Summary

<p style="text-align: left;">The Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind (CCDHHDB) provides important services for three different communities.&nbsp; &nbsp; When properly funded they also support much needed outreach and education.&nbsp; All of the communities served deal with barriers to accessing necessary information and effective communication.&nbsp; Important services that they provide include:</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li>Legal interpreter program to make sure people in court have access to interpreters or Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)&nbsp; for people with hearing loss so that they can have full access to our justice system.&nbsp;</li> <li>Rural Communication Access Services providing American Sign Language (ASL) or other interpreters and CART for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing in areas with interpreter shortages.&nbsp; This program also supports people who want to become certified interpreters in rural areas through training programs and scholarships.</li> <li>Support Service Professionals to provide individual tactile communication assistance to facilitate communication and independence to people who are DeafBlind.</li> <li>Equipment distribution to people who are hard of hearing.</li> <li>Talking book library</li> <li>Relay Colorado services</li> <li>Early intervention</li> <li>Grants program</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: left;">Over the years there have been groups supported by the Commission such as paying the Colorado Association of the Deaf to interpret the commission newsletter making it accessible to the Deaf community, a professional association of Deaf adults, a DeafBlind group, and more.&nbsp; They also have had outreach staff to educate communities about the laws and issues relevant to these communities.</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><br />In the recent past the commission has not had adequate funds to provide the necessary services causing some services to be put on hold, pay gaps for the interpreters and SSP providers, waiting lists, and concern about ability to fulfill all requests. &nbsp; Without the necessary services provided by the Commission people can live in complete isolation.&nbsp; The services provided by the Commission enjoy broad bipartisan support in the legislature. &nbsp; There are other critical services not funded at all in non-rural areas such as communication support for something like a religious ceremonies, support group, Alcoholics Anonymous, weddings, funerals, or family reunions.&nbsp; These entities are not required by the ADA to provide interpreters, SSPs, or CART and we believe that this should be available through this fund statewide.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><br />The services are funded by the Disabled Telephone Users Fund (DTUF) which is a couple pennies on each phone bill.&nbsp; This fund, administered by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), sets the rate based on the need, which is identified by the Department of Human Services, and authorized through the Legislative Budget Process.&nbsp; &nbsp; The law allows a collection of up to 15 cents per bill, but the state is only using 3 cents per bill.&nbsp; Because this has not been enough to meet the need, and there are other needs unmet, such as interpreting services in urban areas for things not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) such as faith based services, funerals, neighborhood or parent clubs, the Deaf, hard of hearing and DeafBlind Communities and our allies are requesting that the Governor put an increase request in his budget request to the General Assembly. &nbsp; Additional costs can be recovered through increasing the telephone users fee by a few pennies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><br /><strong>If you think the communication needs of people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind are worth a couple of pennies a month on phone bills, please sign the petition.</strong></p>