Office for the Blind
Department for Workforce Investment, Education Cabinet
Overview:
The Office for the Blind, (OFB) an agency of the Education Cabinet, provides services to individuals with visual
disabilities so they may improve their opportunities for employment and become more independent and productive in the
community and workplace. It is a combination state/federal program governed by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of
1998, Title IV to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P. L. 105-220 (August 7, 1998), 29 USC section 701 et seq.,
and KY Revised Statutes, 163.450-470. Vocational rehabilitation counselors in offices around the state determine
eligibility, provide vocational guidance and counseling, and offer a variety of services such as job placement, assistive
technology and the Bioptic Driving program in order to facilitate an individual in obtaining, regaining or maintaining
employment.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Be resident of Kentucky
- A person must have a visual disability;
- Requires vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for, secure, retain or regain employment.
AT Services Provided/Covered:
- Evaluation/Assessment
- Training/ Technical Assistance
AT Devices Provided/Covered:
- Vision/Hearing Equipment
- Mobility, Seating and Positioning
- Daily Living
- Computer and related
Application Process:
- Contact the counselor in the nearest regional OFB office to apply for services (See Appendix B for regional OFB
offices).
- At a minimum, information provided must include the results of a visual exam provided by an ophthalmologist
or an optometrist.
- Previous medical information may be used to determine eligibility.
- The Office will pay for any recommended evaluation tests or medical exams as a payer of last resort.
Contact Information:
The Office for the Blind
P.O. Box 757
209 St. Clair Street
Frankfort, KY 40602-0757
Local (502) 564-4754 or
Toll Free (800) 321-6668
Website: http://blind.ky.gov
Additional Information:
If the Office lacks available funds for all eligible individuals who apply for services, then the Office may follow an
order of selection in which service priority is given according to a ranking of categories of eligible individuals based on
the severity of disability.
Bridges & Potholes:
Bridges
- The OFB has an impressive record of providing assistive technology services to individuals with visual impairments.
Potholes
- OFB is an eligibility program, not an entitlement program. If the evaluation process determines that a person is
not eligible for services, there is no possibility of receiving funding from this source.
- When the decision is made by the counselor and individual to purchase assistive technology, the equipment or device
remains the property of OFB. If, for whatever reason, the person loses the job and cannot find another one, the
counselor can take the equipment back. The consumer can apply for post-employment services or reapply for services at
any time after the case is closed.
- The funds from this source are intended for specific disability groups. If an individual is not blind or does not
have a visual impairment of some kind, there is no need for her or him to apply to this source.