The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind provides independent living, social, and rehabilitation services to blind citizens of the Commonwealth to enable them to lead more fulfilling and independent lives. The Commission promotes the full integration of blind individuals into the mainstream of the social and economic life of their communities. Programs and services provided include vocational rehabilitation, social integration, home care and respite assistance, radio reading programs, community systems advocacy, and residential and day care services. In addition, the Commission provides information services to over 30,000 clients annually.

The Commission also provides after-school recreation and socialization programs for blind children, aged seven to twelve years, to enable them to meet and interact on a regular basis. The Commission contributes the Commonwealth's share of Supplemental Security Income payments by providing income assistance to more than 4,500 eligible blind recipients.

The Commission offers comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services to legally blind individuals to assist them in securing employment. The Ferguson Industries Program provides opportunities to multi-handicapped individuals by employing deaf-blind individuals at various workshop facilities throughout the Commonwealth that produce quality home products such as brooms, mops, and pillow cases.

Objectives

The Commission will continue to collaborate with other public and private agencies to participate in the One-Stop Career Centers which will provide assistance to the Commission's clients to enable them to secure competitive community-based employment.

Additional funding will allow the Commission to continue providing services to six clients who entered the Turning Twenty-Two program in Fiscal Year 1997, and to six new clients who will enter the program in Fiscal Year 1998. The program offers independent living services and other on-going support services to blind individuals who turn twenty-two and are no longer eligible to receive services through the Commonwealth's special education program.

Budget Recommendations

The Fiscal Year 1998 recommendation includes $500,000 to expand the Turning Twenty-Two program (4110-2000), and an additional $500,000 in federal reimbursement revenue from the Home and Community Waiver Initiative and the Targeted Case Management Initiative.

Budgetary Direct Appropriations

MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND - OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER
4110-0001	For the administration of the Massachusetts commission for the blind	729,243

COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE BLIND
4110-1000	For the community services program	2,582,243

ASSISTED LIVING FOR THE ADULT BLIND
4110-1010	For aid to the adult blind; provided, that funds may be expended from this item for burial expenses incurred in the prior fiscal year	8,702,093

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FOR THE BLIND
4110-1020	For determining eligibility for medical assistance for the blind; provided, that the commission is hereby authorized and directed to work with the division of medical assistance, the department of mental retardation and other state agencies to maximize federal reimbursement for clients determined to be eligible through this item	392,915

TURNING TWENTY-TWO PROGRAM FOR THE DEAF-BLIND
4110-2000	For services to deaf-blind clients who turn twenty-two years of age; provided, that the commission shall work in conjunction with the department of mental retardation to secure the maximum amount of federal reimbursements available for the care of turning twenty-two clients, so called; and provided further, that no provision set out herein is intended to give rise to an enforceable legal right or entitlement not otherwise provided in regulations of the department, or any other special or general laws	5,866,468

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR THE BLIND
4110-3010	For vocational rehabilitation services for the blind in cooperation with the federal government; provided, that no funds shall be deducted for pensions, group health and life insurance, or any other such indirect cost of federally reimbursed state employees	1,288,033

FERGUSON INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND
4110-4000	For the administration of the Ferguson industries for the blind; provided, that retired workshop employees shall receive grants equal to three-fourths of the salaries of current workshop employees	1,720,683

Federal Grant Spending

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
4110-3020	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Vocational Rehabilitation; provided, that no funds shall be deducted for pensions, group health and life insurance, or any other such indirect cost of the federally reimbursed state employees	125,000

BASIC SUPPORT GRANT
4110-3021	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Basic Support Grant	6,760,000

INDEPENDENT LIVING PART B
4110-3023	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Independent Living Part B	61,500

INDEPENDENT LIVING PART C
4110-3026	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Independent Living Part C	190,000

REHABILITATION TRAINING
4110-3027	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Rehabilitation Training	20,000

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT
4110-3028	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Supported Employment	110,000

Trust and Other Spending

4110-6600

EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES TRUST FUND

20,000

4110-6606

VENDING FACILITY OPERATORS TRUST FUND

76,730