• Summary of current service performance
  DBVI measures its service performance through performance measures tied to the goals and objectives developed to help the agency accomplish its mission. The agency’s mission is to empower individuals who are blind, vision impaired or deafblind to achieve their maximum levels of employment, education, and personal independence.
  • Employment, education and personal independence can be achieved by Virginia’s blind, deafblind or visually impaired citizens through services provided by DBVI’s service programs and facilities which include: Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Rehabilitation Technology; Rehabilitation Teaching and Independent Living (RT/IL);
  Education Services (ES); Orientation and Mobility (O&M) services; Low Vision (LV) services; Deafblind (DB) services; the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired (VRCBVI); the Library and Resource Center (LRC); the Randolph-Sheppard vending and food service program; and the Virginia Industries for the Blind (VIB).
  • During FY 2007, 5,718 blind or visually impaired individuals received specialized services from DBVI. An additional 7,866 persons with physical disabilities, or who are blind or visually impaired received library services from LRC or one of the sub-regional libraries. Additionally, the LRC served 417 students who use Braille textbooks and large print textbooks; and 561 students received adaptive equipment.
  • The department promotes good customer service. In 2007 all VR customers had an opportunity to complete a satisfaction survey after completion of services. Survey results indicated a high level of satisfaction with VR services with a satisfaction rating of 93% compared to 87% in 2006.
  • A satisfaction survey was conducted for the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2006 Older Blind Grant (OBG), which provides independent living skills training to individuals age 55 and above. Results of the Program Participant Survey were favorable with 100% of consumers satisfied with the instructions they received to learn to do new things they had difficulty doing before. Ninety-six (96) percent were satisfied with the overall quality of the services they received.
• Summary of current productivity
  The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program served 1,176 eligible individuals with visual disabilities during federal fiscal year (FFY) 2006, of which 1,166 (99.14%) were individuals with significant disabilities. One hundred eighty two (182) individuals successfully completed their rehabilitation programs, of which 180 (94%) were individuals with significant disabilities. One hundred seventy one (171) of the 182 (84.61%) exited the VR program as wage or salary earners. This compares to FFY 2005, when 140 individuals were closed as rehabilitated with 92.1% being wage or salary earners.
  • In FFY 2006 the average hourly earnings of those served by the DBVI VR program that resulted in employment outcomes was $12.83, a 3.0% increase from $12.47 in FFY 2005.
  • During the summer of 2007, 53 students participated in the DBVI sponsored Summer Work program. This was a 50.9% increase over the 27 students who participated in the 2006 program. Summer work is an important experience that assists blind and vision impaired high school students in making a smooth transition from school to work.
  • At the end of FFY 2007 the Virginia Industries for the Blind (VIB) employed 102 legally blind individuals at its two plants and satellite operations compared to 103 at the end of FFY 2006, a .99% decrease. Some attrition has occurred in FY 2005 but the long term trend is upward.
  • The average annual earnings of the 63 blind vending stand operators employed in the Randolph-Sheppard Program in FFY 2006 was $47,801. This is a 10.13% increase over the average annual earnings of $43,405 in FFY 2005. Increased competition, fixed costs and tighter margins have affected vendor income.
  • For several years we have been challenged to meet the demand for the essential Braille textbooks and support material that blind students need in order to achieve educational success. DBVI has historically loaned Virginia’s schools the Braille textbooks they need to teach students who are blind. Over the past decade the cost of Braille textbooks has substantially increased and Virginia's Standards of Learning requirements have become more complex placing greater demand on our resources. DBVI and the Department of Education have been working collaboratively to address this need. For FY2008 DOE has made available additional federal funds to produce/purchase Braille textbooks. This may not become a permanent solution for this issue.
  • The Rehabilitation Teaching/Independent Living Program served 2,784 individuals during FY 07. Program service recipients received the following services that enhanced their independence: individualized needs assessment, adjustment counseling, information and referral, advocacy, outreach, orientation and mobility, independent living skills training, Braille, keyboarding, script writing, home management skills, assistive technology services and devices, and other specialized services.

• Summary of Major Initiatives and Related Progress
  DBVI is partnering with the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) to replace our current customer data collection and case management system. The new Integrated Case Management (ICM) project will include client tracking, authorization, planned services tracking, invoice reconciliation and case service budgeting for all DBVI programs that provide services to the blind, visually impaired and deafblind individuals. The application software selected for this project will integrate with office automation tools, the internet and the intranet; promote common business practices and operational efficiencies; and meet program reporting requirements of funding and regulatory agencies. This new system will require three years to fully implement and we are in year three. The project is progressing well. A delay by the vendor resulted in a six month delay and implementation for DBVI is scheduled for the fall of 2008.
• Summary of Virginia's Ranking
  DBVI passed the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Evaluation Standards and Performance Indicators for the Vocational Rehabilitation state services program in FFY 2006 meeting five of seven indicators.
• Summary of Customer Trends and Coverage
  The population of Virginia’s seniors (individuals age 55 and above) is increasing. Seniors experience a higher rate of visual impairment than the general population due to vision loss from a variety of age-related causes including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration; consequently, the number of senior Virginians who are blind or visually impaired will increase. This growing number of seniors who are blind or visually impaired will require services and training from DBVI in skills of independent living in order to maintain their independence, their involvement in their communities and with their families and their quality of life. DBVI requested as an amendment to the FY 2008 budget funds to recruit seven new rehabilitation teachers to work with the older population. The request was included in the Governor's proposed budget to the General Assembly. The Budget amendment passed and the positions became available to fill effective 7/01/2007.

• Summary of Future Direction and Expectations
  The priority for DBVI’s program service areas will continue to be to provide the specialized training and services to empower Virginians who are blind, vision impaired or deafblind to achieve their maximum levels of employment, education, and personal independence.
• Summary of Potential Impediments to Achievement
  Since FY 2004 DBVI has operated under an order of selection for its vocational rehabilitation program. Federal law and regulations stipulate that if a state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program does not have adequate resources to serve all eligible VR customers; it must first serve those who have the most significant disabilities. Although order of selection continues, we presently have sufficient resources to serve all eligible consumers. Additional resources will be needed if the Commonwealth is to provide the training and services that the growing number of blind or vision impaired seniors will need to maintain their independence and quality of life .
  • We are challenged to meet the demand for the essential Braille textbooks and support material that blind students need in order to achieve educational success. DBVI has historically loaned Virginia’s schools the Braille textbooks they need to teach students who are blind. Over the past decade the cost of Braille textbooks has substantially increased and Virginia’s Standards of Learning requirements have become more complex placing greater demand on our resources. As a result, DBVI is challenged to fund all of the Braille textbooks and support.
  • DBVI and DOE both apportion state general funds to school divisions to fund a portion of the salaries of special education teachers. DBVI supports the salaries of teachers of the visually handicapped and DOE supports the salaries of all other special education teachers. The two agencies use different methods to compute the amount they distribute to each school division and each agency supports the salaries at different levels. DBVI distributes an equal amount for each teacher of the visually handicapped – determined by dividing the state appropriation for this purpose by the total number of teachers of the visually handicapped employed by Virginia’s school divisions. DOE distributes its funds using the Standards of Quality (SOQ) funding formula which considers both the composite index of the locality and the per teacher maximum caseload. As a result of these different methods for funding teacher salaries, school divisions receive substantially less state funds per teacher of the visually handicapped from DBVI than from DOE for all other special education teachers. The funding to schools for teachers of the visually handicapped needs to be on an equal basis as the funding for all other special education teachers.

