2008 Fiscal Year Annual Report July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 The Honorable Jan K. Brewer Governor, State of Arizona 1700 W. Washington Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Dear Governor Brewer: In accordance with A.R.S. §36-1944, I am pleased to submit the 2008 annual report on behalf of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH). The ACDHH staff, led by Executive Director Sherri Collins, worked diligently during the past year to achieve numerous milestones, most of which are highlighted in this report. October 1, 2007 marked the beginning of licensure for all ASL interpreters except those working in accordance with a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), emergencies, without compensation, or religious settings. As of the close of FY 2008, 322 interpreters had been licensed with many more to come. The 30th Anniversary Road Tour was also conducted in 2008 and led by Sherri Collins. Tour stops included Flagstaff, Phoenix, Yuma, Lake Havasu City, Tucson, and Surprise. During the tour, citizens gave feedback on service delivery, accessibility and partnerships with community members receiving awards in recognition of their service to their communities. This tour was one of the keys to our success in 2008 because we were able to talk one-on-one with our constituents to learn of their needs and develop ways in which the Commission can meet them. Also during the Road Tour, the Arizona Relay Services (AZRS) specialists traveled the state educating citizens about the benefits of Relay. Funded by a surcharge on all Arizona ratepayers’ telephone statements and administered by ACDHH, AZRS enjoyed a very successful year completing 252,270 calls resulting in 1,160,411 call minutes, and maintained a 99.97% satisfaction rate for the year. On behalf of Arizona’s more than 500,000 deaf, hard of hearing, deaf blind and speech impaired citizens, I thank you in advance for your strong support of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. Respectfully, Sherry Appleby, Chairperson Fiscal Year 2008 2 Table of Contents Page About ACDHH 4-5 ACDHH Statute 5 Fiscal Year 2008 General Highlights 5 Information and Referral 6 Interpreter Licensure 6-7 Interpreter Training Program Partnerships 7 Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program 7 Arizona Relay Service 8 ACDHH Budget 9 Commissioners 10 Staff Members 11 3 About ACDHH ACDHH was established in 1977 to improve the quality of life for Deaf and Hard of Hearing residents in Arizona. ACDHH serves as a statewide information referral center for issues related to people with hearing loss, serves people who are deaf blind, as well as poeple who have speech difficulties. ACDHH aspires to be a national leader in communication access, support services and community empowerment throughout the state. ACDHH was established in 1977 as the Arizona Council for the Deaf for the purpose of improving the quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing Arizonans. The name was changed in 1985 to the Arizona Council for the Hearing Impaired, and in 2000 was again changed to its present name. ACDHH staff members serve as the statewide resource on issues concerning the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities by: - Coordinating numerous publications and outreach efforts Licensing American Sign Language Interpreters Providing training and outreach Providing a Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program Overseeing Telecommunications Relay Services Certification of American Sign Language Instructors In addition, ACDHH produces a weekly television talk show, and longest running community programming in the country, called Community View, which airs on AZ-TV and KUAT throughout Arizona. As of July 2005 the show is available to the global marketplace for viewing at www.acdhh.org. Keeping the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community informed and connected are key services provided by ACDHH. It is for this reason a quarterly newsletter, an annual statewide TTY directory, and an in-house, comprehensive resource library is open and available to the public. Mission The purpose of Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing is to ensure, in partnership with the public and private sectors, accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to improve their quality of life. Vision The ACDHH’s energetic and innovative team, aspires to be a national leader in the provision of communication access, support services and community empowerment throughout the Grand Canyon State. Statute and Regulatory Requirements: The ACDHH Statute: To remain at the forefront of service delivery for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Arizonans, the ACDHH continues to work towards its specific regulatory obligations: 4 • To inform the deaf and hard of hearing of the programs and activities of the Commission and other services available to them at all levels of government. • To study issues relating to the deaf and the hard of hearing, review the administration and operation of various programs, and make recommendations concerning these problems to programs to the agencies represented on the Commission • Adopt