DHS Child & Family Services| Bureau of Elder & Adult Services | Family Independence| Medical Services| Health

Health screening clinics test for high blood pressure, diabetes, eye and vision problems, and hearing difficulties. Check your local newspaper or call your local Area Agency on Aging, listed on pages A1-A2, for times and locations. In most cases, this service is free.

Dental

Maine Donated Dental Services, a program of the Maine Dental Association and the Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, in which volunteer dentists and labs donate treatment and labwork to disabled and elderly people. For more information about this service, contact Maine Donated Dental Services at 207-725-9193 or the Area Agency on Aging toll free at 1-877-353-3771.

Senior Dent provides dental care at reduced fees. Maine residents who are age 62 or over, have no dental benefits under MaineCare or private insurance plan, and meet income guidelines are eligible. They will receive a minimum 15% discount on all dental services from participating dentists. For a listing of participating dentists, contact the Area Agency on Aging in your area toll free at 1-877-353-3771.

Health Screening and Care (Cont.)

Eye Care

Additional informtion on resources available for the visually impaired/blind.

Services available for people of all ages with vision problems include: diagnosis, adaptive skill training, provision of aids and appliances, property tax exemptions, and counseling. For information contact the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, or call or write:

IRIS (Formerly Maine Center for the Blind)

189 Park Avenue

Portland, Maine 04102 207-774-6273

Any person legally blind and in need, may apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSDI) at the nearest Social Security Office. See page A28 for a complete list of offices.

The Maine State Library Talking Book Program provides books and magazines in a recorded cassette or disc format to people who are visually impaired, blind, or physically handicapped. For more information, call 1-800-762-7106.

Medical Eye Care Program

Financial assistance is available for certain treatments for people with a vision problem and who have limited income but are not MaineCare eligible. For information call or write:

Bureau of Medical Services

#11 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333-0011 ...207-287-6875

Toll Free 1-800-321-5557

Local/Out-of-State TTY ...207-287-1828

Toll Free TTY ...1-800-423-4331

National Eye Care Project

Maine is also served by the National Eye Care Project, under which Maine ophthalmologists offer free treatment for qualified persons 65 years of age or older.

To be eligible, an individual must not have seen an ophthalmologist (physician eye specialist) in the last three years. If they have seen either an optometrist or optician they are still eligible for this program. See the next page for the list of locations where there is a participating ophthalmologist and the phone number to call for the name of a doctor in your area.

Participating ophthalmologists are located in Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Belfast, Blue Hill, Brunswick, Caribou, Dover-Foxcroft, Farmington, Fort Kent, Greenville, Houlton, Kittery, Lewiston, Madawaska, Millinocket, Portland, Presque Isle, Rockland, Sanford, Skowhegan, and Waterville.

To get the name of a specific doctor in your area call toll free statewide 1-800-222-3937.

Hearing

The Division of Deafness provides a program of services to persons who are deaf, late deafened or hard of hearing. This includes publication of a resource guide, a quarterly newsletter, information and referral, advocacy, statewide registry, Certification of Hearing Dogs and accessibility promotion. For more information and a listing of interpreter services, call or write:

Department of Labor

Bureau of Rehabilitation Services

Division of Deafness ...207-624-5954

Toll Free V/TTY ..1-800-698-4440

Local/Out-of-State TTY ..207-624-5955

The Telecommunications Equipment Project (TEP)

provides assistive telephone devices to people who are deaf or hard of hearing and persons with mobility, vision and speech disabilities. The devices that are available include TTYs, amplified telephones, speaker phones and large button speaking phones. A person's income determines whether they get the equipment on loan free or pay half price. For more information about the Telecomunications Project (TEP), call:

Voice/TTY 207-797-7656

People who are interested in employment and would like to learn about vocational rehabilitation services for deaf or hearing impaired should contact the Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services at one of the CareerCenters. The CareerCenters are also listed in the phone book under Maine State, Department of Labor.