Similar to the national landscape, there are multiple organizations across Wisconsin dedicated to empowering people who are blind or low vision. These organizations, including the Council, all fill a different niche in the vision loss community. Over the past several years, these groups have begun to work together to coordinate services and ensure our respective plans to uplift the lives of people with vision loss across the state are in harmony.
The Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired promotes the dignity and empowerment of the people across Wisconsin who are blind or low vision through advocacy, education and vision services. The Council provides direct vision rehabilitation services, primarily to people in Dane County but also throughout the entire state through the White Cane Program, the Sharper Vision Store, academic scholarships, public policy advocacy and more.
The Council’s “sister” organization is Vision Forward. Based in Milwaukee and primarily serving Southeastern Wisconsin, Vision Forward is the only organization in the state that serves people for their entire life, from birth through older adulthood. Vision Forward offers their early childhood services across wide swaths of Wisconsin. The biggest difference between the two organizations is that Vision Forward does not do direct public policy advocacy. It might seem like the Council and Vision Forward are “competitors,” but the opposite is true. When someone calls the Council from Milwaukee looking for vision services, we will refer them to Vision Forward, and vice versa. The two nonprofit organizations meet on a regular basis to share information on what’s happening within the blind and low vision community and on best practices so that we can continue to provide the best services possible.
There are two organizations dedicated to competitive and integrated employment for people with vision loss in Wisconsin: Beyond Vision and Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired (IBVI). Both groups operate manufacturing facilities that employ people with vision loss to create a variety of products, with Beyond Vision also operating a call center. They both hire and train people directly, offering a competitive wage and a pathway to career advancement.
National groups also have chapters in Wisconsin. There are state chapters of both the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) that are run by volunteers. NFB Wisconsin hosts an annual convention that enables members to meet together and discuss a wide range of issues. There is also a Wisconsin chapter of the Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired (WAER), of which Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist and Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist Brent Perzentka is a member. WAER helps connect vision services professionals to network and share information to ensure that people with vision loss in Wisconsin are receiving the best services possible wherever they live.
In Milwaukee, Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement (ABLE) provides braille and audio content for a variety of written materials across the state. ABLE is part of the National Library for the Blind and Print Disabled and operates the state’s Talking Book Program. Their braille and audio content is produced for a range of clients, including state and local governments, schools, Summerfest and the State Fair. ABLE handles braille transcription of our Council Courier newsletter.
The Center for DeafBlind Persons (CDBP) is a nonprofit organization specializing in services for people who are DeafBlind. Both the Council and Vision Forward will refer people with dual sensory disabilities to CDBP. In addition to teaching daily living skills, CDBP runs the iCanConnect program, which is part of a national program that connects people with DeafBlindness with adaptive technology at no cost to the client. Additionally, they provide a space to socialize and find support, and regularly hold social events around the Milwaukee area.
The Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired (OBVI) is a state agency that provides in-home vision rehabilitation services across Wisconsin. OBVI is funded by the state and federal governments to provide services through their various regional offices. The Council coordinates with OBVI to make sure people in our service area are getting the best services for their needs, and connects clients in other parts of the state with their local OBVI office to help them get exactly what they need.
We understand that when we are working together, everyone benefits. In addition to informal discussions and meetups, the leaders of Wisconsin’s blind and low vision organizations meet regularly to coordinate services and share what’s working and what is not. Collectively, we are building a shared understanding of the current state of the blind and low vision community and their needs. We know that the population of people with vision loss is continuing to grow, and that only a small fraction are currently accessing the critical services they need. By working together, we can support one another to better meet current needs and prepare for future challenges.