Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 12/04/2006

Dear Sergeant Shaft:

Out of the confusion and chaos prior to WW II and through the Blind Rehabilitation Service (BRS) dedicated effort, a centralized model to provide blinded veterans the best state of the art care and rehabilitation was born. The centralized efforts of the BRS program provided blinded veterans the ability to apply proven techniques to maximize independence, self confidence and integrate into society as much as their potential permitted. The first step to rehabilitation is to maximize the effort toward self sufficiency so that a blinded veteran can contribute to society.

The BRS centralized model, program philosophy and techniques accomplished this mission resulting in acceptance and adaptation as the worldwide model. In 1968, Vietnam agreed to adapt the BRS centralized model, which relied on well trained, dedicated rehabilitation staff that provided an individualized program of instruction based on assessed needs of blind veterans. Civilian programs trying to emulate BRS techniques met with limited results because they lacked uniformity and the highly disciplined training methodology required for success.

Furthermore, to reduce the effects of psychological trauma to blinded veterans, the centralized BRS program immediately accepted blinded veterans upon return to the States. This pro-active approach had the positive double effect of reducing rehabilitation training time and freeing up program space to quickly accommodate newly blinded veterans regardless of the severity of their physical disability.

This coupling of a centralized structure incorporating the first hand rehabilitation experience of blinded veterans produced a successful uniformity of effort and a BRS program that was always the envy of the world.

Today I am sad to report for the past decade this successful and highly emulated centralization model was discontinued by the VA. As a result, tremendous backlogs of Iraq and other aging blinded veterans, with additional health problems are being treated unfairly by a Medical Model that forces them to wait for rehabilitation. This delay, increases rehabilitation wait time and cost, and is frustrating for our blinded veterans. To continue such a system that supports these adverse impacts is criminal. Don’t we owe the “greatest generation” more than our gratitude? To force the BRS to use an unproven decentralized model has the continuing double effect of forcing our Iraq veterans to wait for treatment and or having to be trained by unqualified personnel.

To continue this model coupled with prolonged waiting time for our blinded veterans is unconscionable, since it was tried and proven to be ineffective prior to WW II. Let us not return to the “dark ages”.

Due to lack of centralized oversight, some hospital managers, in a misguided approach to cost savings, have required BRS Chiefs to limit time, days and scope of training available to blinded veterans. Effectively limiting individualized programs and creating generic and watered down blind rehabilitation.

Individualized programs were never more critically needed than for our soldiers returning from Iraq with IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast injuries that can result in blindness. Thanks to increased effectiveness of combat medicine, rehabilitation I survived combat losing only my eyesight and with some hearing impairment. Returning Iraq combat veterans deserve world class treatment by professionally qualified rehabilitation personnel such as I received through BRS centralized program. This special needs program requires specific staffing patterns and service delivery systems capable of meeting the needs of our returning Iraq veterans.

The veterans that are injured are sometimes not screened for vision loss or visual needs till long after their physical injuries have healed.

Active duty and veterans from the current conflict are given the highest priority for services within the blind rehabilitation once they are identified.

This will increase the waiting time for services for the veterans that have been on the waiting list for many months. Adequately qualified staff is still a dire need of each center. Staff are needed that are technologically and professionally savvy enough to be able to challenge the returning veterans with the latest technology.

The Administration must reinstate centralization of the BRS program and appropriately upgrade the position of the Director of Blind Rehabilitation, giving it more authority. Our returning Iraq blinded heroes deserve better. Sergeant shaft can you help me correct this gross injustice?

Respectfully submitted,
Stephen H. Miyagawa
Korean War Blinded Veteran

Dear Steve:
The powers that be at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wanted to increase the authority of the Director of Blind Rehabilitation as a first step toward centralization. The VA Secretary, however, informed me that the executive director of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) did not support this decision. I have been informed that the executive director did this without the knowledge of the BVA Board or its members. This leaves the VA with a dysfunctional Blind Rehabilitation Program. Each of its centers operates with different missions and programs. Visual impairment service team coordinators (VISTC) and Blind Rehabilitation Outreach Specialists (BROS) march to a different drummer, leaving services to blinded veterans a demographic crapshoot.

The blinded veteran relies on this cadre of specialists for his or her referral to blind rehabilitation, medical and prosthetic needs, and the knowledge of new technology for the visually impaired. Therefore a blinded veteran in Rhode Island or Boston could be treated differently than a blinded veteran in Florida or California. A good example of this is the disparity in the lack of availability of Scrip Talk, a talking prescription reader for the visually impaired. The availability of this technology and other services should not be determined on where a blinded veteran lives, I urge the Secretary to immediately upgrade the Director’s Position and to centralize this vital program

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-257-5446 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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