From: CHARLES CRAWFORD 
To: willie@telerama.lm.com
Subject: Crisis in Kentucky - part 2
                        RESOLUTION 96-01
            ADVISORY COUNCIL DEPARTMENT FOR THE BLIND
     WHEREAS,  the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended of 1992,
authorizes states to designate separate state agencies for
individuals who are blind; and
     WHEREAS, the Department for the Blind was established in 1976
by the General Assembly, as codified in KRS163.450 to 163.470, the
purpose of which is to provide for a separate and specialized
agency for the blind to provide for and improve the rehabilitation
of the blind and visually impaired citizens of the Commonwealth of
Kentucky in order that they may increase their social and economic
well-being and the productive capacity of the Commonwealth and the
nation; and
     WHEREAS, in order to provide comprehensive rehabilitation
services to people who are blind, a vocational rehabilitation
agency must have qualified staff who can provide specialized
services such as orientation and mobility, rehabilitation teaching
(braille, audio communications, etc.), and assistive technology;
and
     WHEREAS, the Department for the Blind can best provide such
specialized services to the greatest number of blind Kentuckians in
the most efficient and cost-effective manner; and
     WHEREAS, every major agency and consumer organization of and
for the blind in Kentucky supports the Department for the Blind in
its current status as an independent agency under the Workforce
Development Cabinet, and forcefully oppose any process or action
which will modify the standing of the Department or the legislative
intent; and
     WHEREAS, in 1979 and 1991, the Program Evaluation Committee of
the Legislative Research Commission studied the Department for the
Blind to determine the extent to which the needs of eligible blind
and visually impaired kentuckians were being met; and
     WHEREAS, these studies demonstrated that the services provided
to the blind of Kentucky were comparable to those provided by other
states, both in their range and in the number of people they serve;
and
     WHEREAS, during the most recent federal fiscal year, the
Department for the Blind continued to excel in accomplishing its
mission by:
     *    Serving more individuals with visual impairments than
          ever before,
     *    Serving youth in transition from high school to work
                              *Placing 232 blind and visually impaired
individuals in
          jobs above Federal minimum wage (a 13 percent increase above
1994),
     *    Employing 49 individuals who are blind at the Kentucky
          Industries for the Blind,
     *    Providing independent living services to 754 individuals
          and
     *    Providing management services to 64 blind vendors
          operating 57 vending facilities; and
     *    The Department for the Blind received $915,100 in 1979,
          but only $831,600 in the most recent fiscal year
          (decrease of 9.1 percent); and
     WHEREAS, this decrease strongly reflects the Department's
commitment to the provision of cost-effective services;
     NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Advisory Council of the
Department for the Blind, this Fifth Day of June, 1996, that we
call upon the Governor and the members of the General Assembly to
maintain the separate department status of the Kentucky Department
for the Blind; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no action be taken to jeopardize,
dilute, or otherwise diminish services to blind and visually
impaired citizens and taxpayers of the Commonwealth of Kentucky;
and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Workforce Development Cabinet
be directed to abide by this resolution; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent
to the Governor, members of the General Assembly, and any and all
other interested parties.
(Signed) C.S. Franklin
Chair, DFB Advisory Council
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