Disability-Related Resources & Collections

Has three rehabilitation programs: Vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living and Sight Restoration. The Vocational Rehabilitation Program provides training necessary to obtain a job or to retain a current job. Independent Living serves those who have no vocation objective, but who have experienced an impediment to their independence in their home, family, or community. Rehabilitation teachers instruct the person on independent living skills such as cooking, cleaning, self-care and communications. The Sight Restoration Program meets a variety of medical needs, especially that of prevention of blindness and sight restoration. It serves those individuals who cannot afford medical care in order to prevent blindness. Other assistance is provided with adaptive technology, low vision aids and appliances. If a person has Medicaid or Medicare, that is used to pay for any surgery needed, or if they can afford some of the cost, a cost sharing plan is worked out.

A regional outreach program serving students with vision and/or hearing loss, birth through high school. Consultative & direct services for families and school district personnel. Residential classes are offered in Gooding for students K-12.

Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Lewiston provides
vocational skills and training so clients may return to work in a vocation that would best fit them. Also, restoration services to prevent blindness, such as eye surgery, removal of cataracts and slowing the progression of diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. They provide rehabilitation for clients to improve independent living skills and to remain independent in their own home. They assist people signing up for talking books at the state library, do low vision evaluations and provide help in selecting and purchasing magnifiers and low vision equipment. They assist persons with diabetes financially who need specialized equipment or by helping locate equipment such as talking calculators and long oven mitts. They can teach them cane travel and Braille. Provides low vision evaluations, and magnifiers. Home modification Operate ICBVI store where clients and public can purchase adaptive aids such as talking clocks, games, wrist watches, contrast sheets, large print timers, oven mitts, cards, or will search out products an individual is looking for, etc.

Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Pocatello has three rehabilitation programs: Vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living, and State Only. The Vocational Rehabilitation Program provides training necessary to obtain a job or maintain a current job. Financial assistance and counseling is provided. Independent Living serves those who have no vocational objective, but who have experienced an impediment to their independence in their home, family, or community. Finally, the State Only program provides financial assistance for prevention of blindness and sight restoration.

• Assistance in identification of individuals, birth through 21 years of age, who have combined vision and hearing loss
• Provision of on-site or distance technical assistance (e.g., consultation, training) to families, school and agency personnel, and care providers of infants, toddlers, children, and youth who are deaf-blind
• Monthly mailer sent to families and service providers of age-relevant information
• Annual summer training
• Lending library of toys, switches, books, instructional manuals, and DVDs on topics related to deaf-blindness
• All services are provided free of charge

Rehabilitation Services include:
- medical assistance as deemed appropriate
- independent living services
- vocational guidance and counseling
- vocational and academic training, including books, tuition, equipment, and supplies
- home instruction in alternative techniques of blindness
- assistance in setting up a small business
- job placement and follow-up to assure success

**ATC-Center: provides intensive instruction in alternative techniques skills. The Center's goal is to provide training which will allow the individual to perform any task, on the job or at home, as well as his/ her sighted peers. Whenever possible, the client is encouraged to participate in training at the center; however, when that is not possible, the client may learn these skills at home through the assistance of a home instructor. Instruction is available in the following areas:
- adjustment to blindness
- instruction in travel (getting to where you want to go)
- braille, typing, and computer
- techniques of daily living and homemaking
- industrial arts, including wood shop

**Sight Restoration: The best way to rehabilitate a blind person is to restore vision. When sight can be restored, ICBVI, civic organizations, and other state agencies often can provide financial assistance to qualified individuals.

**Business Enterprise Programs: Many blind individuals manage and operate vending stands located in public buildings throughout Idaho. Interested individuals may receive training in accounting and management procedures, initial ordering and maintenance of equipment, stock, and supplies. This program makes it possible for some blind individuals to earn a living and pay taxes.

**Services for Seniors: The Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides specially designed services for seniors who are experiencing vision loss. These services may include home counseling, instruction in alternative techniques, peer support groups, low vision services, and making communities and resources more accessible for the senior blind or visually impaired person.

**Newsline for the Blind Reading Services: ICBVI has made available to the blind of Idaho a national newspaper service via the telephone. Additionally, volunteers broadcast the reading of the Idaho Statesman and other current materials on radio (this radio service is limited to a one-hundred mile radius of Boise).

**Taping Services: The Commission along with volunteers, produce reading materials on tape for blind college students and others having special reading needs. The Idaho State Library's "Talking Book Program" provides, on loan, record players or tape players for blind persons to use to listen to books, magazines, and other recorded material. Call 334-2117 for more information.

**Employment: The ICBVI provides training and works with employers to provide opportunities. They provide employers with individual and group training on blindness and "What Blind People Can Do".

**Summer Programs for Youth: In order to help blind and visually impaired young people become self-sufficient adults, ICBVI offers the Summer Youth Program, Summer Work Experience Program, and College Days.

**Low Vision Clinic and Store: ICBVI contracts with local optometrist to perform the Low Vision Clinic one or two days each week. The ICBVI Low Vision Store offers a variety of low vision devices and products for visually impaired individuals.

Reference books and journals are available for your use within the library. There are computer stations available for personal research, as well as accessing databases at the National Library of Medicine and the Internet. You are welcome to perform your own searches. Assistance is provided to library users. You may need to make an appointment.

A regional outreach program serving students with vision and/or hearing loss, birth through high school. Consultative & direct services for families and school district personnel. Residential classes are offered in Gooding for students K-12.

For additional information go to website.

This service is free and loans Braille books and magazines, recorded books and magazines, music in large print and Braille, and playback equipment designed for the visually impaired. Available to US residents with physical or visual impairment.

Administered nationally through cooperating regional and local libraries.

Idaho Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired -- Twin Falls Office -- provides three programs: Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Independent Living Services, and Sight Restoration Services.
**Vocational Rehabilitation services consist of those services required by visually impaired or blind individuals to return to the work force.
**Independent Living services concerns those services that assist visually impaired or blind people to be as independent as possible in their living environment.
**Sight Restoration services consist principally of financial assistance for eligible persons to remove or reduce the threat of blindness.

**Training in various blindness alternative techniques including Braille, long white cane usage, home economics, communications, etc. are also available. A residential training program is available in the Boise office. Additionally, low vision services in the form of adaptive equipment, magnifiers, and voice output equipment is available.

Provides a variety of resources and services to visually impaired/ blind or deaf/ hard of hearing individuals. Services offered to families and professionals serving them on a local and statewide level. As a part of the state library system, resources are extended to all Idaho residents as part of the state library system.

Specialized Resources:
- Large print books
- Braille/ Twin vision books
- Books on audio tape
- Recordings for the Blind
- Descriptive videos for the Blind

Services:
- Inter-library loans
- On-line searching
- Story time/ Library skills

A regional outreach program serving students with vision and/or hearing loss, birth through 26 years of age. Consultative & direct services for families and school district personnel. Residential classes are offered in Gooding for students K-12.

Rehabilitation Services:
* Medical assistance when appropriate
* Vocational guidance and counseling
* Vocational and academic training, including books, tuition, equipment, and supplies
* Home instruction in alternate techniques
* Assistance in setting up a small business
* Job placement and follow-up to assure productive employment
* Independent living services.
Orientation and adjustment services:
* Adjustment to blindness
* Travel instruction
* Braille and keyboard
* Techniques of daily living
* Homemaking skills
* Industrial arts, including wood shop
Additional Services:
* Employment Services
* Sight restoration
* Business enterprise program
* Services for seniors
* Radio reading services
* Taping services
* Talking book program