Mission Statement

Our mission is to enable persons who are blind to achieve vocational, economic and social equality by providing career preparation, training in the skills of blindness and above all, promoting and conveying the belief that blindness is not a barrier to successful employment, or to living an independent and meaningful life.

Introduction

The Commission believes blind people are normal, and blindness, in and of itself, should not keep a blind person from leading a productive life. The Commission provides services that enable blind persons to enhance their abilities and assume roles in the community as working, taxpaying, and contributing citizens.

The State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) works in close partnership with the Commission for the Blind by helping to formulate policies and priorities. One product of this partnership is the State Plan, which is developed jointly between the SRC and the Commission. The SRC and the Commission have collectively developed the following programs and services, and achieved the ensuing accomplishments:

BLIND NEW MEXICANS SERVED DURING FISCAL YEAR 2007 - 2008 BY PROGRAM:

Vocational Rehabilitation Program................496
Assistive Technology Service.....................718
Students in Transition to Employment Program......16
Emergency Eye Care Program.......................157
Business Enterprise Program.......................34
NEWSLINE for the Blind.........................5,020
Independent Living/Older Blind Program...........536
Orientation Center................................24
Employment Development Center......................8

Vocational Rehabilitation Program

The Vocational Rehabilitation Program serves persons who are legally blind or who have a condition which will lead to legal blindness. It helps persons to become employed in ways that are appropriate to each individual's "strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice." The Commission ranks at the top in the nation for the quality of employment outcomes achieved by our consumers. Four hundred ninety-six (496) persons received vocational rehabilitation services, and fifty (50) consumers were successfully employed.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Standards & Indicators data, New Mexico ranked first in each of the primary indicators used to measure the performance of vocational rehabilitation programs across the country.

According to Standard & Indicator 1.3, the Commission ranks first for the percentage of consumers with earnings equal to at least the minimum wage. According to the ranking, 100% of our consumers earned at least minimum wage. North Carolina was second at 98.79%.

According to Indicator 1.6, the Commission ranks first for the comparison of consumers who on exiting the program say they rely on their earnings as their primary source of income compared to those who relied on their earnings as their primary source of income when entering the program. The difference was 64.79 in New Mexico. The Commission was significantly ahead of New Jersey, which was second with a difference of 47.98.

According to Indicator 1.5, the Commission ranks first for the average starting wage of consumers compared to the average State wage. Our consumers' starting wage of $16.06 was 95.8% of the average New Mexico wage of $16.77. The Commission was significantly ahead of Maine, which was next at 81.9%.

Transition Services

The Commission works diligently to enhance the transition services for blind children and young adults. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, the Commission continues to work with the Public Education Department to assure that the needs of transition students are met in the public schools and at the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The Commission's Transition Coordinator serves on the State Transition Coordinating Council, and engaged in numerous education outreach activities, including organizing a half-day seminar designed to educate parents of transition-aged students about important issues facing their children, at school, at work, and in community life. She also partnered with our Technology Unit to deliver a half-day program for teachers of blind and visually-impaired students on portable electronic note-taking devices.

Reflecting the importance the Commission places on the education of all blind children, the Executive Director serves on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) State Advisory Panel. The Commission has also taken on the role of distributing information to and coordinating meetings of key "Educational Stakeholders." The Educational Stakeholders group includes the Commission's Executive Director and the Transition Coordinator, and officials responsible for providing instruction to blind children.

Adult Orientation Center

The Adult Orientation Center provides intensive training in the skills of blindness. The Center is a residential program designed to equip blind persons with the skills needed to become employed or live independently in their homes and communities. Most of the Center's students are persons who are newly blinded. The Center is located in Alamogordo. Twenty-four blind persons attended the Center's programs, as did six staff trainees.

