1. Maryland Division ofRehabilitation Services (DORS) Office for Blindness & Vision Services

2. The Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) • The Division of Rehabilitation Services helps individuals with disabilities go to work and remain independent in their homes and communities. • Most people call us “DORS” • DORS is a part of the Maryland State Department of Education.

3. Office for Blindness & Vision Services • To meet the unique needs of people who have vision loss, DORS established the Office for Blindness & Vision Services (OBVS). • OBVS staff are in DORS offices throughout Maryland. OBVS also has staff and programs at the Workforce & Technology Center, a DORS facility in northeast Baltimore.

4. OBVS Staff • OBVS includes rehabilitation counselors, rehabilitation technologists, case managers and rehabilitation teachers with specialized training in issues of importance to people who are blind, vision impaired or deaf/blind. • They assist people in designing and carrying out plans for employment or independent living.

5. DORS/OBVS Services DORS and OBVS provide a wide range of personalized services to help people reach their employment or independent living goals. These include: • Career guidance and assessment • Assistive technology assessments and services • Post-secondary education and training • Vocational training • Orientation and mobility • Job placement and follow-up

6. OBVS • The Independent Living Older Blind (ILOB) program provides independent living services to individuals over the age of 55. • In the ILOB program, rehabilitation teachers provide in-home personalized services that may include Braille instruction, mobility training and training to perform tasks such as household care, bill paying and personal care.

7. Maryland Business Enterprise Program for the Blind(MBEPB) • OBVS also administers the Maryland Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (MBEPB), which prepares individuals to operate successful retail concession and food service operations in public facilities.

8. Who does DORS/OBVS serve? • DORS serves people with a wide variety of physical, emotional, cognitive, sensory and learning disabilities. • The Office for Blindness & Vision Services serves those whose primary disability is blindness or vision loss.  • This includes high school students who may be in special education programs with IEPs, those who have a 504 plan, receive special accommodations in school or have significant health issues.

9. Who does DORS/OBVS serve? • Individuals whose primary disability is blindness or vision loss will be assigned to an OBVS counselor, case manager or rehabilitation teacher.

10. Payment for services • There is no payment required for such services as career guidance and counseling, assessments or job placement. • There is a sliding scale based on family income for most other services. • Individuals who receive Social Security disability benefits are not required to contribute to the costs of services.

11. DORS works for people with blindness or vision loss • Last year, over 150 people who are blind or had a vision loss went to work after taking part in DORS services. • Their average hourly wage was $15.37. • OBVS also helped over 1200 people in the Independent Living Older Blind program.

12. MBEPB • Sixty-two (62) licensed managers in the Maryland Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (MBEPB) operate 80 vending facilities. Their average annual salary is $47,000.

13. To learn more contact DORS/OBVS Office for Blindness and Vision Services 2301 Argonne Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 Phone: 410-554-9277 Toll-free: 866-614-4780 Email: obvs@dors.state.md.us OBVS Regional Offices Annapolis 410-974-7604 • Serving Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Kent, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worchester Counties Baltimore 410-261-2944 • Serving Baltimore City and Baltimore, Howard and Harford Counties Cumberland 301-777-2119 • Serving Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery and Washington Counties

14. Visit us online: www.dors.state.md.us

15. www.dors.state.md.us Nancy S. GrasmickState Superintendent of Schools Robert A. BurnsAssistant State Superintendent in Rehabilitation Services January 2009