• Description of the Agency's Products and/or Services:
  Vocational Rehabilitation services assist blind, visually impaired and deafblind individuals in obtaining, maintaining or regaining employment. These services include evaluation and assessment of an individual’s eligibility for the VR program, potential for employment, determination of an appropriate vocational goal and nature and scope of services to be provided to reach a vocational goal. Vocational training to prepare an individual for a specific vocational goal, job development to identify potential positions in the community and job placement to assure that there is a good match between the individual and the requirements of the position are all critical services offered as part of someone’s V R program. Rehabilitation engineering services assist the blind job seeker in identifying assistive technology that may be required to enable the individual to participate in a vocational training program or function successfully in a specific position. Orientation and mobility services can be provided to assure that the individual has the skills necessary to safely and independently travel to and from the job site. VR also provides transition services for adolescent customers that assist them in understanding the steps that need to be taken to successfully move from high school to college or a job.
  
  • Randolph-Sheppard program services include evaluation and training of blind vendors for licensure and placement at a federal of state facility under permit or contract by the department. This program provides on-going managerial support and services to licensed blind vendors including payroll service, repair and maintenance of equipment, purchase of replacement equipment as needed, purchase of new equipment and renovation of facilities, and provision of health insurance and a retirement program.
  
  • The Virginia Industries for the Blind manufactures and sells a variety of products to federal and state agencies. VIB also operates base office supply centers on federal property and provides contracted office support services to federal and state agencies. For a detailed list of products and services see the Manufacturing Services area plan.
  
  • The Independent Living program provides assessment and direct instruction in home management skills, daily living skills, orientation & mobility skills, use of low vision aids, communication skills , Braille reading and writing and adjustment to blindness counseling to blind, visually impaired and deafblind citizens of the Commonwealth. Technical assistance and consultation services are provided to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, other state and local agencies and private organizations that may serve Virginians with vision loss.
  
  • Low Vision Services maintains a central inventory of special optical devices and items such as magnifiers, lighting appliances, closed circuit televisions (CCTV) reading systems, telescopes, bioptic systems, and microscopic glasses, and provides training, technical assistance, and consultation to agency staff and teachers of the Visually Impaired. It also contracts with and provides training for our network of sixty- three (63) Low Vision Examiners located throughout the Commonwealth.
  
  • General Library Services provides loan of library books, magazines, and playback equipment for recorded materials. Materials are in a variety of formats, to include 47,600 audio titles, 15,500 Braille titles, 5,050 large print titles, and 475 descriptive videos. DBVI Library Services also provides access to over 250 newspapers and several popular magazines through NFB-NEWSLINE®.
  
  • Education Services provides consultation, technical assistance, and training to support blind infants, children and youth and their families. Education Services also provides partial salary support to local schools for the salaries of special education teachers for the vision impaired.
  
  • We produce and/or purchase Braille and Large-Print Textbooks for loan to Virginia schools for use by blind and vision impaired students.
• Factors Impacting Agency Products and/or Services:
  The major factors impacting Vocational Rehabilitation program products and services are local economic conditions; order of selection (waiting list for VR Services) ; and a societal bias against hiring individuals with disabilities.
  
  • Caseload sizes and large territories make it difficult for staff to provide Independent Living training with sufficient frequency to enhance the customer’s mastery of independent living and blindness related skills. There is a limited supply of qualified applicants of individuals trained to fill positions.
  
  • The amount of time required to produce Braille and large print texts is lengthy and there is a shortage of Braille transcribers to transcribe books when needed.
  
  • DBVI could potentially loose mandatory access to Federal Buildings to provide food services to Military Dining as the Randolph Sheppard Act is challenged.
• Anticipated Changes in Products or Services:
  Substantial changes could occur in the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program if the Base Realignment and Closure Plan (BRAC) for 2005 is implemented as initially proposed. If the BRAC plan is approved as published, the program could lose nine (9) locations thus nine employment opportunities for blind licensees (vendors). The recommended increases in staff at Ft. Belvoir and Ft. Lee, is implemented, will not make up totally for the losses from leased space in Northern Virginia.
  
  •The NLS system will be migrating to an electronic format. The NLS target date for migration is FY 2008.
  
  • Information, including library materials, will become more readily available and accessible through other
  sources including the Internet.
  
  • NLS materials are now available to download; this may over time diminish the need for recorded books.

• Financial Overview:
  DBVI's funding comes from federal funds (22%), general funds (17%), income from low vision aids,
  property rental and set aside funds (1%), indirect cost funds for administrative cost associated with administering grants (3%) and enterprise funds from the sale of products (57%).
• Financial Breakdown:

  	FY 2009			FY 2010
  	General Fund	Nongeneral Fund		General Fund	Nongeneral Fund
  Base Budget	$6,745,868	$33,919,164		$6,745,868	$33,919,164
  Change To Base	$33,991	$2,120,364		$33,991	$2,120,364
  Agency Total	$6,779,859	$36,039,528		$6,779,859	$36,039,528

  This financial summary is computed from information entered in the service area plans.

• Overview
  As of July 1, 2007, the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) has an authorized FTE level of 170. Eighteen (18) positions and the associated funding are transferred to the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) at the beginning of each fiscal year as part of our Cooperative Agreement with DRS for administrative support services. One hundred thirty-one (131) of the remaining 152 positions are currently filled; there are 17 vacancies. DBVI has regional offices in Bristol, Fairfax, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, and Staunton and two manufacturing plants in Charlottesville and Richmond. The administrative headquarters is located in Richmond along with the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired and the Library and Resource Center. Professional vocational rehabilitation counselors, rehabilitation teachers, education coordinators, orientation and mobility specialists, and deafblind specialists are located throughout the state with the highest concentration in Fairfax, Norfolk, Richmond and Roanoke. These professional staff provides vocational rehabilitation services and independent living training, education consultation and technical support, independent travel training, and specialized deafblind support services to blind customers at their places of employment, at their homes, and in Virginia’s public schools. The Virginia Industries for the Blind Charlottesville and Richmond location employ 131.2 non-classified individuals. DBVI will face human resource issues as the current workforce retires.
• Human Resource Levels

  Effective Date	7/1/2007
  Total Authorized Position level	170
  Vacant Positions	-17
  Current Employment Level	153.0
  Non-Classified (Filled)	131.2
  Full-Time Classified (Filled)	127		breakout of Current Employment Level
  Part-Time Classified (Filled)	0
  Faculty (Filled)	0
  Wage	48
  Contract Employees	1
  Total Human Resource Level	202.0		= Current Employment Level + Wage and Contract Employees

• Factors Impacting HR
  DBVI has experienced an aging workforce. The average number of years of services is 15.8 years and the average age of our employees is 51, 43 percent of our employees are age 55 or older.
  Twenty-three employees are eligible to retire with full benefits in 2007. These 23 employees represent 18 percent of the full-time classified positions.
  
  •Retention of our experienced staff, many of whom have specialized training, advanced degrees, professional credentials and expertise. Our employees frequently have opportunities for employment in other states, often at higher rates of pay. DBVI needs the resources to offer financial incentives to have its most highly qualified and talented employees stay with the agency.
  
  •Lack of qualified applicants from racial and ethnic minority groups who have the specialized training we require. As a result, DBVI's workforce is not reflective of the diversity of society in general.
  
  •Importance of hiring qualified blind staff as role models for consumers. Blind consumers benefit from training, counseling, support and regular interaction with successful blind people.
  
  •The agency is now offering sign-on bonuses for difficult to recruit field positions.
  
  •Demand for more services with fewer workforce: Over the past ten years, DBVI has lost 1/5 of its workforce due to downsizing and budget reduction efforts. These reductions have occurred at a time when the demographics of our nation and state are moving to an older society with a need for more services associated with age related disabilities. As a result of the increased demand for services by an aging population, the loss of staff through various reduction actions and the specialized training required for many of our positions in rehabilitation of the blind, we do not have positions available for attrition, or to replace employees out due to long term illnesses and disabilities.
  
