History of VA Blind (BVA) in 1945 and advocated for the establishment of a Blind Rehabilitation Rehab Center. It is a direct result Centers of BVA recommendations that in Robin Sniffen M.Ed., COMS, CATIS 1948 the first BRC was VIST Coordinator, Biloxi/Mobile established in Hines, IL. On Jan. 8, 1944, President Hines, and later other VA Blind Roosevelt signed an order saying Rehab Centers, have helped blinded servicemen from “no establish and expand training WWII would be returned to their programs and curriculums that homes without adequate training shape Blind Rehabilitation inside to meet the problems of and outside of the VA, necessity imposed upon them by nationwide and worldwide. New their blindness.” Initially, technology is constantly being Veterans were treated for their shaped by VA needs and injuries and trained in Blind demands as well as being tested Rehabilitation by Army and Navy and improved by the Veterans programs; but this training was who participate in the Blind eventually transferred to the VA. Rehab Programs. GPS, wearable The beginning of true Blind accessibility devices, accessible Rehab services at the VA can be computers, and mobile devices traced back to 100 blinded have all been influenced by the Veterans, most in their early 20s, needs and feedback from the who were recovering from their Veterans in these programs. In injuries at Avon Old Farms 1960, because of the demand for Convalescent Hospital near Avon, Blind Rehabilitation Specialists to CT. These men founded the staff the Hines BRC, VA began Blinded Veterans Association
History of VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers Robin Sniffen M.Ed., COMS, CATIS VIST Coordinator, Biloxi/Mobile On Jan. 8, 1944, President Roosevelt signed an order saying “no blinded servicemen from WWII would be returned to their homes without adequate training to meet the problems of necessity imposed upon them by their blindness.” Initially, Veterans were treated for their injuries and trained in Blind Rehabilitation by Army and Navy programs; but this training was eventually transferred to the VA. The beginning of true Blind Rehab services at the VA can be traced back to 100 blinded Veterans, most in their early 20s, who were recovering from their injuries at Avon Old Farms Convalescent Hospital near Avon, CT. These men founded the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) in 1945 and advocated for the establishment of a Blind Rehab Center. It is a direct result of BVA recommendations that in 1948 the first BRC was established in Hines, IL. Hines, and later other VA Blind Rehab Centers, have helped establish and expand training programs and curriculums that shape Blind Rehabilitation inside and outside of the VA, nationwide and worldwide. New technology is constantly being shaped by VA needs and demands as well as being tested and improved by the Veterans who participate in the Blind Rehab Programs. GPS, wearable accessibility devices, accessible computers, and mobile devices have all been influenced by the needs and feedback from the Veterans in these programs. In 1960, because of the demand for Blind Rehabilitation Specialists to staff the Hines BRC, VA began
Annual-Report-Winter-2018.docx