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We offer tools and training for employment and for helping seniors remain independent and active. As Minnesota’s accessible reading source we also transcribe books and other materials into alternative formats, including audio and braille. We assist Minnesotans who are blind, DeafBlind, losing vision, or who have another disability that makes it difficult to read print.

Governor Tim Walz has declared June 22, 2023, as 100 Years of Minnesota State Services for the Blind Day in the State of Minnesota!

If you’d like to apply for services, learn more, or have question you’ll find contact information for all of our offices on our contact page, or you can call our main office at 651-539-2300.

Updates

Join Our SSB Team

SSB has two openings for Vision Loss Rehabilitation Specialists to join our Senior Services team.

The job summary reads:

State Services for the Blind's Senior Services Unit provides low vision rehabilitation services for Minnesotan's who are55) years of age or older and in need of services that will help them adapt and adjust to vision loss. The consumers are individuals whose rehabilitation goal is independent living and not work related. Generally, consumers are in their seventies, eighties, nineties, and even hundreds. Each consumer receives an in-home assessment and then works with the incumbent to develop independent living rehabilitation goals.

The incumbent in this role will work with consumers through the rehabilitation process. If you are someone who enjoys working with a close-knit team but also enjoys providing individualized services, this would be a great opportunity for you. This position includes extensive regional travel to facilitate in-home services. This posting is to fill two vacancies one in the Twin Cities Metro area and one in Southeast Minnesota. The incumbent would be assigned a specific geographic territory.

The closing date for applications is October 5, 2023, and the posting ID is 69731. For full details visit the careers.mn.gov website.

SSB is hiring an account technician for the Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED’s) Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund. You can read more about this innovative fund on DEED's ERAF page.

This position supports the Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund (ERAF) Program Coordinator, manages administrative databases, financial records, and collects financial data. The person in this position will handle payment transactions, assist employers with registering in Statewide Integrated Financial Tools (SWIFT), process reimbursement requests, reconcile accounts, and track information for reporting. The role requires accuracy, collaboration, and an understanding of the SWIFT system.

The closing date for applying is October 2, 2023. The posting id number is 69577.

For all the details visit the careers.mn.gov website.

Evolve: VR, a Comprehensive Plan to Strengthen SSB

SSB has launched a multi-year initiative with the aim of better serving you, our customers. This ambitious systemic change initiative specifically focuses on our employment services, but we believe you will see positive, customer focused change across SSB. We call this plan Evolve: VR. We launched this initiative in the fall of 2022 and we will be regularly refining and revising the plan as we go in order to best capture both the scope and the specificity of this living road map.

Read our full plan.

Read the Latest Issue of The Spectacle

Our newsletter for students, families, and teachers. In this issue of "The Spectacle" you'll find lots of info on summer opportunities and lots of great tech tips as well.

SSB’s Online Senior Referral Form

State Services for the Blind is proud to work alongside ophthalmologists, optometrists, low vision specialists and other eyecare professionals to make sure that Minnesotans experiencing vision loss have all the tools and support they need in order to live life to its fullest. If you’re an eye care professional, you can use our secure online form to safely submit a referral. You can also download and print our referral form. Thanks to all of Minnesota’s eye care professionals for the invaluable work that you do!

Upcoming Events/News

College 101 Presentation Now Available

The recording of our November 2022 College 101 webinar is now available. In this presentation you’ll hear from current college students with their advice and recommendations for navigating college as a blind, DeafBlind, or visually impaired person. It’s a lively and informative listen with great tips from students who share from their own experience.

College 101 Presentation (use the password X^5SE&d+)

Help Guide the Work of State Services for the Blind

SSB is fortunate to be guided by the work of a dynamic council, the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind (SRC-B). Meeting six times during the year this council of consumers and advocates gives advice and recommendations on our services and programs. Each seat on the council is designated to represent a particular constituency. Currently there are several open positions as new terms begin. Learn about these open positions and submit an application by going to the Commissions and Appointments page of the Office of the Secretary of State.

Learn more about council membership by visiting the SRC-B website.

Video Makes the Case for Digital Accessibility

A video produced by Minnesota’s Office of Accessibility shows how universal design has made life easier for everyone. Making sure that documents, websites, and other digital content is accessible also benefits many of us. Included are some helpful tips and resources.

What Would I Do, if I Couldn’t See?

Lots of us ask that question from time to time. The simple answer is that with a few new skills, you’d be going about your everyday life. Three short videos showcase Minnesotans who are blind, losing vision, or DeafBlind, doing just that.

"How Could I do This Job If I Can't See" (audio described) shows Minnesotans using high tech and low tech solutions at work. It’s a nice introduction for hiring managers who might be wondering if an applicant who is blind, low vision, or DeafBlind could indeed be the best person for a job.

"How Can I do It If I Can't See It" (audio described) speaks to the experience of seniors who are wondering how to live well with vision loss.

"How Can I Read It If I Can't See It" (audio described) is for everyone who loves reading and worries that vision loss, or another disability, might take away their ability to read. This video demonstrates how our Communication Center has become "Minnesota’s Accessible Reading Source."

Latest Podcasts

Listen to our most recently released podcasts:

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