By the ACB Rehabilitation Task Force
“What do I do while waiting for services from my state rehabilitation office?”
Your state may not be opening new cases, so you may be on a waiting list for a case to be opened.
However, a likely reason for waiting for services is often a limit to the number of qualified employees available to provide services to clients. There may also be a limited number of qualified outside providers that the agency can pay for providing the services.
You might say, “I don’t care why I can’t get the services from my state that I think I need, I just want to find a way to move forward.”
We on the rehabilitation task force don’t want you to feel like you have to wait forever, so here are a few ideas which may help you while waiting for specialized services for people who are blind or visually impaired from your state. You may need the help of a trusted friend or family member to avoid frustration while you look for services.
You can check with nonprofit organizations in your state that serve blind and low vision individuals to see what services they can offer you. In many states they are called lighthouses. They may be able to offer you orientation and mobility classes, daily living skills training, assistive technology training, adjustment to blindness support and a place to meet other blind and low vision people.
Some individuals may qualify for orientation and mobility training from two guide dog schools, Leader Dogs and Guide Dogs for the Blind. These schools offer classes for cane use because they feel that you should have those skills before you actually train with a guide dog.
Hadley Helps offers podcasts, workshops, and support groups for people in all stages of blindness and vision loss. They cover many topics. Check with Hadley to learn how to be a part of a workshop or the title of a podcast. Their services are virtual, so you don’t have to leave home to use them.
If you already have JAWS as a screen reader, or Fusion or ZoomText for screen magnification, but you want to know more about how to use your product efficiently, Freedom Scientific has available online learning. The company also offers webinars on topics of interest to users.
You can call 211 and ask about blindness resources or services. This system depends on organizations sharing information, so the quality of information can vary from state to state.
You may already have significant work experience, but you just need to locate a new position after losing a job. Making Space is an organization that helps disabled individuals connect with employers. Your state has a workforce development office which should be available to all job seekers, particularly those who know the type of job they want and who have the skills to do it. The APH ConnectCenter offers CareerConnect and VisionAware to help people who are seeking employment and are new to blindness.
Within the Be My Eyes App, there is a Service Directory. It’s not all-inclusive, but it can give you phone numbers for organizations to learn about additional resources and services while waiting for your state blindness agency. This could be another starting point for your search for assistance.
Your ACB state affiliate may have guidance on particular services. Members may have already found resources similar to the ones you are looking for.
Both national blindness organizations, NFB and ACB, have information about resources which are not a part of the state blindness agencies. ACB has special-interest affiliates that may have answers to some of your specific questions. Whether you want support in your diabetes journey, need to cope with increasing vision loss, want to start or continue your quest for and use of assistive technology, or want to learn about the ins and outs of starting a business, just to mention a few topics, the affiliates offer help.
You can take advantage of ACB Community calls where you can learn or practice braille, get cooking tips, solve household maintenance problems, learn new or revisit old crafting concepts, enjoy conversation on diverse topics with new and old friends, and learn from others who have already been where you are now.
Hopefully, this list of resources will be helpful if you have to wait for assistance from your state. It may not be the ideal solution, but it may be the only way to keep moving toward your future goal while waiting for state services.
Resources:
ACB: www.acb.org
Find affiliate listings as well.
Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com/
Freedom Scientific: Freedom Scientific.com/
Guide Dogs for the Blind: www.guidedogs.com
Hadley: https://www.hadleyhelps.org
Leader Dogs: https://www.leaderdog.org
Making Space: https://making-space.com
NFB: https://nfb.org