05/13/08

Blinded Veterans Advisory Board (BVAB)

Duties/Responsibilities – BVAB is a group that was formed to provide advice and recommendations to the Augusta Blind Rehabilitation Center.  The group is comprised of blinded veterans, such as yourself, who reside in the primary Augusta service area (Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina).  The BVAB will provide ABRC with a consumer viewpoint on what veterans expect the VA should be doing to keep and maintain quality management/health services for the blinded veteran at the ABRC, Augusta, GA.  The BVAB member is responsible for attending meetings, disseminating updated news from these meetings to the blinded veterans in their prospective areas either by (VIST) support groups or newsletters.  Any and all problems disseminating this information should be addressed to the Chairperson/Co Chairpersons of the BVAB.  

Information for Improved Blind Services   

(Ongoing - Within the next 3 years)

     Back in late January 2007, an article came out which VA announced it was to improve

services for Blinded and Low-Vision Veterans.  Under the reorganization plan, each of VA's 21 regional networks -- called Veterans Integrated Service Networks, or VISNs -- will implement a plan to provide eye care to veterans with visual impairments ranging from 20/70 to total blindness.  . 

    Presently, some low vision services are available to all veterans whose  visual impairments range from 20/70 to total blindness (See your VIST Coordinator, Terry Thorne, or Karen Petty, or Todd Turansky)

    The goal is to provide basic low-vision services available at all VA eye clinics, in every VISN.  In each VISN, there will be intermediate and  advanced low-vision clinics, including a full spectrum of optical devices and electronic visual aids.

Making it simple –

Intermediate Low Vision Clinics

Within Next 3 Years

For VISN 7 – Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VAMC, Columbia, SC
For VISN 6 – Hampton, VA VAMC

Note: The budget does not include any funds for facility construction costs.

Advanced  (Ambulatory) Low Vision Clinics

Within Next 3 Years

For VISN 7 – Atlanta VAMC, Decatur, GA
For VISN 6 – Winston Salem VAMC, Winston Salem, NC

Note: The budget does not include any funds for facility construction costs.