For people who are blind or low vision, it’s important to tap into vision rehabilitation services as early as possible to live their best life. The Council’s Vision Services team works hard to provide services for as many people as they can; last year they helped hundreds of people with access technology training, orientation and mobility instruction, and low vision evaluations. But the Council only has the capacity to provide in-person and in-home vision services in Dane County. Fortunately, there are other organizations and individuals across Wisconsin who can provide these vital services.
The Council offers some of its services, specifically those that can be delivered remotely, to people with vision loss across Wisconsin. Our low vision support groups, which meet over Zoom every month, are open to people anywhere in the state. Similarly, we offer virtual access technology training to help people use the accessibility features on their smartphones, computers and other devices. We advocate at the state Capitol for legislation that will affect people in all corners of Wisconsin, and support local advocates trying to make changes in their own communities. We host and attend educational events, both in person and virtually, all across the state. Our White Cane Program is open to anyone in Wisconsin, and anybody can shop the Sharper Vision Store online or by phone regardless of geography.
But because of the time and cost of traveling outside of Dane County, we can only provide direct in-person and in-home vision rehab services within a certain radius of our home base in Madison. That’s why it’s so important that other organizations are available to help people who live in other parts of the state get the services they need.
The Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired (OBVI), part of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, offers in-home vision services for adults statewide, with staff available to serve residents of every county. OBVI staff often cover multiple counties and travel to wherever services are requested. In addition to teaching daily living, access technology and orientation and mobility (O&M) skills, OBVI holds group classes and gives presentations in communities across Wisconsin. While our names are similar, the Council is not a government agency and has no formal connection to OBVI. You can learn more about OBVI on their website and find contact information for specific counties at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/obvi/contact.htm.
Vision Forward, based in West Allis, serves people of all ages who are blind or low vision. They offer many services for adults, including low vision therapy, social work, daily living skills training, access technology instruction, and orientation and mobility training. Vision Forward is also the only provider in Wisconsin that offers services to young children age 0 to 6. Their Early Intervention Program provides in-home services statewide for families with young children under 3 with vision loss. Vision Forward connects these families with a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and an O&M specialist to ensure the children develop the key infant skills they need to succeed. Their Early Education Program is for children ages 0 to 6 and takes place at their facility. This program provides a range of services to ensure the child’s developmental needs are on track, from two-hour socializing sessions to half-day classes. The Neurological and Visual Impairment program is for both children and adults with both vision loss and neurological disabilities. This program is supported by a team that includes low vision therapists, speech and language therapists, physical therapists and more. The Family Connections Program for children age 3 to 21 years old offers a variety of events and services for individuals and families to learn skills together. All of these unique-to-Wisconsin programs are critical for children with vision loss to develop all of the skills they need to live full and independent lives.
You can learn more about all of the services Vision Forward offers on their website at Vision-Forward.org.
The Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is located in Janesville. Part of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the Center is a residential school for students ages 3 to 21 who are blind or low vision. Students there learn everything they need to obtain their high school diploma while also getting on-site vision services. The Center also works with school districts across the state to assist students with vision loss through their Outreach Program. That enables students to access the services they need without having to leave their home school district. The Center provides accessible classroom materials through braille and access technology while working with staff to make sure the students’ classroom needs are met. You can learn more about the Center at WCBVI.k12.wi.us/. As with OBVI, many people mistakenly believe the Council and the Center are affiliated because our names are similar. That is not the case.
In addition to these organizations, there are individuals offering vision services in communities across the state. Several low vision optometrists and low vision occupational therapists work in clinics and as independent contractors. To find out if an independent low vision therapist is working in your community, ask your eye doctor, primary doctor, or the OBVI representative covering your county.
Whatever part of Wisconsin you live in, there are vision services available to you. Knowing that these services exist is the first step toward getting the critical care you need and building the skills to live your life on your own terms.