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RESOLUTION 3-01
WHEREAS, visual impairments are the third most prevalent
factor in limiting the activities of individuals, AND
WHEREAS, the prevalence of visual impairments of those
aged 65 and over is eight times the rate for those under 65, and
50% of all visually-impaired persons in the United States are
over the age of 65, AND
WHEREAS, 70-80% of individuals over age 65 currently classified
as legally blind can be helped to perform daily living functions
by low vision or vision rehabilitation services, AND
WHEREAS, financial resources are often a key factor in
receiving such assistance, AND
WHEREAS, under current law, vision rehabilitation services
and aids for the blind are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid,
THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association supports
coverage under Medicare and Medicaid programs of vision aids for
visually-impaired persons eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.
RESOLUTION 4-01
WHEREAS, federal funding for stipends and fellowships
for students in personnel training programs to be teachers of
the visually handicapped, orientation and mobility instructors,
rehabilitation teachers, and counselors for the blind have been
reduced each year since 1976, AND
WHEREAS, the reduction of funding has caused many professional
preparation programs to reduce faculty positions, has closed many
programs, and has frustrated development of high caliber personnel,
AND
WHEREAS, these reductions in funds have forced the programs
to reduce the number of students accepted, and the reduction in
stipends has made it difficult to recruit applicants for study
in numbers equal to program capacity, AND
WHEREAS, the incidence of blindness and visual impairment
is expected to dramatically increase over the next fifteen years,
while the number of qualified graduates continues to decrease,
AND
WHEREAS, the shortage of qualified professionals in work
with blind persons has in some instances caused a shift to service
provision by persons with general education who have no knowledge
of the unique needs of blind persons, AND
WHEREAS, the only certain means of assuring stipends and
fellowships for students to alleviate the shortage is through
categorical funding, THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention
assembled in Las Vegas, Nevada on this 1st day of September, 2001,
urges the U.S. Congress to enact legislation to fund categorical
programs for professional preparation of education and rehabilitation
personnel serving people who are severely visually impaired and
blind.
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