From: James Sofka 
Subject: Urgent Request (fwd)
hy all i an forwarding this for what it is worth. 
Jim Sofka
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 15:06:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: American Foundation for the Blind 
To: JDP@TCAC.COM
Cc: jsofka@texas.net
Subject: Urgent Request
Memo To:  Consumer Advisory Committee Members
From:     Judy Scott
Date:     April 8, 1997
Subject:  Critical Legislative Action
My American Foundation for the Blind Governmental Relations Group has just
informed me of critical action we need to take regarding the reauthorization 
of
the Rehabilitation Act.  
The Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning Subcommittee
has draft language for Rehabilitation Act reauthorization.   This language
supports separate agencies for the blind and the Title VII, Chapter 2 Program
which provides independent living services for older blind persons.   This
committee plans to take their draft bill to "mark up" on Thursday, April 17.  
It is important that we deliver a message to members of this subcommittee.
As your subcommittee addresses the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act,
we appreciate your support of separate agencies for the blind and the Title 
VII,
Chapter 2 Program, which provides services for older individuals who are
blind.
To assist you in your advocacy efforts, I am attaching a copy of a fact sheet
about the Chapter 2 Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who are
Blind Program and a draft of testimony which I helped to develop.  Please 
eel
free to use pieces of either document.
We have the following Texas member of Congress who is on this very critical
subcommittee:
                  Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX-1115)
     32 Longworth                  or        311 North 15th Street
     Washington, D.C.  20515                 McAllen, TX  78501
     (202)225-3121                           (210)682-5545
Please try to make contact with Congressman Hinojosa's office as soon as
possible.  Please let me know what kind of response you receive.  I will then
feed your information to our advocates in Washington.
Thanks for your assistance on this very timely and critical issue.  There 
will be
additional steps I will ask you to take when the time is right.
JS/slh
attachments
                              DRAFT
Testimony
of the
NATIONAL AGING AND VISION NETWORK
to the
Subcommittee on Post Secondary Education, Training
and Life-Long Learning
of the
Committee on Education and Workforce
of the
United States House of Representatives
Submitted by:
               
National Aging and Vision Network
April 1997
The National Aging and Vision Network is comprised of individuals and
representatives of public and private agencies that provide vision 
rehabilitation
services to persons who are older and blind who reside in all 50 states, the 
District
of Columbia, and the territories.  Formed in 1994, the Network's goal is to
increase the availability of responsive, high quality services for older 
individuals
who are blind or severely visually impaired, through the vision-related
rehabilitation system, the aging network, and the health care system. Network
members collaborate on advocacy efforts, share vital information on service
delivery mechanisms, work to develop outcome measures, and develop and
maintain funding resources to support essential services.
RECOMMENDATIONS: REAUTHORIZATION OF THE
REHABILITATION ACT
1.   The Network strongly urges this subcommittee to continue to support the
     concept of separate agencies for the blind in the reauthorization 
process.  
     The need for and effectiveness of separate agencies has been well
     documented, and is certainly endorsed by all consumer groups of blind
     individuals and agencies of and for individuals who are blind.
2.   The Network recommends that TITLE VII, CHAPTER 2 of the
     Rehabilitation Act be reauthorized.
INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES FOR OLDER INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE BLIND (Title VII, Chapter 2)
Under the 1992 reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, Congress provided 
the
mechanism to establish a nationwide service delivery system for individuals 
who
are older and blind. They acted to change the existing law to allow formula
funding of programs for older blind persons.  However, this formula will not
trigger until the appropriation level reaches $13 million. With an 
appropriation of
$13 million, each state would receive a minimum of $225,000.  We have found
that this appropriation will not adequately meet the needs of individuals who 
are
older and blind.  We are asking that the appropriation level be increased 
from the
current $9.9 million to $52 million.  With the higher figure, states with 
larger
populations of older individuals would receive proportionate amounts. This
increase would insure that older persons who are blind, and who live in any 
state
or territory, will have the same access to vision-related rehabilitation 
services.
Since its first funding in 1986, this program has been one of the successful 
and
cost-effective programs initiated by Congress. In 1995-96, the grantee states 
used
the funds to deliver services to over 22,000 older individuals at an 
approximate
cost of $500-$600 per person.  The number of people served through this 
program
has increased 60 percent over the last three years, since a mechanism was
established for minimum funding of $160,000 for each state.
As documented in program evaluations and countless testimonials, Chapter 2
funded services have enabled older individuals who become blind to continue 
o
live independently in their own homes and communities. The program has helped
these older individuals to regain self-confidence, self-reliance and 
self-worth by
providing them the opportunity to learn the skills needed to perform the most 
basic
tasks of daily living, and to remain active and contributing members of their
community for as long as possible.
