Welcome to the Department of Rehabilitation - Employment, Independence, & Equality

NOT USED BY DOR

Services For The Blind & Visually Impaired

DOR's Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services for blind and visually impaired consumers include:

  • Adjustment to blindness
  • Preparation for work
  • Assistive technology
  • Reader services
  • Occupational training
  • Job placement
  • On the job follow up

Please read the Blind Field Services Brochure in Rich Text ( ... or MS Word) for more information.

DOR operates the:

Although all DOR offices assist all consumers, some of our offices have counselors for the blind. A "(B)" included in an address for our local DOR office listings designates it as a "home" office of counselors for the blind.

Rehabilitation Counselors for the Blind work with individuals who are blind or visually impaired to find educational and employment opportunities and to help them get a job. Youth transition services include a variety of pre-employment and career planning workshops, volunteer and work experiences, and more. Please read the Transition Program brochure in Rich Text ( ... or MS Word) for more information.

Counselor Teachers advise and teach adult blind persons in or near their homes to help them find ways of coping with problems presented by their blindness. They provide a variety of services which include:

  • Daily living skills
  • Home management
  • Orientation and mobility
  • Communication skills
  • Business methods
  • Counseling (personal and/or vocational); and, special services, if needed.

Reader Services

The Reader Service is a special program designated by the Legislature to provide reading services for visually impaired college students that do not qualify as Department consumers. It is a small program supporting approximately 75 to 100 students annually. The service is provided by the rehabilitation specialists for visually impaired. To get more information, contact the DOR district office nearest you.

Orientation Center for the Blind (OCB)

OCB, located in Albany, CA, is a residential rehabilitation center dedicated to independent living for people with severe vision impairments. Adult students attend classes from 8:00 - 3:00, Monday through Friday and reside in a seven-day dorm during the time of their training.

The OCB curriculum addresses the acquisition of new skills such as adjustment to new vision disabilities, adaptive skills, and immersion in an atmosphere that is respectful of and knowledgeable about the abilities of blind and visually impaired people. The decision to apply to the Center occurs between a consumer and his or her counselor.

Training averages 7 - 9 months. Classes include:

  • Cooking
  • Daily living skills
  • Braille
  • Computer access
  • Personal business methods
  • Vocational skills readiness
  • Wood shop
  • Blindness "Philosophy"
  • Independent travel (called Orientation and Mobility)

To contact OCB send an e-mail to ocbinfo@dor.ca.gov.

The Visionary

Recently, DOR began publishing The Visionary, a quarterly newsletter describing the activities of DOR's Blind Services units. Below are links to the most recent editions.

Learn how to apply for DOR services

Find the DOR office nearest you

To ask a question about Blind Services, e-mail them at blindinfo@dor.ca.gov