  •Offering ongoing specialized training: DBVI will have to maintain its commitment in offering specialized training to ensure our workforce is current with state-of-the-art rehabilitation training options and choices for consumers.
• Anticipated HR Changes
  DBVI may need to replace 28 percent of its workforce over the next five years due to retirements. This is in addition to turnover from other reasons. Additional resources will be needed for severance costs, recruitment, and to respond to salary competition.
  
  •DBVI will need to increase personnel and resource sharing to account for shortages in individual positions due to attrition or temporary vacancies due to illnesses or disabilities.

• Narrative overview of the current state of IT in the agency:
  Since 1995, as part of a consolidation of back office services, DBVI receives Information Technology Services from the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) through a Cooperative Agreement.
  • As part of the Cooperative Agreement with DRS, DBVI receives:
  • data and voice communication networks for its facilities statewide in cooperation with VITA
  • systems engineering services through VITA (Virginia Information Technology Agencies) including voice and data communications networks, hardware and computer support services
  • computer applications development and support, and web services
  • technology procurement, security, asset tracking, policy and mini-computer support services
  
  The Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) Agency Strategic Plan gives a detailed overview of the current state of IT for the Disability Service Agencies, which include DBVI.
  
  IT services to the agency are provided by DRS using a Cooperative Agreement that identifies staff and expense for these services. Since these expenses are reported by DRS, they are not included in the IT Budget summary table for DBVI. The Agency pays VITA monthly for IT sevices. Out of scope cost for IT services not provided by DRS is estimated at $25,000 for FY 2009. We do not have applications costs.
  
  The agency is challenged to meet its annual VITA costs without additional funds.
  
  DBVI has proposed IT investments cost for 2009 and 2010 estimated at $140,000 and $145,713 respectively. These costs represent payments to DRS for the development and implementation of an Integrated Case Management System and a comprehensive Fiscal Management System. Additional cost associated in training staff to use these new systems is not included in the table.
• Narrative description of the factors impacting agency IT:
  DBVI's cooperative agreement with the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) includes IT Support. Refer to DRS Agency Strategic Plan for detailed description of factors impacting agency IT.
• Describe any anticipated or desired changes to agency IT:
  DBVI's cooperative agreement with the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) includes IT Support. Refer to DRS Agency Strategic Plan for detailed description of factors impacting anticipated changes to agency IT.
• IT Current Services:

  	Cost - Year 1		Cost - Year 2
  	General Fund	Non-general Fund	General Fund	Non-general Fund
  Projected FY2010 VITA Service Fees	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Changes (+/-) to VITA Infrastructure	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Estimated VITA Infrastruture	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Specialized Infrastructure	$0	$25,000	$0	$25,000
  Agency IT Staff	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-agency IT Staff	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Other Application Costs	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Agency IT Current Services	$0	$25,000	$0	$25,000

  Comments:
  [Nothing entered]
• Proposed IT Investments

  	Cost - Year 1		Cost - Year 2
  	General Fund	Non-general Fund	General Fund	Non-general Fund
  Major IT Projects	$0	$165,000	$0	$0
  Non-major IT Projects From $100,000 - $1 Milliona Total Cost	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-major IT Projects Below $100,000 Total Cost	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Major IT Procurements - Stand-alone	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-major IT Procurements - Stand-alone	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Total Proposed IT Investments	$0	$165,000	$0	$0

• Projected Total IT Budget

  	Cost - Year 1		Cost - Year 2
  	General Fund	Non-general Fund	General Fund	Non-general Fund
  Agency IT Current Services	$0	$25,000	$0	$25,000
  Total Proposed IT Investments	$0	$165,000	$0	$0
  Agency Projected Total IT Budget	$0	$190,000	$0	$25,000

• Current State of Capital Investments:
  DBVI owns the following facilities:
  
  • Virginia Industries for the Blind – Charlottesville
  This facility was renovated in Fiscal Year 2002 with an additional project for new manufacturing equipment in Fiscal Year 2003 completed in Fiscal Year 2007.
  
  • Virginia Industries for the Blind - Richmond
  This facility is 38 years old and requires increasing amounts of maintenance to replace or update systems and facility components (such as HVAC, carpeting, paint, pavement, walkways, and landscaping) as they have reached the end of their useful lives. Capital project was partially funded for Life Safety Issues in Fiscal Year 2005. Construction is expected to begin in January 2008.
  
  • Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired – Richmond
  This facility is 35 years old and requires increasing amounts of maintenance to replace or update systems and facility components (such as HVAC, carpeting, paint, pavement and walkways, landscaping) as they have reached the end of their useful lives. The following buildings make up the Rehabilitation Center:
  Administrative Activities Building
  Recreation Building
  Cafeteria Building
  Stone House
  Dormitory Building
  Capital project #16729 began in August 2007 to renovate/replace the Dormitory building.
  
  • Library Resource Center - Richmond
  This facility is 13 years old and is starting to require increasing amounts of maintenance to repair, replace or update systems and facility components (such as HVAC, carpeting, paint, pavement, walkways, and landscaping) as they have reached the half-way point of their useful lives. A major project to repair and replace the exterior window caulking was completed in Fiscal year 2007. In addition, DBVI Endowment funds were utilized to update the shelving units used to house Braille and large print books and tapes in the Library's collection.
  
  • DBVI Administrative Headquarters Building – Richmond
  This facility is 26 years old and requires increasing amounts of maintenance to replace or update systems and facility components (such as HVAC, carpeting, paint, pavement, walkways, and landscaping) as they have reached the end of their useful lives.
  
  • DBVI completed a “Facilities Condition Assessment” during March 05 on all of the facilities identified above except the Virginia Industries for the Blind facilities in Charlottesville and Richmond. The condition assessment resulted in an average facility condition index of 17% which is “Poor”.
  
  • Other DBVI facilities are located in leased space.
• Factors Impacting Capital Investments:
  Results of the "Facilities Condition Assessment" require significant investment in existing facilities to maintain healthy and safe conditions and to protect the welfare of customers and employees.
  
  Deferred maintenance adds to the degradation of the buildings.
• Capital Investments Alignment:
  The Department in its “Six Year Capital Budget Request 2008--2014 Biennia” requested funds to address the issues identified in the “Facilities Condition Assessment”. The first priority for the 2008-2010 biennium was given to the repair and replacement of HVAC systems and Controls in the Azalea Headquarters Administration Building. Second priority for 2008-2010 was given to the repair and or replacement of the Electrical system in the Azalea Headquarters Administration Building. A request of funds for handicapped accessibility renovations for the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired Facility (VRCBVI) is included in the 2010-2014 request. These improvements will allow DBVI to continue to provide rehabilitative services to blind and visually impaired citizens enabling them to acquire the necessary skills to be employed, support their families and obtain an education.

By assisting blind citizens to obtain employment in their communities at competitive wages they will improve their economic independence. This contributes to the available work force in Virginia and promotes economic growth. This aligns with the long-term objective of enhancing our economy.

• Be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.

Empowering blind citizens to gain the skills to be independent promotes personal responsibility and control for their life decisions. This decreases the need for public assistance, dependence on family members and others, and improves their quality of life. This aligns with the long-term objective of supporting Virginians toward healthy lives and strong and resilient families.

• Inspire and support Virginians toward healthy lives and strong and resilient families.

Assisting children and adults in reaching their maximum levels of educational attainment promotes personal and economic independence. A well educated citizenry benefits communities and increases the available work force. This aligns with the long-term objectives of enhancing our economy and elevating the level of educational attainment of our citizens.

