State services for people who are blind or have low vision

At a glance

Who's eligible: Vision loss that gets in the way of work or daily life. You do not need to be legally blind. The main program, vocational rehabilitation, is for people preparing for, keeping or returning to work, including students. Most agencies also run independent-living and children's programs.

What it costs: Usually nothing. Services are funded by federal and state money. When a state can't serve everyone at once it uses an "order of selection," so apply early even if your vision is still good.

What to have ready: A recent eye exam report. Your ophthalmologist or optometrist can send the vision records the agency asks for. Bring any genetic test result too; it isn't required.

How long it takes: A decision within 60 days, a plan within 90. Federal rules give agencies 60 days to decide eligibility after you apply and 90 days after that to write your plan with you, unless you both agree to more time.

Find your state agency

Fifty states and the District of Columbia. Search by state, or narrow by region.

Checked October 2026

Alabama

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. VR services, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living. Phone (334) 293-7500. Toll-free (800) 441-7607

Alaska

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, independent living skills. Phone (907) 465-2814. Toll-free (800) 478-2815

Arizona

Rehabilitation Services Administration, Arizona Department of Economic Security. VR services, assistive technology assessment, job training, transition services. Toll-free (800) 563-1221

Arkansas

Division of Services for the Blind, Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. Adjustment to blindness training, assistive technology, VR, independent living. Phone (501) 682-5463. Toll-free (800) 960-9270

California

California Department of Rehabilitation. VR services, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, transition. Phone (916) 324-1313

Colorado

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, adjustment counseling. Phone (303) 318-8571

Connecticut

Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind, Connecticut Aging and Disability Services. VR, assistive technology, children's services, senior services, business enterprise. Phone (860) 602-4000. Toll-free (800) 842-4510

Delaware

Division for the Visually Impaired. VR, independent living, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, education services. Phone (302) 255-9800

District of Columbia

Department on Disability Services — Rehabilitation Services Administration. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, independent living. Phone (202) 730-1700

Florida

Division of Blind Services, Florida Department of Education. VR, transition services, assistive technology, independent living, children's program. Phone (850) 245-0300. Toll-free (800) 342-1828

Georgia

Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, business enterprise program. Phone (844) 367-4872

Hawaii

Ho'opono Services for the Blind, Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Adjustment to blindness, assistive technology, VR, orientation & mobility. Phone (808) 586-5269

Idaho

Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. VR, assistive technology training, adjustment to blindness, independent living. Phone (208) 334-3220. Toll-free (800) 542-8688

Illinois

Bureau of Blind Services, Illinois Department of Human Services. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, business enterprise, independent living. Phone (217) 785-3887. Toll-free (800) 843-6154

Indiana

Blind and Visually Impaired Services, Indiana Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. VR services, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living. Toll-free (800) 545-7763

Iowa

Iowa Department for the Blind. Adjustment to blindness center, VR, assistive technology, independent living, library. Phone (515) 281-1333. Toll-free (800) 362-2587

Kansas

Services for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired, Kansas Rehabilitation Services. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living skills. Phone (785) 368-7143. Toll-free (866) 213-9079

Kentucky

Office for the Blind — Kentucky Career Center. VR, assistive technology, adjustment training, business enterprise, independent living. Phone (502) 564-4440. Toll-free (800) 346-2115

Louisiana

Louisiana Rehabilitation Services. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, transition services. Phone (225) 219-2225. Toll-free (800) 737-2958

Maine

Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, children's services. Phone (207) 623-7948. Toll-free (866) 328-4463

Maryland

Office for Blindness and Vision Services, Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, business enterprise, independent living. Phone (410) 554-9277. Toll-free (866) 614-4780

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, social services, turning 22 program. Phone (617) 727-5550. Toll-free (800) 392-6450

Michigan

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, business enterprise, transition. Phone (517) 241-1100. Toll-free (800) 292-4200

Minnesota

State Services for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, adjustment to blindness, communication center, senior services. Phone (651) 539-2300. Toll-free (800) 652-9000

Mississippi

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, transition. Phone (601) 853-5100. Toll-free (800) 443-1000

Missouri

Rehabilitation Services for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, business enterprise. Toll-free (800) 592-6004

Montana

Blind and Low Vision Services, Montana Disability Employment and Transitions Division. VR, assistive technology, job placement, independent living skills training. Phone (406) 444-2590. Toll-free (877) 296-1197

Nebraska

Nebraska Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired. VR, adjustment to blindness center, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, NFB Newsline. Phone (402) 471-2891. Toll-free (877) 809-2419

Nevada

Bureau of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired, Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, transition services; southern Nevada (702) 486-0277. Phone (775) 823-8143

New Hampshire

Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation — Services for Blind/VI. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, transition. Phone (603) 271-3471

