Institutional and Community Planning
Planning Session
Report
September 7, 2007
Office of the Vice President of Research and Development
My Documents/Planning Sessions/Deaf and HH Report
Revised: 04/08/08
Institutional and Community Planning
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .............................................................................................................3
Protocol ................................................................................................................................4
Common Themes .................................................................................................................5
Group Notes .........................................................................................................................6
Group Priorities..................................................................................................................22
Participant’s List ................................................................................................................26
Coordination/Appreciation ................................................................................................29
Event Photos ......................................................................................................................31
Draft Mission Statement for the Rio Grande for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Communities Serving West Texas and Southern New Mexico .........................................32
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Executive Summary
On December 31, 2006 the El Paso Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (EPCDHH),
acting on a decision by the Board of Directors, suddenly shut down without any warning. No
plans were made to help consumers transition in the wake of the Center’s closure, leaving a
population in need of vital services without any identified provider to get these services.
Following the closure the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, people of the El Paso area, an already
underserved population, were left in limbo.
The needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing population of El Paso County and surrounding
regions, and Southern New Mexico, are unique for several reasons. First, hearing loss
impacts them enormously on ability to communicate. There is much diversity, including
Deaf culture, in the diagnosis of the population. Many different intensities of hearing
deficiencies make it difficult to develop services that can sufficiently accommodate all the
people within these communities. Secondly, several different family, social and cultural
living arrangements within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities make for a diverse
need of services. There are hearing parents with deaf children, hearing children with deaf
parents, hard of hearing spouses with hearing spouses, and a number of other scenarios
making the task of serving this population in need of a wide-array of services. Lastly, the
geographic proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border raises some diverse communication issues.
In this region, in addition to the spoken language diversity of the area, several types of sign
language are used, thus making interpretation and education for children as well as adults
difficult. Most deaf individuals use American Sign Language (ASL) while others use
Mexican Sign Language, and the public school system is teaching deaf children in Seeing
Essential English (SEE).
With a variety of services not being met the service delivery and referral process has fallen
onto the shoulders of a few people that have actively served the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
community for many years and who remain in a service capacity after the closing of
EPCDHH. However, the resources of these few people and the agencies and organizations
they represent are limited. Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD) which was housed
at the EPCDHH prior to its closing and is the sole surviving provider, maintains the Resource
Specialist Program with a staff of one, with funding assistance from DARS, Office for Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS). (Note that CSD has recently added a second
Resource Specialist that focuses on the hard of hearing population). CSD admits to being
overwhelmed with service requests and unable to meet the demand. They provide advocacy,
service coordination and referral, and interpreter services. The El Paso Community College
Center for Students with Disabilities provides interpreter services for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing individuals who want to pursue higher education, but their staff faces interpreter
shortages at times. Additionally, EPCC has a training program for American Sign Language
Interpreters to help address the interpreter shortages within the community. The DARS
Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) maintains a Counselor for the Deaf to serve
eligible Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.
The Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA) places legal liability on the public and private
sectors to provide interpreters services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. The
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Institutional and Community Planning
problem with the ADA laws is that often they are not enforced or providers find loop-holes
so as to avoid providing the needed access services. CSD, through the Resource Specialist
program, provides ADA information that can assist consumers in understanding the laws and
assisting them to file complaints.
Lack of communication due to interpreting deficiencies causes numerous societal problems
that impact all of the community. If there are communication breakdowns in the service
delivery process this often negates the intent of the service whether it is medical, legal, or
financial or related to life skills. Adding to the difficulty of communication, many Deaf and
Hard of Hearing individuals are categorized as at-risk and may have limited education and
literacy levels.
The Rio Grande Coalition for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was formed in the aftermath of
closing of the EPCDHH by Alma Bebee of CSD, Mary Mooney of EPCC Sign Language
Program, and Sandra Williams of New Mexico Commission for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (MCDHH), Las Cruces, who formed the initial planning group. This Coalition
group began working toward hosting a planning meeting to address the issues directly related
to the closure of EPCDHH and to the service needs of the community. This was a first step
towards helping the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities to regroup and move forward
following the closure.