• Elevate the levels of educational preparedness and attainment of our citizens.

Providing consistent administrative support to our staff to ensure their success directly contributes to the agency’s success in meeting its mission. Implementation of sound business practices and efficient agency operations ensures effective administration of agency programs. This aligns with the long term objective of Virginia being recognized as the best-managed state in the nation.

• Be recognized as the best-managed state in the nation.

This goal ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, policies and procedures for Commonwealth preparedness, as well as guidelines promulgated by the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness, in collaboration with the Governor's Cabinet, the Commonwealth Preparedness Working Group, the Department of Planning and Budget and the Council on Virginia's Future. The goal supports achievement of the Commonwealth's statewide goal of protecting the public's safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.

• Protect the public’s safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Commercial audio and e-books are gaining in popularity and will change how blind people access library
  materials in the future.
  • Advances in technology have enabled blind people to access a wide variety of information using the World
  Wide Web.
  • Aging baby boomers will increase potential customers, thus challenging us to meet the increased demand
  within our existing staff and resources.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  The NLS system will be migrating to an electronic format. The NLS target date for migration is FY 2008.
  • Information, including library materials, will become more readily available and accessible through other
  sources including the Internet.
  • NLS materials are now available to download; this may over time diminish the need for recorded
  books.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Loan of library books, magazines, and playback equipment for recorded materials. Materials are in a variety of formats, to include 47,600 audio titles, 15,500 braille titles, 5,050 large print titles, and 475 descriptive videos.
  • Information and Referral - Many citizens look to the DBVI Library and Resource Center as a resource for information, guidance and direction, and consultation regarding access to information and appropriateness of materials in adaptive format. We routinely field calls and provide this type of information to the public.
  • Access to newspapers through NFB-NEWSLINE®. The department contracts with the NFB-NEWSLINE to provide access to newspapers and other information to blind Virginians. The 2005 Appropriation Act included state funding to DBVI for this service.

• Increase the number of people who utilize library services.
  Objective Description
  This objective supports the agency’s primary goal of providing services that enhance our customer’s ability to access information necessary to increase their independence.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the independence, well-being, and personal responsibility of blind and vision impaired citizens.
    Comment: ( Empowering blind citizens to gain the skills to be independent promotes personal responsibility and control for their life decisions. This decreases the need for public assistance, dependence on family members and others, and improves their quality of life.)
  • Agency Goal: To promote educational success of blind and vision impaired citizens.
    Comment: ( Assisting children and adults in reaching their maximum levels of educational attainment promotes personal and economic independence. A well educated citizenry benefits communities and increases the available work force.)
  Objective Strategies
  • Advertise the service through AARP • Utilize NLS promotion campaigns • Provide information to area agencies on aging. • Contact and make presentations to retirement and nursing communities • Recognize those who sponsor the most new patrons.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of library patrons served directly by the regional library
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Quarterly

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    3964

    Date:

    7/1/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: 3,964 registered users on 7/01/07.

    Measure Target Value:

    4164

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Target Description: Increase customers by 2.5% each year to 4,063 by 6/30/08 and 4,164 by 6/30/09.

    Data Source and Calculation: Data is collected and entered into the Library database and READS systems. A comparison of the number of registered users between current and previous year yields the percentage of change.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Production time for braille and large print texts is lengthy.
  •Braille transcribers become booked early in the year, so availability can be limited.
  •Determination of course schedule for students for the next school year often occurs too late to ensure
  textbooks in adapted format are available for the start of the next year.
  •New students move into school systems on short notice and textbooks are not available in adapted format.
  •New copyrights of textbooks are adopted annually which means new books must be produced regularly.
  •Old copyrights with out-of-date information are used by school systems; vendors will not produce texts that
  are more than 5 years old.
  •Graphics fill the pages of print textbooks and are difficult, and in some cases impossible, to reproduce in
  alternative formats.
  •School systems cannot always provide clean copies of books for use in production.
  •Braille production requires 2 copies of each textbook which some school systems are unable to provide
  because they can only purchase one print book per student.
  •New Standards of Learning correlated textbooks and test preparation materials are being used by school
  systems, which increases the number of requests.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Literary texts will be available in electronic format within the next 5 years, which will ease the translation and
  production process and reduce transcription costs.
  •Electronic format will improve the quality of adapted materials
  •The cost of production materials, paper in particular, rises annually.
  •The number of books requested annually is on the rise.
  •More Braille transcribers are needed to meet the demand until electronic formats become a reality.
  •More graphics will be producible by computer.
  •Technology advances will improve capability but require financial investments.
  •More staff will be needed to support the production operations due to increased demand for textbooks
  • The Department of Education is partnering with George Mason University to develop a system of producing alternative textbooks that will improve efficiency.
  • DBVI has partnered with the Department of Correctional Enterprises in producing large print textbooks. We expect to expand this partnership and hope that DCE will be an integral partner in the new alternate textbook system in Virginia.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Production of braille and large print textbooks - Print textbooks are transcribed into Braille and copied to large print upon receipt of orders from teachers of the vision impaired who work in Virginia's school divisions.
  • Adapted textbook inventory - The LRC maintains an inventory of all textbooks that have been transcribed into Braille and copied to large print. Textbooks are redistributed annually to school divisions for use by blind and vision impaired students.
  • Purchase of available braille and large print textbooks - The LRC purchases Braille textbooks from national transcribing agencies if they have been previously transcribed or if LRC staff are unable to produce the Braille transcription in time for the school year.
  • Loan of Braille and large print textbooks to Virginia's school divisions - Braille and large print textbooks are loaned to school divisions statewide, free of charge, for use by the blind and vision impaired students in their schools.
  • Information and referral - The LRC receives frequent calls from parents, teachers, and citizens looking for information on other services, asking for guidance and direction and requesting consultation regarding access to information and appropriateness of materials in adaptive formats.
  • Consultation with teachers, parents, school administrators - Classroom teachers and special education teachers, as well as parents and school administrators call in seeking guidance and direction with regard to access to information, materials, resources, and educational programming.

• Deliver textbooks on time.
  Objective Description
  Deliver braille textbooks ordered by June 15 on or before September 1. Orders for textbooks received after the June 15 deadline are usually not filled on time due to the high demand for Braille transcribers particularly in the months immediately preceding the beginning of each new school year.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To promote educational success of blind and vision impaired citizens.
    Comment: ( Assisting children and adults in reaching their maximum levels of educational attainment promotes personal and economic independence. A well educated citizenry benefits communities and increases the available work force.)
  Objective Strategies
  • Send emails and letters to teachers and superintendents reminding them to send orders in as early as possible, but no later than 6/15. • Encourage schools to return already used volumes of books as they are no longer needed. • Enlist enough braille transcribers available to begin work immediately upon receipt of order. • Ensure enlargement technology is in good condition. • Ensure all returned texts are available for the upcoming school year by working overtime to check-in returns in early summer. • Work with teachers and school systems to return all loaned texts so they can be reissued. • Hire summer help.
  Objective Measures
  • Percentage of textbook orders received by 6/1 that are delivered by 9/1.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Output

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    95

    Date:

    6/30/2006

    Measure Baseline Description: 95% for FY 2006

    Measure Target Value:

    98

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 98% for FY 2008

    Data Source and Calculation: Collect data from KLAS system. An order is defined as “the provision of complete information about the textbook (ISBN, copyright, publisher, title) and two clean print copies of the text.” Orders are entered into the LRC textbook tracking database when received. As volumes are transcribed or purchased and become available to send to students, the database is updated. When 33% of the textbook is delivered to the student on or before September 1, it is counted as delivered on time; the time to complete and produce braille textbooks often takes the entire school year. Previously produced textbooks are delivered in their entirety as orders are received. All orders for braille textbooks for the school year are extracted from the data base including date of order, dates that volumes were available, and total number of pages in textbook. The data is then analyzed and calculated manually by dividing the number of orders delivered by 9/1 by the number of orders received by 6/1.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Changes in Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the No Child Left Behind may influence the
  qualifications and the number of teachers of the visually impaired that school divisions must employ.
  • In its August 2004 “Virginia Cost Study” report, the Infant and Toddler Connection of Virginia concluded
  that Virginia has identified only 4,174 of the estimated 16,891 infants, aged birth to 3 years of age who have
  disabilities. In the coming years, efforts will be made to identify those infants and toddlers. Many of those
  infants are expected to have visual disabilities.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  " • The agency's partial salary reimbursement per teacher of the visually impaired will decrease.
  • School divisions will request additional adaptive equipment and materials from the agency's central inventory
  • The department will increase transition services for young adults, age 14 and above.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Consultation and support to infants, children and youth who are blind, vision impaired, or deafblind and their families.
  • Technical assistance, vision assessments, and training to the local service groups that comprise the “Infant and Toddler Connections of Virginia;” Virginia’s IDEA-Part C early intervention service delivery system.
  • Consultation with Virginia’s schools to provide comprehensive programming for students who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind
  • Assist young adults who are age 14 and above make a successful transition from school to adult living.
  • Statewide and regional professional development opportunities for 148 teachers of the visually impaired.
  • Adaptive equipment to school divisions for use by blind and visually impaired students.

• Partner with families, infant service providers, school division staff, and other DBVI staff.
  Objective Description
  Partner with families, infant service providers, and school division staff, children and youth who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind to enable them to achieve their maximum educational potential.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To promote educational success of blind and vision impaired citizens.
    Comment: ( Assisting children and adults in reaching their maximum levels of educational attainment promotes personal and economic independence. A well educated citizenry benefits communities and increases the available work force.)
  Objective Strategies
  • Provide guidance and/or technical assistance to infants, children and youth, their parents, teachers and public/private service providers. • Collaborate with young adults age 14 and above, their families, Vocational Rehabilitation counselors and teachers to help plan a successful transition from school to adult life. • Consult annually with all special education directors (or designee) and teachers of the visually impaired to ensure that students who are blind and visually impaired receive appropriate education. • Conduct at least twelve regional and one statewide professional development workshop annually.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of infants, children and youth served whose education and development is influenced by our partnership with families, infant service providers, and school division staff.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Output

    Measure Frequency:

    Quarterly

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    2016

    Date:

    6/30/2005

    Measure Baseline Description: 2,016 individuals served in June 2005

    Measure Target Value:

    2118

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 1% increase each year from the base of 2,016 in FY 2005

    Data Source and Calculation: Education services caseload report #SSBBR327, sum of numbers remaining in referral, total active, and total closed.

• Maintain the partial salary reimbursement funding per teacher of the visually impaired.
  Objective Description
  Maintain the level of the partial salary reimbursement level for teachers of the visually impaired.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the independence, well-being, and personal responsibility of blind and vision impaired citizens.
  Objective Strategies
  • Establish an agreement with all school divisions. • Encourage school divisions to hire a sufficient number of teachers of the visually impaired to provide exemplary services to students who are blind or visually impaired.
  Objective Measures
  • Maintain the amount of salary reimbursement per teacher at the 2004-2005 school year level of $4,360.32.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Input

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Measure Baseline Value:

    4360.32

    Date:

    6/30/2005

    Measure Baseline Description: $4,360.32 per full time teacher of the visually impaired (2004-05 school year)

    Measure Target Value:

    4360.32

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: $4,360.32 per full time teacher of the visually impaired

    Data Source and Calculation: The annual general fund appropriation for this service is divided by the full time equivalent (FTE) number of teachers of the visually impaired that are employed by Virginia's public school divisions. The current year per teacher reimbursement amount is compared to the 2004-2005 per teacher reimbursement level of $4,360.32.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  "• There are a limited number of Optometrists and Ophthalmologists who are willing to provide contracted Low
  Vision Services due to the compensation rate we provide.
  
  • An increase in the number of private low vision examiners across the state which may reduce the number of
  customers that we need to serve.
  
  • Changes in Medicare reimbursement policies related to low vision aids may affect our business practices.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  "• As the number of citizens who experience vision loss from age related eye diseases increases, demand for
  DBVI low vision services will increase. This increase in demand will require us to maintain a larger optical aids
  inventory.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Maintain a central inventory of special optical devices and items such as magnifiers, lighting appliances, closed circuit televisions (CCTV) reading systems, telescopes, bioptic systems, and microscopic glasses.
  • Training to DBVI staff, Teachers of the Visually Impaired in the school divisions statewide and contracted low vision examiners.
  • Technical assistance and consultation to the general public, DBVI staff, Teachers of the Visually Impaired and the medical community.

• Provide customers with optical aids to allow them to best utilize their remaining vision
  Objective Description
  DBVI will provide optical aids that may be used by eligible customers of the department to improve their ability to use their remaining vision such that it will increase their independence.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the independence, well-being, and personal responsibility of blind and vision impaired citizens.
    Comment: To enhance the independence, well-being, and personal responsibility of blind and vision impaired citizens. ( Empowering blind citizens to gain the skills to be independent promotes personal responsibility and control for their life decisions. This decreases the need for public assistance, dependence on family members and others, and improves their quality of life.)
  Objective Strategies
  • To provide training to all agency staff and teachers of the blind and visually impaired. • Provide in-service training at facilities with high numbers of potential customers.
  Objective Measures
  • Percentage of Customers who benefit from Low Vision Services.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    89

    Date:

    6/30/2006

    Measure Baseline Description: 89% of the consumers exiting low vision services in FY 06 had successful outcomes.

    Measure Target Value:

    90

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Increase to 90% the consumers exiting low vision services having successful outcomes.

    Data Source and Calculation: Divide the number of successful closures by the total number of customers provided a low vision exam.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Factors internal and external to the customer and DBVI service delivery include:
  •Customer Choice
  •Use of and access to Assistive Technology
  •Local economic conditions
  •Employment and Unemployment Rates
  •Order of Selection(waiting list for VR services) implemented in July 2004
  •Access to reliable, safe transportation
  •Availability of local vendors providing services
  •Societal bias against hiring individuals with disabilities
  •Workforce Investment Act
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Factors internal and external to the customer and DBVI service delivery include:
  •Rapid advancements in technology
  •Increased use of the World Wide Web by customers and employers
  •Aging of the Workforce
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Vocational Rehabilitation services are designed to assist blind, visually impaired and deafblind individuals in obtaining, maintaining, or regaining employment. Services may include evaluation and assessment of an individual’s eligibility for the VR program, potential for employment, and determination of a vocational goal consistent with the individual’s unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. Additionally, evaluation and assessment help determine the nature and scope of services to be provided to reach a vocational goal. Vocational training to prepare an individual for a specific vocational goal, job development to identify potential positions in the community and job placement to assure that there is a good match between the individual and the requirements of the position are all critical services offered as part of someone’s VR program. Rehabilitation engineering services assist the blind job seeker in identifying assistive technology that may be required to enable the individual to participate in a vocational training program or function successfully in a specific position. Orientation and mobility services may be provided to assure that the individual has the skills necessary to safely and independently travel to and from the job site. VR also provides transition services for adolescent customers assists them in moving successfully from high school to college or a job.