New Jersey

Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, STEP program, education services. Phone (973) 648-3333. Toll-free (877) 685-8878

New Mexico

New Mexico Commission for the Blind. VR, adjustment to blindness, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, business enterprise. Phone (505) 476-4479. Toll-free (888) 513-7968

New York

New York State Commission for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, children's services, independent living. Toll-free (866) 871-3000

North Carolina

Division of Services for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, business enterprise. Phone (919) 527-6700. Toll-free (866) 222-1546

North Dakota

Vocational Rehabilitation — Dept of Health and Human Services. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, independent living. Phone (701) 328-8950. Toll-free (800) 755-2745

Ohio

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. VR, Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired, assistive technology, business enterprise. Phone (614) 438-1200. Toll-free (800) 282-4536

Oklahoma

Department of Rehabilitation Services — Visual Services. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, business enterprise. Phone (405) 951-3400. Toll-free (800) 845-8476

Oregon

Oregon Commission for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, business enterprise. Phone (971) 673-1588. Toll-free (888) 202-5463

Pennsylvania

Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, business enterprise. Phone (717) 787-5244. Toll-free (800) 442-6351

Rhode Island

Office of Rehabilitation Services — Services for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living skills. Phone (401) 421-7005

South Carolina

South Carolina Commission for the Blind. VR, adjustment to blindness, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, business enterprise. Phone (803) 898-8731. Toll-free (888) 335-5951

South Dakota

Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, adjustment training. Phone (605) 773-4644

Tennessee

Blind and Visually Impaired Services, Tennessee Department of Human Services. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, transition services. Toll-free (833) 772-8347

Texas

Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Texas Workforce Commission. VR, Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center, assistive technology, orientation & mobility. Toll-free (800) 628-5115

Utah

Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Utah State Office of Rehabilitation. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, transition. Phone (801) 323-4343. Toll-free (800) 284-1823

Vermont

Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, children's services. Toll-free (888) 405-5005

Virginia

Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired. VR, Virginia Rehabilitation Center, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, business enterprise. Phone (804) 371-3140. Toll-free (800) 622-2155

Washington

Department of Services for the Blind. VR, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, independent living, business enterprise. Toll-free (800) 552-7103

West Virginia

Division of Rehabilitation Services. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, independent living. Phone (304) 356-2060. Toll-free (800) 642-8207

Wisconsin

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, transition services. Phone (608) 261-0050. Toll-free (800) 442-3477

Wyoming

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. VR services, assistive technology, job placement, independent living. Phone (307) 777-7364

What happens after you apply

The steps are the same in every state. Two of the deadlines are set by federal rules, and your agency can only extend them with your agreement.

You apply

Day 1. By phone, online or in person. You're assigned a counselor who works with people with vision loss.

Eligibility decision

Within 60 days. The agency reviews your eye records. People already receiving SSI or SSDI are presumed eligible.

Assessment

Next. A look at your vision, skills and goals. It may include an assistive-technology assessment and an orientation and mobility screening.

Your written plan

Within 90 days. You and your counselor write an Individualized Plan for Employment, or an independent-living plan, that lists services, goals and timelines.

Services begin

Then. Training, equipment, travel instruction, counseling or job support, for as long as the plan runs.

Deadlines from federal vocational rehabilitation regulations (34 CFR 361.41 and 361.45). Independent-living and children's programs follow each state's own rules.

What these agencies can teach and provide

Not every state offers every item, and names differ. Ask your counselor which of these are in your plan.

Assistive technology training

Screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver), magnification software, braille displays and everyday devices. Equipment is often provided as part of your plan.

Orientation and mobility

White-cane travel, safe street crossing, public transit and route planning with a certified instructor.

Vocational rehabilitation

Job placement, résumé and interview help, workplace accommodations and employer education.

Independent living skills

Cooking, labeling, money management, organization and other daily tasks adapted for low vision.

Adjustment counseling

Support for adapting to vision loss, one to one or in a group, for you and sometimes for your family.

Business Enterprise Program

Training and support to run vending and food-service businesses in public buildings under the Randolph-Sheppard Act.

Transition services for students

Pre-employment skills, college planning, summer programs and mentoring with blind professionals, usually from your early teens through 21.

Equipment loans and financing

Many states lend devices for a trial period or offer low-interest loans for buying assistive technology.

About this directory. A Race Against Blindness is not affiliated with any state agency. Program names, eligibility and waiting periods change; the agency's own staff have the final word. This page is for education and is not legal or medical advice.

Sources

34 CFR 361.41 (eligibility decision within 60 days of application), 361.42 (eligibility; presumption for SSI and SSDI recipients; order of selection in 361.36), 361.45 (plan within 90 days of the eligibility decision).

Each agency's own website, checked on the date shown in the finder.