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IN THIS ISSUE

National Deaf History Month | FY 24-25 Grant | EHDI Grant

CTP Funding | RCAS Rule | Interpreter C&C | Get Involved

Where We've Been | Mark Your Calendar

Image Description: A row of multicolored hands making different shapes and gestures is featured in the center of a simple black box. Text reads: April 2024 Deaf History Month Recognizing the history of ALL Deaf people in our nation.

National Deaf History Month

New mandate focuses on dismantling racism in the deaf communities.

You are invited to apply!

New Colorado Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Grant

It is official! The Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind (CCDHHDB) under the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) together, have been awarded the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant! This allows us to continue to coordinate the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program for the next five years.

Our agencies will continue to work together to enhance Colorado’s EHDI system by closing gaps in the system, expanding opportunities for collaboration, and coordinating information and resources for families of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children. Our goal is to build upon Colorado’s established assessment methods, while also analyzing current best practices, and to analyze language outcomes for children. We hope to ensure strong collaborative efforts by maintaining the COEHDI Alliance advisory group and partnering with relevant state agencies to ensure compliance with EHDI 1-3-6 goals.

Our team sends a huge thank you to our EHDI partners who have committed their time and effort to improving outcomes for young DHH children and their families while the Colorado EHDI Alliance worked to establish itself over the past four years. Your involvement has been, and continues to be, vital in our efforts to enhance the EHDI system in Colorado.

We are currently working to ensure that our foundation structure (i.e., contracts, FTE, partnerships) is ready for the start of the new grant cycle on April 1, 2024. Stay tuned for updates in the near future.

Please email us with any questions

cliff.moers@state.co.us 

Cliff Moers, CCDHHDB Director and EHDI Co-Principal Investigator

christy.scott@state.co.us

Christy Scott, CDEC Office of Early Intervention Director and EHDI Co-Principal Investigator

 

Communications Technology Program secures additional funding

The Communications Technology Program (CTP), which provides telecommunications devices at no charge to qualified Coloradans, has secured additional funding through the Colorado Performance Assurance Plan (CPAP) Special Fund, aimed at supporting the program’s outreach and service provision efforts.

In 2022, the Public Utilities Commission decided to discontinue the CPAP special fund.The PUC allocated the remaining funds (totaling $1,589,067) to various initiatives. These include educating Colorado consumers about the federal Lifeline program and distributing accessible telecommunication technology. Organizations were invited to bid for these funds. The CCDHHDB CTP successfully secured $439,054 for use over the next three years.

This funding will enable CTP to enhance its services in several key areas:

• Hiring contractors for outreach efforts and administrative needs.
• Add three new demonstration centers in rural areas (Western Slope, southern Colorado, and eastern Colorado) and provide necessary demonstration equipment.
• Strengthen and support existing and newly established demonstration centers through training.
• Providing in-person support services, including application assistance, equipment assessment, installation and training, and education of state low-income resources, such as Lifeline.
• Creating print and digital marketing.

For more information or to apply to the program, please visit our Communications Technology Program webpage or email ctp.ccdhhdb@state.co.us. 



Rural Communication Access Services Program Rulemaking

Establishing new rules for a program is a huge undertaking and the commission would like to recognize and thank everyone for their participation in the rulemaking process, including attending town hall meetings, visiting the RCAS rulemaking webpage, submitting comments, and attending the State Board of Human Services rulemaking meetings. 

The commission offers a special special thank you to the five members of the rulemaking committee, who participated in many meetings over the last year and a half to draft the rule: 

• Susan Brown (Durango)
• Stephanie Cryer (Silverthorne) 
• Staci Nichols (Craig)
• Kyle Rosenberg (Steamboat Springs)
• Sheila Worth (Grand Junction)

We are grateful for the time and energy you contributed to this rulemaking process. 

The new rule calls for a five-member advisory council for the Rural Communication Access Program:

1. The RCAS program shall convene a five-member advisory council. membership shall consist of the following: two rural consumers who use or are familiar with RCAS services; two communication access services vendors who take assignments in rural areas; and one member of the public.  
2. The council shall meet at least two times per year to consult with RCAS program staff and make recommendations. The council may expand its membership or establish issue-specific workgroups as needed.
3. Term limits of the rural communication access services advisory council shall be determined by the commission. 

Please contact the CCDHHDB office at office.ccdhhdb@state.co.us if you are interested in participating in the advisory council. 



Interpreter Coffee & Conversations are back!

