Narrative: j. 1. A.

Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB), along with the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind (SRC), continually assesses the rehabilitation needs of Missourians with visual disabilities on an annual basis as part of its state and strategic planning process. This is year two and three of the triennial process that culminates in a comprehensive summary of the data in order to ascertain the needs of individuals with vision disabilities throughout the state of Missouri. This assessment period covers the PY2017-2018. The next triennial assessment will be conducted PY 2019-PY2021. Conclusions and recommendations of this assessment are incorporated into RSB goals and priorities for the purposes of improving services to individuals with the primary disability of vision loss.

Rehabilitation Services for the Blind is not in an order of selection. RSB projects that funding for the 2020 and 2021 PY will meet the needs of all individuals who apply for services.

Data sets include:

1. Recipients of Blind Pension (BP) and Supplemental Aid for the Blind (SAB);

2. Recipients of SSI/SSDI who also receive other benefits from the DSA;

3. Recipients of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for blind and visually impaired;

4. Recipients of Independent Living Rehabilitation/Independent Living for Older Blind;

5. Recipients of Prevention of Blindness services;

6. Children reported eligible for the American Printing House for the Blind quota registration program;

7. Data elements contained within the Missouri Annual Blind/Visually Impaired Literacy Study December 2018 report; and

8. Additional fractional data sets from various sources include: the Annual Report of the SRC and results of the vocational rehabilitation client satisfaction survey conducted by the SRC; information gained from public hearings held throughout the state in conjunction with the quarterly SRC meetings; Federal Standards and Indicators; input gained from participation and presentations at the annual state conventions held by Missouri Council of the Blind and the Missouri Affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind; Quality assurance case reviews conducted by RSB; Quarterly analysis of case management data; analysis from client review proceedings; and Census data including American Community Survey and Labor data.

Analysis of data sets for PY 2017-2018:

1. Blind Pension (BP)/Supplemental Aid for the Blind (SAB): BP average monthly caseload for PY 2017 was 2876 and for PY 2018 was 2646. SAB average monthly caseload for PY 2017 was 980 and for PY 2018 was 999.

2. SSI/SSDI recipients who are receiving other benefits from the DSA in the form of food stamps, TANF and child care: Average monthly caseload for PY2017 was 104,334 and PY2018 was 103,937.

3. Vocational Rehabilitation clients served during PY 2017 was1555 and for PY2018 was 1556. The average length of time on service from opening 02 to closure was 1284 days for PY2017 and 1399 days for PY2018.

4. Independent Living-State and Independent Living for Older Blind clients served during PY2017 was 1548 and for PY 2018 was 1502

5. Prevention of Blindness cases for PY 2017 totaled 463. Cases for PY 2018 totaled 500 of which 296 cases are currently open and 204 cases closed successful.

6. American Printing House statewide eligible registrants as of January 2018 were 1243, of which 1226 were 21 years of age and under, and as of January 2019 were 1250, of which 1223 were 21 years of age and under.

7. Self-employment closures in PY 2017 were 9.09% of the total 183 successful closures. Self-employment closures in PY 2018 were 7.98% of the total 188 successful closures.

8. The number of school age 5k-21 blind/visually impaired students educated in the general classroom, in an itinerant or resource classroom, in a self-contained classroom, or in a separate educational facility during the 2016-2017 school year was 479 and for the 2017-2018 school year was 456. The number of blind/visually impaired students ages 3-5preK was 30 for 2016-2017 school year and for the 2017-2018 was 41.

9. The number of blind/visually impaired blind/visually impaired students with a four year graduation rate in the 2016-2017 school year was 21 with a 75.00% graduation rate, and 22 students with a 91.70% graduation rate for 2017-2018 school year.

10. During the 2016-2017 school year 76 blind and visually impaired students were referred to RSB through Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. During the 2017-2018 school 99 students were referred. The number of blind and visually impaired students referred for the first time to RSB has increased by 30.3% from the 2016-17 calendar year to the 2017-18 calendar year. The dramatic increase was due to enhanced partnering activities as a result of WIOA and also heightened awareness of RSB programs and activities.

11. The number of eligible students who received transition planning services with the cooperation of Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation or Rehabilitation or Rehabilitation Services for the Blind as part of their IEP for the 2016-2017 school year is 225 and for the 2017-2018 school year is 224.

