NCDHH Highlights
By Tovah Wax, NCAD Representative
May 18, 2007


DSDHH Advisory Council Highlights
May 18, 2007
Tovah M. Wax, NCAD Rep


Newborn Hearing Screening, Kathleen Watts, EHDI (Early Detection and Hearing Intervention)
Increase in # infants identified as hearing impaired; early detection means early intervention
97% of infants are routinely screened nationally; 72-89% states have tracking system; 57% track till age 3, fewer till age 21
Challenges include better follow-up with families, locating babies not born in hospitals (e.g., home births)

DSDHH Update, Jan Withers and Jeff Mobley
Thanks to Jennifer Boyd for her work with DSDHH, as she leaves for other opportunities
Preparations for Hard-of-Hearing Conference in Sept, in collaboration with HLA-NC, and also recognized by HLAA
Purchase of seven audiometers, for Regional Coordinators to use for audiological screening; they will receive training in their use
Purchase of seven Zimmerman Low Vision kits, also for use by Regional Coordinators, to educate about low vision issues
Will be publishing “fact sheets” this summer, covering different issues like technology, ASL/working with interpreters, etc.
Summer intern will be working with DSDHH, as part of State Government Intern Program; will focus on developing materials for DVDs
NBC-17 Health Fair on June 17, will have booth with audiology/deafness exhibit(s)
DSDHH has a request for 3 new positions in the leglislative expansion budget proposal(s)

Council Update, Ruth Miller
All actions items from last meeting were addressed
OES/Cindie Bennett responded to letter of concern about service needs of the 3-5 yr age group of D/HH children, proposing a work group including some Council members to explore ways of meeting their needs.
Letter of support to MHAC concerning legislative expansion requests for MH services to D/HH people was acknowledged and appreciated
Membership: 6 members will be finishing their terms in June; representatives are needed for Deaf Consumer, Deaf-Blind, Black (and/or other Minority) Deaf, Cochlear Implant, Interpreters.  Submit nominations to Ruth Miller, Chair.  Also submit any suggestions for other representations needed.

Deaf-Blind Update, Deidre Dockery, Kimberly Harrell, Ashley Benton, Chris McCain
Bit of info:  Helen Keller came to advocate for establishment of DSB!
DSB established 1976, expanded 1994
About 87,000 people w/vision loss in NC; about 27,000 with vision and hearing loss
About 300 D-B individuals were served by DSB, which has 5 D-B specialists and 2 social workers
SSP training; curriculum being developed for “training the trainers”
Conference on ASL teaching May 29
D-B waiver proposal revisions still being worked on by Stephanie Johnson and Deidre Dockery
Highlights from D-B conference 3/07 at OBX:   keynote was Cathy Kooser, from Ohio D-B program; NFB has new call-in service to get your local newspaper audio-read over phone; lecture on ADA and D-B individuals; about 25 D-B people and 50 SSPS attended; next year conference planned for Asheboro; there will be fundraiser in Statesville on 6/23, during D-B Awareness Week.
D-B Foundation will be announcing recipients of  grants that focus on assisting D-B people to be part of the community more effectively

Legislative Updates, Tovah Wax (see attached)
Additionally, there will  be public hearings on redesignation of GACPD to CLA (see attached)

Committee Reports

Family/Community, Tovah Wax
Discussion about domestic violence issues; MHAC members have convened a work group (Regional MH Coordinator Virginia Hohlt is Chair) to work on developing materials that can be used by police investigators when first called into domestic violence/abuse situations, using a pictorial manual developed in Iowa; collaboration also with DSDHH staff who are working with Justice Academy to develop curricula for training police involved in situations with  D/HH people .  The work group will also be seeking collaboration/participation with other agencies involved in DV situations (e.g., DSS, medical, legal, MH).  One issue that came up was the need to have DV services separate from MH agencies, because is more of a legal than mental health situation to begin with.
Deaf substance abusers have difficulty getting accessibility to AA/NA meetings.  While they are in MH treatment, the DMH will cover cost of interpreter services, etc., but once they are finished with MH treatment, that stops.  There are some very limited funding resources for AA/NA meetings; for example, DSDHH can sometimes help, but they deal with referrals on a case-by-case basis.
There is a “Crucial Conversation” meeting about MH Reform being held at Exploris museum in Raleigh,  on Monday, 5/21, from 11:30 to 2 p.m., sponsored by NC Policy Watch; interpreters are being provided.

Education Committee, Kathleena Whitesell
Bennett’s letter about addressing needs of 3-5 yr old D/HH children indicated that John Pruette, Director of the Office of School Readiness in DPI, will head up work group to address preschool services for this age group; several Council members have agreed to participate.
Letter will be written to Rachael Ragin to encourage development and dissemination of “Communication Plan” form to be used as part of IEPs for D/HH children in public schools; also, to ask for more training and testing opportunities for educational interpreters, and to develop a provisional certification system for recent/new educational interpreter graduates of ITPs.

Communication Committee, Earl Elkins
Addressed also educational interpreting issues and the need to streamline the EIPA process (e.g., more training, testing, and faster turnaround on test review and results)
Need for more D-B interpreters; since the UTenn program closed, materials and resources are now being sought to set up training and certification for those interested
Given the expected passing of ASL bill, anticipate need for more teachers of ASL, etc., so a SLPI (Sign Language Proficiency Interview) is being developed, to certify those teachers; Pat Hauser is someone who is qualified to help develop and to use it.
RID is establishing guidelines indicating that interpreters taking exams by 2008 will need 2 year degrees; by2012, four year degrees will be required
Continuing concerns about development and availability of battery backup systems for visual alert alarms; this needs to be handled at national level
NAD joined a coalition of organizations for people with disabilities being established to address visual communication needs with the FCC