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Opens 2015 O V R Annual Report in P D F format 

  Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

ANNUAL REPORT 2015

Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation

The Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation is authorized by state Act 167 of 1988 and serves as the designated state agency for services provided by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). Its members meet quarterly with OVR's senior staff and specialists to receive updates and reports, review policy proposals, engage in discussion and make recommendations, based on their unique expertise and insights, that will help OVR to ensure that the opportunities offered to Pennsylvanians with disabilities are relevant, appropriate and useful. The board's primary function is to review and officially approve OVR's policies, programs and activities; it also shoulders the responsibility of approving the Annual State Plan, a vital and extensive OVR document that must be presented for public comment and then submitted to the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration.
 
In addition to the secretary of Labor & Industry and the executive director of OVR, the Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation comprises 10 private citizens, appointed by the governor. These members include individuals with disabilities or persons who have experience working with and providing services for individuals with disabilities.
 
Current Members
of the Pennsylvania
State Board of
Vocational Rehabilitation*:
2015
Quarterly Meetings
John L.Tague, Jr.
Dennis Kissane, Esq.
M.J. Bartelmay, Jr.
Michael Kiel
Judith Jobes
Raymond Hoover
Tom Caulfield
Gail Vasko

*As of this printing, there were two vacancies on the Board.
March 26, Harrisburg

June 11, King of Prussia

Sept. 17, Erie

Dec. 10, Harrisburg

(Dates are subject to change.
Click on QR code for updates.)
 

Working the Numbers

FFY 2014: Oct. 1, 2013 - Sept. 30, 2014
PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes
 
 
 
OUTCOMES
New applicants for service
21,264
Individuals who received services
71,413
Individuals placed into employment
8,546
Estimated federal and state taxes paid by
these new workers
$50,171,838
Average per person cost for a competitive placement
$6,213
          Average hourly wage of individuals employed
$12.46
 
"41 percent of all individuals found
eligible by OVR are youth and young adults,
far exceeding the national average."
Occupational Categories chart 
 

PA OVR Takes the Business/Talent Partnership to a New Level

In 2014, OVR highlighted the connection between the workforce needs of its business customers and the talent offered by its customers with disabilities through the creation of its first annual OVR Job Seeker/New Hire Governor's Award. In addition to recognizing GlaxoSmithKline/GENCO for their commitment to the disability community, recognition went to OVR customer Katherine Lashley, who completed the adult Project SEARCH training program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Her dedication, love of learning and work ethic led to a full-time position as a sterile instrumentation technician at UPMC's Presbyterian Hospital. Katherine's clear commitment to employment makes her a valued member in the workforce
 
Above: OVR staff with individual customer Katherine Lashley 
GlaxoSmithKline and its staffing partners GENCOworked with OVR and the Lincoln Intermediate Unit to offer internships at their York, Pa. plant for transitioning students with disabilities. The internship includes a GlaxoSmithKline/GENCO in-house job coach and a mentoring buddy program for new interns. At the end of eight weeks, interns are assessed for their job readiness and may move into regular full-time employment as a floor assembler. GlaxoSmithKline/GENCO's consistent offerings of employment opportunities for OVR's workforce talent have made them invaluable business and community partners.

GlaxoSmithKline/GENCO Business Award
Recipients (L-R) Teresa Johnescu,
Mick C. Orndorff and Anna Anske

Business Services Division - Making It Easy, Keeping It Simple

 
 
Above: BSOD Division Chief Ralph Roach (second from left) with team members (L-R) Rob Hodapp, Vondol Hammond and Dave Baum
 
 
Following its debut in 2013, OVR's Business Services and Outreach Division (BSOD) has grown into its mission of matching the needs of our business customers to the talents of our individual customers with disabilities. Now fully staffed with 15 business service representatives across the state, OVR combines a business sensibility with ready access to pre-screened workers and a wide range of coordinated resources. These specially trained OVR professionals work closely with local employers to help them determine their workforce needs and then relay current and future job openings to our vocational rehabilitation counselors. As a result, OVR staff and individual customers have real-time information that can be incorporated into the career-planning process. By building mutually supportive relationships with business partners, OVR is better equipped to increase employment opportunities for its individual customers with disabilities. The addition of its Business Services and Outreach Division makes OVR uniquely qualified to act as a consultant and resource for businesses. By offering a no-cost, single point of contact to find pre-screened talent, information on disability issues, assistance on reasonable accommodations and tax credit information, OVR is making it easy and keeping it simple.
 

