General Information
New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (A Division of the State Dept. of Human Services)
153 Halsey Street, 6th Floor
P.O. Box 47017
Newark,
NJ 07102
(973) 648 3333
askcbvi@dhs.nj.gov
https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/cbvi/home/index.html
Brief Description
CBVI services and programs are available to all blind or vision-impaired impaired NJ residents without regard to other disabling condition, gender, age, race, nationality, or religious and sexual orientation. A person may be eligible for services if he or she is experiencing a vision impairment that is affecting his or her daily life activities.
CBVI was created in 1910 by the State Legislature.
Staff
Bernice Davis, Executive Director, bernice.davis@dhs.state.nj.us, 973 648 3160
Ines Matos, Chief, Organizational Logisitics, ines.matos@dhs.state.nj.us, 973 648 7676
Edward Szajdecki, Chief, Fiscal Services, edward.szajdecki@dhs.state.nj.us, 973 648 2396
Elizabeth DeShields, Coordinator, Independent Living Services / Project B.E.S.T., elizabeth.deshields@dhs.state.nj.us, 862 754 5406
Amanda Gerson, Coordinator of Vocational Rehabilitation and Transition Services, amanda.gerson@dhs.state.nj.us, 973 648 3660
Eva Scott, Director of Educational Services, eva.scott@dhs.state.nj.us, 973 648 4300
Services Offered
- Counseling
- Provides adjustment to vision loss and vocational counseling.
- Employment/Job Training
- The goal of this program area is to enable people people who are blind or vision-impaired to develop, acquire or update skills that will help them secure and maintain competitive and integrated employment. This may include obtaining jobs in a wide array of career fields like law, education, business, technology, as well as self-employment and other occupations. Services may include: Vocational evaluation, counseling, training; job placement; post-employment services; college counseling/support; vending facility and business enterprise program; marketing of home-crafted products; high school transitional services; special services for people who are deaf-blind; and training at the Joseph Kohn Training Center in New Brunswick.
- Daily Living Skills/Independent Living Skills Training
- The goal of this program is to enable persons who are blind or visually impaired to lead a full and productive life and to assist them in adjusting to their vision loss. Services include: In-hom instruction in daily living skills; instruction for independent travel and orientation to the home community, work or school environment; child care training; instruction in communication methods; and referral to community resources.
- Computer Training/Assistive Technology
- Assessment and instruction in assistive technology (AT) are provided by Technology Services Specialists. The Technology Services Specialists also perform evaluations of potential employer’s information systems to determine compatibility with current AT technology and provide assistance in adapting these systems to meet the needs of vision-impaired consumers.
- Low Vision Services
- Provides low vision evaluation and follow-up. Prescribes and supplies low vision devices.
- Community Outreach Programs
- Provides in-service training and participates in community education events.
- Travel/Orientation and Mobility
- Provides orientation and mobility training.
- Health
- The goal of Project BEST (Better Eye-Health Services and Treatment) is to save sight and restore vision whenever it is medically possible. CBVI conducts and sponsors a variety of educational programs and eye health screening throughout the state to detect vision problems. Services may include: Mobile eye examination units; vision screening for preschool and schoolage children; eye health nursing; on-site screening at institutions and in communities on invitation; special diabetic outreach program; and other specialized eye screening programs which target historically underserved populations (i.e. minorities, the elderly, migrant farmworkers, etc.)