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Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

General Information

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
201 North Washington Square, 2nd Floor
Lansing, MI 48933
517-241-1100
gastond@michigan.gov
https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_28313---,00.html

Brief Description

The Bureau of Services for Blind Persons provides training and services to help people who are blind or visually impaired to reach their full potential and achieve their goals for independence and/or competitive integrated employment.

Services Offered

  • Counseling
    • Offers counseling, guidance, and referral services.

  • Professional Training
    • Offers presentations to interested groups.

  • Recreation Services
    • Provides orientation to adaptive leisure activities and referrals to other organizations.

  • Daily Living Skills/Independent Living Skills Training
    • Provides training in personal management, braille reading/writing, home mechanics, adaptive kitchen skills, low vision, electronic and computerized communication devices, college preparatory, job-seeking skills.

  • Computer Training/Assistive Technology
    • Provides computer training.

  • Low Vision Services
    • Provides low vision evaluation and follow-up. Provides some low vision devices.

  • Assessment
    • Provides visual assessment.

  • Consultation/Technical Program Assistance
    • Provides consultation/technical assistance to businesses with blind or visually impaired employees, including job analysis, technical assistance and equipment, on-the-job evaluation and training, orientation, job coaching, and follow-up

  • Information and Referral
    • Provides information and referral services.

  • Community Outreach Programs
    • Does outreach to people who are potential BSBP consumers, to people who provide services to potential BSBP consumers and the general public.

  • Travel/Orientation and Mobility
    • Provides orientation and mobility training.

  • Braille and Reading Instruction
    • Offers instruction in braille.

  • Employment/Job Training
    • Offers evaluation, pre-vocational and vocational training, vocational placement, and follow-up service, as well as Business Services for employers.

  • Assistive Products
    • Provides some adaptive devices based on individual need and staff recommendation.

  • Braille and Reading Instruction
    • Training in reading and writing Braille

  • Library Services
    • BSBP Braille and Talking Book Library provides audio and Braille publications to individuals who are certified by a professional (such as a physician) as having a disability that prevents them from reading typical books (due to vision loss, inability to hold a book and turn the pages, etc.)