Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind
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Program Office: Rehabilitation Services Administration
CFDA Number: 84.177
Program Type: Formula Grants
Grants are made to states to support services for individuals age 55 or older whose severe visual impairment makes competitive employment difficult to obtain but for whom independent living goals are feasible.
Funds are used to: provide independent living services to older individuals who are blind; conduct activities that will improve or expand services for these individuals; and conduct activities to improve public understanding of the problems facing these individuals. For example, services are provided to help persons served under this program adjust to their blindness by increasing their ability to care for their individual needs.
The purpose of the independent living programs is to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities and to integrate these individuals into the mainstream of American society. Independent living programs provide financial assistance to provide, expand and improve independent living services; develop and support statewide networks of centers for independent living; and improve working relationships among state independent living rehabilitation programs, centers for independent living, statewide Independent living councils (SILCs), Rehabilitation Act programs outside of Title VII, and other relevant federal and nonfederal programs.
The independent living programs are current-funded. However, the Act contains a provision allowing all Title VII grantees to carry over unobligated funds for an additional fiscal year. States participating in the State Grants and Older Blind programs must match every $9 of federal funds with $1 in nonfederal cash or in-kind resources in the year for which the federal funds are appropriated. To be eligible for financial assistance under the independent living state grants or Centers for Independent Living programs, states are required to establish an SILC. Each state must also submit a state plan for independent living that is jointly developed and signed by the director of the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit(s) (DSU) and the chairperson of the SILC.
The independent living services for older individuals who are blind program supports services to assist individuals aged 55 or older whose recent severe visual impairment makes competitive employment extremely difficult to obtain, but for whom independent living goals are feasible. Funds are used to provide independent living services, conduct activities that will improve or expand services for these individuals and conduct activities to improve public understanding of the problems of these individuals. Services are designed to help persons served under this program to adjust to their blindness by increasing their ability to care for their individual needs.
Grantees are state vocational rehabilitation agencies for persons who are blind and visually impaired or, in states with no separate agency for persons who are blind, state combined vocational rehabilitation agencies. Prior to fiscal year 2000, when the appropriation was less than $13 million, grants were awarded on a competitive basis. Since the appropriation for fiscal year 2000 exceeded $13 million for the first time, awards are now being made to states according to a formula based on the population of individuals who are 55 years of age or older (using July 1999 Census population data). Fiscal year 2001 allotments will be revised when new population estimates become available.
Awards to Grantees
Note on this table: the numbers shown represent the awards made during the fiscal year to RSA grantees. There may be additional set-asides for the program which are not shown.
| State | Grantee | PR Award ID | Current Awards FY 2013 | Total Awarded FY 2012 | Total Awarded FY 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130001 | $247,912 | $510,940 | $510,214 |
| Alaska | Alaska Dept of Labor and Workforce Development - Division of Vocational Rehab | H177B130002 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Arizona | Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration | H177B130003 | $324,299 | $659,500 | $664,192 |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Division of Services for the Blind | H177B130004 | $153,195 | $316,192 | $318,203 |
| California | California Department of Rehabilitation | H177B130005 | $1,665,556 | $3,397,041 | $3,379,345 |
| Colorado | Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation | H177B130006 | $232,767 | $470,520 | $468,653 |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Board of Education and Services for the Blind | H177B130007 | $188,836 | $389,620 | $384,670 |
| Delaware | Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired - DHHS Campus | H177B130008 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| District of Columbia | Rehabilitation Services Administration, DC Dept. on Disability Services | H177B130051 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Florida | Florida Department of Education - Division of Blind Services | H177B130057 | $1,119,707 | $2,295,562 | $2,279,880 |
| Georgia | Georgia Department of Labor - Division of Rehabilitation Services | H177B120010 | — | $235,639 | $868,032 |
| Georgia | Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency | H177B130058 | $423,904 | $626,269 | — |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind | H177B130011 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Idaho | Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired | H177B130012 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Human Services - Division of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130013 | $614,194 | $1,264,168 | $1,275,707 |
| Indiana | Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services | H177B130014 | $321,052 | $660,399 | $661,626 |
| Iowa | Iowa Department for the Blind | H177B130015 | $163,648 | $338,612 | $338,508 |
| Kansas | Kansas Department for Children and Families, Division of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130016 | $140,849 | $290,105 | $289,959 |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Office for the Blind - Education Cabinet, Dept for Workforce Investment | H177B130017 | $222,694 | $458,196 | $459,989 |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Rehabilitation Services - Louisiana Workforce Commission | H177B130018 | $218,858 | $448,435 | $449,972 |