Congress Re-Authorizes the Federal Rehabilitation Act

On July 22, 2014, the president signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA. Title IV of this massive piece of legislation serves as the welcome and long-anticipated re-authorization of the federal Rehabilitation Act, and introduces some significant changes to the law:
  • Requires that 15 percent of vocational rehabilitation funds be used for transition services, such as work-based learning and workplace readiness training
  • Provides extensive pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities
  • Supports business services and employer engagement, increasing opportunities for VR program to help employers provide work- based learning experiences for individuals with disabilities
  • Moves the Independent Living Program from the U.S. Department of Labor to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Requires annual assessments of physical and program access to One-Stop Centers
  • Provides a specific definition of competitive integrated employment, including requirements that wages and benefits be similar to those without disabilities who are doing the same work and that the work assignment and setting be fully integrated with co-workers without disabilities
WIOA builds on the importance of education in preparing for a career. It focuses on creating more opportunities for all, particularly for those facing barriers to employment.
 

 

  The Summer Academy for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

 
The Summer Academy Class of 2014 with Penn State's Nittany Lion
For three weeks in July, the Summer Academy gives young people from all over Pennsylvania the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop many of the important, real-world skills that will help them succeed when they transition to post-secondary education and on to competitive employment.
 
Relocated in 2014 to the main campus of the Pennsylvania State University and jointly sponsored by the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Development, Summer Academy is available at no cost to eligible students enrolled in 9th through 12th grades.
 
Building on student skills and experience, the program focuses on daily living activities, travel skills, self-advocacy and networking, career awareness, social skills and accessible technology skills. Students reside in a PSU dormitory with a roommate, eat in a campus dining hall, attend college-level classes, participate in recreational activities and use the available university resources — all of which offers them a realistic introduction to college life.
 
Summer Academy is made possible by a collaborative partnership between the PA Department of Labor & Industry, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services; the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education's Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network; and the Pennsylvania State University.
 

Early Reach - Reaching out to Youth with Disabilities

        
 
VR Supervisor Jameson Collins with Early Reach Coordinators Mary Jane Saras and Stacy Shirk
By the end of 2014, OVR's Early Reach initiative was up and reaching more youth with disabilities, families, schools and other community partners. With a trained and dedicated Early Reach coordinator positioned in each of OVR's 15 district offices, Early Reach is helping youth with disabilities across the state to prepare early for their future transition into the world of work and independence. By reaching out to these young people before they enter the workforce, along with their parents, schools and provider agencies, the Early Reach coordinator facilitates an awareness of available services and forges new community connections.
 
Because those connections to community resources are especially important for youth with disabilities in the custody of county children and youth agencies, OVR began working with the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN). Early Reach coordinators presented an overview of OVR's services at SWAN's statewide meeting for independent living and post-permanency workers. The presentation included a summary of OVR's extensive outreach efforts within the business community to develop job opportunities for youth with disabilities, as well as the value of early career planning.
 
Through Early Reach, more and more youth with disabilities are learning about OVR services, learning how to prepare for work and, most important of all, learning how to reach for independence in their future.
 

Access to College Leads to Employment Success

 
(L –R) Dr. Vilas Prabhu, Provost Millersville University; Dr. Thomas Neuville, Career and Life Studies Program; Sherri Landis, DREAM Partnership; and Dennis Downey, Millersville University
The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation's ACES grant increases post-secondary education options for young adults with intellectual disabilities through a commonwealth-wide network of providers who offer college-based certificate programs that lead to permanent employment and build independent living skills. The $1.35 million grant to implement ACES went to Central Pennsylvania-based DREAM Partnership.
   
Programs may be located at two-year or four-year colleges, business schools, or career and technology centers. They will focus on academics, social activities and employment experiences through work-based learning and internships. Mentoring by and interaction with non-disabled peers has been demonstrated to lead to better interpersonal skills, better academic performance and ultimately, independence.
 
The Career and Life Studies Certificate, developed by Millersville University and Dr. Thomas Neuville, was approved for the ACES program. Also receiving ACES approval were the expansion of Mercyhurst University's existing OASIS program and the development of a customer relations certificate program, which is a collaborative venture between the Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg Campus and The Hershey Company.
 
