Partial Shutdown, Order of Selection and Their Impact on the Blind

Good Tuesday Morning, All.

How's everybody enjoying smaller government, so far?
I know that not many of us have been inconvenienced by the shut down
of many of the services in our National Parks and Forests. Out here
on the Great Olympic Peninsula, the forest roads are potted and
oftentimes blocked by fallen trees. But hey! That's why we call it
"Wilderness". Still, for us blind folk hiking the national forests is
probably well down the list of things to do.
But what about services closer to home? The list is long, but I
thought perhaps looking at Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the
Blind might catch the interest of some of us...being blind and all.

Here in Washington State, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program
receives about 80% of its budget dollars from the Department of
Education. That's right, one of those federal agencies under constant
attack by our conservative congress. This year, for the first time in
its more than 70 year history, the Washington State Department of
Services for the Blind, has seen its VR budget reduced to a level that
has forced the Department to go to an Order of Selection. In plain
English, that is a Waiting List.
Any newly bblinded person applying for services from the State Agency
will be told to "Get in Line!" I could write volumes on the damage
placing a person on hold, impacts their chances of returning to a
productive, meaningful life, but those of you who have received such
treatment know what I mean.
Following the lead, our Independent Living Program was told that our
budget was immediately being reduced by 25%, cutting deeply into the
already thin layer of services to the Older Blind and Low Vision
People.
Before I leave the wrong impression, this is not a question of Big
Government versus Small Government. It is a question of the Bottom
Line. Profit or People? Are we allowing our resources to be drained
away? What can we do to assure future blind people a level of
services that will provide them with the opportunity for success?
Doing nothing is an effective method of supporting the destruction of
our hard fought Social Programs.

Carl Jarvis
retired director, Orientation and Training Center, Washington State
Services for the Blind
former assistant director, Department of Services for the Blind
Director, Peninsula Rehabilitation Services(1995-)
*****

Order of Selection Information
article
The Department of Services for the Blind anticipates we will not have
adequate dollars to serve every eligible individual who will apply for
services in
the coming federal fiscal year.

For some historical background, the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act of 2014 effectively cut the vocational rehabilitation
adult services budget
to 85% of what it had been.

The decreased budget - along with rising costs - have resulted in
fiscal projections that show we will no longer be able to serve every
eligible person
who requests services in FFY 2019. In order to meet our obligations
for all eligible individuals who are in planned services, we will need
to create a
wait list for newly eligible individuals.