| Maine | Maine Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired | H177B130019 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Maryland | Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130020 | $281,356 | $575,569 | $574,648 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Commission for the Blind | H177B130021 | $340,085 | $699,706 | $710,566 |
| Michigan | Bureau of Services for Blind Persons | H177B130022 | $520,503 | — | — |
| Michigan | Michigan Commission for the Blind | H177B120022 | — | $1,071,864 | $1,080,428 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Services for the Blind - Dept of Employment and Economic Development | H177B130023 | $263,406 | $538,279 | $539,676 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130024 | $144,663 | $298,459 | $297,568 |
| Missouri | Missouri Rehabilitation Services for the Blind - Department of Social Services | H177B130025 | $310,826 | $640,435 | $643,766 |
| Montana | Montana Dept of Public Health + Human Services - Division of Disability Services | H177B130026 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired | H177B130027 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Nevada | Nevada Employment, Training and Rehabilitation - Rehabilitation Division | H177B130028 | $128,668 | $250,620 | $254,912 |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Division of Adult Learning and Rehabilitation - Vocational Rehab | H177B130029 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Dept of Human Service | H177B130030 | $443,666 | $915,457 | $921,625 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Commission for the Blind | H177B130031 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| New York | NY Com for the Blind and Visually Handicapped - Off of Children and Family Servs | H177B130032 | $976,696 | $2,018,460 | $2,075,507 |
| North Carolina | NC Dept of Health and Human Services - Division of Services for the Blind | H177B130033 | $476,622 | $973,153 | $962,792 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Dept of Human Services - Division of Vocational Rehabilitation | H177B130034 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Ohio | Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission | H177B130035 | $611,477 | $1,260,830 | $1,267,402 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130036 | $188,464 | $388,466 | $386,493 |
| Oregon | Oregon Commission for the Blind | H177B130037 | $209,152 | $427,798 | $427,904 |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation - Dept of Labor and Industry | H177B130038 | $710,492 | $1,468,913 | $1,478,231 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Dept of Human Services - Office of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130039 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Commission for the Blind | H177B130040 | $244,519 | $498,572 | $500,065 |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Dept of Human Services - Div of Servs To the Blind and Visually Imp | H177B130041 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services | H177B130042 | $327,914 | $672,262 | $674,749 |
| Texas | Texas Division for Blind Services - Dept of Assistive + Rehabilitation Services | H177B130043 | $1,051,474 | $2,138,360 | $2,106,342 |
| Utah | Utah State Office of Rehabilitation | H177B130044 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Vermont | Vermont Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Agency of Human Services | H177B130045 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Virginia | Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired | H177B130046 | $387,745 | $792,315 | $788,516 |
| Washington | Washington Department of Services for the Blind | H177B130047 | $335,749 | $681,968 | $681,193 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts - Division of Rehabilitation | H177B130048 | $110,874 | $230,582 | $226,225 |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation - WI Dept of Workforce Developme | H177B130049 | $294,825 | $605,801 | $606,121 |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Division of Vocational Rehabilitation - Department of Workforce Service | H177B130050 | $109,733 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| American Samoa | American Samoa Dept of Human Resources - Division of Vocational Rehab | H177B130053 | $11,631 | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Guam | Guam Division of Vocational Rehabilitation | H177B130054 | $19,508 | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Northern Marianas | Northern Marianas Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Div | H177B130055 | $19,508 | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Vocational Rehabilitation Admin - Dept of Labor and Human Resources | H177B130052 | $194,547 | $403,429 | $428,192 |
| Virgin Islands | Virgin Islands Division for Disabilities and Rehabilitation Services | H177B120056 | — | $40,000 | $40,000 |
Grantees report progress on an annual basis to RSA on the RSA-7-OB form. Since October 2008, grantees have had the ability to submit their annual performance reports on-line using the RSA.ed.gov Web site.
RSA-7-OB Instructions
MS Word (132KB) |
PDF (82KB)
Total Awards to RSA Grantees
Note on this table: the numbers shown represent the sum of awards made during the fiscal year to RSA grantees. There may be additional set-asides for the program which are not shown.
| CFDA Number | Program | Number of Awards FY-2013 | Current Awards FY-2013 | Total Awarded FY-2012 | Total Awarded FY-2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84.177 | Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind | 55 | $16,397,569 | $33,672,497 | $33,741,871 |
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title VII, Chapter 2, Secs. 751-753; 29 U.S.C. 796j-796l.
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)
- 34 CFR 364
PDF (186KB) - 34 CFR 367 PDF (198KB)
| Name: | Elizabeth Akinola |
| E-mail Address: | elizabeth.akinola@ed.gov |
| Mailing Address: | U.S. Department of Education, OSERS 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Rm. 5068, PCP Washington, DC 20202-2800 |
| Telephone: | (202) 245-7303 |
| Fax: | (202) 245-7593 |
For this program, RSA has designated State Liaisons for each state and territory.
Please report errors on this page to TECHNICAL SUPPORT.