The DREAM Partnership continues to network with post-secondary institutions, developing more educational, employment and community living opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities – opportunities that will help them to fulfill their dreams.
 

OVR and AgrAbility - Keeping it in the Family

When Tom Fisher became eligible for OVR services, he sought vocational guidance and counseling to help him continue to work his 300-acre family farm.
 
OVR's services included an evaluation by Penn State AgrAbility, a USDA-funded program that helps farmers and their families. As a result of the evaluation, OVR was able to help Mr. Fisher purchase a John Deere utility vehicle and other equipment, as well as hearing aids.
 
Today, thanks to OVR and AgrAbility, Tom Fisher has successfully returned to work on the land that has been in his family for decades. He moves materials, he maintains fencing and equipment, he checks on his farmhands and crops and keeps track of projects he couldn't get to before.
 
Mr. Fisher says that without OVR's assistance, he feared that he would no longer be able to maintain his family farm. As he tells it, "My father died in his work boots on this farm."
 
At age 66, he plans to go on working as long as he can and hopes that, in the future, his sister's children will be interested in continuing to operate the farm.
      
Tom Fisher on his family farm

Deaf-Blind Living Well Services

OVR's Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services and Office for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing partnered with the PA Statewide Independent Living Council to fund the first statewide program of Support Service Providers (SSPs) for individuals who are deaf-blind. This pilot grant was awarded to the Center for Independent Living of Central PA (CILCP) for its implementation plan – Deaf-Blind Living Well Services (DBLWS) – which is designed to help achieve the goal stated in the State Plan for Independent Living to increase outreach and services to persons who have a dual sensory loss of both vision and hearing.
 
The availability and use of trained SSPs is often a key factor in the success of persons who are deaf-blind, as they strive toward greater independence and an improved quality of life. Support Service Providers link individuals to their environment by supplying relevant information, acting as a guide, and facilitating communication in a manner that enables individuals who are deaf-blind to make informed decisions.
 
For more information contact the Center for Independent Living of Central PA at CILCP.org or call 717-731-1900.
        
Above: Shelly Faust-Jones-BBVS, Donald Gordon-CILCP,
Zainab Jama-PaSILC, Sharon Behun-ODHH and Theo Braddy-CILCP

Below: SSP Training in Pittsburgh
 
 

Jobs for All Brings New Opportunities for OVR Youth

        
 
BVRS customer Desirae Kinnan and co-worker Curt Bowley
Working with the U.S. Forestry Service and a new OVR youth employment resource, Erie District Office counselor Melody Troup helped her customer Desirae Kinnan gain valuable, integrated work experience and skills. Melody and District Ranger Rob Fallon of the Marienville U.S. Forestry Service Station used the increased flexibility of OVR's Jobs for All training program for qualified youth customers to free up the resources that made Desirae's hiring as a forestry aide possible.
 
Jobs for All supports employers who hire OVR youth customers, by reimbursing them for a percentage of their wages and helps absorb training costs. It offers young people with disabilities an opportunity to build vital skills and get solid workplace experience.
 
In addition to maintaining numerous camp sites, tagging fish, releasing pheasants and operating equipment, Desirae interacted with the general public on a daily basis. These experiences all helped her build the self confidence that will help her become a valued employee in whatever career path she decides to follow.

New Skills Lead to New Career for Johnstown OVR/HGAC Customer

Carpenter Chuck Shaffer's family depended on him for their support, so when serious orthopedic injuries made it impossible for him to continue in construction, Chuck knew he needed help finding a new set of skills. He found those skills at the Johnstown District Office of OVR. They sponsored his enrollment in the Associate in Specialized Technology Networking and Telecommunications (AST) technology program at the Hiram G. Andrews Center's Commonwealth Technical Institute.
 
The AST program trains students in diagnosing and solving network and telecommunication problems. Although going "back to school" after so many years was a challenge, Chuck excelled at the course work and showed significant leadership abilities.
 
