Our Services During the Stay at Home Order



Important Update on SSB ServicesDear SSB Customers and Community,First, we hope that you are healthy and safe. These are challenging times for all of us, and focusing onhealth and safety is what matters most. As you know, in order to provide for the safety of Minnesotans, and to ensure that those on the frontlines get the equipment and supplies they need, Governor Walz has issued a stay at home order, effective through April 10, 2020. We’re writing to let you know about how this will effect our operations and services here at SSB, to let you know the best ways to be in touch with our staff, and to offer some resources that may be helpful.Our Services During the Stay at Home OrderHere’s a quick overview of what you can expect from SSB during the stay at home period. See below for more details specific to your needs.Our staff will continue to serve customers by phone, email, and through other virtual channels.All of our locations are closed to the general public, staff, and volunteers. This includes our main office and the Communication Center in St. Paul.Because staff and volunteers can not be in our recording studios, we will broadcast programming from the Kansas Audio Reader Network over our RTB signal.We will temporarily suspend custom transcription of print materials into audio and e-text.We will continue with braille production, though there may be some delays in getting materials to customers.@state.mn.us, is our general email which will be checked regularly. Voicemails left at 651-539-2300, our main number, will be checked daily. Our staff will get back to you within two days.Workforce Development and EmploymentAll of our workforce team, including our counselors, are working at this time. Even though they are working remotely, you can still contact them by phone or email. There may be some delays in getting materials or equipment to customers, and we know that there may be a break in training programs and classes that cannot be held online. The resource list below offers sources for online learning and for job search strategies during the Covid-19 crisis.Serving SeniorsWe know that this may be an especially difficult time for seniors who are living with vision loss. Our staff members are reaching out by phone and email to help. If you or a family member need help, contact Ed Lecher at Edward.lecher@state.mn.us or leave a message at 651-539-2300.We’ve also produced a simple guide with some suggestions on how to help a friend or family member who is a senior adjusting to vision loss.Business Enterprise ProgramOur Business Enterprise Program (BEP) staff at SSB will continue their work remotely, and our small business owners in the BEP program can contact them through email. BEP staff will not be able to visit locations during this time.Audio and E-text TranscriptionsWe have suspended production of custom audio and e-text transcriptions during the stay at home period. We are reaching out to all customers who may be affected by this. If you have not heard from us, or if you have any questions, please email ssb.audioservices@state.mn.us.BrailleWe have been able to move some of our braille production offsite and are doing our best to transcribe high-priority items. There may be some delays related to mailing times and technical issues, and we’ll do our best to keep you updated.Radio Talking BookDuring the stay at home period, we will be broadcasting programming from the Kansas Audio Reader Network. You can find their program guide at are pleased to announce that you can now listen to our broadcast on an Amazon smart speaker. Find full instructions on how to use this feature below.National Library ServiceThe staff at the Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault will be doing their best to serve customers.The Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service is the fastest way to get books. If you are a Communication Center customer and you would like to access BARD, we will process those applications as quickly as we can. Find out more about BARD at on Returning BooksIf you have braille books or audio cartridges, please hang on to them and mail them back to us after April 10.Digital Book Players, Radio Receivers, and AccessoriesWe will be unable to send out Communication Center equipment, such as digital book players and radio receivers, during this time.If you have a digital player or radio receiver that you need repaired or would like to return, please wait until after April 10 to send it back to us.Our VolunteersWe are so grateful for your patience and understanding during this extraordinary time. Under the stay at home order, volunteers will be unable to visit our offices and recording locations. Badges used to access our 2200 location have been deactivated. Our staff will continue to work remotely. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.We have received many requests from individuals who are interested in volunteering with us. We are not seeking volunteers at this time. If you know of persons interested in volunteering with us, please have them contact us later in the year.Contact UsOur general email address @state.mn.us will be monitored throughout the business day. Our central phone number 651-539-2300 will be checked at least once per day. Calls and emails will be routed to the appropriate staff member. Our staff will do our very best to get back to you within 48 hours.What’s NextThe stay at Home order ends at 5:00 pm on April 10. However, we do not yet know when it will be safe and recommended for telecommuting staff to return to our offices. We also don’t yet know when our offices will open to the public. We recommend checking our website at for the most up-to-date information. If you wish to join our email list, enter your email address in the box marked “Subscribe for email.” We email the list with important news and information, including updates related to the current Covid-19 situation.ResourcesHere are a few resources that may be helpful to you at this time.Free Access to JAWS, Zoomtext and FusionVispero is providing no-cost licenses for JAWS, Zoomtext, and Fusion. The licenses expire on June 30, 2020. Learn more on their licensing activation page at Audio Book on Zoom Video ConferencingIf you are using the video conferencing platform Zoom to connect with family, attend classes or training, or conduct business, Jonathan Mosen is offering free downloads of his audio book Meet Me Accessibly: A Guide to Zoom Cloud Meetings from a Blindness Perspective.Details and a link to download is available at E-booksIf you are a student, or have students in your household, the Internet Archive has made available more than one million digital books through a “National Emergency Library.” Learn more at has created an extensive list of sources for e-books and published it to their blog site at Search ResourcesMinnesota’s CareerForce has a list of virtual and interactive services you can access from home. Check them out at Resources for the DeafBlind CommunityThe Helen Keller National Center is offering free access to its online courses through March 31. Learn more at Grants Flexibility to TRS Providers During Coronavirus Metro Transit and Metro MobilityInformation on Metro Transits reduced schedule at 5Certified Metro Mobility customers can now order groceries and household essentials online from a store that has online shopping and local pick up. MetroMobility will pick your order up and deliver to your house. Linkage Line and Disability Linkage LineThese services connect Minnesotans with resources and assistance and have up-to-date information on what is available during this time.Senior Linkage Line 1-800-333-2433Disability Linkage Line 1-866-333-2466Covid-19 InfoIf you have questions or concerns related to Covid-19, call the hotline set up by the Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-3920. (Available from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.)Or go to Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing provides re-caps of press conferences by Governor Walz, and other important updates. ................
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