June 14, 2005 – The Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) will hold its bimonthly meeting on Friday, June 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Victor Building, 3^rd floor, 201 N. Washington Square, in Lansing.  The theme of this meeting will be “Health Issues and the Blind.”  The meeting is open to the public, and live audio of the entire meeting can be accessed via the Internet at the MCB Web site: www.michigan.gov/mcb. 

This meeting will be of interest to anyone – whether attending in person or listening online – who wants to learn about individuals who are blind and how they can independently take care of their healthcare needs.  These are a few of the presentations and their scheduled times:

• Dr. Edward Stein, committee member & past president, Optometric Institute and Clinic of Metropolitan Detroit, will speak about the Michigan Eyes on Diabetes program, a community-based pilot collaboration to educate people with diabetes on blindness prevention (11:10 a.m.).
• Dr. Alan M. Mindlin, president, Michigan State Medical Society, will share his experiences as an ophthalmologist working with patients who are losing their vision (11:30 a.m.).
• Ms. Peggy Jackson, supervisor, Supportive Services, MCB Training Center, will explain how health-related services at the center focus on health education and training.  The MCB Training Center is a residential training facility where MCB clients learn skills of blindness such as Braille and cane travel, daily living skills including use of adaptive equipment, and college preparation and job seeking skills (1:20 p.m.).

The meeting site is accessible.  Individuals attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using heavily scented personal care products in order to enhance accessibility for everyone.  People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in alternative format) in order to participate in the meeting should call Tish Kingaby at (517) 335-4265 by June 17.

MCB provides opportunities for individuals who are blind to achieve independence and/or employment.  The commission’s five-member policy board, appointed by the governor, oversees programs throughout Michigan that annually serve an average of more than 4,500 state residents who are blind or have vision impairment.  Visit the Michigan Commission for the Blind Web site at www.michigan.gov/mcb or call MCB toll-free at 1-800-292-4200 (voice) or 1-888-864-1212 (TTY).

The Michigan Commission for the Blind is a part of the Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG), which is investing in Michigan's future by helping to create the jobs of today and tomorrow, ensuring that our children and adults have the skills these jobs demand, making Michigan a better place to do business, and training and placing those who need jobs now.  For more information about DLEG, visit the department’s Web site at www.michigan.gov/dleg.