rules necessary to achieve the purposes of section 12-242 (legal interpreting) • Maintain contractual compliance for Arizona Relay Service (AZRS) and enhance public awareness of relay service • Expand public awareness of Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (AzTEDP) • Expand public awareness of hearing loss issues in general 2008 Fiscal Year General Highlights • ACDHH executive director conducted a road tour as part of the agency’s 30th year celebration. Tour stops included Flagstaff, Phoenix, Yuma, Lake Havasu City, Tucson, and Surprise. During the tour, citizens gave feedback on service delivery, accessibility and partnerships. Community members received awards in recognition of their service to their communities. • Consumers benefited from videophone (VP) accessibility. The agency installed seven videophones for deaf staff and others who interact frequently with deaf consumers. Call volume increased particularly for the deaf specialists. Walk-in appointments declined as well due to the convenience of conducting appointments and securing appointments by VP. • ACDHH participated in the 2nd Annual Arizona Deaf Festival. Staff participated on the event’s planning committee and the agency staffed a booth at the event. • ACDHH adopted the certification levels as determined by the American Sign Language (ASL) Teacher’s Association as acceptable for AZ ASL instructor certification. • The Dangerous Decibels program launched to youth about the importance of hearing health protection • ACDHH partnered with the Adult Loss of Hearing Association in Tucson for office space in the southern region. • The Mental Health Roundtable produced approximately eight in-service trainings for the Deaf Specialist and the Hard of Hearing Specialist. Participants received training on deaf culture, equal accessibility, how to work most effectively with American Sign Language 5 interpreters, communication management for Hard of Hearing consumers, assistive listening devices and the overall impact of hearing loss on one’s mental health well being. • Mental Health facilities completed a survey on deafness and hearing loss. All mental health providers under Behavioral Health Services completed surveys. The surveys gathered information on the number of deaf or hard of hearing consumers in each system. • Commission staff conducted three meetings to focus on certification for American Sign Language (ASL) Instructors. Information and Referral • Clear Channels is a quarterly newsletter mailed to consumers, Legislators and community organizations that provides updates on current Commission initiatives. Approximately 9,600 newsletters were distributed in FY 2008. • Enews brings about a new approach for sharing information. The Commission provides this distribution of information via email blast to the community with announcements regarding various community events and projects. The news blast is distributed regularly to more than 2,300 members, and growing. • Community View, now in its 35th year, is the nation’s longest running television talk show which caters to the deaf and hard of hearing’s communication needs. According to the Neilson report, Community View had a .1 average rating meaning a range of 1600 to 2400 people watched the show each week totaling 124,800 viewers for the year. However, the actual viewership was much higher because the report included only AZ-TV viewers in Metro Phoenix and did not include KUAT in southern Arizona. • ACDHH maintains an updated website at www.acdhh.org. New features include a video blog, easier navigation and the ability for community members to post comments. Feedback from stakeholders and Commissioners has been mainly positive. Interpreter Licensure • October 1, 2007 marked the beginning of licensure for all ASL interpreters except those working in accordance with a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), emergencies, without compensation, or religious settings. 322 interpreters have been licensed. • ACDHH partnered with Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (AZRID) to sponsor a two-day training for deaf individuals preparing to take the national certified deaf interpreters exam. The training featured Mr. Jimmy Beldon, vice president for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Participants received training on the interpreting process, deaf and hearing teams, code of professional conduct, and much more. 6 • ACDHH was approved as a Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf sponsor for continuing education. This will allow additional support to assists licensees in maintaining both state licenses and national certification through the sponsorship of workshops. • ACDHH staff and commissioners attended the national Council on Licensure Education and Regulation (CLEAR) conference. Attendees benefited from workshops focusing on developing positive relationships with the licensed community, new regulatory standards for various professions and basics of conducting investigations and hearings. • Licensure staff provided a total of eight workshops on licensure- four for consumers, and four for interpreters. Workshops were held in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Lake Havasu