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About CBVHWhat is CBVH?The New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) provides vocational rehabilitation and other direct services to legally blind New York State residents, including children, adults, and elderly persons. One of CBVH's primary objectives is to assist consumers in achieving economic self-sufficiency and full integration into society. CBVH offers these services from seven district offices across the state. CBVH was established by law in 1913 to maintain a "census of the blind" in New York State and to help individuals who are legally blind find suitable employment. CBVH was also charged with researching the causes of blindness and advancing blindness prevention. In 1920, the state/federal partnership in vocational rehabilitation (VR) was created under the National Vocational Rehabilitation Act. This law created a system of state VR agencies and established federal funding of VR services. In addition, the law allows for separation of state VR agencies into those that serve individuals who are legally blind and those that provide services to all other disabled groups. New York CBVH is unique among other state VR agencies in its cooperative relationship with private not-for-profit provider agencies. Supported in part by CBVH contracts, these agencies deliver a variety of services to individuals who are legally blind in all parts of the state. CBVH Strategic Plan (Adobe .pdf 209 Kb) Update to the State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Employment Services for FY 2006 |