Application

Council on Blindness (exit DHS)

County Phone Numbers

Eye Diseases

Policy Manual (PDF, 72KB)

Regional Offices

Reports

Resources

RT Services

Staff (PDF, 44 KB)

White Cane

 Wisconsin Statutes & Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Employment laws

Wisconsin Statutes

• 46.293 Specialized programs for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The Department shall provide rehabilitation teaching services for persons who are blind or visually impaired including elderly persons and young persons and their parents or guardians, regardless of their eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services. These services may include assessments of each client's service needs, development of an individual service plan, instruction in Braille, training in orientation and movement in the person's home or neighborhood, counseling and guidance to increase the blind or visually impaired person's independence, instruction in the use of low-vision aids, personal and home management training and instruction in leisure activities. In conjunction with the provision of these services the department shall:
  46.293 (1) Work with the blind and visually impaired persons, in a setting appropriate to each individual, to form rehabilitation plans for independent living to enable them to increase their self-reliance.
  46.293 (2) Assist blind and visually impaired persons in physical orientation and personal adjustment.

The Biennial Budget Law approved by the Wisconsin Legislature and the Governor appropriates General Purpose Revenue (GPR) funds to pay part of the salaries and travel expenses of Rehabilitation Teachers, and provides funding for program operations.

• 47.01(6) "Vocational rehabilitation" means assisting a person with a disability to become capable of competing in the labor market, practicing a profession, being self-employed, raising a family and making a home, participating in sheltered employment or other gainful work.

• 47.02(1) The state agrees to accept the provisions of 29 USC 701 to 796i, the rehabilitation act of 1973 as amended, and the provisions of 34 CFR 300 to 399 to carry out the purposes of the act and to adopt methods of administering the vocational rehabilitation program which will maximize federal participation.  The department shall sign agreements with the federal government under 29 USC 701 to 796i to provide vocational rehabilitation services.

• Wisconsin White Cane Law 

Federal Resources:

• Great Lakes Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center
  (exit DHS)

  • The Great Lakes Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (Great Lakes DBTAC) is one of 10 federally-funded regional resource centers of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

  • They provide information, problem solving assistance, and referrals for implementing the ADA.

  • Great Lakes DBTAC serves Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

• ADA - Americans with Disability Act (exit DHS)

• US Department of Labor http://www.disability.gov/  (exit DHS)

• US Department of Education - Vocational Rehabilitation
  http://www.ed.gov  (exit DHS)

• National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
  http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html  (exit DHS)

Last Revised: December 27, 2010