NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The mission of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired is to promote and provide services in the areas of education, employment, independence and eye health through informed choice and partnership with persons who are blind or visually impaired, their families and the community.” CBVI was created in 1910 by the State Legislature and has several offices and facilities throughout the state. This agency works to provide and/or ensure access to services that will enable people who are blind or visually impaired to obtain their fullest measure of self-reliance and improved quality of life. It also seeks to assure them treatment as individuals with dignity and worth who are fully integrated into their community. The Commission recognizes three major thrusts in carrying out this mission, which are (1) providing specialized services to persons with vision problems, and (2) educating and working in the community to reduce the incidence of vision loss and (3) to improve attitudes concerning people with vision loss.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES: CBVI provides educational services from birth through high school years to eligible children and their families. These services are designed to allow students who are visually impaired to participate equally with other students in regular classroom activities.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION: The goal of this program is to provide services that will enable people who are blind or visually impaired to develop, acquire or update skills that will help them secure and maintain suitable employment. This may include obtaining jobs in a wide array of competitive career fields like law, education, business, technology, as well as self-employment and other occupations.

INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS: This program provides training designed to help people of any age who are blind or visually impaired to adjust to their vision loss and gain the skills of daily living they will need to lead a full and productive life.

EYE HEALTH SERVICES: The goal of this program is to save sight and restore vision whenever it is medically possible. CBVI also conducts and sponsors a variety of educational programs and eye health screenings throughout the state to detect vision problems.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES: services for people who are deaf-blind; business and entrepreneurial training; educational materials for visually impaired children; income tax certification letters; referral to community based programs and services; and low and high technical aids and appliances for people that are blind or visually impaired.

Website: http://www.cbvi.nj.gov/

Email: AskCBVI@dhs.nj.gov

Phone: Toll Free: 877-685-8878 / Main Number: 973-648-3333

Representative: Allyson Cohen

Representative Email: allyson.cohen@dhs.nj.gov

Representative Phone: 609-331-5343

Service Area: State of New Jersey