Coffee & Conversations is a sign language interpreter training developed for Colorado interpreters to gain knowledge on specific topics related to court and legal settings. We are excited to announce that CCDHHDB, the Denver Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, and the CRID Legal Interpreting Committee will partner with Deaf Overcoming Violence through Empowerment (DOVE) to kick off Coffee & Conversations (C&C) again. 

Because working with victims extends further than the court system, this C&C will also be open to community interpreters who have worked with victims in settings outside of the courtroom, such as medical exams, advocate meetings, shelter placement meetings, etc.

Please complete our Spring 2024 form as we develop this C&C related to working with domestic violence victims. The same C&C topic will be presented twice.

Save the date for the session that works for you:

• Denver C&C - Thursday, April 25, from 4:30-6:30 pm* (location TBD)
• Colorado Springs C&C - Thursday, May 9, from 4:30-6:30 pm* (location TBD)

*Doors will open at 4 pm for social time before the presentation and discussion begin.

Thank you for your time providing input; this will help develop the workshop content and logistics.

Please contact 

christine.pendley@state.co.us

Christine Pendley, Lead ASL/English Interpreter, Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind

lorrie.kosinski@denvergov.org

Lorrie Kosinski, Director, Denver Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services 



Get involved!

Commissioner Vacancies

The commission, known as an advisory board, of the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind, advises on policies that direct the State of Colorado to take a course of action. These actions meet the Colorado Department of Human Services functions, mission and vision. The commission promotes the interests of the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind communities and ensures access to both communication and environment. 

The commission is seeking independent, enthusiastic and committed candidates for the Governor appointed positions listed here: 

• Parent of deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind child
• Professional working with deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind people
• Late-deafened member
• Deafblind member

The application deadline is 4 p.m. on April 30, 2024.

Commissioners receive no paid compensation for their service on the commission, but travel expenses are reimbursed in accordance with state travel regulations.

It is anticipated that Rebecca Herr (late-deafened member) and Jill Bradshaw (parent) may apply for a second term. You are welcome to apply for any positions, but be advised that re-appointments are common.

Commission duties for this role include, but are not limited to:

• Completing a four-year term from July 2024 through June 30, 2028. 
• Monitoring the functions and performance of the commission.
• Attending quarterly and special commission meetings.  
• Preparing for commission meetings.           
• Becoming familiar with the needs of your specific constituency.
• Serving on a committee of the commission.            
• Representing the commission before the public, businesses and community.

For more information regarding the commission and services, please visit our webpage or contact us 720-457-3679 or office.ccdhhdb@state.co.us.



Legal Auxiliary Services Advisory Council

The Legal Auxiliary Services Advisory Council (LASAC) used to have nine members but is now a five-member group after the program’s rules were updated in mid-2022. The advisory council’s role is to consult with Legal Auxiliary Services program staff and make recommendations. The meetings are open to the public. 



Under the new rule, LASAC members must include: 

• Status I or II Court/Legal Interpreter (deaf)
• Status I or II Court/Legal Interpreter (hearing)
• Status I or II Court/Legal Interpreter (no hearing status specified)
• One CART captioner 
• One member of the public

Members can serve up to two terms. The current members are: 

• Nowell Busch (Status I interpreter, deaf, second term ends 7/1/25)
• Sharon Ploeger (Status I interpreter, hearing, first term ends 7/1/24)
• Sandi Johnson (Status I interpreter, hearing, first term ends 7/1/25)
• Alicia Berg (Status II CART Captioner, first term ends 7/1/25)
• Staci Nichols (Member of the public, deaf, second term ends 7/1/24)

The council will have its first meeting with its new members on April 16, 2024, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Details are available in Mark Your Calendar, below.  

Please contact the CCDHHDB office at office.ccdhhdb@state.co.us if you are interested in participating in the advisory council. 

Where We've Been

Grand Junction Bridging Communications Meeting

Mark Your Calendar

Quarterly Commission Meeting 

Next meeting - Wednesday, June 5, 2024 

4-6 p.m.

Online Zoom registration is required 

ASL interpretation and CART will be provided. Deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind individuals, members of the public, professionals working with the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind communities, and any other interested stakeholders are more than welcome to attend! 



Contact email: office.ccdhhdb@state.co.us



Legal Auxiliary Services Advisory Council

Next meeting - Tuesday, April 16, 2024

4:30-6 p.m.

Online Zoom registration is required

This meeting is open to anyone that is interested in attending.

Sign language interpretation and CART captioning are available by request. Please make requests by April 2, 2024.

Email office.ccdhhdb@state.co.us to request accommodations, or with any questions.