Blind & Visually Impaired Services
The Division of Rehabilitation Services offers several programs to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired. These services include:
Vocational Rehabilitation
Independent Living Services
Deaf-Blind Services
Newsline for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Register for the Blind
Tennessee Business Enterprises
Tennessee Business Enterprises offers vocational training and employment opportunities for individuals who are legally blind. It offers productive and profitable employment in the ever growing food service industry. Federal and State laws grant to TBE a priority to operate vending facilities and snack bars in Federal, State, and local government buildings. TBE trains, licenses, and places individuals in these facilities where they function much like independent business people. They do work with some oversight and assistance from their Business Enterprises Consultant. The type of facilities managed and operated by the licensed blind vendors include:
- Over the counter facilities that sell primarily pre-packaged foods
- Fully automated vending locations
- Snack bars
- Cafeterias
- Inmate Commissaries
Tennessee Business Enterprises currently operates 155 of these facilities across the state and they generate over $20 million in sales each year. Average earnings for each blind vendor exceed $46,500 per year.
Tennessee Business Enterprise Web Site
Links
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
DisabilityInfo.gov
Tennessee School for the Blind
 |
Contact Information
Telephone: (615) 313-4914
Toll Free: 1-800-628-7818 (In-State Only)
TTY: (615) 313-6601 (Local)
TTY: 1-800-270-1349 (Long Distance)
Fax: (615) 313-6617 |
|
