Services for People of All Ages with Vision Loss

CABVI’s services assist children and adults as they navigate life with vision loss. Our specialists support people through all stages of life so they can develop skills that will empower them to lead independent lives.

Early intervention is key, so we offer preschool vision screenings to identify and diagnose vision loss so treatment can begin as soon as possible.

We then provide educational services through age 21.

Our array of services is also available to children and adults, including orientation and mobility training, assistive technology training, and emotional support services.

Educational Services

At CABVI, we offer comprehensive services for children with visual impairments from birth through 21 years old in home, school, and community settings.

Our team of specialized professionals provides functional vision and compensatory skills training, which incorporates concept development, mobility, and the use of adaptive aids and low-vision devices. We can also provide training for parents to help them support their children’s growth and development.

Early Intervention: Birth - 3 years old

Early intervention services take place in the home setting and are family-centered. Families are often involved in sessions to ensure they feel well-equipped to work with the child daily.

Preschool Services: 3-5 years old

Preschool services focus on concept development, which prepares children for formal schooling. Children are encouraged to explore the world using all of their senses. Through this multi-sensory approach, children can learn about their environment, understand it, and navigate it safely.

School-aged Services: 5 - 21 years old

Our team, which consists of Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, Vision Rehabilitation Therapists, Occupations Therapists, and Adaptive Technology Specialists work with students at various levels, through various grades.

Orientation & Mobility Training

Orientation and Mobility Specialists assess an individual’s visual and physical abilities, as well as their environment, to help them develop safe and realistic goals for independence.

We aim to help develop and refine the skills needed to travel at home or in a workplace, school, or community. Specialists also determine if the person will benefit from the use of mobility tools like white canes, optical devices, or guide dogs.

Our O&M Specialists provide instruction in:

Spacial, body, and environmental concept development
Community travel to stores, offices, business districts, or places of personal importance
The use of senses and remaining vision, including helpful optical aides
Accessing public modes of transportation, including public bus systems, paratransit, taxi, Uber/rideshare, and trains
Indoor travel, environmental assessment, and modifications, emergency evacuation plans, and safely navigating stairs, elevators, and escalators
Outdoor travel in residential areas, including safely crossing streets
Sighted/human guide techniques for family members, teachers, caregivers, or employers
Use of white cane and other mobility tools including preparation for a dog guide
Route planning and the use of maps, GPS, and smartphone navigation

Employment Services

Here at CABVI, we know gainful employment is more than a source of income – it’s a source of pride.

We assist people who are blind or visually impaired in finding rewarding employment opportunities both within the agency and in the community, no matter their stage of life. Whether between jobs, a recent graduate, or just interested in part-time work, we can help those we serve to reach their employment goals.

Assistive Technology

Advancements in technology have created exciting and bountiful opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired.

CABVI’s assistive technology area is located in the Vision Health and Wellness Center at 407 Elizabeth St. in Utica.

There is a 600-square-foot work area with eight workstations to accommodate everyone’s unique needs.

While there, people can learn computer skills with state-of-the-art equipment and receive hands-on training from our professional staff, who remain current with the latest assistive technologies. We can also develop custom training programs for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Some of the technology includes text-to-speech software, screen enlargement software, braille output devices, and portable note-takers.

We can also provide instruction on smartphone and table accessibility features.

Support Services

Social workers at CABVI aim to provide emotional support to anyone adjusting to vision loss. They teach self-advocacy, help individuals understand vision loss at different stages of life, and share evidence-based coping methods.

Vision loss can be challenging, but our social workers will work on a plan that best fits each consumer’s needs.

Support services include: