Texas Administrative Code
Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
Chapter 3 - MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES
Subchapter B - MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING COORDINATION OF SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Section 3.61 - Texas Commission for the Blind
Universal Citation: 26 TX Admin Code § 3.61
Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025
(a) Financial and service responsibilities to persons with disabilities.
(1) The Texas Commission for the Blind has
primary responsibility for providing services to persons who are visually
disabled, except welfare services and services for children provided by
regularly established educational agencies and state authorities as provided in
the Human Resources Code, Chapter 91.021(a).
(2) The Texas Commission for the Blind offers
a continuum of services for persons of all ages who are blind or visually
impaired. These service programs include:
(A)
Blind and Visually Impaired Children's Program.
(i) State funding is used to provide services
which will prevent blindness, restore vision, reduce dependency for children
who have permanent visual problems, and prepare the child for enhanced
vocational success. Services include counseling and guidance for the child and
the family, adaptive aids, educational support services, resource development
and utilization, pre-vocational information, and information and referral
services. The target population includes children ages 0 through 16 who are
blind, blind multidisabled, deaf-blind, or severely visually
impaired.
(ii) Youths between the
ages 16 and 22 may receive transition services from either the Blind and
Visually Impaired Children's Program or the Vocational Rehabilitation
Program.
(B) Vocational
Rehabilitation Program. This program is funded by both the state and federal
governments. All services are provided with the ultimate goal of employment for
persons who are blind or visually impaired. The target population for this
program includes individuals desiring employment who are blind, blind
multi-disabled, deaf-blind, or severely visually impaired.
(i) Services include vocational counseling;
vocational training; rehabilitation teacher services; orientation and mobility
training; physical restoration; employment assistance in sheltered, supported,
or competitive employment; personal and social adjustment training; and
rehabilitation engineering.
(ii) To
be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, a person must:
(I) have a physical or mental disability
(including a visual condition);
(II) have a disability that constitutes a
barrier to employment; and
(III) be
reasonably expected to benefit from vocational rehabilitation services, in
terms of employment.
(C) Independent living rehabilitation. This
program is designed to help persons who are blind or visually impaired to live
as independently as possible.
(i) Services in
this program include counseling, evaluation and skills training, referral,
advocacy, and assistance with eye medical problems. Independent living services
are for individuals for whom employment is not plausible and, although most of
the clients receiving services under this program are elderly, there are no age
restrictions.
(ii) Funding for this
program comes from the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, under
Title VII, Parts A, B, and C, and from state appropriations for serving older
clients who are blind or visually impaired.
(D) Deaf-blind services.
(i) Services for persons who are deaf-blind
are provided on a statewide basis through the Blind and Visually Impaired
Children's Program, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, and the Independent
Living Program.
(ii) Specific
services include rehabilitation center training, adaptive skills training,
career guidance, job readiness counseling, and employment assistance. Federal
funding is provided under the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended, and a three-year grant for services to persons who are
deaf-blind.
(b) Service delivery data.
(1) The Texas Commission for the Blind's
biennial report for fiscal years 1989-1990 contains a brief description of each
program, the services that are provided, and a summary about individuals
receiving agency services and funding expenditures.
(2) Legislative requests for funding are
submitted to the commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission
pursuant to Texas Civil Statutes, Article 4413(502), §13. The legislative
appropriations request (LAR) details the description and objectives of each of
the Texas Commission for the Blind's programs and lists specific budget details
and need indicators.
(3) The Texas
Commission for the Blind has detailed and general information regarding the
types of services provided in each program in the UNISYS A4 computer database.
General information is currently available, and special computer runs may be
provided for more specific information upon request.
(4) Additional information regarding agency
programs and services is available by contacting: Deputy Director for Programs,
Texas Commission for the Blind, P.O. Box 12866, Austin, Texas 78711, Voice or
TDD: (512) 459-2602 or 1-800-252-5204.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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