• We will promote competitive job placements
  Objective Description
  We will facilitate competitive job placements with higher earnings
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the economic independence and potential advancement of blind job seekers through competitive employment.
    Comment: ( By assisting blind citizens to obtain employment in their communities at competitive wages they will improve their economic independence. This contributes to the available work force in Virginia and promotes economic growth.)
  Objective Strategies
  • We will Implement a system for sharing job leads, information regarding successful placements and strategies that have led to successful outcomes. • We will participate in the Council of State Administrators for Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) business network which is a national online communications developed to serve national employers and individuals with disabilities. • We will provide staff with training and resources regarding job development and placement strategies through workshops and trainings internally and externally by: - Partnering with the RRTC at Virginia Commonwealth University. - Developing an internal training module based on VR Counselor experience and best practices. - Networking with George Washington University (Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program) - Teaching VR counselors the basics of developing and maintaining relationships with employers. • We will quantify expectations for job performance in the area of job development and placements will be quantified in EWPs for vocational rehabilitation counselors and regional managers. • We will encourage Vocational rehabilitation counselors will actively partner with adult and transition aged customers to ensure that job development activities are consistent with customer interests, abilities, and aptitudes. • We will include specific job development activities to be performed by the vocational rehabilitation counselor and the customer in the Individualized Plan for Employment.
  Objective Measures
  • To insure that 70% of vocational rehabilitation consumers achieve their employment goals and work satisfactorily for at least 90 days upon completion of their programs.
    Measure Class:

    Governor's Key

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Quarterly

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Key Summary: We will provide comprehensive individualized vocational rehabilitation services to eligible blind and visually impaired customers to assist them in preparing for, securing, retaining, or regaining employment consistent with the individual’s unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilitie

    Measure Baseline Value:

    52

    Date:

    6/30/2005

    Measure Baseline Description: 52% for FY 2005.

    Measure Target Value:

    70

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 70% in FY 2009

    Data Source and Calculation: DBVI monthly report SSBBR367. A comparison of the number of individuals with employment outcomes and earning wages between the current and previous federal fiscal year yields the percentage of annual change.

  • Average hourly wage for all individuals who have completed their Vocational Rehabilitation program and closed successfully employed.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Quarterly

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    12.47

    Date:

    6/30/2005

    Measure Baseline Description: $12.47 per hour in FY 2005.

    Measure Target Value:

    15.91

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 5% annual increase over baseline year.

    Data Source and Calculation: DBVI monthly report SSBBR367. A comparison of the average hourly wages between the current and previous year yields the percentage of change.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Caseload sizes and territories make it difficult to provide lessons with a frequency that enhances the
  consumer’s acquisition of independent living and blindness related skills.
  
  • During the last three years, the DBVI rehabilitation teaching/independent living program provided services to
  an average of 2,295 older visually impaired Virginians annually. The anticipated increase in the number of
  older Virginians who experience vision loss will far exceed the Department’s capacity to provide these services.
  
  
  • The increased availability of high tech solutions will require upgrading the knowledge base for instructional
  staff and additional resources will need to be identified to provide technology solutions to citizens who can
  benefit from technology but cannot afford it.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  The number of consumers wanting adaptive computer technology is expected to increase
  
  • The number of requests for in-service training from outside entities will increase due to the increase in the
  number of facilities being built to serve/house the elderly population.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Assessment and direct instruction in home management skills, daily living skills, orientation & mobility skills, use of low vision aids, communication skills , Braille reading and writing and adjustment to blindness counseling to blind, visually impaired and deafblind citizens of the Commonwealth.
  • Technical assistance and consultation services are provided to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, other state and local agencies and private organizations that may serve Virginians with vision loss.

• We will work to increase the independence of Virginia's seniors who are blind or vision impaired.
  Objective Description
  Seniors who experience a vision loss often find themselves unable to maintain their independence because they are not aware of the alternative techniques or adaptive equipment available that allows blind individuals to safely perform common everyday tasks. DBVI’s Independent Living Program works with blind and vision impaired citizens in their homes/communities to learn how to continue to live independently in spite of their vision loss. Instruction is individualized to address the specific tasks that our consumers identify as being important to maintaining their personal independence. Services can include learning how to effectively use adaptive equipment such as magnifiers to maximize the use of one’s remaining vision or devices such as clocks and glucometers that have speech output. Instruction in non-visual techniques to accomplish activities of daily living is also often very helpful. As seniors learn to incorporate these skills into their daily routine many find that they can continue to live independently and not be forced into more confining living arrangements or require support services from local social service agencies or their families.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the independence, well-being, and personal responsibility of blind and vision impaired citizens.
    Comment: ( Empowering blind citizens to gain the skills to be independent promotes personal responsibility and control for their life decisions. This decreases the need for public assistance, dependence on family members and others, and improves their quality of life.)
  Objective Strategies
  • We will provide comprehensive assessments of consumers to identify areas that require training. • We will develop appropriate plans of services to meet identified needs. • We will utilize other community resources to provide assistance when possible. • We will ensure that agency staff is provided appropriate training to maintain skills. • We will promote timely and courteous communications with agency consumers. • We will provide comprehensive RT/IL services to consumers and their family members.
  Objective Measures
  • Ensure that 85% of consumers of Older Blind Grant training services report an increase in independence upon completion of their programs.
    Measure Class:

    Governor's Key

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Key Summary: We will provide training to senior consumers to enable those individuals to achieve their maximum levels of personal independence – a primary mission of the agency. The RT/IL program provides services to instruct consumers in activities that directly relate to their ability to live independently, safely and

    Measure Baseline Value:

    81

    Date:

    Measure Baseline Description: 81% for federal FY 2004

    Measure Target Value:

    85

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 85% for federal FY 2009.

    Data Source and Calculation: Older Blind Grant program, Title VII, chapter 2, Program Evaluation Report

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Factors and forces impacting the number of personnel that occupy buildings in which facilities are located, i.e.
  reductions in the work force (RIF), changes in work locations (out-sourcing), expansion or reduction of work
  day/week ( ten hour days –four day workweeks).
  
  •Restrictions relating to sale of certain products, e.g. the sale of tobacco products and lottery which impacts the
  vendors by reducing their ability to earn a profit on these items.
  
  •Loss of space allocation by other demands of property custodian.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Substantial changes could occur in the number of federal property locations including leased space and the
  retail customers that patronize these business enterprises if the Base Realignment and Closure Plan (BRAC) for
  2005 is implemented as initially proposed. The BRAC- 2005 proposes elimination of approximately 8,139,553
  square feet of leased space of which approximately 75% would be in the eliminated within the Commonwealth.
  The majority of this leased space is located in the Northern Virginia areas of Crystal City, Arlington and
  Roslyn. The number of personnel lost as a result of the elimination of leased space for Virginia is projected at
  22,925 consisting of military, civilian, and contractor positions. The Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility
  Program has a robust presence in the Northern Virginia area, particularly in buildings that are eased directly to
  the Department of Defense (DOD) or through the Department of General Services, National Capital Region
  (GSA/NCR). If the BRAC plan is approved as published, the program would lose nine (9) locations thus nine
  employment opportunities for blind licensees (vendors). Conversely, the BRAC -2005 plan would increase
  military, civilian, and contractor personnel for Forts Belvoir and Lee. Fort Belvoir is projected for increases of
  11,858 personnel while Fort Lee is scheduled for an increase of 7,344. Most of these gains will be as a result of
  realignment from leased space to the respective military posts. Unfortunately the increases recommended for
  Forts Belvoir and Lee won’t necessarily replace an equal number of vending facilities (jobs for blind vendors)
  lost at the DOD and GSA/NCR leased space due to competition with other concession providers such as the
  Army–Air Force Exchange System (AAFES) and the Post Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs.
  Both of these organizations are controlled by DOD and offer similar and often the same products and services
  as the Vending Facility Program for the Blind.
  
