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IN THIS ISSUE

Community Intervener Program | Director Retirement

Sunset Bill Update | Auxiliary Program Changes

Scheduling Changes | RCAS Advisory Council | DBAC Updates COEHDI Updates | Award Nominations | Technology

Community Intervener Program

Join us in welcoming Elli Streifer as our new Community Intervener Program Manager.

Elli grew up in Centennial. After graduating from RIT with an ASL/English Interpreting degree, she moved around several states before returning home to Colorado. She has been interpreting for six years and began running the Community Intervener Program pilot in 2021. At the same time, she was pursuing her DeafBlind Intervener credential. She is thrilled to continue to manage the Community Intevener Program and serve DeafBlind youth across the state.

Elli began learning ASL in middle school and was first exposed to the DeafBlind community in college. She has since worked as a tactile interpreter, SSP, intervener, and consultant for DeafBlind children receiving vision therapy

Image Description: Ellie Streifer a smiling young woman with hair pulled back into a bun wearing red glasses with purple tinted lenses and a dark blue shirt in front of a gray background.

Elli still interprets part-time and is in graduate school pursuing an M.Ed. in Visual Impairments, focusing on Deafblindness and Complex Communicators. When she is not busy with work or school, her hobbies include watching documentaries and participating in competitive speed jigsaw puzzles.

Cliff Moers Retires

Image Description: Cliff Moers, a smiling gentleman with curly white hair, and black glasses, wearing a green jacket and mustard-colored shirt applauds in American Sign Language.

HB 24-1276: Sunset Bill Update

House Bill (HB) 24-1276, known as Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind (CCDHHDB) Sunset Bill, in the 2024 legislative session was passed with modifications by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Polis on May 28, 2024. 

As shared in the November 2023 issue of The Navigator, the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), who conducted an evaluation of the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind (CCDHHDB) to determine the vitality of CCDHHDB as an agency and its impact with the community stakeholders, made three legislative recommendations for the State Legislature to consider. These recommendations include: 

• Continuing CCDHHDB for seven years, until 2031.
• Creating a permanent state auxiliary services, also known as state communication access services.
• Changing the name of the Deafblind Citizens Council to the Deafblind Advisory Council.

The creation and operation of the communication access services by CCDHHDB for state agencies within the Executive Branch is the only DORA recommendation that was not included in the final version of HB 12-1276 that passed. The CCDHHDB/Colorado Department of Human Services will continue to collaborate with the Equity Office at the Department of Personnel and Administration and the soon-to-be-created Colorado Disability Opportunity Office at the Department of Labor and Employment to assess how qualified communication access services for deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind state employees and consumers are efficiently provided.  



Auxiliary Services Program Changes

New Name and Contact Information  

The Auxiliary Services program is now called the Communication Access Services program. The name change makes it clear that the program arranges sign language interpreting, CART captioning (Communication Access Realtime Translation), cued language transliteration, and other communication services. Services are arranged only for deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and hearing individuals. 

• The Legal Communication Access Services (LCAS) program arranges services for the Colorado State Courts and other state-level administrative proceedings. 
• The Rural Communication Access Services (RCAS) program arranges services for rural areas of the state on a case-by-case basis. 



For more information, please visit our LCAS webpage or RCAS webpage, email cas.ccdhhdb@state.co.us, or call 720-457-3679. 



Scheduling Changes

New Scheduling Email Address and Phone Number  

The CCDHHDB has a new email address and phone number for all scheduling-related requests and changes. This scheduling email address and phone number are for the Legal Communication Access Services (LCAS), Rural Communication Access Services (RCAS), and DeafBlind Services (DBS) Support Services Provider programs. 

Please use the following contacts for scheduling requests, cancellations, and changes. Staff take turns monitoring and responding to scheduling emails and phone calls. 

• Email: scheduling.ccdhhdb@state.co.us 
• Phone: 720-235-0062

Note that this email address and phone number are only for scheduling purposes. 



Rural Communication Access Services Advisory Council

Rules for the Rural Communication Access Services (RCAS) program became effective on April 30, 2024. Visit the RCAS program webpage to read the new rules, policies, and guidelines.  

The RCAS program highly values input from stakeholders and will create a five-member advisory council to consult with staff and make recommendations on running the RCAS program. The advisory council will meet twice a year and more often if needed. The five members must include:

• 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.

Meetings will probably be held virtually we hope to have the first meeting this fall.

Please contact us if you are interested in serving on the advisory council: email cas.ccdhhdb@state.co.us, or call 720-457-3679. Thank you. 