The types of services provided by grantee states include (1) training in how 
to
travel safely, (2) communications skills, (3) training in activities of daily 
living
skills, (4) low vision services and adaptive devices, (5) individual 
counseling, (6)
counseling and supportive services to family members, and (7) community
integration. The goal of the program is to reduce the need for costly support
services, such as in-home and community-based long term services, and/or
premature nursing home placement.
You may ask why is this program so important? Why should we authorize
additional dollars at a time when we are dealing with a deficit?  Because it 
makes
sense.
-    The program serves individuals who are newly blinded and have no where
     else to turn to obtain vision-related rehabilitation services.
-    Chapter 2 funded services are cost-effective.  Tax dollars are directed
     toward helping individuals maintain or regain independent functioning 
nd
     productivity, rather than costly in-home services or nursing home care.
     With timely and appropriate intervention, the need for such care has 
een
     averted or delayed as has been indicated in a number of states in which
     independent living services are provided. This intervention results in
     extreme cost savings to the states and federal government.  Provision of
     support services in the home through aging network programs or
     home-health agencies is costly.
     The cost of providing independent living services on a one-time basis
     averages from $500 to $600 per person!  In these difficult financial 
times,
     can we afford not to fund such a program?
-    There is no other national service delivery program for older 
ndividuals
     who are blind.  
     Funds for vision-related rehabilitation services for older people who 
re
     blind are not provided through the Older Americans Act, through 
edicare,
     Medicaid, or any other consistent funding mechanism. State 
ehabilitation
     agencies for the blind are the most logical service providers or 
okers.
-    There are over 4 million individuals in the country age 55 or over who 
are
     experiencing severe vision loss. These numbers have doubled in the last 
30
     years, and this number is expected to double again by 2030. They are not
     just numbers; these are our parents or grandparents who are experiencing
     difficulty with adjusting to vision loss.
     Prevalence of severe vision impairment is age-related.  Prevalence of 
severe
     visual impairment is 47 per 1000 in individuals 65-74.  By age 85, one 
n
     four older people cannot read a newspaper with best corrected vision. 
Loss
     of vision drastically effects the ability to do other everyday tasks as 
well.
     However, through the funds currently available, agencies are still only
     reaching five percent of the individuals who are older and blind who 
eed
     services to continue to live productive and independent lives.
We implore you to take this opportunity through the reauthorization of the
Rehabilitation Act to continue and build on a first for this country. That 
is, a
nationwide service delivery program which delivers what it promises and which
truly makes a significant difference in the lives of older individuals who 
are blind,
and who without these services are among our nation's most vulnerable 
citizens.
                           FACT SHEET
          TITLE VII CHAPTER 2 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT
          SERVICES FOR OLDER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND
Title VII Chapter 2 of the Rehabilitation Act authorizes grants to state 
vocational
rehabilitation agencies to provide services to older blind and visually 
impaired
persons in order to maximize their ability to live independently.  No other
consistent source of funding exists to provide these services.
Currently approximately 22,000 older individuals with severe vision problems
nationwide are receiving services through Chapter 2, although over two 
illion
individuals need these services.
Total funding nationwide is $9.9 million.
In 1996 in Texas, 1,197 older individuals who are blind or severely visually
impaired received independent living services with only $185,400 in Chapter 2
Federal funding available.  In our state, there are 464,330 older people who 
are
experiencing severe vision loss.
The program is cost-effective, with a nationwide average cost of service 
delivery
of only $500-$600 per person, due to collaborative working relationships with
community agencies which "stretch" the money.
Services include how to travel safely, training in activities of daily 
iving,
communication skills, low vision and adaptive devices, and other services 
designed
to enable older individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired to 
continue
to live independently and to reduce the need for costly support services, 
such as
in-home or possible nursing home service options.  
Nationwide, 64% of individuals served are age 76 and over. These are the 
persons
most at risk of needing support services to continue to live on their own.
Benefits of program:  Individuals trained are more able to live independently 
and
with less costly support services.
     
RECOMMENDATION:
     The Rehabilitation Act is up for reauthorization this year.  We 
ecommend
     that Title VII Chapter 2 be reauthorized and that Congress increase the
     funding of this program to $52 million, which would be distributed on a
     formula basis to ensure that each state will get a proportionate share 
o
     provide more adequate services to individuals who are older and blind. 
     Each state is required under the Rehabilitation Act to provide a 10% 
match.
---
---------------