City. • Commissioners received training from the Assistant Attorney General on licensure in regards to open meeting law rules. Commissioners also received training on the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Code of Professional Conduct and ethical decision making. Interpreter Training Program Partnerships In partnership with colleges and universities ACDHH has supported the following interpreter training programs and projects. • Phoenix College: Mentoring Project • University of Arizona: Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf 2009 Professional Development Conference • Coconino Community College: Interpreter Training Program • University of Arizona: Support Service Provider Training Program • Phoenix College: Certified Deaf Interpreter Program Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program The Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (AzTEDP) was established in 1986 to give deaf telephone users access to no-cost TTYs. The program has since expanded to serving the hard of hearing, deaf blind, and people with speech difficulties. The equipment catalog now features more than 65 products. AzTEDP Highlights for FY 2008: • Approximately 1,400 vouchers for equipment were issued. • Program information on the ACDHH website was updated and expanded and now includes the program application and instructions online. • Four Captel consumer education sessions were held. New users were educated on the phone features, customer service offerings, and billing concerns. • AzTEDP demonstration sites are in operation in seven locations throughout the state. 7 Arizona Relay Service (AZRS) General Highlights Hamilton Communications continues to provide excellent relay services for ACDHH. AZRS is funded by a surcharge on all Arizona ratepayers’ telephone statements. The funds are administered by ACDHH. Outreach and education activities were conducted to inform the general public about the Arizona Relay Service and to interact with relay users to obtain their input and feedback. • AZRS specialists traveled with ACDHH staff during the 2008 road tour. • Outreach and education was conducted during a three-day northern Arizona outreach and education mini-tour with ACDHH specialists. • AZRS staff participated in the Arizona Disability Expo. • AZRS launched the newsletter Old Pueblo to its customers. • AZRS completed 252,270 calls resulting in 1,160,411 call minutes. • AZRS maintained and 99.97% satisfaction rate for the year. 8 ACDHH Budget: FISCAL YEAR 2008 BUDGET Revenue 6,617,300 Appropriation 5,448,100 Expenditures Personal Services/Employee Related Expenses 1,069,466 AZRS (Relay) Contract 1,676,010 AzTEDP (Equipment Distribution Program) 677,731 Professional and Outside Services 542,361 Other Operating Expenses 539,777 Total 4,505,345 GRANTS St. Luke Grant Beginning balance Ending balance Native American Grant - Phase 2 Beginning balance Ending balance 1,331 1,331 18,936 6,430 Numbers Rounded to Nearest Whole Number 9 Board of Commissioners The Board oversees the policymaking, budget planning, and strategic planning for ACDHH, in addition to evaluating the ongoing performance of the executive director. Each Board member also acts as an advocate for ACDHH and the particular group they represent. The ACDHH Board consists of 14 members appointed by the governor to three-year terms. Of the representatives, four are deaf; four are hard of hearing; one is a parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child; one is selected from the Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; one is a licensed hearing aid dispenser; one is a clinical audiologist; one is from the Department of Economic Security; and one is from the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Tucson or the Phoenix Day School of the Deaf. The Board meets six times a year, one of which serves as their annual retreat. Name Sherry Appleby Position Chairperson, Hard of Hearing representative Vacant ASDB/PDSD Angelina Ortiz Deaf Representative 8/27/2011 Antonio F. Calderon, M.D. Hearing Aid Dispenser Representative 8/27/2009 Vacant Hard of Hearing Representative 8/27/2008 Tom Muller, Au.D. CCC-A Dispensing Clinical Audiologist Representative 8/27/2009 Vacant Hard of Hearing Representative Angel Manuel Ramos Deaf Representative 8/27/2008 Sharon Schira-Layton Department of Economic Security Representative 8/27/2008 Dawn Townsend AZ Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Representative 8/27/2008 Michael Ubowski Deaf Representative 8/27/2008 Susan Vardon Hard of Hearing Representative 8/27/2009 Jeanne Hollabaugh Parent Representative 8/27/2010 Term expiration 8/27/2009 10 Commission Staff Name Sherri L. Collins Position Executive Director Carmen Green Deputy Director Lynn Wakefield Business Manager Bryanna Alton Administrative Assistant Beca Bailey Deaf Specialist Emmett Hassen Licensing and Certification Coordinator Sheri Kerr Equipment and Inventory Technician Edward Kinal Special Projects Coordinator Ryan Layton Telecommunications Project Specialist Belva Masaquaptewa Administrative Assistant Michele Michaels Hard of Hearing Specialist Christi Smith Interpreter Coordinator Vicki Thompson AzTEDP Planner Melinda Villela Assistant to the Executive Director 11