An Act To Promote Independence and Facilitate Employment for Visually Impaired or Blind Individuals by Investing in an Effective Vision Rehabilitation System
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0564
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: DRISCOLL, MILLS, JACKSON, BUTTERFIELD, CLARK, GILBERT, PEOPLES, TUTTLE

FIRST REGULAR SESSIOr~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 564 
H.P.402 
House of Representatives, February 17,2009 
An Act To Promote Independence and Facilitate Employment for 
Visually Impaired or Blind Individuals by Investing in an Effective 
Vision Rehabilitation System 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative DRISCOLL of Westbrook. 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Senator MILLS of Somerset, Senator JACKSON of Aroostook and 
Representatives: BUTTERFIELD of Bangor, CLARK of Millinocket, GILBERT of Jay, 
PEOPLES of Westbrook, TUTTLE of Sanford. 
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
Initiative: Provides funding for one full-time Vision Rehabilitation Therapist position in 
Rockland and 2 half-time Vision Rehabilitation Therapist positions in Bangor and 
Houlton, including support staff, travel and office equipment, all contracted through The 
Iris Network, to meet the vocational and independent living needs of increasing numbers 
of clients, to improve expanded core curriculum services for blind and visually impaired 
youth in transition and to meet established standards for client-therapist ratios. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2009-10 
$160,000 
$160,000 
2010-11 
$166,400 
$166,400 
Initiative: Creates one additional full-time statewide Personal Adjustment Counselor 
position contracted through The Iris Network and funds shared support staff, travel and 
office equipment to provide adjustment-to-blindness counseling and related services. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2009-10 
$80,000 
$80,000 
2010-11 
$83,200 
$83,200 
Initiative: Provides funds to create and fund a position at The Iris Network responsible for 
designing and managing a comprehensive system of center-based and community-based 
programs and services to meet the vocational and independent living needs of people with 
vision loss throughout the State, including services designed to meet the vocational and 
independent living needs of increasing numbers of adult clients and to improve expanded 
core curriculum services for blind and visually impaired youth in transition. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2009-10 
$90,000 
$90,000 
2010-11 
$93,600 
$93,600 
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Initiative: Supplements existing funding for the Maine Audio Information and Reading 
Service program operated by The Iris Network from studios in Brewer by bringing 
funding levels up from $35,000 to $70,000 in fiscal year 2009-10 and fiscal year 20 I 0-11 
in order to improve service by expanding to a 24 hours per day, 7 days per week 
broadcast. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2009-10 
$70,000 
$70,000 
2010-11 
$70,000 
$70,000 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
Initiative: Creates a vision rehabilitation therapy recruitment and professional education 
program at The Iris Network as a means of recruiting qualified professionals to fill open 
positions and aiding succession planning for impending staff retiremenis by funding on-
the-job training and continuing professional education and training opportunities, 
including internships, scholarships and fellowships designed to recruit and retain highly 
qualified vision rehabilitation professionals to provide vision rehabilitation therapy and 
allied services throughout the State in order to meet the expanding need for vision 
rehabilitation services. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
SUMMARY 
2009-10 
$90,000 
$90,000 
2009-10 
$490,000 
$490,000 
2010-11 
$93,600 
$93,600 
2010-11 
$506,800 
$506,800 
This bill decreases the ratio of visually impaired and blind individuals to VISIOn 
rehabilitation therapists to more appropriate levels and improves the effectiveness of 
vision rehabilitation services for the increasing numbers of adults with~ vision loss and 
expanded core curriculum services for youth in transition by funding one full-time and 2 
half-time Vision Rehabilitation Therapist positions and one full-time Personal 
Adjustment Counselor position. The bill also provides funding for a viSIon rehabilitation 
program developer to design and implement a vision rehabilitation system. The bill also 
increases funding for the Maine Audio Information and Reading Service operated by The 
Iris Network in order to support expansion to a 24 hours per day, 7~ days per week 
broadcast. Finally, the bill provides funding to establish training opportunities, including 
internships, scholarships and fellowships, designed to recruit professionals to provide 
vision rehabilitation therapy and allied services throughout the State. 
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