[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] Tonight at 7:00PM. Calling All Ohio affiliate members, Chapter and Division Presidents, Columbus and Washington Leaders

[smturner.234 at gmail.com]

Dear Leaders,

 

Last night President Payne and I was invited to a meeting by the Advocacy
and Policy Department at the Jernigan Institute. We are at a crucial time,
and I am sharing what was provided.

 

President Riccobono, and John Pare explained the RIF at the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office for
Civil Rights (OCR) will Decimate In-State Services for People with
Disabilities.

 

So, they are asking that Ohio send two members to speak to Senator, Husted
and Senator, Moreno. David Perry and Chris Sabine have accepted the charge.
They will be traveling soon.

 

Now, what can the Ohio Affiliate do in this regard?

 

We have been asked to schedule virtual or in-person local meetings with our
Congressional leaders by November 4th urging them not to dismantle these
programs. Because these legislative contacts are of the essence, we need
Chapter and Division President; along with those who attended the Columbus
and Washington Seminars to step up.

 

Tonight, Monday, October 27, 2025, we will hold a meeting to discuss the how
and when. We will meet in the zoom room at 7:00PM. EST. 

 

Read the factsheet below. If this pass, special education vocational rehab
and other programs that we rely on will be gone.

 

How this will impact us, by:

*	Disrupting funding and eliminating meaningful practices and
institutional knowledge for special education and related services for
children with disabilities, including funding for teachers, speech
therapists, psychologists, and other support personnel. 
*	Disrupting funding and eliminating meaningful practices and
institutional knowledge for preschool programs for children with
disabilities. 
*	Disrupting funding for competitive grants for training, technical
assistance, and technology to improve services for students with
disabilities. 

 

The RIF will Decimate Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Programs in Every State by:

*	Disrupting federal match funding and eliminating meaningful
practices and institutional knowledge for state vocational rehabilitation
programs, making these programs unsustainable, which will in turn mean that:

*	American adults with disabilities will not be able to receive
employment training.
*	American youth with disabilities will not be able to receive
transition to employment or transition to college training. 
*	Employers will be unable to seek assistance in finding qualified
disabled employees.
*	State-level employees who administer these programs will be
furloughed or lose their jobs entirely. 

*	Disrupting funding and eliminating meaningful practices and
institutional knowledge for the Independent Living Services for Older
Individuals who are Blind program will mean that older blind Americans may
be forced into nursing homes.

 

The RIF will Decimate the Randolph-Sheppard Program, Affecting the
Employment of Blind Entrepreneurs in Nearly Every State, by:

*	Eliminating positions critical to approving requests that allow
states to purchase needed equipment for Randolph-Sheppard Program vendors. 
*	Eliminating positions critical to approving changes in state rules,
policies, or programs concerning the implementation of Randolph-Sheppard in
states. 
*	Eliminating technical assistance programs for state licensing
agencies or elected committees.
*	Eliminating positions critical to processing state arbitration
complaints.
*	Eliminating positions that could help with agency issues, which will
in turn lead to more arbitration cases.
*	Eliminating positions that would help modernize the program. 

 

The RIF will Decimate Office for Civil Rights Enforcement of Disability
Rights Laws in Every State by:

*	Discontinuing operations at twelve field offices across the country
which employ hundreds of people who process over twenty thousand complaints
each year. 
*	Severely reducing the capacity to investigate and enforce the
requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which
prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in federally funded
educational institutions, including requiring effective communication, the
provision of Braille, large print, and audio, and reasonable accommodations
in K-12 and higher education. 
*	Severely reducing the capacity to investigate and enforce Title II
of the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, which prohibit
discrimination on the basis of disability in state and local educational and
other programs, including effective communication, the provision of Braille,
large print, and audio, and reasonable accommodations. 

 

Reduction or elimination of the services provided by any of these programs
will be catastrophic to the blind across the country. 

 

Below are a few testimonies from real blind Americans who have greatly
benefitted from each of the above programs. 

 

"I attended public school in Durant, Iowa - a very rural school district. I
was incredibly blessed to begin learning Braille and how to use accessible
technology tools to access a computer at a young age. As a result of my
terrific elementary school education, I thrived in high school and was able
to go to college, where I earned dual degrees in English and Theatre. I am
now employed and can proudly share that I pay both federal and FICA taxes."
- Elizabeth, from Durant, Iowa 

 

"I was able to go to a training center in Ruston, Louisiana, where I learned
independent living skills and how to be a productive citizen. Because of my
training, I have been a small business owner in the tech sector for more
than thirty years." - Karl, a blind business owner in Taylorsville, Utah

 

"For twenty-one years, I have owned and operated a successful dining food
facility and housekeeping service at the US Coast Guard Aviation Training
Center because of the Randolph-Sheppard program. My business helps employ
twenty employees while providing our Coast Guard personnel with the food and
accommodations they need to defend our nation." - Barbara, a blind business
owner in Mobile, Alabama

 

Ensure that these critical programs for Americans with disabilities in all
fifty states will be able to operate by rescinding the reduction in force at
the Department of Education!

 

 

Suzanne M. Hartfield Turner

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, Vice President

Ohio Legislative Director

Cleveland Chapter, President

 

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

 

P: (216) 990-6199

W: NFBOhio.ORG

Facebook:  <https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/>
https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/

 

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