Rebecca /reasoning/ Silbernagel

This State Plan for the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired outlines strategic goals and initiatives for program years 2026 and 2027 under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The plan focuses on enhancing economic independence, improving blindness-related adaptive skill building, delivering effective services, and expanding program growth and partnerships. It aims to increase employment, median earnings, post-secondary education, and credential attainment for blind and visually impaired individuals, including youth and underserved populations, while fostering collaboration with workforce development and education agencies and ensuring high consumer satisfaction.

This document presents the 2018 State Plan for the Vermont Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI), developed from a comprehensive statewide needs assessment. The plan establishes nine core goals aimed at enhancing employment rates, median earnings, credential attainment, and measurable employment skills for individuals with visual disabilities. Key priorities include providing pre-employment transition services for students, facilitating successful transitions to post-secondary education or employment, ensuring equitable access for minority and underserved populations, and improving customer satisfaction. The strategies focus on fostering collaborations with employers and workforce partners, implementing targeted outreach, addressing transportation challenges, and leveraging assistive technology and specialized training to achieve greater independence and employment outcomes.

The meeting included discussions on technology evaluation and training, employment consultants, LEAP, assessments and counselors. Ideas for increasing the number of referrals were discussed, including audio formats of community outreach, radio advertisements, internet outreach, PSAs, social media, building relationships with receptionists/admin staff at eye doctor's offices, talking with senior living facilities/attending Senior Fairs, and Community Health Teams.

The WIOA Unified and Combined State Plan Update for the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI) for program years 2024 and 2025 outlines goals and strategies to support Vermonters who are blind or visually impaired in achieving economic independence, self-reliance, and social integration. Key areas of focus include aligning services with WIOA Common Performance Measures, increasing consumer participation in post-secondary education and training, expanding employer outreach, and improving services for underserved populations. The plan emphasizes partnerships with the Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL), the Agency of Education (AOE), and community partners to enhance employment training and opportunities. Additionally, it addresses the needs of youth with disabilities through pre-employment transition services and promotes consumer satisfaction through ongoing feedback and program improvements.

The council discussed creating virtual support for client sessions and job clubs for individuals aged 25 to 55, planning two virtual sessions focusing on financial management and assistive technology. Recommendations included cross-promotion with Vermont Council of the Blind seminars, incorporating social security fact sheets, and providing guidance on using Zoom and Teams. Updates were provided on outreach to younger patrons through the ABLE library, upcoming events by the Vermont Council of the Blind/Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, projects at the Agency of Education, and webinars and events hosted by the Vermont Family Network. The Client Assistance Program is piloting virtual clinics and revising policies on self-employment. The Vermont Center for Independent Living is preparing for Disability Awareness Day, and a discussion on Zoom versus Microsoft Teams platform took place to improve virtual accessibility.