[Blindvet-talk] New Program for Veteran's at Guide Dogs of the Desert

[Emily Goodland]

Attention Veterans with visual impairments and individuals/agencies that serve them:
 
My name is Emily Goodland, I am an Orientation and Mobility Specialist at Guide Dogs of the Desert in Palm Springs California, and I would like to announce our new program.  
 
Guide Dogs of the Desert would like to help serve our injured veterans who have experienced vision loss. For over 35 years, we have provided services directly related to guide dogs to the general blind community.  We train and match up guide dogs with the vision impaired to improve dramatically the human handler’s safety and independence as he/she moves back into the mainstream of society. Last year, we expanded our program to include Mobility Instruction and Independent Living Skills, offered both in our residential environment as well as in the client's own locale. 
 
We have two phases to our classes: Core Skills and Guide Dog Handling. The Core Skills include using a white cane within one’s home, neighborhood and workplace, as well as basic daily living skills like cooking, laundry, computer skills, and managing currency. This phase is custom designed for each student’s skill level but usually lasts from 4 - 8 weeks. The Guide Dog Handling includes everything the student will need to care for, bond with and safely work with their assigned guide dog. This phase takes between 4 weeks to complete. Both phases of training are available in residency on our campus or in some cases even in the student’s home environment. All classes are kept small to ensure the highest quality of training.  Classes have a maximum of six students.
 
All training is free to every student.  This includes the provision of the guide dog, accommodation in residence, all meals, and in cases of need, travel to and from our school.  Students may maintain their relationship and status with any other agency. We strive to augment the services that veterans receive without placing any financial burden on the veteran or society.
 
Because of the significant increase of veterans returning from the Gulf Wars with vision loss, we have decided to reserve an entire guide dog class cycle per year strictly for veterans, to be trained by licensed instructors who are also veterans. 
 
We would like to invite veterans who might benefit from our services or individuals and agencies that serve veterans with visual impairments who use your services also to benefit from our services.  Our invitation can take several forms: veterans can contact us directly; referrals from your agency to us; a representative of our agency presenting to a group at your agency; dissemination of brochures and other information.  
 
Our next guide dog handling class begins March 9th.  We have veterans from World War II and the Vietnam War, and would like to find veterans from the current wars.
 
Our Orientation and Mobility and Life Skills training courses are ongoing.
 
Please contact me for more information or to apply to our program at 
personal email: egoodland at hotmail.com, 
work email: egoodland at gddca.org, 
or work phone: 760-329-6257
 
We look forward to working with you to meet the needs of veterans with visual impairments.
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