Idaho Commission for the Blind outlines programs, warns majority of funding is federal

Representatives of the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ICBVI) briefed the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on the agency’s programs and funding, saying the commission serves people across Idaho with rehabilitation, independent‑living training and transition services and that the agency relies primarily on federal grants.

"Our mission is to empower people with disabilities who are blind or visually impaired by providing vocational rehabilitation, skills training, and educational opportunities to achieve self fulfillment through quality employment and independent living," said Beth Cunningham, ICBVI administrator. Cunningham and Steve Ochabal, the commission’s independent living program coordinator, gave an overview of services, staffing and funding.

Cunningham said the commission provides vocational rehabilitation services designed to help individuals who are blind or visually impaired maintain or obtain competitive employment; school‑to‑work transition services for students ages 14–21; and residential training at the commission’s Assessment and Training Center in Boise, where clients may attend 10–12 week sessions for instruction in orientation and mobility, activities of daily living, braille and assistive technology. The commission also operates summer youth programs (work readiness camp, College Days and VIEW), and a business enterprise program authorized by federal law that permits blind vendors to operate vending and food services on public properties.

Student and participant testimony was included in the presentation. Carter Ray, a college‑bound participant, said College Days "opens up your mind to how much you think you can do compared to how much you actually can do." Bailey Weir, a rehabilitation instructor, described the VIEW program as combining job‑readiness with independent‑living skills and said local business partnerships create hiring pathways.

Cunningham provided a funding snapshot: the commission receives roughly 80% of its funding from federal grants, receives approximately $1.8 million in the state general fund, and has about $6.27 million in total funding (figures stated in committee testimony). She told the committee losing federal funds would have a "huge impact," noting the commission served approximately 2,000 people across multiple programs in the last fiscal year. Steve Ochabal described independent living programs that served people across age groups and said the commission’s site restoration service — a state‑funded program with a $5,000 lifetime cap per individual — helps clients obtain procedures such as cataract surgery or glaucoma‑related stents when financial resources are insufficient.

Cunningham and Ochabal also described low‑vision clinical services provided in Boise (including regular clinic days by Dr. Dwight Hansen) and periodic regional clinics in Lewiston and Twin Falls. The commission operates retail stores in its offices statewide selling assistive devices and low‑vision aids.

Committee members asked how the commission’s funding relates to the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and whether federal uncertainty could affect services. Cunningham said ICBVI receives its federal rehabilitation grant directly (roughly 14% of the total grant award), separate from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and that a loss of federal funds would significantly reduce services. The commission asked no specific state appropriation in the committee presentation; lawmakers were given information on program scope and funding composition for budget considerations.

The committee did not take formal action on the presentation.