Whereas Title XX of the Social Security Act as amended provides for special services to blind persons and;
whereas these services can include transportation to medical and other community services, the development of independence through training in travel with a cane, the building of a positive self-image through a variety of social rehabilitation activities, the maintenance of a safe living environment through assistance with minor home repairs and
other vital services and;
whereas these services are needed critically by individuals who are above the normal employment age and approximately 70% of blind persons are over the age of sixty, approximately 40% of them living in physical and social isolation and;
whereas federal funds are provided to each state for Title XX services on the basis of an approved state plan. identifying the services to be extended, with the amount of funds provided to each state being determined by the general population of that state as a percentage of the total population of the nation and;
whereas the Title XX federal funds made available to each state represents approximately 75% of the total funds that become available in that state for Title XX services, the other approximately 25% being made up of state and local funds and;
whereas our neighboring state of Pa., out of its $213,763,000 of federal, state and local Title XX funds, identifies and allocates
$3,177,333 for Title XX services to the blind, while Maryland, out of its approximately $74,646,000 of federal, state and local Title XX funds, identifies and allocates only $43,320 for Title XX services to the blind
and:
whereas an examination of the foregoing figures reveals that Pa. is identifying and allocating for Title XX services to the blind approximately 1.49% of its available Title XX fW1ds, while Maryland is identifying arid allocating for Title XX services to the blind only about 0.06% of it available Title XX fW1ds and, on the basis of its· blind population of about 24,000 persons, Pa. is identifying and allocating approximately 132.39 in Title XX-funds for each blind person in the state, while Maryland, on the basis of its blind population of about 9000 persons, is identifying and allocating only approximately $4.81 in Title XX funds for each blind person in the state an ;
whereas many other states equal or exceed the funds per blind person that Pa. is identifying and allocating for Title XX services to the blind and;
whereas the Department of Human Resources has indicated that it is considering reducing or eliminating the Title
XX funds identified and allocated for Title XX services to the blind of Maryland;
now, therefore, be it resolved by the NFB of Md, in convention assembled in the City of College Park, MD, on this 27th day of October 1979 that the members of the Nati\mal Federation of the Blind of Md. endorse and strongly support legislative and/or ad ministrative action or action by any other means deemed appropriate by the board of directors and the legislative committee of the National Federation of the Blind of Hd.
to secure an equitable increase in the funds identified and allocated for Title XX services to blind citizens of Vid.