This is DARS update report regarding services and accomplishments for
the 2008 fiscal year that ended August 30. This includes the Office
for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) and The Division of
Rehabilitation Services (DRS).
DARS Serves More Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers
“The number of deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind consumers
being served and the amount invested in these services by the
Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services are increasing at
a dramatic rate”, says Assistant Commissioner for Rehabilitation
Services, Jim Hanophy.
Mr. Hanophy reports that when making comparisons of 2005 data and
activities with 2008:
The VR services funding for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing
increased by 46.3 percent, from $8.2million to $12 million, and
The number of deaf and hard of hearing persons served by VR
increased from 7.02 percent of the eligible consumer population to
11.57 percent, an increase of 4.56 percent.-
The number of VR specialty caseloads serving this population
increased from 28 to 42—an increase of 14.
Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are
receiving intensive training that enhances their ability to serve
consumers. A fourth annual statewide training for this group was held
recently at Corpus Christi, which also included Resource Specialists
and other local service providers. In addition, training at the local
levels is provided by Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
(DHHS) staff, by Rehabilitation Services Central Office staff and by
various Resource Specialists. Dr. Doug Watson and Dr. Steve Boone,
University of Arkansas, and John Evans, Washington State Vocational
Rehabilitation Specialist have provided training.
In response to stakeholders’ concerns that services for the deaf
and hard of hearing had been under-funded for many years, DARS’
Division for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) merged with the
Department’s Division for Rehabilitation Services (DRS) in March
2005. The partnership with the state’s vocational rehabilitation
program created the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
within DRS. This partnership not only connected DHHS with federal
vocational rehabilitation dollars that dramatically increased the
funding available for programs for people who are deaf or hard of
hearing, but also created service teams by bringing together DHHS
staff, the Resource Specialists and other DHHS contracted statewide
program staff with DRS Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors for the
Deaf, also located statewide, to form important working partnerships.
Some important service happenings after the merger:
DHHS saw its contract services funding increase by $1.2 million
dollars each year by acquiring VR federal dollars for services
programs. This funding has allowed DHHS to increase their Resource
Specialists projects from 11 to 26, a 136% increase. Resource
Specialists assist consumers in getting the services they need through
service provider units of state and local governments, service
organizations, and entities while advocating with providers to make
their services accessible and readily available to the population.
DHHS has created various partnerships to provide extensive
interpreter training opportunities in response to interpreting needs
and interpreter shortages. This includes Hispanic trilingual
interpreter training at SWCID in Big Spring, and other trainings to
upgrade interpreter skills.
DHHS has streamlined the STAP program for telephone equipment
distribution. This program provided more than 23,000 vouchers to
eligible consumers in the 2008 fiscal year, thus increasing
communications access for those consumers.
DHHS has sponsored the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth Leadership and
Transition Camp each of the last three years at Peaceable Kingdom
Retreat at Youngsport, Texas. This camp provides high school students
with the opportunity to learn about leadership, independence,
diversity and self identity and encourages development of confidence.
In 2008 there were 20 students in the program. Candidates are
recommended by school personnel and Vocational Rehabilitation
Counselors. Frank Turk, John Evans, Rosa Lee Gallimore, Dan Brubaker,
and Heidi Zimmer are some of the individuals who have served as camp
staff.
DHHS continues to sponsor Camp Sign for deaf and hard of hearing
children ages 8 to 18. This camp uses the San Jacinto Girl Scouts
facility near Conroe and having sign skills is a requirement for all
staff. This one week program served 112 children in 2008 and the main
focus is on recreation and developing social skills.
DHHS is in the second year of using new BEI interpreter
certification tests. This program has existed for 26 years and makes
Texas a national leader in assessing the skills of the state’s
interpreters. In 2005 DARS successfully sought changes to court
interpreter laws that resulted in a requirement that court
interpreters must be court certified and established penalties for
non-certified interpreters in court situations. Development of
Hispanic trilingual interpreter tests are nearing completion and
testing will begin in 2009.
In August 2005 DHHS earmarked funds dedicated to programs to serve
the needs of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and at risk. This
sub-group was made up of persons who are considered to be at a higher
risk due to multiple disabilities or coming from an environment where
opportunities were limited, such as inappropriate education or
inadequate support services, or lack of family support.
In January 2008, DHHS began a partnership with the Southwest
Collegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) to offer a new program for a
limited number of students who are deaf and at risk. The program
focuses on upgrading academic skills, and also provides independent
living and social skills instruction. Mentors serving as tutors and
independent living skills instructors work with the participants in
small-group and one-on-one situations . These learning activities will
be in addition to the students’ regular for-credit classes. The
program is in response to a compelling need in Texas for assistance to
at-risk students who are deaf with the hope that it will lead to other
community colleges making program adaptations for the benefit of these
students. The long range goal is to provide assistance to these
students so that they may complete their educational pursuits and be
prepared to be self-sufficient and to live independently.
The progress made in providing services to the deaf and hard of
hearing populations is one of the major accomplishments of DARS.
“Increasing the quantity and improving the quality of services to
the deaf and hard of hearing was one of the biggest challenges we
faced when we were forming the Department of Assistive and
Rehabilitative Services in 2004,” said DARS Commissioner Terry
Murphy. “It is gratifying to see that we have exceeded our goals,
and progress is continuing to pick up momentum as we complete our
fourth year. Partnering and teamwork throughout the state has paid
handsome dividends” he said.
Submitted by
David Myers
Email: [email protected]
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