DeafBlind Advisory Council Updates

The DeafBlind Citizens Council (DBCC) is now officially renamed to the DeafBlind Advisory Council (DBAC) with the official passage of the sunset bill.

The DBAC met on April 11 and June 13, 2024. 

Meeting topics included

• Presentation on RTD’s Access-a-Ride and Access on Demand programs
• Update on the new CCDHHDB SSP and Consumer Policies and Guidelines
• Presentation on the Denver International Airport’s accessibility services 

The next meeting is on August 8, 4-6 PM and DBAC intends to discuss the SSP program regarding recruitment, training, etc. DBAC meets every other month via Zoom.

Register online for all upcoming meetings to add it to your calendar. 



COEHDI Updates

We are still working to launch the Colorado Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (COEHDI) program under the new grant that we received from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This grant operates the program from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2029.

We will be posting the EHDI Director position shortly. We are working diligently to hire the best candidate by following the State hiring process. We know the timeline can be tedious and your patience is greatly appreciated.  

All EHDI project activities are on hold while we wait for the position to be posted and filled.   

Things will get rolling next month after the position is filled. 

Note: The COEHDI Director position has now been posted.

If you have any questions regarding this grant, the EHDI Program, or the director position, please reach out to: 

Anytime - Co-Principal Investigator

christy.scott@state.co.us

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

Before July 31, 2024:  

cliff.moers@state.co.us

Cliff Moers, COEHDI Grant Co-Principal Investigator

Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Director 

After July 31, 2024:  

mindy.gates@state.co.us

Mindy Gates, Interim COEHDI Grant Co-Principal Investigator/Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services Deputy Director (this office oversees the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafblind).



Looking for Award Nominations

Susan J. Elliott Award Nominations

This award was established in 2008 by the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind (CCDHHDB) in honor of Susan J. Elliott, who was the chair of the Colorado Association of the Deaf’s legislative committee to create CCDHHDB through Senate Bill 00-194. As a talented deaf teacher, she knew how to collaborate with key deaf and hard of hearing stakeholders to create CCDHHDB when they attempted to create it for the first time. 

Image Description: Susan J Elliot a middle aged woman with brown and gray hair smiles brightly at the camera

This award recognizes individuals or organizations who have made sustained contributions to the Colorado deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind communities of which the CCDHHDB is a part, similar to the legacy left by Susan’s lifelong work. This award may or may not be given on an annual basis.  

Eligibility

To qualify for this award, nominees must be:

• An individual or organization that acts as an agent of change for a sustainable statewide network of resources 
• Dedicated to removing barriers for the residents of Colorado 
• Significantly working to provide cultural and linguistic equality 
• Contributing to an activity that helped to satisfy an unmet need or expanded services 
• Creating long-term value for all relevant stakeholders

Nomination forms for eligible individuals or organizations must be submitted by July 31, 2024. 

Selection of Recipients

The Commission’s Nomination Committee and CCDHHDB Director will review the nominations and select the recipient. The award winner will be announced at the Commission’s Quarterly Commission meeting on September 4, 2024. The recipient will be added to the Susan J. Elliott Award plaque on display in the commission’s office.



Lynda Remmel Award Nominations

This award was established in 2023 by the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind in memory of Lynda Remmel, a gifted interpreter, role model, and mentor. Because of her commitment to raising the bar in the interpreting profession, she earned the respect of her colleagues and members of the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind communities. 

Lynda Remmel a slender older woman wearing a black long sleeved sweater with short brown hair and glasses passionately signing in front of an audience

This award recognizes interpreters who have made outstanding contributions to the Colorado deaf community and interpreting profession while demonstrating an active commitment to the highest ethical practices similar to those demonstrated by Lynda Remmel. This award may or may not be given on an annual basis.

Eligibility

To qualify for this award, nominees must be:

• An American Sign Language/English Interpreter or Certified Deaf Interpreter
• Makes outstanding contributions to the deaf community and interpreting profession
• Demonstrates a commitment to professional development
• Adheres to high standards of conduct and models values while holding self and others accountable

Nomination forms for eligible interpreters must be submitted by July 31, 2024.  

Selection of Recipients 

The Commission’s Nomination Committee, including one Communication Access Services staff member, will review the nominations and select the recipient. The award winner will be announced at CCDHHDB’s Quarterly Commission meeting on September 4, 2024. The award recipient will be added to the Lynda Remmel Award plaque displayed in the commission’s office.

Technology

Music Haptics

Image Description: Apple iPhone showing a music player with Peggy Gou LIVE on the screen.