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Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind

Overview

If you are 55 or older and have a vision problem that makes everyday tasks difficult, Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind may be able to help you gain the confidence you need to live independently. Successful independent living training can help you:

  • Accomplish everyday tasks
  • Participate in your favorite activities
  • Communicate with family and friends
  • Gain a better understanding about your vision impairment
  • Get back confidence you may have lost

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Eligibility

The Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program provides services to consumers 55 and older:

  • Who have significant visual impairment
  • Whose ability to function independently in the home, family, or community is substantially limited due to visual impairment
  • For whom the delivery of independent living services will substantially improve their ability to function, continue functioning, or move toward functioning independently in the home, family, or community

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Services

Depending on the individual need, the following services may be provided by TWC to eligible consumers:

  • Independent living skills training, provided in a consumer’s home or in the community
  • Orientation and mobility training
  • Low vision evaluations and low vision devices, including video magnification, hand-held magnifiers, and other identified devices
  • Diabetes education
  • Deafblind evaluations and equipment
  • Counseling on adjustment to blindness
  • Other services as necessary, such as ancillary services provided to support skills training

For more information about eligibility and services provided by TWC’s Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program, please use the following table to identify the staff contact in your area.

IL OIB Worker Coverage Areas, VR Region Office Address Phone Number Counties Served

Vacant

Caseload # 5636

Wichita Falls, Lubbock

Region 1

TBD

940-264-9216

Cell: 940-217-9927

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: USA Cindy Cox

Archer, Baylor, Childress, Clay, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Foard, Garza, Hall, Jack, Hardeman, Haskell, Kent, King, Knox, Lubbock, Lynn, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Young

Teresa Berger

Caseload # 5672

Abilene, San Angelo, Midland

Region 1

500 Chestnut St. Suite 1000 Abilene, TX 79602

325-795-4200

Cell: 806-241-3207

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: USA Rozzana Mata

Andrews, Borden, Brown, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Comanche, Concho, Dawson, Eastland, Fisher, Gaines, Glasscock, Howard, Irion, Jones, Kimble, Martin, Mason, McCullough, Menard, Midland, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Sterling, Stephens, Sutton, Taylor, Tom Green

Jesus Donacio

Caseload # 5612

El Paso,
Odessa

Region 1

8825 North Loop Drive, Suite 123
El Paso, TX 79907

915-834-7014

Cell: 915-526-0653

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: USA Margie Trevino

Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Ector, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Winkler 

Amber Pearson

Caseload # 6079

Amarillo

Region 1

3120 Eddy Street, Amarillo, TX 79106

806-350-7159

Cell: 806-672-5182

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: USA Bonnie Murkeldove

Armstrong, Bailey, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Cochran, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Floyd, Gray, Hale, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hockley, Hutchinson, Lamb, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher, Terry, Wheeler, Yoakum

Cherome Phillips

Caseload # 5653

 

Dallas

Region 2

6500 Greenville Ave, Suite 250
Dallas, TX 75206

214-378-2666

Cell: 214-587-7966

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: USA Janine Friesen

Counties: Dallas*, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro

*Covers the city of Dallas and all other cities in Dallas County not covered by Ms. Rangel.

Roxana Rangel

Caseload # 5571

Dallas

Region 2

6500 Greenville Ave, Suite 250
Dallas, TX 75206

214-378-2666

Cell: 469-263-3608

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: ATS Jason Taylor

Counties: Collin, Dallas*, Denton, Grayson, Fannin, Hunt, Rockwall

*Covers the following cities in Dallas County: Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, Farmers Branch, Irving, Sachse

Brooke Lewis

Caseload # 5167

Fort Worth

Region 2

2400 Circle Drive, Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76119

817-759-3515

Cell: 214-587-8414

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: RA Regina Ellerson

Cooke, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant, Wise

Adrianna Lerma

Caseload #: 5481

Waco, Temple, Austin

Region 3

104 S. Lutterloh Gatesville, TX 76528

512-533-7100

Cell: 254-644-7769

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: RA Tisha Pool

Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Llano, Milam, Travis, Williamson

Vacant

Caseload # 5108

Austin, Bryan/College Station

Region 3

TBD

512-533-7100

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: RA Ralph Lujan

Bell, Bosque, Brazos, Burleson, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Grimes, Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, McLennan, Mills, Robertson, San Saba, Walker, Washington

Peggy Joseph

Caseload # 5247

Beaumont,
Lufkin

Region 4

5504 Winfree Street,    Beaumont, TX 77705

409-600-2671

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: USA Martha Evans

Angelina, Hardin, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler

Kammy Mathis

Caseload # 5579

Tyler,
Texarkana

Region 4

3800 Paluxy Drive, Suite 325
Tyler, TX 75701

903-571-0167

PS: Crystal Stark

Asst: RA Whitney Brummett

Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Rains, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, Wood

Carlos Vasquez

Caseload # 5576

Houston

Region 5

4424 North Freeway Suite A
Houston, TX 77022

713-692-7755

Cell: 713-299-8037

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: RA Angela Gill

Austin, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, Waller

William Driggers

Caseload # 5246

Houston
Galveston

Region 5

Gulf Freeway 12148 B     Houston, TX 77075

713-576-2580 ext. 2655

Cell: 281-770-4433

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: RA Angela Gill

Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Liberty

Rosalind Livings

Caseload # 5370

San Antonio

Region 6

3652 Bluemel Road, 2nd Floor,  San Antonio, TX 78229

210-785-2783

Cell: 210-380-5217

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: RA Teresa Alacorn

Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Colorado, Comal, Edwards, Fayette, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson

Macarena Pena

Caseload # 5368

McAllen

Region 6

2101 S. 2nd Street, McAllen, TX 78503

956-302-0802

Cell: 956-249-9606

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: RA Teresa Alacorn

Brooks, Cameron, Dimmitt, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Starr, Webb, Willacy, Zapata, Zavala

Ursula Odom

Caseload # 6076

Corpus Christi,
Victoria

Region 6

120 S. Main Street, Ste. 100,    Victoria, TX 77901

361-578-0341

Cell: 361-676-5944

PS: Bonnie Notargiacomo

Asst: RA Cecelia Gutierre

Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Wharton

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Other Independent Living Services

Centers for Independent Living

The Health and Human Services Commission provides a broad array of independent living services to people of all ages and with all disabilities through the network of Centers for Independent Living.  TWC is working closely with these Centers to ensure a smooth referral process and non-duplication of services.  For more information, contact the Health and Human Services Commission’s Independent Living Services.

Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center (OIB-TAC)

Time To Be Bold is a national public service awareness campaign through the Independent Living Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center at the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision. The OIB-TAC and this campaign are funded by the Dept. of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration, which also funds services and training for individuals with visual impairments, including vocational rehabilitation (VR) and the Independent Living Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) programs nationally.

The TimeToBeBold campaign is designed to educate, engage and empower people who are 55+ with low vision to maintain/regain their independence by utilizing the free or low-cost services provided by the RSA-funded OIB programs. Go to timetobebold.org for a list of free or low-cost services in your state that will give you the tools, technology, training, and support you need to live your bold, best life.

 

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