RSB and the SRC have concluded the most common vocational rehabilitation services purchased were: Rehabilitation technology 31.38% of all purchased services for PY 2017 and 34.04% for PY 2018; Training, including College/University, Vocational, on-the job training, basic academic remedial or literary training and specific job readiness training, at 53.35% of all purchased services for PY 2018 and 51.27% for PY 2018; Maintenance (food, clothing, shelter) to support other VR services at 19.37% of all purchased services for PY 2017 and 14.80% for PY 2018; Assessment at 5.18% of all purchased services for PY 2017 and 6.04% for PY 2018; Diagnosis and Treatment of Impairments at 3.73% of all purchased services for PY 2017 and 3.80% for PY 2018; and Transportation Services to support other VR services at 2.16% of all purchased services for PY 2017 and 2.09% for PY2018. Augmentative Rehabilitation Services including teaching alternative techniques of Blindness in activities of daily living and orientation and mobility training are largely provided by RSB Rehabilitation Teachers and Mobility Instructors supplemented through fee for service contracts with six CRPs providing various support services. Supported employment needs are similar; however, with the addition of personnel qualified to work with blind/visually impaired clients in conducting community based vocational assessments, job development, job coaching, and extended support services. Employment services are provided through RSB’s vocational counselors and employment services, including Supported Employment purchased through contracted CRPs.

Consideration of the numbers of clients served in the various programs listed above that fall into the categories of Most Significantly Disabled and Supported Employment-eligible without the need to revert to an order of selection, waiting list or financial needs testing, supports the concept that the service needs of most significantly disabled and SE clients are being met. This is consistent with the analysis of the SRC’s client satisfaction survey which indicates RBS’s ability to meet client needs.  In PY 2017, RSB had a 97% satisfaction rate based on a 23% return rate of survey questionnaires sent to all closed cases.  In PY 2018 the satisfaction rate was 91% with a 34% return rate.

RSB contracts with five community rehabilitation programs offering comprehensive personal vocational adjustment services, four of which have onsite residential services and one utilizes offsite residential settings, none of which have a waiting list, also supports the concept that services are available to meet the demand for blindness-specific services in the state. RSB has a service agreement with the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults. RSB maintains contracts with 11 Community Rehabilitation Providers offering community employment services including Supported Employment Services to the most significantly disabled. Several of these community contract providers cover multiple districts.

Service rates for clients with disabilities who are also members of identified minority groups or that have traditionally been unserved or underserved have been very good compared to the statistical base in the state. The percent of Missouri population for 2018 reporting Black/African American is 11.80%. The percent of total served in the RSB vocation program reporting Black/African American is 33.12% PY 2017 and 32.90% for PY 2018. The percent of successful closures among this population is 25.67% for PY 2017 and 21.81% for PY 2018. The percent of Missouri population for 2018 reporting Hispanic or Latino origin was 4.30%. The percent of total served in the RSB vocational program reporting Hispanic or Latin origin was 2.89% for PY 2017 and 2.76% for PY 2018. The percent of successful closures among this population was 4.28% for PY 2017 and 3.72% for PY 2018. Minority income is greater than non-minority income in PY 2017, with average weekly earnings of $467.00, compared to $655.78 for non-minorities. Average weekly earnings for PY 2018 increased to $539.94 for minority populations compared to $520.40 for non-minorities. The percentage of the total served that reported ethnic/racial minority status was 37.68% in PY 2017 and 37.15% in PY 22018. These results generally support the concept that RSB’s services, for individuals who are minorities and from unserved and underserved populations, generally satisfy their vocational rehabilitation needs.

RSB consistently advocates to extend quality services to the unserved and underserved. RSB contracts with the Helen Keller National Center to provide comprehensive personal and vocational adjustment services to individuals who are deaf-blind. RSB identified 26 individuals who received vocational rehabilitation services with dual diagnosis of vision and hearing loss in PY 2017 and PY 2018. RSB’s policies and practices have fared well in serving the population of women in vocational rehabilitation programs. In PY 2017 48.30% of the total served were women and this percentage in PY 2018 was at 48.00%. Of the total successful closures in PY 2017, 48.13% were women and in PY 2018 women made up 47.34% of successful closures. 

RSB is committed to the partnership developed with the workforce development system in Missouri to provide employees trained for the 21st century workforce and to help individuals obtain employment that leads toward self-sufficiency. RSB provides training, joint referrals, and support to the job centers throughout Missouri. RSB remains committed to providing training and supports to the local job centers through individual vocational counselor and supervisor visits and on-demand training for job center staff. Training covers such topics as accessibility, RSB referral process, the use of assistive technology for the blind in employment and RSB services in general. With the Executive Director of the Missouri Workforce Development Board (MOWDB) on the SRC for the blind, RSB has access to educate the MOWDB team regarding RSB services and capabilities of the population served. RSB will continue working with all partners to develop innovative programs that serve common clients, to develop new ways to provide job creation, and to work cooperatively towards removing the stigma associated with having individuals with disabilities in the workplace. Improved common work needs assessments and referral processes to appropriate agencies will assist in the provision of services and success of clients served.

For the school year 2016-2017 the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has identified 375 blind or visually impaired student’s ages 14-21 registered with the American Printing House potentially eligible for VR services, including pre-employment or other transition services, with one student exiting school without a diploma For the school year 2017-2018, 456 blind or visually impaired students were identified, with one student exiting school without a diploma.