(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.

Source Note: The provisions of this §72.206 adopted to be effective September 1, 1993, 18 TexReg 5595.