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, ages seven to twelve years, to enable them to meet and interact on a regular basis.

The Commission offers comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services to legally blind individuals to assist them in securing employment. The Ferguson Industries program employs deaf-blind individuals at various workshop facilities throughout the Commonwealth, where they manufacture quality products such as brooms, mops, pens, and pillow cases.

Objectives

In Fiscal Year 1999, the Commission will pursue the following objectives:

• provide after-school programs to an additional 40 blind children and respite services to an additional 50 blind children and their families;
• provide independent living and support services to eight new clients who will turn 22 years of age during the fiscal year;
• expand opportunities to secure and retain blind employees by assisting businesses in making necessary site adaptations; and
• maximize access of blind citizens to vocational and social services through increased use of the Internet.

Budget Recommendations

The Fiscal Year 1999 recommendation includes additional funding of $100,000 to expand community services for blind children (4110-1000); $520,000 to expand the Turning 22 program (4110-2000); and $305,000 to provide additional vocational rehabilitation services (4110-3010).

The Commission's Fiscal Year 1999 recommendation reflects the transfer of $8.62 million from the Commission (4110-1010) to the Department of Transitional Assistance to facilitate the shift of state Supplemental Security Income (SSI) management responsibility from the federal government to the Commonwealth.

Budgetary Direct Appropriations

MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND - ADMINISTRATION
4110-0001	For the operation of the Massachusetts commission for the blind	756,160

COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE BLIND
4110-1000	For the community services program	2,836,661

ASSISTANCE 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	79,800

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FOR THE BLIND
4110-1020	For determining eligibility for medical assistance for the blind	411,430

TURNING 22 PROGRAM FOR THE DEAF-BLIND
4110-2000	For services to deaf-blind clients who turn 22 years of age	6,540,491

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	1,742,255

FERGUSON INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND
4110-4000	For the operation 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	1,658,676

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	1,500,000

BASIC SUPPORT GRANT
4110-3021	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Basic Support Grant	7,260,000

INDEPENDENT LIVING - ADAPTIVE HOUSING
4110-3023	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Independent Living - Adaptive Housing	79,414

INDEPENDENT LIVING - SERVICES TO OLDER BLIND AMERICANS
4110-3026	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Independent Living - Services to Older Blind Americans	196,939

REHABILITATION TRAINING
4110-3027	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Rehabilitation Training	21,820

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT
4110-3028	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Supported Employment	194,242

Trust and Other Spending

4110-6600

EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES TRUST FUND

20,000

4110-6606

VENDING FACILITY OPERATORS TRUST FUND

80,000