After graduation, Chuck went to work as a system specialist for the Sheetz Corporate IT Department, and within a year he moved up to a position with Sheetz Tech Support. Today, his team supports all of the company's desktops, laptops and virtual machines through a help desk locally and remotely in six states. He trouble-shoots, repairs, installs and configures proprietary software and serves as the lead administrator for backing up data on corporate endpoint machines using cloud technology. Thanks to his new set of skills, Chuck is busier than ever, but he's never too busy to lend his expertise as a member of CTI's Networking Telecommunications Technology Program Advisory Committee.

Chuck Shaffer

Children's Services

In addition to its wide range of services for adults, OVR's Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) helps children with visual impairments to reach their maximum educational and vocational potential.
 
 
Gage with David De Notaris, Director BBVS
 
Gage began receiving services from BBVS when he was just one year old. By working with his parents, Gage's BBVS social worker ensured that he would have plenty of opportunities to progress and succeed.

Over the years, BBVS has provided adaptive toys, Braille equipment and instruction on daily living skills. Today, Gage is in his school's gifted program, and BBVS continues to work closely with his teachers to ensure that he is continuing to get the opportunities to succeed he deserves.
When Zoey's condition resulted in significant visual field loss in both of her eyes, her BBVS social worker coordinated with early intervention services to determine the best way to meet Zoey's needs. Together, they devised a treatment plan to improve her tactile and auditory discrimination, eye-hand coordination, visual scanning and tracking capabilities. Her BBVS rehabilitation teacher provided adaptive equipment, as well as daily living skills instruction to Zoey, her parents and providers. The BBVS Children's Program purchased an iPad with applications that have improved her eye-hand coordination and her visual motor development – abilities that allow Zoey to take part in age-appropriate play and help her to interact and thrive among her peers.
 
 

OVR Offices & Bureaus

Central
Operations
Vocational
Rehabilitation
Services
Hiram G. Andrews
Center
Blindness &
Visual Services
Office for the
Deaf &
Hard of Hearing
Ryan Hyde 
Ryan Hyde
Director

OVR's Central Operations in Harrisburg coordinates the policies, funding and resources that make it possible to serve the thousands of Pennsylvanians with disabilities so they can lead productive, independent lives, while simultaneously helping Pennsylvania employers meet their workforce needs. For more information, please contact us at 717-787-5244 or ovrco@pa.gov.
Denise Verchimak 
Denise Verchimak
Director

We provide services that are geared toward achieving an individual's employment goals or independence and are intended to maximize employment, economic self-sufficiency, and independence. Individual personalized services include job counseling and placement, assessment services, job training, entrepreneurial assistance and referral services. For more information, contact us at 717-787-5244 or bvrs@pa.gov.
Jill Moriconi 
Jill Moriconi
Acting Director

Established in 1959, HGAC is one of the world's first and largest comprehensive rehabilitation facilities. HGAC offers a wealth of individualized services including counseling, evaluation, physical restoration and on-site education at the Commonwealth Technical Institute (CTI). For more information, please contact us at 814-255-8200 or hgac@pa.gov.
David DeNotaris 
David DeNotaris
Director

We help Pennsylvanians who are blind or visually impaired gain the needed skills to live and work independently in their communities through advocacy, training and access to resources. Services include job placement, setting up a business, and independent living skills. We work with children with visual impairments to ensure they reach their maximum educational and vocational potential. For more information, contact us at 717-787-6176 or bbvs@pa.gov.
Sharon Behun 
Sharon Behun
Director

We advocate for individuals and for system changes, act as a clearinghouse of information, refer individuals to service providers and ensure communication access with the provider and administer the Sign Language Interpreter & Transliterator State Registration Act. For more information, contact us at 717-783-4912 or odhh@pa.gov.

Office for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing

 
Director Sharon Behun (center) and ODHH staff (L-R)
Denise Brown, Benjamin Moonan, Dee Dee Keiser and Gerald Penna
ODHH is a key provider of services and information for Pennsylvanians who are deaf or hard of hearing.
 
