Department of Health and Social Services Division for the Visually Impaired

1. Department of Health and Social ServicesDivision for the Visually Impaired Joint Finance Committee Hearing Fiscal Year 2013 Robert L. Doyle, III Division Director Tuesday, February 21, 2012

2. Overview & Accomplishments Mission “Working in partnership with Delawareans who are blind or visually impaired empowering them to be self-sufficient” 3,125 Identified Blind/Visually Impaired Delawareans on the Registry Youngest is 2 months old Oldest is over 100 years old Leading Causes of Blindness Macular Degeneration (33.24%) Diabetes Related Vision Loss (7.89%) Glaucoma (7.64%)

3. Overview & Accomplishments DVI employs 117 individuals 34% of our total employment base are blind/visually impaired individuals Revenues/Funding Sources State General Fund Appropriations - $3.07M Various Federal Grants - $2.03M Other Appropriated Funds (Donations, DIB & BEP) - $3.28M

4. Overview & Accomplishments DVI Provides a Continuum of Services from Birth to Death Programs include: Education Independent Living Services Technology Assistance Orientation and Mobility Low Vision Evaluation and Training Vocational Rehabilitation Delaware Industries for the Blind Business Enterprise Program Instructional Material Center

5. Overview & AccomplishmentsEducation Program 267 students are currently being served by teachers for the visually impaired and County resource room staff.

6. Overview & Accomplishments Independent Living Services Provides: Adaptive Skills Training and Techniques ( IL Skills Training) Low Vision Services Sensitivity/Vision Simulation Training 11% increase in Consumers Served Over Previous Fiscal Year 3 Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists at DVI Received over 10 hours of CEUs to better serve consumers

7. Overview & Accomplishments VR Program • In FFY 12, provided services to 254 consumers • Services provided by multiple DVI programs - (i.e. Assessments, Transition services, Job placement, Retention services) • Last year, achieved 23% increase in successful employment outcomes

8. Overview & Accomplishments Delaware Industries for the Blind Employment options for the blind and visually impaired through Delaware Industries for the Blind require various skill levels: Leadership/Supervisory Customer Service Representatives Production of Promotional Products Janitorial Services Engraving Embroidery Marketing/Sales Call Center Services Successfully passed their ISO-9001 Surveillance Audit for recertification.

9. Overview & Accomplishments Business Enterprise Program Provides entrepreneurial opportunities for the Blind and Visually Impaired • Cafeteria Operation Management FFY11 Sales $752.3K • Vending Machine Operations FFY11 Sales $1.09M • Expanding into further markets

10. Trends

11. Trends Instructional Materials Center FY 11 Braille pages       15,521 Large print pages  77,342

12. Trends Increasing numbers of consumers on our registry. Continual requests for newer and lower cost assistive technology. Strong consumer demand for training in devices (such as IMACS, IPODS, IPHONES etc). These products are very friendly to consumers with visual impairment. Agencies reaching out to DVI to test new computer systems to ensure applications are compatible with screen reading and magnification software.

13. Trends

14. FY 13 Governor’s Recommended Budget • $4.1 - 1% Provider Increase

15. Challenges • Identifying blind and visually impaired Delawareans who are unknown to DVI. • Increasing awareness of the medical professionals to register patients with the Division for inclusion on the blind registry.

16. Challenges Overcoming some attitudinal dispositions about hiring blind/visually impaired Employees. Increasing the awareness of Employers (public and private) to the abilities of Blind/Visually Impaired Workers. Scripting to make state and business computer systems work with Assistive Technology Software programs like Jaws and Zoom Text.

17. Thank You!