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Nebraska Commission for the Blind asks Legislature for $300,000 a year to expand deaf‑blind support service pilot, flags wage shortfall
Summary
The Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired told the Appropriations Committee it needs $300,000 annually to expand a successful Omaha pilot of Support Service Providers for deaf‑blind Nebraskans and asked for help filling a separate budget gap tied to recent NAEP wage increases.
Carlos Cervan, executive director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, told the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee that the agency is seeking $300,000 per year to expand a Support Service Provider (SSP) program for people with both severe hearing and vision loss and that recent state wage negotiations have created an additional shortfall for the agency’s general fund budget.
The SSP program assists people who are deaf‑blind by providing human guides, environmental and situational information, and interpretation services that help participants manage daily tasks, access medical care and participate in community life, Cervan said. The commission ran a pilot in Omaha in 2024 that reached capacity for 15 participants, delivering more than 800…
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