Protocol
The Coalition planning group was expanded to involve a committee consisting of agency
representatives from organization like CSD, EPCC, La Fe Clinic, and DARS-DRS. They
met weekly to put together the first formal meeting of stakeholders of the area. The EPCC
Department of Institutional and Community Planning assisted with organizing the formal
meeting which was held on September 7, 2007 and hosted by EPCC. Participants were
invited from various agencies that serve or have a stake in serving the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing communities.
The meeting involved 75 participants from various agencies1. The participants were divided
into five (5) discussion groups. Each group was facilitated by a member of EPCC staff to
guide the discussion. The groups addressed the topics of Medical and Mental Health
Services, Legal and Court Ordered Services, and Service Gaps throughout the Continuum.
Each topic was discussed for an hour and at the end of the session the groups were asked to
share the three (3) most vital outcomes from the discussion2.
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See attached participant’s list pg. 26
See 3 most important priorities pg. 22
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Common Themes
In evaluating the notes from the planning meeting several common themes emerge from the
various groups. Some of the issues that arise frequently include:
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Awareness about issues facing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities needs to
be highlighted. Service providers need to be made aware of their responsibilities and
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities need to know their rights. The public as a
whole and law-makers need to be educated on the issues the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing are facing. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing also need to become aware of
what programs are currently available.
A centralized location housing Deaf and Hard of Hearing services and sources of
referrals for services is needed to replace the EPCDHH. The closure of the Center
has left a void in the Community’s social support process that was made possible by
the Center, including the support that the Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons provided
to each other by being brought together at the Center.
A uniformed referral system is needed between the various service providers (e.g.
public schools, colleges, juvenile probation dept., etc.). The Youth Initiative Program
(YIP) is a good example of a referral document for services that are available.
Medical professionals and the medical service provider facilities need to be aware of
their responsibilities under ADA laws. Violations of the law need to be reported in
order to insure the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community are receiving the services to
which they are entitled.
The region suffers from a lack of high quality certified interpreters. Many agencies
such as school districts are relying on non-certified persons to facilitate
communication. Scholarships and other incentives need to be made available to get
more people to become certified interpreters.
Funding is limited for interpreter services. Funding sources need to be pursued in the
form of grants and other collaborative efforts. Agencies need to include budget line
items specific to interpreter services. Medical professionals and facilities need to pay
for interpreter services for which they are liable.
Transitional services are needed for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students to help them
move on from the public school system to higher education and to the workforce.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons residing in rural areas are underserved and young
deaf children may be placed in special education classes because no special program
is available for them.
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Group Notes
Group I
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Medical and Mental Health Services
Undocumented Students cannot access services outside of public school system
All doctors office visits require an interpreter, written communication is
inadequate for the deaf
Lack of education on disabilities by medical professionals can be improved by:
o Public Awareness
o Public Education
o Making deaf aware of programs that are currently available for them
o Get doctors to take the needs of the deaf community seriously
Mental health providers don’t feel comfortable with interpreter there
Possible HIPPA Violations
Providers do not want to pay for interpreter services
Doctors rushing through services for deaf to cut cost of interpreter
o Patients calling back through relay services with unanswered questions
Doctor has to prove they can’t pay for service
Interpreting services fees for doctors are affordable over an annual basis
ADA laws need to be enforced
o Doctors know laws are not enforced they continue to violate the law
o Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD) currently handles ADA
