Resolution 2025-01: Upholding Blind Services and Competitive Employment at the California Department of Rehabilitation
WHEREAS the State of California SB 105 was implemented into law in 2003 to begin a division for the Blind at the State of California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and to improve upon competitive employment outcomes for people who are Bli
WHEREAS the law states: “The department needs to implement policy and procedural changes in order to improve its ability to increase the numbers of blind and visually impaired consumers placed in competitive employment”, and
WHEREAS on November 14, 2024 it was stated at the Blind Advisory Committee (BAC) that the data remains the same overtime for competitive employment outcomes for people who are Blind at DOR (300 to 400 per year), and
WHEREAS at that same meeting, procedures were announced that generalist cases are being merged with the Blind caseload, a decision that will detract from improving competitive employment outcomes for people who are Blind, and
WHEREAS competitive employment outcomes at the DOR are affected by a myriad of related challenges, including but not necessarily limited to:
• The database is not readily accessible and is tedious for Blind users.
• The current procurement process is inefficient and cumbersome, which prevents clients from receiving their technology to go to school and work in a timely manner.
• The current system is inadequately staffed to directly serve clients on the front line who are Blind and Deafblind.
• It takes twice as long to serve a client who is Blind or Deafblind than to serve the vast majority of clients on the generalist caseload (for example, 80 clients on the Blind caseload is like having 160 clients on the generalist caseload). This can be verified by vocational counselors who have served on both caseloads.
WHEREAS on top of the myriad of problems to be resolved or addressed, merging the Blind caseload with the generalist cases is detrimental under current processes to improving the numbers of Blind consumers placed in competitive employment and does not address the necessary policy and procedural changes that would increase the numbers of Blind and visually impaired consumers placed in competitive employment. Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind calls upon the DOR to uphold the letter and spirit of the law, resolve and address the myriad issues that hinder increasing competitive employment outcomes for people who are Blind, including removing the generalist cases from the Blind caseload, and that DOR update the California National Federation of the Blind with a plan to make improvement, in a timely manner.
FURTHERMORE, let this resolution be sent to the DOR, appointed director, and the governor’s office for oversight.
Offered for submission by Patricia Leetz
