Pilot support-service program helps Vermonters who are deafblind access community; funding runs out this year

A two-year pilot Support Service Program (SSP) that provides specially trained guides to help Vermonters who are deafblind run errands, attend appointments and access social activities is serving about 25 people regularly but faces a funding cliff at the end of 2025, Department staff told the House Human Services Committee.

Fred Jones, a program lead with the division handling the pilot, said the model pairs a trained SSP with a person who has both vision and hearing loss to provide environmental information and guided navigation that neither assistive technology nor a sign-language interpreter alone can provide. "This allows somebody to get out, interact with their community, get information they need," Jones said. He added, "this is changing my life. I now can access things that I never thought I'd be able to do before."

SSP providers use specially taught guidance techniques — for example, a person holds a guide's elbow and follows a half-step behind — and provide descriptive, non-interpretive information about an environment, such as the number and type of booths at a farmers market or the presence of dogs. Angela Smith Jang, another agency staff member, said the program addresses social isolation and the attendant health effects for people with dual sensory loss. "We're really grateful that we have the federal funding to be able to pilot this service," she said.

Why it matters: program design and scale

Program staff described SSP as distinct from ASL interpretation; SSPs provide environmental description and mobility guidance rather than word-for-word language interpretation. The pilot was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic using federal public-health workforce funds administered through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and run by DAIL after a competitive procurement. The two-year pilot contract totaled $120,000 and the provider reported serving roughly 25 people on an ongoing basis with an active waiting list. The program reported that, to maintain meaningful monthly hours for each participant and to train SSPs, a sustainable budget would be about $165,000 per year to provide roughly 25 hours per month to each of 25 clients.

Current funding and options discussed

Committee members and agency staff said the original pilot (two years, $120,000) was followed by a mix of one-time and temporary funds for federal fiscal year 2025: $50,000 from the Statewide Independent Living Council and $80,000 from one‑time ARPA FMAP federal funds, with an additional $35,000 FMAP extension that agency staff said would extend services through December 2025. Jones said the extension covers the program through December but does not create a permanent appropriation.

Staff told the committee they are exploring several short- and medium-term options if permanent state funding is not added: asking the Statewide Independent Living Council for another one-time allocation, opening a small number of eligible participants to existing independent-living caseloads at the Division for the Blind (which staff said would probably support only a handful of people and not serve as a long-term solution), and pursuing philanthropic grants such as through the Vermont Community Foundation. Committee members also suggested outreach to health systems (including the University of Vermont Health Network) and to older‑adult funders (Age Well) to document preventive health and access benefits that might attract additional investment.

No formal action or appropriation was taken during the meeting. Committee members urged agency staff to pursue short-term bridging funds and to lay out options for FY 26 budget adjustment or for inclusion in future budget cycles. Staff said they will follow up with additional outreach and documentation of outcomes.

Numbers and clarifying details discussed

The pilot contract: $120,000 over two years. Reported regular participants: about 25 people. Program's sustainable annual budget estimate: roughly $165,000 to provide ~25 hours per month to 25 participants, plus training and core costs. Interim funding for federal fiscal year 2025: $50,000 (Statewide Independent Living Council) + $80,000 (one-time ARPA FMAP) + $35,000 FMAP extension through December 2025. Waiting list: staff reported there is a waiting list but did not give a precise count.

What the committee asked staff to do

Committee members asked agency staff to: document outcomes and invoices to show hours and services delivered; pursue bridge funding for the January–June 2026 gap; contact the Statewide Independent Living Council and philanthropic partners; and explore whether health‑system prevention/cost-avoidance arguments might produce investment. Staff agreed to follow up and said they would provide stories and monthly invoicing as evidence of demand and impact.

Background and next steps

Staff described SSP as a national model used in many states for people with dual sensory loss. Committee members emphasized the program's small scale but high impact for participants and recommended that staff seek short‑term funds to avoid losing trained SSPs. No committee motion, appropriation or binding decision was taken during the hearing; the remarks recorded were part of committee questioning and staff briefing. Agency staff said they will return with fiscal options and follow-up outreach plans.