This is DARS update report regarding services and accomplishments for
\nthe 2008 fiscal year that ended August 30. This includes the Office
\nfor Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) and The Division of
\nRehabilitation Services (DRS). <\/p>\n
DARS Serves More Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers <\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind consumers
\nbeing served and the amount invested in these services by the
\nDepartment of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services are increasing at
\na dramatic rate\u201d, says Assistant Commissioner for Rehabilitation
\nServices, Jim Hanophy. <\/p>\n
Mr. Hanophy reports that when making comparisons of 2005 data and
\nactivities with 2008: <\/p>\n
The VR services funding for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing
\nincreased by 46.3 percent, from $8.2million to $12 million, and
\n The number of deaf and hard of hearing persons served by VR
\nincreased from 7.02 percent of the eligible consumer population to
\n11.57 percent, an increase of 4.56 percent.-
\n The number of VR specialty caseloads serving this population
\nincreased from 28 to 42\u2014an increase of 14.
\n Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are
\nreceiving intensive training that enhances their ability to serve
\nconsumers. A fourth annual statewide training for this group was held
\nrecently at Corpus Christi, which also included Resource Specialists
\nand other local service providers. In addition, training at the local
\nlevels is provided by Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
\n(DHHS) staff, by Rehabilitation Services Central Office staff and by
\nvarious Resource Specialists. Dr. Doug Watson and Dr. Steve Boone,
\nUniversity of Arkansas, and John Evans, Washington State Vocational
\nRehabilitation Specialist have provided training. <\/p>\n
In response to stakeholders\u2019 concerns that services for the deaf
\nand hard of hearing had been under-funded for many years, DARS\u2019
\nDivision for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) merged with the
\nDepartment\u2019s Division for Rehabilitation Services (DRS) in March
\n2005. The partnership with the state\u2019s vocational rehabilitation
\nprogram created the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
\nwithin DRS. This partnership not only connected DHHS with federal
\nvocational rehabilitation dollars that dramatically increased the
\nfunding available for programs for people who are deaf or hard of
\nhearing, but also created service teams by bringing together DHHS
\nstaff, the Resource Specialists and other DHHS contracted statewide
\nprogram staff with DRS Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors for the
\nDeaf, also located statewide, to form important working partnerships.
\nSome important service happenings after the merger: <\/p>\n
DHHS saw its contract services funding increase by $1.2 million
\ndollars each year by acquiring VR federal dollars for services
\nprograms. This funding has allowed DHHS to increase their Resource
\nSpecialists projects from 11 to 26, a 136% increase. Resource
\nSpecialists assist consumers in getting the services they need through
\nservice provider units of state and local governments, service
\norganizations, and entities while advocating with providers to make
\ntheir services accessible and readily available to the population.
\n DHHS has created various partnerships to provide extensive
\ninterpreter training opportunities in response to interpreting needs
\nand interpreter shortages. This includes Hispanic trilingual
\ninterpreter training at SWCID in Big Spring, and other trainings to
\nupgrade interpreter skills.
\n DHHS has streamlined the STAP program for telephone equipment
\ndistribution. This program provided more than 23,000 vouchers to
\neligible consumers in the 2008 fiscal year, thus increasing
\ncommunications access for those consumers.
\n DHHS has sponsored the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth Leadership and
\nTransition Camp each of the last three years at Peaceable Kingdom
\nRetreat at Youngsport, Texas. This camp provides high school students
\nwith the opportunity to learn about leadership, independence,
\ndiversity and self identity and encourages development of confidence.
\nIn 2008 there were 20 students in the program. Candidates are
\nrecommended by school personnel and Vocational Rehabilitation
\nCounselors. Frank Turk, John Evans, Rosa Lee Gallimore, Dan Brubaker,
\nand Heidi Zimmer are some of the individuals who have served as camp
\nstaff.
\n DHHS continues to sponsor Camp Sign for deaf and hard of hearing
\nchildren ages 8 to 18. This camp uses the San Jacinto Girl Scouts
\nfacility near Conroe and having sign skills is a requirement for all
\nstaff. This one week program served 112 children in 2008 and the main
\nfocus is on recreation and developing social skills.
\n DHHS is in the second year of using new BEI interpreter
\ncertification tests. This program has existed for 26 years and makes
\nTexas a national leader in assessing the skills of the state\u2019s
\ninterpreters. In 2005 DARS successfully sought changes to court
\ninterpreter laws that resulted in a requirement that court
\ninterpreters must be court certified and established penalties for
\nnon-certified interpreters in court situations. Development of
\nHispanic trilingual interpreter tests are nearing completion and
\ntesting will begin in 2009.
\n In August 2005 DHHS earmarked funds dedicated to programs to serve
\nthe needs of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and at risk. This
\nsub-group was made up of persons who are considered to be at a higher
\nrisk due to multiple disabilities or coming from an environment where
\nopportunities were limited, such as inappropriate education or
\ninadequate support services, or lack of family support.
\n In January 2008, DHHS began a partnership with the Southwest
\nCollegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) to offer a new program for a
\nlimited number of students who are deaf and at risk. The program
\nfocuses on upgrading academic skills, and also provides independent
\nliving and social skills instruction. Mentors serving as tutors and
\nindependent living skills instructors work with the participants in
\nsmall-group and one-on-one situations . These learning activities will
\nbe in addition to the students\u2019 regular for-credit classes. The
\nprogram is in response to a compelling need in Texas for assistance to
\nat-risk students who are deaf with the hope that it will lead to other
\ncommunity colleges making program adaptations for the benefit of these
\nstudents. The long range goal is to provide assistance to these
\nstudents so that they may complete their educational pursuits and be
\nprepared to be self-sufficient and to live independently. <\/p>\n
The progress made in providing services to the deaf and hard of
\nhearing populations is one of the major accomplishments of DARS.
\n\u201cIncreasing the quantity and improving the quality of services to
\nthe deaf and hard of hearing was one of the biggest challenges we
\nfaced when we were forming the Department of Assistive and
\nRehabilitative Services in 2004,\u201d said DARS Commissioner Terry
\nMurphy. \u201cIt is gratifying to see that we have exceeded our goals,
\nand progress is continuing to pick up momentum as we complete our
\nfourth year. Partnering and teamwork throughout the state has paid
\nhandsome dividends\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Submitted by<\/p>\n
David Myers<\/p>\n
Email: David.Myers@dars.state.tx.us —<\/p>\n BETTER IP RELAY – EVERYWHERE! i711.com makes all your relay calls better. NEW! Try out our Deaf Network of Texas Calendar! Go to NOTE: deafnetwork.com does not endorse any of the products, vendors, Powered by http:\/\/www.CrazyWebHosting.com<\/p>\n If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit — 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…<\/p>\n
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