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Audit of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Overview of Audited Entity

This section describes the makeup and responsibilities of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.

Table of Contents

Overview

The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) was established under Sections 129–149 of Chapter 6 of the Massachusetts General Laws. According to MCB’s website, “MCB provides the highest quality rehabilitation and social services to Massachusetts residents who are blind, leading to their independence and full community participation.” MCB also partners with local agencies, healthcare providers, and employers to provide services, including rehabilitation, social services, and vocational assistance, to people in Massachusetts who are legally blind.1 People who have low vision and have been diagnosed with progressive visual impairments leading to legal blindness are also eligible to receive vocational / rehabilitation services through MCB’s partner agencies.

MCB has offices in two locations to support its six service regions in the Commonwealth. MCB’s offices are at 600 Washington Street in Boston and 436 Dwight Street in Springfield

As of December 31, 2021, MCB had approximately 129 employees. The commissioner of MCB oversees agency operations and meets monthly with a five-member advisory board described in Section 129 of Chapter 6 of the General Laws as follows:

The advisory board shall consist of five persons, qualified by training, experience, or demonstrated interest in the amelioration of the condition of the blind to be appointed by the secretary of health and human services, with the approval of the governor, for a term of five years.

MCB received state appropriations of $25,747,578 and $26,552,598 for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, respectively. It received federal appropriations of $8,452,576 in each of these fiscal years as well. The table below shows its allocation of state and federal funding.

Appropriation Number

Appropriation Name

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget

Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

State

 

 

 

41100001

Administration and Program Operations

$   1,513,345

$   1,513,379

41101000

Community Services for the Blind

     7,174,905

     7,799,905

41102000

Turning 22 Program and Services

   13,900,808

   14,080,794

41103010

Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the Blind

     3,158,520

     3,158,520

Subtotal

 

$ 25,747,578

$ 26,552,598

Federal

 

 

 

41103021

Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program

$   7,750,000

$   7,750,000

41103026

Independent Living Services for Older Blind Individuals

        650,000

        650,000

41103028

Supported Employment for Individuals with Disabilities

           52,576

           52,576

Subtotal

 

$   8,452,576

$   8,452,576

Total

 

$ 34,200,154

$ 35,005,174

 

Section 136 of Chapter 6 of the General Laws requires vision professionals, such as optometrists, to provide a report of Commonwealth residents who, after examination, are diagnosed as legally blind to MCB within 30 days of their diagnoses. A person who is diagnosed as legally blind may request a Certificate of Legal Blindness from MCB to verify that they are registered with MCB. A copy of the certificate may be necessary to apply for state and federal tax exemptions, automobile excise tax exemptions, and disabled license plates and parking placards, as well as for other purposes. As of December 31, 2021, there were 24,177 people registered as legally blind with MCB.

Randolph-Sheppard Act

The federal Randolph-Sheppard Act, Chapter 6A of Title 20 of the United States Code, gives priority to trained and licensed legally blind individuals to operate vending facilities, such as cafeterias, snack bars, and vending machines, on federal and certain other property.

Massachusetts has adopted a similar law called the Mini-Randolph-Sheppard Act, which is codified in Sections 133–133F of Chapter 6 of the General Laws and Section 3 of Title 111 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR). This broadened the federal act to include state, county, and municipal locations.

Vending Facilities Program

According to MCB’s website,

The MCB Vending Facilities Program, which operates under the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act, prepares individuals who are legally blind for a . . . career in concession management.

Vending Facilities are located in federal and state buildings. Currently, the majority are in Boston and the surrounding area.

Through its Vending Facilities Program (VFP), MCB recruits, trains, licenses, and places people who are legally blind to work at vending facilities on federal, state, and certain other properties. Vending facilities include newsstands, snack bars / coffee shops, and cafeterias.

MCB is required to conduct performance evaluations of vendors participating in VFP and their facilities. These performance evaluations serve as a mechanism to assess vendors and their facilities in accordance with 111 CMR 3. MCB uses a Vending Facility Evaluation Form that was created by MCB’s VFP director. A staff member for MCB’s VFP conducts these performance evaluations in person. Evaluations are based on 100 points and are scored in five categories: stand cleanliness, food handling and sanitary procedures, products and merchandise, management efficiency, and business practices. Evaluation scores are calculated by adding together the scores received in these five categories. MCB hand delivers a copy of the performance evaluation to the vendor within 30 days of completion. Vendors that receive a score of at least 75 out of 100 receive a passing grade and require no further action. If a vendor receives a failing grade of 74 or less, MCB issues a warning letter that specifies the violation/s and a date by which corrections or improvements must be made. If vendors have not corrected identified violations and/or obtained a passing reevaluation by the specified date, or if MCB issues three or more warning letters to the vendor during any 12-month period, MCB reserves the right to suspend or revoke the vendor’s license.

 

1.    MCB’s website defines legal blindness as “vision with correction of 20/200 or less in the better eye; or peripheral field of ten degrees (10°) or less, regardless of visual acuity.”

Date published: December 16, 2022

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