The Center training is built around the use of "sleep shades" to eliminate the desire to rely on inadequate or failing vision. During a typical six-month training period students receive intensive training in cane travel, Braille, assistive technology, home management, personal management, and industrial arts. By learning effective non-visual techniques the student gains self-confidence and learns how to function as a successful blind person. Once a student has learned the alternate techniques of blindness, the student is able to exercise "informed choice" on when and how to use remaining vision.

The Center's "Senior Week" programs gave twenty-seven "Older Blind" participants an opportunity to learn basic blindness skills in a nurturing and stimulating environment. The Senior Week training concentrates on cane travel, home management and personal management.

Fourteen STEP students received training at the Center during the summer. The Center gave the students the opportunity to receive comprehensive training in a carefully supervised environment. The students ranged in age from 14 to 21, with several of the students having disabilities in addition to blindness.

New this year was the successful inclusion of two "community" days during which Center staff welcomed and served consumers and other blind individuals from the community who felt they needed some brushing up on blindness techniques or new information and instruction in a particular area of blindness skills training.

Students in Transition to Employment Program

The Students in Transition to Employment Program (STEP) provides blind students with a carefully monitored and quality work experience. Blind students do not normally have an opportunity to engage in such employment, depriving them of the important benefits of student employment. STEP served sixteen blind students ranging in age from 14 to 21. The dormitory at the Adult Orientation Center in Alamogordo was home to fourteen students, and two students worked elsewhere in their own communities.

The students worked at a wide range of agencies and businesses. The students also engaged in activities designed to complement the employment experience and reinforce blindness skills. The activities are also intended to build the student's self-confidence. The activities included hiking, horseback riding, going to movies, rock climbing, dining out, swimming, and trips to shopping malls. Acquiring a positive attitude about blindness is essential for a blind person to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming successfully employed. Therefore, the students participated in seminars and presentations from successful blind adult role models.

The teaching of Orientation & Mobility is a priority in the program. A blind person who cannot travel to and around the workplace will not be employable. Accordingly, STEP participants are taught to travel using a long white cane. Students are also taught the behaviors, grooming standards, and work ethics that are expected in the working world.

Assistive Technology

The use of assistive technology is a crucial factor in the successful employment of persons who are blind. However, according to a 2000 study, only 24% of persons who are disabled own computers, compared to a national average of over 50%. This gap is the "digital divide." The Commission's assistive technology program is helping to bridge this gap. It is often necessary for a blind person to receive extensive technology training since the person must learn the application, as well as the assistive technology that allows access to the application. One hundred ninety-four evaluations were completed; 128 computers were configured and delivered to consumers; 115 received hardware or software upgrades; and 163 repairs were performed. Sixty-seven consumers received classroom training and 51 received personal tutoring.

The Commission's technology specialists provided screen readers, Braille displays, screen magnification programs, closed circuit televisions, and Braille notetakers. The assistive technology is intended to meet the individualized employment needs of our consumers. Often only small changes are needed to make the blind person's job much easier and more competitive. The assistive technology program offered classes such as Windows XP, Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and Outlook. The assistive technology program has also begun providing additional training at work and at home locations, enabling consumers to be trained on the systems they are actually using.

Employment Development Center

The Employment Development Center (EDC) was established as a manufacturing business nearly 60 years ago. It was previously known as the Industries for the Blind. The EDC marketed top quality products made by blind people and sold to governments, private companies and organizations. Over the years, the EDC produced brooms, mops, and mats, and in more recent years made canvas tote bags, laundry bags, suede paperweights, coasters and placemats. The lifting of restrictions on textile imports and the resulting increase of inexpensive foreign imports adversely impacted EDC sales. After a several-year process during which employees were assisted to find other employment, the EDC discontinued production in 2008.

"Commission Helps Support National Defense"

The Commission operates the switchboard at Holloman Air Force Base. The switchboard operation employed fourteen people this year, a majority of whom were blind. The operators route incoming calls for the entire base. The switchboard operation receives excellent ratings on the quality of customer service that is provided.

