Workforce Development Services for the Blind
Purpose
This program ensures that persons who are blind, visually impaired, or DeafBlind (including those who have additional physical and/or mental impairments) have the rehabilitation services they need to prepare for, seek, gain, or retain employment.
Customers and Services
Customers are blind or visually impaired Minnesotans who are seeking employment or who want to maintain employment. State Services for the Blind (SSB), which administers this program, provides vocational rehabilitation services through 16 rehabilitation counselors in 11 field offices, 10 of which are in WorkForce Centers. Services may include vocational assessment and counseling; training in adjustment to blindness, use of assistive technology, job-seeking skills, and vocational skills; job placement assistance; and job adaptation assistance. Services are based on customer choice and are mutually agreed-upon between customer and counselor and written into a service plan, which must be tied to the customer's obtainment of a vocational goal.
Measures - Reporting period is state fiscal year (SFY), July 1 - June 30
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SFY 2009
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SFY 2010
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SFY 2011
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Number served
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1,052
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1,062
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1,018
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Number who achieved employment outcome
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86
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80
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81
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Average weekly salary of all closed as employed
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$439
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$427
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$516
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More DEED measures: Uniform Program Accountability Measures
Funding Source and Appropriation/Allocation (in thousands)
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SFY 2009
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SFY 2010
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SFY 2011
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Federal Fund
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$8,992*
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$8,014
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$8,294
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General Fund
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$2,043
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$2,138
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$2,213
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*Includes American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
Statutory Authority
-- Minn. Stat., Chap. 248; Minn. Rules, Chap. 3325; Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended; U.S. Code, Title 29, Chap. 16
Contact Information
Jon Benson, Director
Phone: 651.642.0793 or toll-free: 800.652.9000; Fax: 651.649.5927; TTY: 888.665.3276
This information current as of December 2011.