RESOLUTION 2000-3

WHEREAS
the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind teaches that if a blind person is given the proper training and opportunity, blindness is only a physical nuisance; and

WHEREAS
the goal of the National Federation of the Blind is the removal of the social, legal, and economic barriers faced by blind individuals; and

WHEREAS,
the Florida Division of Blind Services is the State agency charged with the task of providing rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind; and

WHEREAS,
the National Federation of the Blind of Florida is an organization whose members are advocates and consumers of rehabilitation services, with a vested interest in the availability of the most effective, highest quality programs; and

WHEREAS,
the Florida Legislature has passed measures to investigate the privatization of Florida's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation; and

WHEREAS,
this legislation created the Occupational Access Opportunity Commission (OAOC) to oversee a pilot study of the feasibility of the effects of privatization of the State's Vocational Rehabilitation Services; and

WHEREAS,
such privatization may be considered for the Florida Division of Blind Services; and

WHEREAS,
privatization of public rehabilitation services may increase the layers of bureaucracy and fragment services, creating accountability problems, and an inconsistent philosophy of rehabilitation; and

WHEREAS,
the National Federation of the Blind of Florida believes these issues would have a dramatic, negative impact upon the scope and quality of the services provided, adversely affecting the rehabilitation potential of the individual: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED
by The National Federation of the Blind of Florida,  in convention assembled, this second day of September, 2000, in the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida,  that this Organization strongly opposes the privatization of the Florida Division of Blind Services until a full and complete assessment is made of the impact of such privatization on the consumers of these services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that we call upon our legislators to include the input of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida on this, and all other issues concerning blind citizens in the State of Florida.