FY 23-24 Program Report

Agency Name: Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Program Name: Vision Loss Rehabilitation Program Equity Dimension: Income

Condition: Health & Wellness Tier: Small Budget: $22,800.00

Annual Goal FY 23-24	Annual Goal FY 23-24
Unduplicated Participants     Total Unduplicated Participants 40 64	How Many Activities/Services Will Be Provided?     40 Assessments/ Counseling 40 52 78 Hours of Case Coordination 78 79 5 Support Groups/ bi-lingual - 15 Participants 5 6 35 Sessions of Rehabilitation Services – (Includes Training in Adaptive Daily Living (ADL) Skills and/or Orientation & Mobility (O&M), and/or Assistive Technology) 35 68
Annual Goal FY 23-24 Age     0-5 0% 0% 6-18 0% 0% 19-59 15% 0% 60+ 85% 100% Unknown 0% 0%	Annual Goal FY 23-24 Language     English 93% 94% Spanish 6% 2% Other 1% 0% Unknown 0% 4%
Ethnicity     African American 0% 0% Asian 1% 2% Latino 9% 9% Multi-racial 0% 0% Native American/Alaskan 1% 0% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0% 0% White 88% 80% Other 1% 1% Unknown 0% 8%	Gender     Female 69% 66% Male 31% 34% Transgender- Female 0% 0% Transgender- Male 0% 0% Other 0% 0% Unknown 0% 0% Nonbinary 0% 0%
Location     Capitola 8% 7% Santa Cruz 42% 47% Scotts Valley 11% 8% Watsonville 14% 9% Unincorporated Mid-County (e.g., Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos ) 18% 22% Unincorporated North County (e.g. , Davenport )  4% 5% Unincorporated San Lorenzo Valley (e.g., Ben Lomond ) 1% 0% Unincorporated South County (e.g., Freedom ) 2% 1% Unknown 0% 1% Out of County 0% 0%

Annual Goal FY 23-24   Annual Goal FY 23-24 How Well Did We Provide Service?     How many participants did you survey? 40 64 80% of CORE program participants will report being either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with program services as measured by a one-question participant survey completed by June 30th of each FY. 80% 97%

Annual Goal FY 23-24   Annual Goal FY 23-24 Is Anyone Better Off?     85% of Assessment / Counseling participants will report better mental health, increased knowledge of community resources, services, adaptive devices, and equipment, as measured by follow up survey - Clients who rate at least a 4 on a scale of 1 (unsatisfactory) to 5 (satisfactory). 85% 97% 85% of ADL participants will report behaviors that improve physical health, specifically able to manage day to- day activities, as measured by post-test at discharge – e.g., Clients who improve at least one level from Not Confident to Somewhat Confident to Confident in their ability to prepare a simple meal. 85% 97% 85% of O&M participants will report improved mental health, mobility skills, ability to navigate home and community, as measured by post-test at discharge - Clients who improve at least one level from Not Confident to Somewhat Confident to Confident in th 85% 97%

Additional CORE Questions  (The maximum length is limited to 1200 characters in the below boxes)
1. Briefly describe any progress and/or successes your CORE program achieved implementing its activities during FY 2023-2024. (Recommended 2-4 sentences)	Vista Center contracted to serve 40 unduplicated blind and visually impaired County residents with services that enable independence, improve safety, and reduce isolation. At FY24 yearend, 104 seniors have been served in the County through 170 sessions of Rehabilitation services; of who 64 received low or no-cost services, funded by the CORE grants budget. We have exceeded targets for both service volumes and contracted outcomes with all clients reporting 97% satisfaction! Santa Cruz residents are highly engaged in both individual services and group activities. They enjoy the opportunity to share, socialize, get peer support and attend group counseling. Vista Center services are holistic and provide both mental and physical support making each client experience a positive one. For our staff, the motivation is to see a happy and satisfied consumer. This field is required
2. (Optional, Success Stories) Please share a short story about the experience of a participant or family that received services funded through this contract during FY 2023-2024. Please state the specific activity that was provided and the impact or positive change that occurred as a result of the service(s) provided. *Please make sure to change any identifying information, such as names.*	Sharing a Client story and testimonial from Mr. R P, resident of Santa Cruz, 70 years old with low vision , currently very ill and in palliative care due to other health situations. Mr. R P is having trouble with contrast and reading due to low vision. He was referred to Vista Center’s Santa Cruz Social worker and Counsellor. Due to unavailability of an eye Doctor at Santa Cruz Clinic, he was seen by Vista Center’s low vision Optometrist in San Jose Clinic for a comprehensive low vision evaluation. He was also provided 1:1 Counseling and invited to join a Support group. Client is very appreciative of the low vision evaluation, the thorough explanations, and tips for maximizing residual vision. His 1:1 Counseling focuses on adjustment to vision loss and to learn tools and strategies to remain independent. Our AT instructor will follow up with Assistive technology training when he is ready. Mr. RP is now more hopeful for the future and motivated to learn techniques to maintain independence despite vision loss. In RP’s words “everyone at the Clinic was friendly and welcoming from the first phone call.” And he told the social worker “You work for a great agency.”
3. Please describe any challenges your agency experienced in implementing its CORE funded program.	Our main challenge during the previous period was to fill open positions and hire qualified staff, due to a lower supply and our ability to match other compensation. However, we have had filled all open positions, are working to capacity this year. We continue to look for a part time low vision Optometrist to serve from the Clinic in Santa Cruz. Vista Center’s participant data collection tools are robust and do not pose any major challenges This field is required
4.Have you encountered challenges in collecting CORE program or participant data?	Yes No This field is required
5. If you answered yes, what challenges did you experience? (Recommended 2-4 sentences)	N/A
6. What technical assistance can HSD or the CORE Institute provide to support your data collection activities?	N/A This field is required
7. During FY 2023-2024, did your CORE program staff participate in a CORE Institute event (e.g., Coffee Chats or Conversations)?	Yes No This field is required
8. During FY 2023-2024, how did your CORE program engage its staff on issues of equity?	In May / June 2024 our Santa Cruz facility has added ADA compliant Braille signage, Wall Posters at office entrance saying, “All are Welcome” and “Diversity is a fact, Inclusion is an act”. This is messaging for both clients and staff. Equity and diversity is built into our daily activities both with client programs and staff team work. We regularly serve clients with disabilities and visual impairment and also have a significant percentage of staff with lived experience in vision loss and blindness. Staff are continuously trained in best practices for promoting equity, showing empathy and respectful behavior within and outside the organization. This field is required
9. In the CORE RFP, your program indicated an equity issue your program would address. How has your program impacted this equity issue in FY 2023-2024?	Our equity dimension is income. Grant funding has helped us serve more low-income residents, especially seniors, with low or no-cost services, therefore reducing systemic income driven health inequities. Insurance does not pay for Low Vision Rehabilitation therefore our ability to provide free services enhances equity and inclusion. Our enhanced capacity has enabled provision of low or no-cost services to 104 County residents in FY24, 64 funded directly through this grant, which is over and above our target of 40. Besides income equity, we also focus on just and fair treatment of staff and clients, including the more vulnerable and financially disadvantaged, and leveling the playing field for low-income seniors by providing equal access despite an inability to pay. This field is required