  •Numbers of licensed vendors will likely diminish due to such demographic factors as age, the average age of a
  licensed vendor in Virginia is 47 years old.
  
  • Lack of adequate management staffing for the program has eroded our ability to maintain and create new
  facilities within the program, i.e. one individual (BEP manager) is assigned responsibility for management and
  oversight of the program in addition to the responsibility for the program by the Commissioner. Opportunities
  for new business enterprises are lost, particularly at federal agencies, due to our inability to consistently
  evaluate and develop new federal locations under the program’s mandatory preference under existing federal
  regulations. Lack of adequate staff also impedes our ability address issues of non compliance by property
  managers do not adhere to their own regulations regarding the priority for blind vendors to operate business
  enterprises on federal property.
  
  • Loss of personnel in federal and state buildings that support vending stands, cafeterias, and sundry shops,
  such as reduction in the state workforce and increased security as a result of the September 11, 2001 tragedy
  and the ongoing war on terror which has closed most state and federal buildings to walk in traffic, a heretofore
  staple of most vendors’ businesses.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Services to blind vendors include evaluation and training for licensure. Placement at a facility under permit or contract by the Agency after successful completion of training, certification, and probation for licensure. Continuing managerial support including payroll service, repair and maintenance of equipment, purchase of replacement equipment as needed, purchase of new equipment and renovation of facilities, and provision of certain fringe benefits such as health insurance coverage and a retirement program.
  • Services to Federal Property Managers, State and Municipal Property Custodians, and Private Sector Property Managers – Furnishing and Installation of full service operations that comprise cafeterias, snack bars, sundry shops, and vending machine banks.
  • Services and Products to retail customers who patronize the vending facilities operated by blind licensees – food stuffs both prepared on site and prepackaged, beverages, confections, tobacco products (by permit), newspapers, periodicals, and other articles and services dispensed manually or automatically and prepared on or off premises in accordance with all applicable health laws, and including the vending or exchange of chances for an lottery authorized by State law and conducted by an agency of a State within such State. [ 34 CFR Part 395.1(x) ]

• Promote economic opportunities for licensed blind vendors
  Objective Description
  We will enlarge economic opportunities for licensed blind vendors in the Vending Facility Program. (By assisting blind citizens to obtain employment in their communities at competitive wages they will improve their economic independence. This contributes to the available work force in Virginia and promotes economic growth.)
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the economic independence and potential advancement of blind job seekers through competitive employment.
  Objective Strategies
  • As a result of quarterly statements, the BOB will work closely with the elected committee of blind vendors, Vending Facility Vendor’s Council (VFVC) to determine strategies to aid and assist licensed vendors who are having difficulty maintaining adequate gross profit margins. The most common areas of analysis are the labor cost, cost of inventory, loss of product through waste or excess production, and price structure. • The Manager of Business Enterprises will work with BOB and the VFVC to determine the profitability of new locations by an analysis to sales potential based upon building population, customer potential , type of facility (snack bar , sundry shop, or cafeteria), hours of operation and related factors such as income from vending machine supplement. • The Manager of Business Enterprises will determine after appropriate analysis from BOB and the VFVC whether to terminate the operation of vending facilities based upon previously stated performance indicators. • The Manager of Business Enterprises will collaborate with BOB and VFVC on the development of plans for upward mobility (training) for those licensed vendors who are experiencing difficulty in maintaining the profitability of their businesses through factors that can be remedied through skills enhancement.
  Objective Measures
  • Average income of licensed blind vendors.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    38597

    Date:

    9/30/2004

    Measure Baseline Description: The five year rolling average for vendor income through the end of federal FY- 2004 is $38,597.00.

    Measure Target Value:

    44312

    Date:

    9/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Increase average vendor income by 3% each year over the five year rolling average.

    Data Source and Calculation: REPORT OF VENDING FACILITY PROGRAM, Form RSA-15. The average income is determined by dividing Vendors Earnings (line 11) by the number of Vendors (line 12). The current year average income is compared to the five year rolling average to calculate the percentage of change.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Insuring that the agency is able to attract and keep individuals that have the necessary knowledge, skills and
  abilities to provide the specialized services that we offer.
  
  • Development and initiation of a new integrated caseload management system (projected to be completed in
  fall of 2007) that is designed to increase the efficiency of field staff in delivering services to our customers.
  
  • New requirements generated by amendments to the Rehab Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Currently, we do not anticipate significant changes to this service area due to minimal turn over of the regional office management staff.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • This service area provides direct supervision and direction to regional office and rehab center management staff to insure that agency services are delivered in an efficient and effective manner and in compliance with state, federal and agency policies and procedures.

• Promote and maintain a productive workforce.
  Objective Description
  To enable all DBVI regional office and rehab center employees to meet or exceed their annual employee objectives established in their employee work profiles each year.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To provide for effective performance of DBVI personnel to ensure sound business practices and agency operations.
    Comment: Providing consistent administrative support to our staff to ensure their success directly contributes to the agency’s success in meeting its mission. Implementation of sound business practices and efficient agency operations ensures effective administration of agency programs.
  Objective Strategies
  • Each employee’s EWP will be updated annually so that they will be aware of performance expectations. • Employees will receive periodic reviews of their performance to identify any issues that need to be addressed during the year. • Employees will be encouraged to take advantage of training opportunities to improve their knowledge base. • Employees will be encouraged to improve service delivery through their creativity and problem solving.
  Objective Measures
  • Percentage of employees at contributor or above in annual performance review
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Measure Baseline Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Baseline Description: 100% of regional office and rehab center employees received a rating of contributor or higher in 2009

    Measure Target Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 100% of regional office and rehab center employees receive a rating of contributor or higher.

    Data Source and Calculation: Providing consistent administrative support to our staff to ensure their success directly contributes to the agency’s success in meeting its mission. Implementation of sound business practices and efficient agency operations ensures effective administration of agency programs.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Historically, lack of consistent funding for maintenance of the department’s state buildings contributed to the degradation of capital assets. Some issues are currently being addressed through the State's mandate to upgrade inefficient systems which should result in reduced energy usage.
  
  • VITA now provides systems engineering and network services to DBVI through DRS. Changes driven by
  VITA transformation activities may change DRS’ ability to serve external agency and internal information
  technology customers. Changes in standards to network architecture may delay, negatively impact, or
  complicate DRS’ ability to communicate with its external customers and/or partners. The Infrastructure Public
  – Private Education Act (IPPEA) will establish new standards.
  
  •VITA as an entity is taking an active role and responsibility for creating requirements, directives, standards,
  policies, and guidelines which impact the agency in an effort to promote consistency in technology across the
  Commonwealth. VITA may not have the resources or the agency specific knowledge to consistently address
  agency IT requirements. This may cause delays in services and temporary cost increases.
  
  •The rapid pace of advances in technology strains the department’s capacity to keep current and up-to-date in
  providing DBVI staff with IT work tools, support and training.
  
  •A comprehensive, Integrated Case Management (ICM) automated system is currently in development.
  Successful implementation in 2008 will provide a single management tool with positive impacts on most
  agency programs and services. There are identified risks to successful implementation on time and on budget.
  
