About

About OIB-TAC

OIB-TAC’s mission is to provide information and resources that guide programs toward best practice in promoting independence, community involvement, and well-being for older individuals who are blind or have low vision.

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How We Help You

Since 2015, the Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center, OIB-TAC, has been housed at the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) located on the campus of Mississippi State University.

Funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the U.S. Department of Education, the OIB-TAC provides a variety of training and technical assistance activities for agencies serving older individuals who are blind or have low vision to improve the administration, operation, and performance of their programs.


Since its inception, OIB-TAC has provided intensive technical assistance to older blind programs in the following states: 

Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maine

 

Technical assistance is provided on the following topics:

  • Best practices in administration and service delivery
  • Program performance and data collection, including the 7-OB report
  • Financial management practices
  • Community outreach

OIB-TAC staff speak from experience and are here to answer your questions!

Meet Our Staff

Female using iPhone touchscreen features

Time To Be Bold

Time To Be Bold connects individuals with vision loss and their families to national resources and local services.  This national campaign started as a public service announcement to raise awareness about the availability of services to help older individuals live independently with low vision or blindness.  Sponsored by the OIB-TAC, the website invites people to connect in multiple ways:

  • Receive immediate assistance by speaking with a live person at APH Connect Center’s toll-free number
  • Learn on their own through Hadley and receive virtual support

Funding Statement

This project is funded by a grant (#H177Z200001) from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the U.S. Department of Education.