Who We Are:
  • Situated within the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
  • Serve all Pennsylvanians in all 67 counties
  • Operate four offices in Allentown, Harrisburg, Johnstown, and Erie
  • Have no eligibility requirements or fees for our services
What We Do:
  • Advocate for equal access to services on behalf of people who are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Act as a clearinghouse of important information
  • Refer people to appropriate organizations
  • Maintain a database of registered sign language interpreters
For example, ODHH Can Assist You By:
  • Answering your questions and providing you with resources including hearing aids, sign language, laws, and technology.
  • Offering tailored trainings for your organization.
  • Clarifying laws and providing legal resources regarding accommodations.
  • Advocating for your equal access at appointments, meetings or in school.
  • Providing guidance and consultation on policies and procedures.
  • Locating and connecting you to services while ensuring equal access.
Contact ODHH At:
800-233-3008 v/tty (PA only) • 717-783-4912 v/tty • 717-831-1928 videophone
odhh@pa.govwww.dli.state.pa.us/odhh

The Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council

 
Members of the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council
Authorized by the federal Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992, with members appointed by the governor to provide representation from a broad range of stakeholders and constituencies, the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council has been a valued OVR partner for more than 20 years. Serving as an advocate on behalf of the commonwealth's more than 1.7 million individuals with disabilities, the council provides valuable and timely input to OVR on its programs, policies, and the many diverse issues that affect vocational rehabilitation. The PaRC plays a part in the development and review of the annual VR State Plan and Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment as well as providing analysis and feedback on VR customer service and satisfaction. In addition, the PaRC monitors pending state and federal legislation, and members of its legislative committee regularly visit Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. to discuss these bills and to remind legislators of the valuable contributions individuals with disabilities can make to the vitality and success of any given business or industry. Working together, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council have developed a strong and effective partnership, one that continues to effectively promote the achievement of independence, full community integration, and the successful employment of individuals with disabilities.
 
 
 

 
OVR CENTRAL OFFICE
1521 N. 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
717-787-5244 Voice
717-787-4885 TTY
800-442-6351 Voice*
866-830-7327 TTY*
ALLENTOWN (Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, Carbon )
45 N. 4th Street
Allentown, PA 18102
Local Voice:
610-821-6441
Toll-free Voice:
800-922-9536
Local TTY:
610-821-6144
Toll-free TTY:
888-377-9207
Fax:
610-821-6110
Map showing the location of the office locations listed in the O V R Directory 
OFFICE FOR THE
DEAF & HARD
OF HEARING

1521 N. 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
717-783-4912 Voice/TTY
800-233-3008 Voice/TTY*
717-831-0308 Videophone
866-572-2628 Videophone*
ALTOONA (Bedford, Blair, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon)
1130 12th Avenue, Suite 500
Altoona, PA 16601
Local Voice:
814-946-7240
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-6343
Local TTY:
814-949-7913
Videophone:
855-750-1027
Fax:
814-949-7918
HARRISBURG (Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry)
Forum Place
555 Walnut Street,
8th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Local Voice:
717-787-7834
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-6352
Local TTY:
717-787-4013
Toll-free TTY:
877-497-6545
Videophone:
717-255-0128
Fax:
717-783-7245
NORRISTOWN (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery)
1875 New Hope Street
Norristown, PA 19401-3146
Local Voice:
484-250-4340
Toll-free Voice:
800-221-1042
Local TTY:
484-250-4357
Toll-free TTY:
888-616-0470
Fax:
484-250-4356
HIRAM G. ANDREWS
CENTER

727 Goucher Street
Johnstown, PA 15905
814-255-8200 Voice
814-255-5873 TTY
800-762-4211 Voice/TTY*
DUBOIS (Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean)
199 Beaver Drive
DuBois, PA 15801
Local Voice:
814-371-7340
Toll Free Voice:
800-922-4017
Local TTY:
814-371-7505
Toll-free TTY:
N/A
Videophone:
814-299-4377
Fax:
814-913-1002
JOHNSTOWN (Cambria, Indiana, Somerset, Westmoreland)
727 Goucher Street, Section 10
Johnstown, PA 15905
Local Voice:
814-255-6771
Toll-free Voice:
800-762-4223
Local TTY:
814-255-5510
Toll-free TTY:
866-862-6891
Videophone:
814-619-3065
Fax:
814-255-1185
PHILADELPHIA
444 N. 3th Street,
5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Local Voice:
215-560-1900
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-6381
Local TTY:
215-560-1944
Toll-free TTY:
N/A (VP #’s for this purpose)
Videophone:
610-628-2323;
267-507-1175
Fax:
215-560-3796
VOCATIONAL
REHABILITATION SERVICES
Director’s Office

