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Blind Rehabilitation Centers
The Department of Veterans Affairs strives for excellence in patient care and veteran's benefits for its constituents through high quality, prompt and seamless service to United States veterans.
Program Accomplishments
During fiscal year 2007, 2,118 veterans received the intensive inpatient rehabilitation program for severely disabled blind and visually impaired patients nationally at the 10 Blind Rehabilitation Centers. Blind Rehabilitation Service deployed the national BR v.5.0 database to enhance patient referral and streamline clinical data management; additional functionality enhancements are underway. Mechanisms for tracking OEF/OIF service personnel have been developed and deployed. Sixty-eight OEF/OIF veterans and active duty personnel have been provided intensive rehabilitation for severe disability in the centers; some patients have received multiple episodes of care, resulting in a total of 81 inpatient stays at the centers. Blind Rehabilitation Centers have developed and deployed new assessments and interventions for visual consequences of traumatic brain injury following a joint VHA/DoD conference providing current practices and innovative research ongoing in this area.
Uses and Use Restrictions
To assist in the rehabilitation of blinded veterans.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Any visually impaired or blind veteran who meets the following requirements: Must have enlisted in the armed forces before September 7, 1980.
Veterans who enlisted in the armed forces after September 7, 1980, or entered on active duty after October 16, 1981, must have 24 continuous months of active duty service or completed the full period of time for which the individual was called or ordered to active duty.
In either case the individual must have been discharged or released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable.
Must be enrolled in the VA health care system or have: A VA service-connected rating of 50 percent or greater, an adjudicated service-connected disability, or; been recently discharged from the military (within the past 12 months) for a disability the military determined was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
When approved, the VA and at the Department of Defense request, active duty personnel may be transferred to a Blind Center.
Beneficiary Eligibility
All blinded veterans.
Credentials/Documentation
Military discharge papers.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
None.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
Application may be made by completing a VA Form 10-10, "Application for Health Benefits." Applications may be made: (1) In person at any VA health care facility; (2) through any veterans organization's representative; (3) by mailing the 10-10 to the nearest VA health care facility or (4) contacting the Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Coordinator at a VA facility.
Award Procedures
VA ward physician determines, with recourse to Hospital Director.
Deadlines
None.
Authorization
38 U.S.C. 101(2), 1705, 1710, and 5303A.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Immediately.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Following admission, veterans are provided specialized inpatient rehabilitation in a VA Blind Rehabilitation Center plus any necessary medical or health related services. The time that a veteran spends in a Blind Rehabilitation Center is individual to each veteran. Normally the stay is three to five weeks, but will vary.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Not applicable.
Audits
Not applicable.
Records
Not applicable.
Financial Information
Account Identification
36-0160-0-1-703.
Obigations
(Salaries and Expenses) FY 07 $71,818,000; FY 08 est $86,507,000; and FY 09 est $92,494,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Not applicable.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
"Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents," VA Fact Sheet 80-991-1, $5.00, available from Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Fax orders (202) 512-2250. Mail Requests to P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. Coordinated Services for Blinded Veterans, IB 11-59 (Revised), available from Director, Blind Rehabilitation Service (117B), Department of Veterans Affairs, Central Office, Washington, DC 20420.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Initial contact should be made at the nearest VA Medical Center or outpatient clinic listed in Appendix IV under the Veterans Health Administration.
Headquarters Office
Blind Rehabilitation Service (117B), Patient Care Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC 20420. Telephone: (202) 461-7317.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Not applicable.
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