Annual report / Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing

              Janet Napolitano
GOVERNOR

Sherri L. Collins
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

1400 West Washington   Room 126   Phoenix, Arizona 85007 www.acdhh.org

The Honorable Janet Napolitano Governor, State of Arizona 1700 W. Washington Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Dear Honorable Governor Napolitano: In accordance with A.R.S.  36-1944, I am pleased to submit to submit the 2004 annual report on behalf of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH). The ACDHH staff, with the leadership of Executive Director Sherri Collins, worked hard in the past year to achieve numerous milestones, many of which are highlighted in this report. With the release of the Commission's long-term Arizona Quality Assurance Report, the agency rolled up their collective sleeves to implement many of the recommendations contained within the report. Achievements in 2004 include: securing a new mandate to partner with colleges and universities to increase the number of qualified interpreters and support service providers; winning a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation to study gaps in services among deaf and hard of hearing Native Americans; smoothly transitioning the Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution program to a voucher system while reducing the processing time for vouchers; and increasing the overall visibility of deaf and hard of hearing issues statewide through outreach and information referral. On behalf of Arizona's 450,000 deaf and hard of hearing citizens, I thank you for your strong support of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. Respectfully,

Michael Ubowski, Chairman

602-364-0990 TTY   602-542-3323 V   800-352-8161 V/TTY   602-542-3380 FAX   INFO@ACDHH.STATE.AZ.US
The mission of the 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 the hard of hearing to improve their quality of life.

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About the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing
The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (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 a statewide resource on issues concerning the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities, coordinating numerous publications and outreach efforts. In addition to producing a weekly television show and publishing a quarterly newsletter and annual statewide TTY directory, ACDHH houses a comprehensive resource library open to everyone. Additional services provided by ACDHH include:   Information and Referral   Interpreting Certification and Licensing   Training and Outreach   Telecommunications Equipment Distribution   Telecommunications Relay Service

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
An energetic and innovative team, ACDHH aspires to be a national leader in the provision of communication access, support services and community empowerment throughout the Grand Canyon State.

Setting the Standard for Service...

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2004 Highlights
2004 was another event-filled year for the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, as staff and board members continued to set new standards for service. These are just some of the highlights: 1st Quarter (July 2003   September 2003) ACDHH Welcomes New Deputy Director Carmen Green was named Deputy Director for ACDHH. A North Carolina native, Green brings ten years of leadership experience to the Commission. In her previous role, Green supervised a staff of eleven at two North Carolina regional centers to provide outreach to Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Blind-Deaf residents in 36 counties. As Deputy Director, Green is responsible for the daily activities and operations of the ACDHH staff. A certified public manager in the states of North Carolina and Arizona, Green is also certified in sign language interpreting, with a level V (Master rating) from the National Association of the Deaf. Planner and Public Relations Coordinator Named ACDHH welcomed Marian Kaanon to the planning and public relations position. Kaanon was brought on board to plan policy strategies and develop communication initiatives in support of ACDHH programs and services. An award-winning communications professional, Kaanon previously served as an Account Executive with an independent public relations agency, and began her career as a radio news reporter in Sacramento, California. 2nd Quarter (October 2003   December 2003) Quality Assurance Task Force Report Made Public The ACDHH Quality Assurance Task Force Report was presented at the bi-annual Arizona Association of the Deaf   Connecting Arizona Advocates conference in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Frank Turk, a nationally renowned educator, presented the report's recommendations to the community. The report, which was compiled after years of public comment sessions, provides future guidance to ACDHH and other organizations serving the deaf and hard of hearing. AzRATED-AB Holds First Meeting; Elects Officers The Arizona Relay and Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program - Advisory Board (AzRATED-AB) held its first meeting in late October 2003, and elected new officers. Lisa Furr was named AzRATED-AB chair, Pamela Howard, Vice-Chair, Norma Nedimovic, Secretary and Carmen Hamblin, Representative. ACDHH Announces Findings from Mental Health Roundtable Thanks to a grant from St. Luke's Health Initiatives, ACDHH formed a Mental Health Roundtable in early 2003 to study current issues affecting the behavioral health of the over 450,000 Deaf & hard of hearing Arizonans. The report's findings will be used to develop education strategies with Arizona Department of Health Services, among other state agencies, to train caregivers and mental health professionals on the issues facing the deaf and hard of hearing.