Business Enterprise Program

The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) provides employment opportunities for blind individuals who wish to operate food service facilities. The BEP has food establishments from small stands, to vending routes, to full military cafeterias at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia. The BEP provides the public and government employees with quality food service that is conveniently located within government buildings. Thirty-four blind persons participated in the BEP program and vendor earnings were $4,628,863, contributing $276,677 in gross receipt taxes to the state.

The Commission operates the Thunderbird Inn and Dining Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base. The operator distinguished himself by again winning the highly prestigious John L. Hennessy award for the "international single-facility category." The Hennessy Award is presented to installations with the best food service programs in the Air Force. Robert Vick employs 35 persons with disabilities in his facility.

"Commission Supports Homeland Security"

The Commission provides food services at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Artesia. The FLETC is responsible for the training of border patrol officers and federal marshals, as well as the provision of firearms training for pilots.

Independent Living/Older Blind

The Independent Living/Older Blind (IL/OB) Program enables blind persons to live independently in their homes and communities. To accomplish this, direct services are provided with most persons being served in the home. The IL/OB program provided intensive training to 125 individuals, and basic services to an additional 411 persons. The majority of persons served were 55 or older.

The IL/OB program includes ten Independent Living teachers and an administrator who manages the program. They serve the entire state reaching out to underserved populations in rural areas. They provide training and guidance to encourage consumers to assume active and productive lives. The instruction includes training in Braille, how to travel using a white cane, how to use public transportation, and personal and home management skills. This latter area can include instruction in meal preparation, diabetes management using non-visual or low-vision techniques, identification of money, telling time, the use of NEWSLINE and the State Talking Book Library. The training also includes provision of basic assistive technology devices such as white canes, Braille writing equipment, talking calculators, and Braille or talking watches.

Twenty-seven seniors from around the state participated in two "Senior Week" programs at the Adult Orientation Center. The Senior Week program provides participants with a concentrated training, helping to restore independence and self-confidence.

NEWSLINE For The Blind

NEWSLINE is a telephone-based system that allows blind and print impaired persons to access a variety of newspapers and publications. Using the buttons on a touch-tone telephone, the listener selects a category of the paper, such as local news, area events, or grocery ads. The listener can read a story, skip to the next story, raise the volume, or exit the category and choose another category or publication. The reading is done by over 100 trained volunteers. The statewide service is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. NEWSLINE averages more than 10,000 calls a month.

NEWSLINE has experienced a steady climb in the number of listeners. Now in its 17th year of operation, there are 5,020 users statewide. NEWSLINE publications include the "Albuquerque Journal", the "Santa Fe New Mexican", "Prime Time Senior News", the "Blinded Veterans' Quarterly" and the "Alamogordo Daily News." NEWSLINE also continues to provide a Spanish language news selection.

The Commission sponsors NFB-Newsline, a program providing access to over 200 national newspapers through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. NFB-Newsline is operated by the National Federation of the Blind and provides users access to newspapers such as the "New York Times", the "Los Angeles Times", the "Washington Post", the "Chicago Tribune", and "USA Today". NFB-Newsline has 839 registered users in New Mexico.

"NFB-Newsline Adds Spanish Newspapers"

NFB-Newsline has added "El Nuevo Herald" from Miami and "La Opinion" from Los Angeles.

Emergency Eye Care

The Emergency Eye Care Program seeks to prevent blindness and restore vision through medical intervention. The program provides emergency eye surgery to qualifying New Mexico residents who lack the resources to cover the cost of a medical eye emergency. The program assisted 157 patients with sight-saving surgeries.

Covered procedures include emergency eye care problems that, if not expeditiously attended to, could result in irreversible vision loss or structural damage to the eye. The majority of procedures provided are laser treatments, retinal reattachments, and treatments for acute eye trauma. The program enables patients to receive a continuity of care with an ophthalmologist of his or her own choosing. This program is the only means by which many persons can obtain eye treatment. Our aim is to return those served to their previous activities and prevent the need for expensive rehabilitative services.