1521 N. 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
717-787-5244 Voice *
717-787-4885 TTY
ERIE (Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venago, Warren)
3200 Lovell Place
Erie, PA 16503
Local Voice:
814-871-4551
Toll-free Voice:
800-541-0721
Local TTY:
814-871-4535
Toll-free TTY:
888-217-1710
Videophone:
814-240-2477
Fax:
814-871-4631
NEW CASTLE (Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence)
100 Margaret Street
New Castle, PA 16101
Local Voice:
724-656-3070
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-6379
Local TTY:
724-656-3252
Toll-free TTY:
888-870-4476
Videophone:
724-510-0522
Fax:
724-656-3265
PITTSBURGH (Allegheny)
531 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Local Voice:
412-392-4960
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-6371
Local TTY:
412-770-2802
Toll-free TTY:
888-870-4474
Videophone:
412-246-8051
Fax:
412-770-9891
 

 
READING (Berks, Sckuylkill)
3602 Kutztown Road, Suite 200
Reading, PA 19605
Local Voice:
610-621-5800
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-0949
Local TTY:
610-621-5820
Toll-free TTY:
877-475-7326
Videophone:
484-388-4531
Fax:
610-621-5807
YORK (Adams, Franklin, Lancaster, York)
2550 Kingston Road, Suite 101
York, PA 17402
Local Voice:
717-771-4407
Toll-free Voice:
800-762-6306
Local TTY:
N/A
Toll-free TTY:
N/A
Videophone:
717-666-7301
Fax:
717-771-4421
HARRISBURG (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York)
Forum Place
555 Walnut Street,
8th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Local Voice:
717-787-7500
Toll-free Voice:
866-375-8264
Local TTY:
717-787-1733
Toll-free TTY:
888-575-9420
Fax:
717-772-0589
PITTSBURGH (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Washington, Westmoreland)
531 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Local Voice:
412-565-5240
Toll-free Voice:
866-412-4072
Local TTY:
412-565-3678
Toll-free TTY:
877-255-5082
Fax:
412-565-2296
WASHINGTON (Fayette, Greene, Washington)
201 W. Wheeling Street
Washington, PA 15301
Local Voice:
724-223-4430
Toll-free Voice:
800-442-6367
Local TTY:
724-223-4443
Toll-free TTY:
866-752-6163
Videophone:
724-705-1850
Fax:
724-223-4463
BLIND & VISUAL SERVICES
Director’s Office

1521 N. 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
717-787-6176 Voice
800-622-2842 Voice*
717-772-0589 Fax
bbvs@pa.gov
PHILADELPHIA (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia)
444 N. 3rd Street,
5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Local Voice:
215-560-5700
Toll-free Voice:
866-631-3892
Local TTY:
215-560-5725
Toll-free TTY:
888-870-4473
Fax:
215-413-0608
WILKES-BARRE (Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Wyoming)
300G Laird Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
Local Voice:
570-826-2361
Toll-free Voice:
866-227-4163
Local TTY:
570-826-2023
Toll-free TTY:
888-651-6117
Fax:
570-826-2538
WILKES-BARRE (Bradford, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming)
300G Laird Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
Local Voice:
570-826-2011
Toll-free Voice:
800-634-2060
Local TTY:
570-826-2023
Toll-free TTY:
888-651-6117
Fax:
570-826-2235
ALTOONA (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Somerset, Union)
1130 12th Avenue,
Suite 300
Altoona, PA 16601
Local Voice:
814-946-7330
Toll-free Voice:
866-695-7673
Local TTY:
814-949-7956
Toll-free TTY:
866-320-7956
Fax:
814-949-7995
Map showing the location of the office locations listed in the O V R Directory 
WILLIAMSPORT (Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Tioga, Union)
The Grit Building,
Suite 102
208 W. 3rd Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
Local Voice:
570-327-3600
Toll Free Voice:
800-442-6359
Local TTY:
570-327-3620
Toll Free TTY:
800-706-0884
Videophone:
570-506-8956
Fax:
570-327-3611
ERIE (Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren)
4200 Lovell Place
Erie, PA 16503
Local Voice: 814-871-4401
Toll-free Voice: 866-521-5073
Local TTY: 814-871-4599
Toll-free TTY: 888-884-5513
Fax: 814-871-4746
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