complaints
Discrimination at doctors offices
o Deaf people cannot hear in the waiting room
Doctors using non-certified interpreters to communicate with deaf patients
Doctors using exaggerated gestures for communication
Accidents are being caused by lack of communication
Not every deaf person has the same needs
Doctors need to allocate funding in their miscellaneous expenses budget for
interpreter services
Interpreters save medical professionals liability cost
Emergency rate for interpreters
Social Security interpreter signs but is not certified
Once a month schedule all clients in need of interpreter services for
medical/mental health visits
Deaf are charged same rate for services as hearing patients but not receiving full
services
Deaf and Hard of Hearing going to CSD and EPCC for referrals
Secure Horizons provides a TTY for referrals
Adult Protective Services (APS) has a budget for deaf and hard of hearing
Juvenile Probation Department (JPD) currently uses computers to communicate
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o Provides interpreters for court
Awareness of “deaf culture”, education is needed for hearing families with deaf
children
Interpreters have a code of ethics
Legal Services and Court Ordered Services
Courts more familiar/sensitive to needs of the deaf community than medical
professionals
Jury duty refused to provide interpreter for hard of hearing person and fined the
person for failure to appear
Issues with interpreter expenses for court ordered services
Additional services not paid for by the courts limiting access (e.g. AA meetings,
anger management)
Limitations in services (e.g. follow-up services not paid for)
Progress is monitored when it is court ordered
By law parents must maintain responsibility for children
o Lack of communication between parent and child
o Child’s voice is not heard in court
States agencies allocate funds for services
Deaf culture in the court room is often seen as being rude or impolite
o Signing requires many gestures that hearing people might interpret wrong
Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
Differences “fitting in” for hearing, hard of hearing, and deaf
Deaf Center was important for socializing
o Deaf feel isolated from their own families
Regional Day School Program for the Deaf/EPISD offers free sign language
classes for anyone at Hillside Elementary
o Mondays 6:00-7:30 P.M.
o Wednesday 9:00-10:30 A.M.
EPCC offers college credit classes
Spanish speakers have no way of learning to communicate with their deaf
children
CSD is swamped with people
Rural deaf have no access to any kind of services outside school districts
The deaf are current using “word of mouth” to find services
Lack of case management
Informal referrals such as Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
(DARS), SSI, and language classes at EPISD with Regional Day School Program
for the Deaf
VOLAR has yet to see very many people with hearing disabilities
o VOLAR offers numerous services for people with disabilities (e.g.
independent living)
o Looking into housing services for the Deaf
Pamphlets needed in English/Spanish about services (resource books)
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Youth Initiative Program (YIP) has monthly meetings, help desk, grass roots
Need for monthly meetings with Mayor, County Commissioners
Involve community organizations (e.g. Lions Club) have events like walks to
raise awareness
Find personnel to pursue grant funds
Small non-profits have difficulty competing with larger non-profits
Use existing administration from non-profits to house services for the deaf
Low literacy rates make communication more difficult
Most write American Sign Language
Video phones available for communication needs (high-speed connection
required)
Not all people can afford the internet
People needing interpretation can call CSD or Sorenson from a cell phone
o CSD 866-327-8877
o Sorenson 866-793-1076
Video phones needed at the Public Libraries (only the main branch downtown has
one)
EPCC library has 3 video phones
o 2 at Valle Verde Campus
o 1 at Rio Grande Campus
Police Department/Hospitals need video phones
All TTY should be replace by video phones
New technologies in cell phones e.g. (T-Mobile sidekick) helping to improve
communication
Deaf consumers under STAP can qualify for a free phone (have to pay for the
service)
UTEP/EPCC provide services for deaf students
o Deaf students get priority registration
Local technical schools do not provide services for the deaf
UTEP/EPCC have shortage in interpreters
Transition specialist at local school district are helping to provide access to
education
Collaboration between educational institutions needed to help deaf students
Regional deaf pre-school in New Mexico with district providing transportation is
available
Interpreters need a day school who can teach and address student’s needs
EPISD services for deaf children from ages 0 – 3 years with home visits once a
week. Regional Day School Program for the Deaf has an education program for
Deaf/Hard of Hearing for any student in the County and City of El Paso with
Interpreter in Grades Pre K to 12.