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3rd Quarter (January 2004   March 2004) New Board Members Welcomed Governor Janet Napolitano announced her selections to vacated and expired seats on the Board of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. Appointments included: Alan Amann (deaf representative), Sherry Appleby (hard of hearing representative), Rene Courtney (parent of a deaf child representative), Tina Jessee (Dispensing Clinical Audiologist representative), Patty Meyer (Interpreter representative) and Susan Vardon (hard of hearing representative). Re-appointed commissioners were Hearing Aid Dispenser representative Robert Baber, Department of Economic Security representative Chris Fuller, and Deaf representative Michelle Barto. Hearing Aid Grant Awarded ACDHH received a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation, to pull together a coalition and prepare a statewide model for the provision of hearing aids to low-income adults. ACDHH Welcomes New Staff Member Joanna Karp joined ACDHH as Equipment and Inventory Technician for the Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (AzTEDP). Karp graduated from Gallaudet University with a degree in Television, Film and Photography. She also attended Devry Institute of Technology and earned a degree in the computer science field as well as the distinction of being the first Deaf graduate of the school. 4th Quarter (April 2004   June 2004) Native American Task Force Meetings ACDHH traveled around the state for the Native American task force meetings, May 10th through May 14th. The well-attended meetings took place in Phoenix, Tucson, Window Rock, San Carlos and the Hopi Nation. Better Hearing and Speech Month Celebrated A number of activities were planned to celebrate May as Better Hearing and Speech Month, including several presentations in Phoenix, Prescott and Flagstaff. ACDHH also designed and distributed educational posters on hearing conservation for school districts around the state. New Name, Home for ACDHH TV Show A new name for the ACDHH weekly television show was selected, after a month-long contest among consumers. Formerly known as "Sign Out," the show was re-named "Community View." The new name debuted as the show made the transition to Sundays at 2:30 pm on a new station, KAZ-TV Channel 13/Cable 27. HB 2495 Signed by Governor Responding to the severe shortage of interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing, Governor Janet Napolitano signed House Bill 2495 into law in late May. House Bill 2495, sponsored by Representative Mark Thompson (R-Tempe), allows the Commission to develop training programs in conjunction with universities and colleges. New Board Member Joins Commission Patsy Orlando, a longtime advocate in the deaf and hard of hearing community, was named as one of three hard of hearing representatives on the board.

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Regulatory Requirements
To remain at the forefront of service delivery for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Arizonans, the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing continues to work towards its specific regulatory obligations:   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 the various programs for the deaf and hard of hearing in this state and make recommendations concerning these problems to programs to the agencies represented on the Commission   Make recommendations to the legislature concerning implementation of a statewide newborn hearing screening program   Adopt rules necessary to achieve the purposes of section 12-242 (legal interpreting)   Maintain contractual compliance for Arizona Relay Service and enhance public awareness of relay service   Expand public awareness of Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program Expand public awareness of hearing loss issues in general Quality Assurance Arizona Revised Statutes  36-1944(3) empowers the Commission to "Study issues relating to the deaf and the hard of hearing, review the administration and operation of the various programs for the deaf and the hard of hearing in this state and make recommendations concerning these problems to the several agencies and institutions represented on the commission as it deems necessary." As part of this mandate, ACDHH organized town hall meetings and task forces over the course of several years. These meetings resulted in the Arizona Deaf and Hard of Hearing Quality Assurance Report. The report, which will serve as the guiding principles for ACDHH strategic planning and legislative activities, will be updated on an annual basis. To read a recent version of the report, visit www.acdhh.org.

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Information & Referral
One of the most important responsibilities of ACDHH is providing information and referral to the general public about deaf and hard of hearing issues. ACDHH has an open door policy and strives on a daily basis to provide prompt, accurate answers to any question regarding hearing loss. With its friendly staff eager to assist the community, ACDHH fields thousands of questions every year  and continues to provide the answers.

16,331 Contacts Made

4,517 Attendance at Presentations or Booths

581 Messages Posted

Public Affairs & Publications The Commission provides multiple avenues for communication, allowing consumers to choose their preferred contact method. The Commission website, located at www.acdhh.org provides a full menu of information for consumers to browse through, and content is updated on a weekly   and sometimes daily   basis. Other communication channels include: Community View Public Affairs Show Now in its 30th year, Community View is the nation's longest running television program for the deaf. Formerly known as Sign Out, the show changed its name and station in mid-2004. Now airing on AZTV Channel 13 in Phoenix on Sundays at 2:30 pm, the show can still be seen in Tucson on Sundays at 6:00 am. Clear Channels A quarterly newsletter mailed to consumers and legislators, along with organizational partners, Clear Channels provides updates on current Commission initiatives. The Commission is reviewing Clear Channels and considering a transition to more of a e-news journal, to streamline cost and target distribution. Monthly Scoop A monthly digest of the many projects the Commission is working on, the Monthly Scoop is sent via email to consumers who "opt-in" to receive the news. Email Tree The Commission coordinates an email tree for the community, with announcements regarding various community events and projects regularly posted to over 700 (and growing) members. The Commission provides several publications to the community with the coordination and publication of several state resource directories, including the Arizona State TTY Directory and a Statewide Communication Accessibility Directory available to service providers.
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Training & Outreach
The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing prides itself on the statewide reach of its training activities. With a full-time Deaf Specialist and Hard of Hearing Specialist in Phoenix, as well as the Southern Outreach Coordinator serving the needs of Southern Arizona, the Commission logs many miles around the state conducting training and information workshops. 2004 highlights include:   Coordinated statewide hearing screenings and informational seminars in support of Better Hearing and Speech Month in May.   Toured the state as part of a Lectureship Panel featuring successful professional Deaf women.   Consulted with local fire and police departments on communication accessibility during emergency situations and evacuation procedures.   Assisted with planning the annual Disability Expo at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, which broke attendance records in 2004.   Conducted numerous presentations on hearing loss issues to rural communities in southern Arizona and Native American communities in Northern Arizona.   Organized numerous exhibitions at community events around the state.

