COBI 2015 - Blind and Visually Impaired

Overview
Issues
Performance
Background
Financials

Sources Uses

FY 2016 Appropriation

The Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DSBVI) assists individuals who are blind or visually disabled to obtain employment and increase their independence. The division provides a variety of services that include orientation and mobility assistance, clinical vocational rehabilitation counseling, training, adaptive technology services, adjustment to blindness training activities, visual screening of children, and prevention of blindness training. The division also administers a Business Enterprise Program that includes cafeterias, gift shops, and convenience stores and vending routes in various government locations. These businesses are operated by blind vendors under the program's guidelines.

Funding History

Funding Issues

USOE Indirect Cost Pool Transfers

No Description

Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $6,314,400 from all sources for Blind and Visually Impaired. This is an 8.4 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $2,678,500 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 21.6 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time USOE Indirect Cost Pool Transfers - USOR ($101,300) ($106,600)

OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source

($101,300) ($106,600)Transfers - Indirect Costs

No Description

Staff Analysis

For the most recent completed fiscal year, the following information represents the purposes for which the money was used:

USOR Blind and Visually Impaired Detailed Purposes

Number of children screened for vision problems

Number of individuals provided low vision services

Regarding the positive trend greater than 5% in the number of children screened for vision problems from the Services for Blind and Visually Impaired program performance measures, the agency states, " The increase in this measure is resultant of multiple factors. The division has made effort to have better communication with school health nurses, communications with Charter Schools has resulted in their becoming very involved, and that screening is now done to students through the 3rd grade. Over 178,000 children from age 3 through age 8 were screened this past year."

Regarding the positive trend greater than 5% in the number of individuals provided low vision services from the Services for Blind and Visually Impaired program performance measures, the agency states, " Low vision staff have conducted strategic outreach to medical centers, clinics, eye care professionals, etc. which has increased the number of individuals served through this portion of the division. The items provided include low vision devices, canes, Braille and large print devices."

Statute

The following statutory references define the creation of DSBVI, the division's responsibilities and the appointment of an advisory council.

UCA 53A-24-302 -- Creates the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired within the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation.
UCA 53A-24-303 -- Provides that the Executive Director of USOR appoint the director of the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired with the approval of the State Board of Education.
UCA 53A-24-304 -- Establishes the duties and responsibilities of DSBVI. The statute also enables the division to provide the Business Enterprise Program, as well as various vocational and employment training services.
UCA 53A-24-305 -- Directs the State Board to appoint an advisory council to assist the division, USOR, and the Board on issues regarding serving blind and visually impaired individuals. The statute also mandates at least one-third of the council members be individuals that are blind or have visual impairments.

The DSBVI provides pre-school vision screening. According to state law, DSBVI coordinates vision screening for children pre-school through age 8 throughout Utah. Several youth with amblyopia and other severe vision problems are discovered each year through the screenings provided by the division.

Low Vision Services The division offers free low-vision clinics weekly in Salt Lake City, and on a regular basis in rural areas throughout the state. The program offers services to aid consumers in adjusting to their particular low vision needs such as devices, training, and utilizing the minimum level of remaining residual vision.

DSBVI employs a deaf-blind specialist who provides services for those who are deaf-blind, and who coordinates services for these individuals with other state or USOR programs. In addition to the deaf-blind specialist, the division receives funding through the Rehabilitation Services Administration to conduct an older-blind program. Individuals age 55 and older with severe vision problems may be eligible for these services. The division contracts for three full-time older-blind specialists in Logan, Price and St. George and two part-time specialists in Vernal and Moab through the Independent Living Centers in the respective areas. These individuals assist the older-blind population in rural areas with in-home instruction, support services, and involvement in division and community programs.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 94

The Legislature intends that the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation prepare proposed performance measures for all new state funding or TANF federal funds for building blocks and give this information to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by June 30, 2015. At a minimum the proposed measures should include those presented to the Subcommittee during the requests for funding. If the same measures are not included, a detailed explanation as to why should be included. The Utah State Office of Rehabilitation shall provide its first report on its performance measures to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by October 31, 2015. The Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall give this information to the legislative staff of the Health and Human Services Interim Committee.

HB0003: Item 94

The Legislature intends the departments of Health, Human Services, and Workforce Services and the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation provide to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by June 1, 2015 a report outlining how funds are distributed within the state when passed through to local government entities or allocated to various regions and how often these distributions are reviewed and altered to reflect the relevant factors associated with the programs. (1) Is the program considered a statewide program (this would include something that serves all rural areas)? a. Is the implementation of the program really statewide? If not, is there a compelling reason why? (2) Who gets the money (by county)? (3) What is the methodology for distributing the money? a. How does the distribution compare to actual need as expressed by population? i. [If distributions are not reflecting current need (as represented by population), please explain why not?] b. If not done by population, what is the reason? (4) Does statute say anything about distribution and equity for the program?

