An Act to Address the Documented Educational and Rehabilitation Needs of Persons

125th MaineState Legislature

An Act To Address the documented Educational and Rehabilitation Needs of Persons

Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Sponsor Amendment

LD 765-An Act to Address the Documented Educational and Rehabilitation Needs of Persons Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

This amendmentreplaces the original bill.

The Division for theBlind and Visually Impaired (DBVI)will remain a part of the Bureau of RehabilitationServices (BRS) within the Maine Department of Labor (DOL). A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be created to ensure that the Maine Department of Education (DOE) hassubstantive input to any Contract to provide educational services to blind or visually impaired children, age birth to twenty (20.) The MOU will also ensure that the DOE has substantive inputfor the delivery of services to blind or visually impaired children, age birth to twenty (20). In addition, the MOU will ensure that children are served first, by staff who serve both children and adults.

The DOL/DBVI will continue to be the contract administrator.

Three positions, identified by the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development (Committee) as being of highest priority, willbe recruited and filled to provide immediate services to the blind and visually impaired. Teachers of Visually Impaired (TVI) work directly with children in the classroom. Orientation and Mobility Specialists (O&M)work with children and adults in the classroom and community, providing instruction in safe and independent travel.Two full-time (40 hours/week) TVI positionswill be funded by amending the existing contract with Catholic Charities Maine, and one part-time(20 hours/week) O&M position will be fundedwith existing DBVI Federal funds.The DOL/DBVI will create a full time O&M position by combining an existing part-time (20 hours/week) O&M position with a new part-time (20 hours/week) position. The full-time position will be funded from existing DBVI funds.These additional positions specifically address the DOE compliance issues prompted through LD 765.One full time O&M position will be funded with existing Governor’s Training Initiative funds.

DOE will transfer funds from existing appropriations to fund two TVI positions for the remainder of the 2012 school year. DOL will fund a.5FTE O&M position from existing DBVI Federal funds.

Plan for FY12

Plan for FY13 and Beyond

In FY13 the TVI and O&M positions hired in FY 2012 shall continue to provide mandated direct services. In addition, one full-time (40 hours/week) Blindness Rehabilitation Specialist (BRS) and two full-time (40 hours/week) Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (VRT) will be recruited and hired. A BRS is a Case Manager for blind children within the blindness system, acting as a conduit between Special Education and parents in order to address a child’s blindness-specific needs. A VRT teaches transition-age students, working age adults, and seniors, independent living and job readiness skills specific to unique blindness specific needs since this necessary blindness-specific training is not included in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) of the student. The focus of the VRT is to prepare the blind population for life after graduation.

The additionaldirect service positions shall be funded by a realignment ofDOL funds currently budgeted to Women Work and Community (WWC.) No additional General Fund monies would be requested.

Plan for FY 13

SUMMARY

This amendment replaces the original bill. It describes the direct service positions needed to provide federally mandated educational services to blind and visually impaired children and adults, the relationship between the Department of Labor and Department of Education to provide those services, and displays the staffing pattern, costand funding sources for these positions beginning in FY12 and beyond.

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