"Working with ACDHH has been a very pleasant experience. The staff are very professional, helpful and knowledgeable about the program and their enthusiasm is contagious! -- Candice Grotsky, M.S., CCC-A, Cigna Medical Group

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Arizona Relay Service
ACDHH ensures telecommunications accessibility for the deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and speech impaired through the Arizona Relay Service (AZRS). The state-administered relay service is mandated by state law and is going into its 17th year of operation. The basic flow of a relay-assisted call is: Calling party   AZRS relay operator   Second calling party. AZRS highlights of FY 2004:   In an effort to increase consumer awareness of AZRS, numerous presentations and exhibitions were planned statewide, targeting minority communities and non-traditional AZRS users.   The Average Speed of Answer (ASA) is measured from the time an incoming call arrives at the Relay Center switch until the time the Operator answers the call. The Arizona Relay Service ASA contract requires that incoming calls be answered within 3.3 seconds, with 85% answered within 10 seconds. On the average, incoming calls were answered at a speed of 0.7 seconds (during the period of July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004). The average incoming call volume per month in 2004 was 68,206 calls. Approximately 68% of all incoming calls were initiated via TTY, ASCII, Voice Carry Over (VCO) and Hearing Carry Over (HCO). Voice-originated calls comprised the remaining 32% of the incoming call volume.
Incoming Call Volume Total Incoming Call Count, All Types July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004

80,000 72,000 64,000 56,000 48,000 40,000 32,000 24,000 16,000 8,000 0 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

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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 speech impaired, and the catalog now features 66 products. AZTEDP hit a major milestone in 2004: the program expanded to include 2 full-time staff members, and issued vouchers exceed the 4,000 mark. The waiting period for approved vouchers also decreased dramatically as AZTEDP continued to hone its process. Other 2004 highlights include:   Twenty-two vendors were carefully selected to participate in the program, providing for the highest quality products and efficiency in customer service.   AzTEDP signed contracts with demonstration sites around the state, allowing rural consumers better access to learning about products available through the program.

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AzTEDP Demonstration Site Locations
People who live in rural communities no longer have to travel to Phoenix to select equipment or receive training. In addition to the AzTEDP main demo site housed at the ACDHH offices in downtown Phoenix, these demonstration sites house AzTEDP equipment currently featured in the program catalog and offer training and assistance with filling out applications, thus extending AzTEDP's reach. Assist! To Independent Living SE TCRHCC Lot E. Cedar Ave   P.O. Box 4133 Tuba City, AZ 86045 (888) 848-1449 (V/TTY) Community Outreach Program for the Deaf (COPD) 268 West Adams   Tucson, AZ 85705 (520) 792-1906 IHD Assistive Technology Center Northern Arizona University (NAU) Bldg. 27A Reardon Ranch Rd.   Flagstaff, AZ 86011 (928) 523-5878 (V)   (928) 523-1695 (TTY) SMILE Center for Independent Living 1929 S. Arizona, #12   Yuma, AZ 85364 (866) 239-7645 (V/TTY)

Valley Center of the Deaf (VCD) Arizona Technology Assistance Program 3130 E. Roosevelt (AzTAP) Phoenix, AZ 85008 (602) 267-1921 4105 N. 20th St., Suite 260   Phoenix, AZ 85016 (602) 728-9534 (V)   (602) 728-9536 (TTY)

"I recently received a phone and ringer through the Tucson office, and it is such a help to me! I can now hear the phone ring, even when the water is running, when vacuuming, or when I am in another room. This is something I haven't been able to do in years! The phone makes voices so much clearer. Thank you so much for providing this service." -- Ruth Mary Ann Alexander, Eloy, Arizona