  •The Enterprise Application Public-Private Education Act (EPPEA) will impact the agency with regard to new
  Commonwealth – Enterprise wide applications in Financial and Human Resources. VITA, and the Secretaries
  of Administration and Finance play a major role in this area.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  [Nothing entered]
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • General Management services includes direction and leadership to all agency programs and services; adoption of regulations for administration of agency programs; implementation of internal controls to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and state policies; coordination of the agency’s legislative activities and monitoring of legislation before Congress and the Virginia General Assembly and development of legislative impact statements on proposals with potential impact on services to blind citizens; administrative and staff support to the Board for the Blind and Vision Impaired; and real estate management.
  • Capital Budget Development - The department partners, via a cooperative agreement, with the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services' Office of Architectural & Engineering Services for technical services in capital outlay and non-capital outlay design and construction services to include, budget development, technical assistance in building maintenance, procurement and award of architectural and engineering and construction contracts, and construction contract administration.
  • Buildings and Grounds Maintenance - Department staff maintains the buildings on the Azalea Avenue campus including building repair, janitorial, security, HVAC service and grounds keeping.
  • The department obtains the following administrative support services from the Department of Rehabilitation Services via a cooperative agreement: information systems support (VITA); human resources management; fiscal management; comprehensive purchasing and procurement services; transportation management of state pool cars; and ,internal audit services by request. The agency is currently renegotiating with the Department of rehabilitative Services the Cooperative Agreement for services to bring costs in line with services provided.

• To ensure that resources are used efficiently and programs are managed effectively, and in a manner consistent with applicable state and federal requirements
  Objective Description
  This objective corresponds with the goals of the Virginia Excels management scorecard.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To provide for effective performance of DBVI personnel to ensure sound business practices and agency operations.
  Objective Strategies
  • Consistent executive level monitoring of performance on scorecard items Implementation of performance measures for staff whose responsibilities include scorecard items. Periodic reports to staff on agency performance on Scorecard items Corrective action plans to address Scorecard performance deficiencies.
  Objective Measures
  • Percent of Governor's Management scorecard categories marked as meets expectations for the agency.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Quarterly

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    66.7

    Date:

    Measure Baseline Description: The 2007 score of 66.7%

    Measure Target Value:

    88.3

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: 88.3% by FY 2008, 100% by FY 2010

    Data Source and Calculation: The Management Scorecard grades agencies on six criteria. Take the number of cases where your agency scored "Meets Expectations" and divide by six. For example, if your agency "Meets Expectation" in four cases, and "Needs Improvement" in two, divide four by six, to receive a score of 67.7%. This number will serve as your agency's baseline as we head into the new biennium.

• We will be prepared to act in the interest of the citizens of the Commonwealth and its infrastructure during emergency situations by actively planning and training both as an agency and as individuals.
  Objective Description
  To ensure that resources are used efficiently and programs are managed effectively, and in a manner consistent with applicable state and federal requirements.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: We will strengthen the culture of preparedness across state agencies, their employees and customers.
  • Agency Goal: We will strengthen the culture of preparedness across state agencies, their employees and customers.
  Objective Strategies
  • The agency will determine preparedness enhancements needed at the agency level from federal and state guidance and from comparison of current capability and then distribute funding to meet target increases.
  Objective Measures
  • Percent of administrative measures marked as "meets expectations" (green indicator) for the agency
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Frequency Comment: Annual - Agencies are required to publish results for their administrative measures on Virginia Performs after the end of each fiscal year. The specific deadline for publishing results will be posted in the Leadership Communiqué.

    Measure Baseline Value:

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Baseline Description: The FY 2009 score of the agency

    Measure Target Value:

    75

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: The FY 2010 score of the agency

    Data Source and Calculation: Data Source: There are currently 13 administrative measures organized into five categories. Each measure has a different data source. Agencies should refer to the administrative measures data source information table to locate the data source for each measure. The table is located in Virginia Performs / Agency Planning and Performance / Administrative Measures. Calculation: Agencies select the appropriate colored indicator (green, yellow, red) for each measure, depending on results. A gray indicator is used for measures where data are unavailable. The agency administration measure is the percent of the administrative measures that have a green indicator (meets expectations). Exclude items with a gray indicator from the calculation

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Availability of federal contracts awarded under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day ACT (JWOD).
  • The Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act will allow state colleges and universities more freedom in procurement procedures likely impacting VIB sales and jobs.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Product areas are forecasted to remain stable or increase depending on state and federal needs.
  • Service areas are highly dependent on new opportunities, primarily federal and are forecasted to increase,
  depending on need.
  • Federal supply stores have been increasing and are forecasted to continue to increase at least
  through fiscal year 08.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Gloves -VIB sells gloves for medical, lab, food handling or housekeeping requirements. Latex exam gloves are available lightly powdered or powder free. Those who may have an allergic reaction to the natural rubber of latex VIB offers vinyl or Nitrile synthetic gloves.
  • -VIB sells many types of mattresses, all of which offer excellent flame resistance and will not support combustion or smolder. All mattresses also come in a variety of sizes depending on customer requirements and can often be renovated many times improving the expected life of the mattress. The first general style of mattress available incorporates an innerspring for support, and is typically used in college residence halls. The second style mattress utilizes a boric acid treated cotton felt filler or densified polyester fiber for support and is generally used in high-risk institutions and correctional facilities. The third style of mattress has a cellular foam or polyurethane foam core and are used in healthcare applications, high-risk institutions and correctional facilities. Within each style of mattress there are size choices, outer covering choices, as well as various layers of cushioning to choose from.
  • Mop Heads -VIB sells mop heads that come in four sizes, 12, 16, 20, and 24 Ounce. All mop heads are manufactured using a 4-ply cotton or cotton blended yarn for superior wear, absorbency and performance or other yarn types if specified by the customer.
  • Pillows -VIB sells a variety of standard size pillows with custom features upon request. All pillows manufactured by VIB have been tested to the Flame Resistance test, TB 604 and meet the testing standard requirements. VIB produced pillows use polyester, boric acid treated felt or shredded neoprene for filling materials. Polyester fill pillows are also available in a low-cost disposable variety. All pillows (except disposable pillows) are covered in an anti-bacterial , anti-fungal, stain and tear resistant materials.
  • Spices -Twenty-eight spices and seasonings are packaged in one pound jars.
  • Tea -Pure instant tea is packaged in hermetically sealed packets.
  • Writing Instruments -152 Writing Instruments are assembled and distributed including, erasable stick pens, retractable pens, highlighters, Clam Clip Fastening System, Dry Board markers, dry board fluid and erasers, GEL retractable pens, rubber gripped pens, mechanical pencils, Markers, Highlighters, Rollerballs, Retractables, Stick Pens, Correction Pen and new offerings based upon requests and comments from our customers. Customized imprinting and gift boxed pens are available for special occasions.
  • Service contracts - VIB provides a variety of services to the Federal and State government as well as private sector companies through service contracts. These services include switchboard operation, retail store operation, debt collection and postal services.
  • Federal Supply Stores -VIB currently operates nine (9) office supply stores on military bases and federal administration locations. Stores are located at Forts Lee and Eustis, Hoffman, Jefferson Plaza, Langley AFB, N.A.S Oceana, Pentagon, Presidential Towers, and Rosslyn.
  • Mop Handles - VIB assembles two types of mop handles, fiberglass or wood handle.
  • Mail Handling Service - VIB operates a full service mail handling service.

• Increase employment opportunities for legally blind candidates.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: To enhance the economic independence and potential advancement of blind job seekers through competitive employment.
    Comment: ( By assisting blind citizens to obtain employment in their communities at competitive wages they will improve their economic independence. This contributes to the available work force in Virginia and promotes economic growth.)
  Objective Strategies
  • o Continue to improve manufacturing methods to provide adaptation as necessary to permit offering opportunities to visually impaired candidates. • Continue to market the federal supply stores to increase employment opportunities. • Work with the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) to seek service opportunities within the Commonwealth.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of blind individuals employed by VIB
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    99

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Baseline Description: 99 June 30, 2009

    Measure Target Value:

    110

    Date:

    6/30/2012

    Measure Target Description: 110 by June 30, 2012

    Data Source and Calculation: VIB Staffing Report