April 13 - 19, 2025: Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Appreciation Week

WHEREAS, more than 220,000 Michiganders are living with blindness or vision loss which constitute significant disabilities affecting all aspects of independent living; and,

WHEREAS, April 14 commemorates the birthday of Anne Sullivan, who aided Helen Keller as one of the first recognized Home Teachers, paving the way for today’s Vision Rehabilitation Therapists; and,

WHEREAS, Vision Rehabilitation Therapists play a crucial role in providing essential independence skills for individuals with vision loss, including braille literacy, access to recorded books, and adaptive techniques for daily living such as cooking, home and financial management, personal care, and leisure activities; and

WHEREAS, the Michigan Bureau of Services for Blind Persons and the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) recognize the valuable contributions of the dedicated professionals who empower individuals with vision loss to lead independent lives; and

WHEREAS, Michigan is home to the oldest continuously running Vision Rehabilitation Therapy graduate program in the nation, established at Western Michigan University in 1963, and remains one of only five personnel preparation programs for Vision Rehabilitation Therapists in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Michigan is home to the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons’ Training Center in Kalamazoo, the only residential training center in the state providing comprehensive instruction to individuals who are blind or have low vision continuously since 1969; and

WHEREAS, through the collaboration of state agencies and nonprofit organizations, a dedicated group of itinerant Vision Rehabilitation Therapists continues to provide essential rehabilitation training to blind and partially sighted Michigan residents in their homes, training centers, and places of employment, working in conjunction with other professionals including Orientation and Mobility Specialists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Access Technology Instructional Specialists and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors; and

WHEREAS, Vision Rehabilitation Therapists advocate for independence and self-determination, significantly enhancing the lives of those they serve while reducing costs to Michigan communities and healthcare systems;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, and Garlin Gilchrist II, lieutenant governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim April 13 – 19, 2025, as Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Appreciation Week in Michigan.