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Interpreter Licensing & Certification
The Commission has the responsibility of licensing interpreters for all court proceedings, administrative proceedings, and police encounters. To support interpreters and their progress toward licensure, ACDHH sponsors professional development workshops on a variety of topics year-round. ACDHH is one of only two RID "Super Site" facilities in the Southwest to offer consistent interpreter performance testing on a monthly basis as well as specialized written test sessions twice annually for the southwest U.S. FY 2004 has seen several notable accomplishments by ACDHH in the field of interpreting:
 

The Commission offered the first series of the new National Interpreter Certificate (NIC) written exam at no cost to selected candidates. The NIC examination represents a collaborative partnership including ACDHH, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and the National Association of the Deaf. ACDHH was a primary funding partner in this national-level endeavor. The state legislature approved the Commission to allot $750,000 of its funds for interpreter training and development in consideration of the impending 2007 statewide licensure laws. The Commission initiated planning of a statewide summit inviting stakeholders to provide feedback to ACDHH in order to identify the critical needs of the interpreting community.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Certification* Certificate of Transliteration (CT) Certificate of Interpretation (CI) Oral Transliteration Certificate (OTC) Certificate Deaf Interpreter/Provisional (CDI/CDI-P) Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC) Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L) Reverse Skills Certificate (RSC) *Compiled from www.rid.org ACDHH Legal Interpreter Certification Sign Language Interpreters Deaf Interpreters Oral Interpreters Real Time Reporters 131 39 38 1 0 9 3 1 32 25 1 1 5

 

"I am so impressed with the interpreter development draft plan ACDHH has developed. I appreciate all you are doing to improve the state of interpreting in Arizona ... Arizona is a model for the rest of the country, you should be very proud." -- Sarah Benton, MSW, CI/CT, NAD V, Flagstaff, Arizona
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Board of Commissioners
The Board oversees the policymaking, budget planning, and strategic planning of 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 Board meets four times a year, one of which serves as their retreat. Members attend ACDHH's town hall meetings, which take place at least twice annually. The ACDHH Board consists of 14 members appointed by the governor to three-year terms. Of the representatives, four (4) are deaf; four (4) are hard of hearing; one (1) is a parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child; one (1) is selected from the Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; one (1) is a licensed hearing aid dispenser; one (1) is a clinical audiologist; one (1) is from the Department of Economic Security; one (1) is from the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Tucson or the Phoenix Day School of the Deaf. Michael Ubowski, Chair Deaf Representative Ann Marie Sullivan, Vice Chair Hard of Hearing Representative Michelle Barto Deaf Representative Susan Vardon Hard of Hearing Representative Tina Jessee Clinical Audiologist Representative Renee Courtney Parent of Deaf Child Representative Vacant ASDB Representative Sherry Appleby Hard of Hearing Representative Robert Baber Licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser Patty Meyer RID Representative

Christine Fuller Patsy Orlando Department of Economic Security Representa- Hard of Hearing Representative tive Lisa Furr Alan Amann Deaf Representative Deaf Representative

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Commission Staff
Sherri Lambert Collins Executive Director 602-542-3383 V/TTY Betty Fox Administrative Assistant II 602-542-3323 V/TTY Carmen Green Deputy Director 602-542-3352 V/TTY Heidi Lervik Hard of Hearing Specialist 602-364-0007 V/TTY Marian Kaanon Planner and Public Relations Coordinator 602-364-1579 V/TTY Edward Kinal Special Projects Coordinator 602-364-0128 TTY Zaida Morales Telecommunications Project Specialist 602-364-3349 V/TTY Roxann Ide Assistant to the Executive Director 602-542-3383 V/TTY Christi Smith Information Resource Coordinator 602-364-0986 V/TTY Beca Bailey Deaf Specialist 602-542-3358 TTY Rob Voreck Licensing & Certification Coordinator 602-542-3286 V/TTY Joanna Karp Equipment and Inventory Technician 602-542-3386 TTY Lynn Wakefield Business Manager 602-542-3363 Ann West Administrative Assistant 602-542-3323 (V/TTY)

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BUDGET
Revenue Total Available Personal Services Employee Related Expenses AZRS (Relay) Contract AzTEDP (Equipment Distribution Program) Other Operating Expenses Total Expenditures Appropriated FY 2004 Ending Balance - Fiscal Year 2004 1,910,000 5,056,300 6,966,300 515,300 143,600 2,860,500 1,076,059 263,841 4,859,300 5,190,300 2,107,000 FY 2004 Beginning Balance

GRANTS
AmeriCorps Grant
Beginning Balance Expended Balance 19,600 19,600 0

St. Luke Grant
Beginning Balance Expended Balance 4,700 3,300 1,400

Native American Grant
Beginning Balance Expended Balance 12,500 8,100 4,400

Hearing Aids Grant
Beginning Balance Expended Balance
*Numbers rounded to hundreds

10,000 0 10,000

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