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- American Council of the Blind of Maryland
- Legislative Committee
- 26314 Forest Hall Drive
- Mechanicsville, Maryland 20659
- (301) 884-4078
- rkerr@starpower.net
- www.acb.org
- May 26, 2005
- Senator Barbara Mikulski
- 503 Hart Senate Office Building
- Washington, DC 20510
- Re: H.R. 27 RFS - Job Training Improvement Act of 2005
- Dear Senator Mikulski,
- I am writing you on behalf of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland in regard to the Job Training Improvement Act of 2005, which is presently before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The American Council of the Blind of Maryland is a state affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, which is the nation’s leading advocacy organization for blind and visually impaired people.
- Specifically, our organization is concerned that this legislation does not contain a prohibition on the restructuring of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The American Council of the Blind of Maryland has written to Secretary Spellings to express our opposition to the restructuring of RSA. I have enclosed a copy of this letter, which you may share with other members of the Committee. Thank you in advance for your efforts in respect to this matter.
- Very truly yours,
- Robert A. Kerr, Chairman
- ACBM Legislative Committee
- RAK:lmk
- Enclosure
- cc: Albert J. Pietrolungo, President
- American Council of the Blind of Maryland
-
- American Council of the Blind of Maryland
- Legislative Committee
- 26314 Forest Hall Drive
- Mechanicsville, Maryland 20659
- (301) 884-4078
- rkerr@starpower.net
- www.acb.org
- May 26, 2005
- The Honorable Margaret Spellings
- U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 7W301
Washington, DC 20202 - Re: Restructuring Rehabilitation Services Administration
- Dear Madam Secretary,
- I am writing you on behalf of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland to express our opposition to the planned restructuring of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, as it would adversely impact blindness rehabilitation programs. The American Council of the Blind of Maryland is a state affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, which is the nation’s leading advocacy organization for blind and visually impaired people.
- The American Council of the Blind of Maryland strongly objects to the closure of RSA regional offices since they facilitate the effective operation of state programs of vocational rehabilitation. Our organization also objects to the dismantling of the Blind and Visually Impaired Division, as it would disrupt the operation of programs serving the blind including the Randoph-Sheppard vending program.
- I trust that you will reconsider the restructuring of RSA and provide blind and visually impaired Americans with the services they deserve.
- Very truly yours,
- Robert A. Kerr, Chairman
- ACBM Legislative Committee
- RAK:lmk
- cc: Albert J. Pietrolungo, President
- American Council of the Blind of Maryland
-
- ACBM RESOLUTION 2004-1:
- OFFICE FOR BLINDNESS AND VISION
SERVICES
WHEREAS, blindness and visual impairment are sensory disorders which affect the manner in which the visually impaired access, obtain, process, and otherwise utilize information; and
- WHEREAS, blindness or visual impairment
also adversely affects the manner in which the visually impaired conduct
their lives in significant ways including: daily living tasks, mobility,
obtaining a free and appropriate public education, and acquiring resources
to both obtain and retain gainful employment; and
- WHEREAS, research and practice in other
states, demonstrate that the visually impaired require specialized and
distinct services and programs different from all other physical and sensory
impairments, including rehabilitation services, orientation & mobility
training, and assistance in
obtaining costly specialized adaptive technology; and
- WHEREAS, research and practice,
demonstrate that the needs, as well as services and programs the visually
impaired require in order to remain functioning and contributing members of
society must be provided by targeted educated and certified professionals;
and
- WHEREAS, Maryland does not currently provide the visually impaired services through a designated agency that has the professional training and certification as well as expertise to provide such services and programs; and
WHEREAS, the present state agency providing rehabilitation services to the visually impaired is considered as doing so in an inadequate manner; and
- WHEREAS, our legislative effort to create a separate rehabilitation agency for the blind in 2004 has prompted the Division of Rehabilitation Services, (DORS), to address the need for these specialized services by creating an Office for Blindness and Vision Services; and
WHEREAS, the proposal creating this Office provides that the Office be staffed primarily with employees who will serve only blind and visually impaired clients and these employees will be appropriately trained and certified; and
WHEREAS, these employees will have greater authority and directly report to supervisors and a director working for this Office, and the Office will have a dedicated and adequate budget; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind of Maryland meeting in convention in Baltimore this day, November 7th, 2004, that the officers and appropriate committees of this organization be instructed to inform officials of the State of Maryland that this organization endorses the creation of the Office for Blindness and Vision Services; and- BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind of Maryland seek appointment as an ad hoc member of the blindness rehabilitation sub-committee of the State Rehabilitation Council as provided for in the DORS proposal, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that our officers require the Office to provide periodic reports containing sufficient details about services being provided to clients of the Office so we can evaluate the performance of the Office for the next two years, and
- BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that during this two year evaluation period, the officers and committees of this organization be instructed to oppose any attempt to move or redirect these important publicly provided rehabilitation services to any private rehabilitation program.