[NFBMT] Missoulian

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

Maintain services for blind Montanans  

 

   Missoulian mailbag 

 

Montana's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services is in
crisis.

 

Since March 2017, no new services have been offered due to budget
constraints. Clients with open cases are still receiving services, but new
clients are put on a two-year waiting list in the hopes that when a category
for which they are eligible for services opens up, they will be first to
receive them. In the meantime, they must put their educational and vocational
plans on hold. The National Federation of the Blind of Montana thinks this is
unreasonable.

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Montana acknowledges that in order to
deal with this budget crisis, changes will need to be made. However, we feel
that the current and proposed budget cuts target the elderly and disabled,
including the blind, disproportionately.

 

We strongly urge Gov. Steve Bullock and our state legislators to find other
ways to balance the budget that do no harm to the blind, elderly and
disabled, and to maintain and preserve the quality of services for the blind
of Montana, so that we can continue to be contributing, taxpaying citizens of
our state and nation, and live the lives we want.

 

Joy Breslauer, President,

National Federation of the Blind of Montana,

 

Great Falls