DARS, Pride Industries, CSD, Upper Rio Grande Workforce, help find
employment for the deaf
o Pride offers on the job training
Elderly deaf have to also deal with ageism
o They don’t get out of their homes
o APS investigates exploitation
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Institutional and Community Planning
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CSD is bringing in a hard of hearing specialist starting in October 2007
No retirement homes or health care specifically for the deaf
No interpreters available for programs like home health
San Marcos Texas has model facilities for deaf elderly
Certified teachers needed to teach deaf children
Deaf Center closure left the deaf community with a lack of social activities
o Some deaf moving away from El Paso as a result
Miracle League of El Paso has baseball league for ages 3 and up
Group II
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Medical and Mental Health Services
Lack of Interpreters
Lack of awareness within the professional medical community
Awareness within deaf population
Process and right responsibilities
Lack of direct services
Educate service providers and deaf
Identify needs of the community
Education and communication
o Making the deaf and hard of hearing responsible for there own needs
o Educate parents at the elementary level
o Parental network
Medical School- Auditory services and specialist, training of deaf and hard of
hearing
Contact medical association can earn CEU’s offer those professionals, track new
employees
Include in once a year service stay (free of charge or donation)
Possibility in communication
Have other interpreters available at school districts
CSD faxing list of interpreter agencies list of recourses
El Paso has difficulty getting interpreters
o Interpreters leaving the city
o Offer course in El Paso ASL (American Sign Language)
o Deaf education teachers are not easy to find
Legal and Court Ordered Services
Probation, courses mandatory for deaf and hard of hearing
Who pays for interpreting services
o Funding for court ordered (where’s the interpreter)
Juvenile resources
How can we inform others of entry into the juvenile system
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Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
El Paso Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community
o Transitional Period
ƒ Early Childhood
ƒ Pre-Kinder
ƒ Kindergarten
ƒ Elementary
ƒ Middle School
ƒ High School
ƒ College/University
ƒ “Real World
Need for transitional services/programs support
What services for teens needed now?
o Parent services
o Provide more classes in ASL (EPCC)
Agency support services
o Sharing information between school districts
ƒ Numbers
ƒ Names of different departments
ƒ Transportation
What referral sources are educators giving to parents?
o Audiologist
o Outside agencies
How do agencies handle situations?
o Hire more specialist for deaf and hard of hearing
ƒ Have focus groups
o More specialist in areas that concern deaf and hard of hearing community
o Educate the community of El Paso
How can services collaborate?
o Across state lines
o Build partnerships
What resources are needed to be brought together?
o State level
o Different agencies
o To continue this kind of reform
o Local support needed
o Lobbyist
o Local partnership and support
Group III
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Medical and Mental Health Services
Unmet needs
o Undiagnosed issues
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o Rural areas/colonias/Southern New Mexico with no interpreters
ƒ Not enough interpreters
ƒ Lack of skilled professionals that sign
ƒ No direct communication between deaf individuals and the
professional
ƒ No appropriate testing for deaf and hard of hearing (hearing
impaired battery)
ƒ Misdiagnosis as Mentally Retarded
o Difference between deaf and hard of hearing are not viewed by the hearing
population
o Tri-lingual services-lack of understanding in differences in cost, also
intermediate deaf interpreting
o Service providers do not want to provide interpreter services
o Need individuals committed to the deaf and hard of hearing community
and that are not self serving
o Misappropriation and miss-management of funds (Fraud/Waste/Abuse)
Referrals (informal) handled
o They are not handled
o Need for awareness
Confidentiality issues
o Communication (lack of) affect perception of confidentiality
What can be done to improve communication (between medical professionals and
deaf individuals)?
o Provide training for medical students at UTEP and EPCC
o Cultural competencies training should incorporate disability to the core
curriculum
o CEU’s in disability cultural competencies
o More classes specific to the deaf and hard of hearing
o Self Advocacy
o Scholarships for non-certified interpreters to get certified
Agency Funding (seeking)
o Probation has funds
o Social services has funds
Legal and Court Ordered Services
How are they currently being handled?
o Sub-contracting-used the Deaf Center previously. El Paso has only 3
certified interpreting full time jobs
o High need for court certified interpreting
Is court ordered services meeting their intent?
o No
o Service providers are not willing to pay the fee
Problems with miscommunication/breakdown in the system
o Lack of court ordered compliance can result in incarceration
o Service provider in anger management, parenting classes etc. refuse to
provide court ordered interpreting may result in loss of children etc.
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Institutional and Community Planning
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o Providers use the law (less than 15 employees) as a crutch. They do not
consider that they must prove financial hardship
NO DEAF CENTER
o Funding?
ƒ Courts?
