can seek dental services from any provider in Nevada without the provider first needing to apply to the state to be a vendor. Requiring dentists to become state vendors was time consuming to both the dentist and the BVR client especially in Rural Nevada where there are few dental providers. Changing this one section has opened the door to many individuals seeking dental services but lacking dental vendors.

CAP participated in the final review of the 2025 NSRC Annual Report which is currently being disseminated.

CAP also continues to monitor the development of Nevada TRIP through the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Grant. The Apple/Android app should be available through the App icon on Smart phones beginning in 2026.

B. Litigation

a. Number of cases requiring litigation involving individual representation filed during fiscal year. 0

b. Number of on-going cases pending at start of fiscal year (carryover from prior fiscal year). 0

c. Number of cases resolved through litigation during fiscal year. 0

2. Describe the agency's on-going and completed systemic litigation activities involving individual representation. None - NDALC attempts to resolve issues at the lowest level possible, e.g., the local vocational rehabilitation level with an individual VRs through counselor involvement as well as through advocacy at the VR Director's level. NDALC utilizes advocacy skills, alternative dispute resolution, and negotiation techniques.

Part V. Agency Information

A. Designated Agency

1. Agency Type (select only one option): External-Protection and Advocacy agency

2. Name of designate agency: Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center

3. Is the designated agency contracting CAP services? No

4. If yes, name of contracting agency: N/A

B. Staff Employed

1. Provide a description of all CAP positions Executive Director - KMO
Supervising Rights Attorney - JBS 0.25
Staff Rights Attorney - PW 0.25
Rights Attorney - TD 0.25

Part VI. Case Examples

Case Examples

Provide some examples of some interesting cases during the past fiscal year. 2429630 is a 70 year-old Asian male with a severe visual impairment. 2429630 contacted NDALC when he was unable to access services through the Bureau of Services for the Blind/Visually Impaired (BSBVI). 2429630 reported he had submitted the BSBVI application over 100 days prior but had not been given a response and his calls were not returned. NDALC’s CAP advocate reached out to the supervisor of BSBVI regarding 2429630’s application and learned that he had sent the application to the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) and they had failed to forward the application to BSBVI. The supervisor immediately reached out to the client regarding application and his needs and was able to fast track him into services.

2417223 is a 63 year-old Black female who is hard of hearing. 2417223 contacted NDALC’s CAP advocate to get assistance with amending her Individualized Plan of Employment (IPE). The advocate facilitated IPE amendment to include the costs of hearing aids, tutor services, books/supplies, and office furniture for her home office. As of the writing of this report, 2417223 is currently working towards her graduate degree in Social Work.

2486030 is a 58 year-old Asian female who is deaf. 248630 contacted NDALC’s CAP advocate when she experienced a break-down in communication with BVR. 248630 experienced a lack of communication because she was unable to set up her Apple phone for ASL Video calls and had a barrier with written correspondence due to not being able to read English. The CAP advocate facilitated 2486030 being transferred to a BVR Counselor who is deaf and is a certified deaf interpreter. The new BVR Counselor has been able to instruct 2486030 the use of the Apple iPhone and video relay. As of the writing of this report, 2486030 has a signed IPE.

Certification

Reports are to be submitted to RSA within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report. Please be reminded that you can enter data directly into the RSA website via the internet. Information on transmittal of the form is found on pages 19 and 20 of the reporting instructions.

Name and Title of Authorized Certifying Official

I agree to submit this form by electronic means. By signing this form electronically, I certify under penalty of perjury that my answers are correct and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that an electronic signature has the same legal meaning and can be enforced in the same way as a written signature.

Full Legal Name of Signer: Kathy M Osti

Certifying Official Title Executive Director

By checking this box and typing my full legal name above, I am electronically signing this form. Yes

Date Certified (mm/dd/yyyy) 2026-01-29

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