SB0002: Item 87

The Legislature intends the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR), in conjunction with the Utah State Office of Education and the Utah State Board of Education, provide to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst no later than September 1, 2015: 1) A report on the USOR fiscal status for the recently completed state Fiscal Year 2015, including identification of one-time funding sources used to pay for ongoing services; 2) A projection of the USOR fiscal status for state Fiscal Year 2016, including any anticipated uses of one-time funding sources to pay for ongoing services; 3) A projection of the USOR anticipated fiscal status for state Fiscal Year 2017, including any anticipated uses of one-time funding sources to pay for ongoing services; 4) Any anticipated reductions in paid client services for state fiscal years 2015, 2016, or 2017; 5) The status of paid client services and numbers affected by reductions, if any; 6) The status of the Order of Selection waiting list and estimated numbers affected, if any; 7) The status of federal Maintenance of Effort and its effect on state liability; 8) Recommendations regarding the organizational placement of USOR and its subunits in order to provide proper oversight, management, and support; and 9) The history and current status of the individuals with Visual Impairment Fund.

SB0002: Item 87

The Legislature intends the Departments of Workforce Services, Health, Human Services, and the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation provide a report regarding each agency's highest cost individuals and possible efficiencies through coordination, early intervention, and prevention. The Legislature further intends these agencies provide a report to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by September 1, 2015. The report shall include the following regarding high cost individuals: 1) a summary, by program, of individuals receiving services in excess of $100,000 total fund annually in any given agency, what percentage of total costs is spent on these individuals, and what the agency is doing to manage these costs in an efficient manner, 2) an assessment of these high cost individuals receiving services from multiple agencies, 3) a description of agency coordination regarding high cost individuals accompanied by a list of areas where agencies specifically coordinate on these high cost individuals, 4) recommendations regarding how best to serve these high cost individuals in least restrictive settings where appropriate and consistent with choice, and 5) recommendation on how agency efforts might better be coordinated across programs.

SB0002: Item 87

SB0003: Item 140

The Legislature intends that, under 63J-1-206(e), the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation transfer $9,837,000 from the federal Aspire Grant between the Executive Director's Office to the newly created Aspire Grant program beginning in FY 2016.

SB0007S01: Item 32

The Legislature intends that the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation report on the following performance measures for its line item: (1) Vocational Rehabilitation - Increase the number of rehabilitation outcomes (Target = 3,665), (2) Vocational Rehabilitation - maintain or increase a successful rehabilitation closure rate (Target = 60%), and (3) Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Increase in the number of individuals served by DSDHH programs (Target = 7,144) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

Financing of DSBVI consists of 55 percent federal funds and 45 percent state Education Fund.

Display By:

Funding Source

Expenditure Category

Appropriation Type:

Appropriation History by

Sources of Finance	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Education Fund	2,962,900	2,405,300	2,952,700	2,151,700	2,993,900	(800,000)	2,193,900	468,500	2,662,400
Education Fund, One-time	0	20,000	0	4,800	9,600	0	9,600	6,500	16,100
Federal Funds	2,810,900	3,485,700	3,614,900	3,650,400	3,675,600	4,800	3,680,400	6,500	3,686,900
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act	1,745,100	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dedicated Credits Revenue	57,000	48,700	50,600	31,600	50,500	(900)	49,600	700	50,300
Transfers - Indirect Costs	0	0	0	0	0	(106,600)	(106,600)	5,300	(101,300)
Total	$7,575,900	$5,959,700	$6,618,200	$5,838,500	$6,729,600	($902,700)	$5,826,900	$487,500	$6,314,400

Categories of Expenditure	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Personnel Services	3,443,600	3,352,100	3,744,300	3,655,100	3,837,200	(172,500)	3,664,700	119,000	3,783,700
In-state Travel	8,300	15,000	19,600	13,100	19,600	(4,600)	15,000	0	15,000
Out-of-state Travel	3,200	7,900	14,000	9,000	14,000	(6,100)	7,900	0	7,900
Current Expense	1,126,300	1,078,100	1,173,300	964,800	1,190,400	(111,200)	1,079,200	35,100	1,114,300
DP Current Expense	135,100	84,800	62,300	90,900	63,700	21,100	84,800	3,600	88,400
DP Capital Outlay	0	44,000	11,500	17,600	11,500	(11,500)	0	0	0
Capital Outlay	40,400	0	49,600	14,900	49,600	(5,600)	44,000	0	44,000
Other Charges/Pass Thru	2,819,000	1,377,800	1,543,600	1,073,100	1,543,600	(612,300)	931,300	329,800	1,261,100
Total	$7,575,900	$5,959,700	$6,618,200	$5,838,500	$6,729,600	($902,700)	$5,826,900	$487,500	$6,314,400

Show Table | Show Additional Information

Other Indicators	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Approp
Budgeted FTE	59	56	51	61.20	51.75	1.65	53.40	53.40
Actual FTE	51.47	51.40	55.90	50.60	0	0	0	0
Vehicles	12	13	13	13	13	0	13	13

COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.