ƒ Service provider?
ƒ Online?
• Accessible?
ƒ Grant proposals for funding
Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
What service gaps exist for children? Adolescent members? Local/Urban?
o In rural areas deaf children are being placed in special education, rather
than appropriate resources being provided. To avoid this a referral from a
Physician about the child’s hearing loss can give appropriate services to
the Deaf Ed. Program
o If appropriate accommodations are not being provided documentation is
necessary students receiving Special Education services not in Regional
Day School Program for the Deaf may not be getting appropriate
accommodations
o Identify an adequate tracking system after diagnosis of hearing loss
o Distinguish the difference between positive and negative tracking systems
o Recreational or summer services
o Transportation from:
ƒ Elementary
ƒ Secondary
ƒ Post secondary
ƒ Workforce
o Identify unique unmet needs of:
ƒ Deaf children of deaf parents
ƒ Deaf children of hearing parents
ƒ Hearing children of deaf parents
o What unique services do children/adolescents need?
ƒ Recreation
ƒ Socialization
ƒ Mentorship/role models
ƒ Religious
o Sex education/Teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol services (intervention)
Support services to assist deaf and hard of hearing persons and their families
o Accessible interpreters (free resources)
o Filling the gap (e.g. ECI-up to age of 3)
ƒ Appropriately trained staff personnel with other agencies
ƒ The gap is from 3-High School no other support services except
those provided by education system
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What referral sources do you currently use?
o ECI
o Schools
o DARS
o Interpreting agencies
o Texas Relay-VRS
o VOLAR Center for Independent Living
o Medicaid Benefits-State Medicaid (e.g. WIC)
o Social Security/SSI benefits
o Audiologist
Top 3 priorities
o Education
o Parental involvement, mentoring, communication
o Centralization of Services
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Medical and Mental Health Services
Doctors need awareness of specific needs and accommodation
Documentation needed to simplify awareness, short 2-3 page document of doctors
role and responsibilities
o Need training to deal with request of interpreters
o Provide tools to communicate
o Staffing gets intimidated with special needs
Most people are not aware of their rights
Parents (e.g. hard of hearing) do not get addressed instead communicate with
children
Need access to communication
Do not have current procedures (e.g. deaf)
Hospitals must be held accountable
o Need for formal procedure with in hospital on how to provide services
especially in the emergency room
o Can lead to lawsuits and many problems (e.g. Department of Justice)
Need to educate general/deaf population on their rights
Families must take friends, family often doesn’t know terms etc.
How to address private practice services?
Limited services in hospitals leads individuals to go to further locations (not
convenient)
Approach administration then go to the next level
Military: Exceptional family members program
o What does military need to know to serve? Families need information of
needs
Need to keep educating of the laws (e.g. 504, ADD)
Undocumented individuals left without services/no rights or benefits
People are not aware of their rights
o The procedure and process must be known
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Institutional and Community Planning
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Need for community awareness or the benefits of serving and including all (e.g.
the beauty of every language of sign)
ID common points that all medical providers must comply with
Trickle down theory (Awareness)
o Give information to critical people and they disseminate
Interpreter services must be easy to identify and be accessible for renewals for
doctors
Doctors need to be aware of contact information
o Need policy/procedures ahead of time
Awareness is the challenge
Why should the consumer be responsible?
o Why burden the consumer?
List of available services/interpreters in Austin/Dallas: Interpreters specialized
system On-Call
Most people don’t know how to demand services, not aware of what to do
One Stop Shop (phone number) referrals for medical services
El Paso Yellow Pages has no listings, maybe providers but not classified as
interpreters services
Mental health practitioners may not be aware of “body language” and will
misdiagnose
Quality of services may suffer
Impact to family:
o Miscommunication may lead to problems/misunderstandings contribute to
mental health issues
o Affect cultural dynamics of family
Psychologist misdiagnose because of lack of awareness
Interpreters must be qualified… but not certified
o Need higher certifications to ensure no mistakes in
interpreting/communication, need more training to upgrade skills
Share of TX
o Certification required for legal interpreting
o Specialize in Legal/Medical
How are referrals currently being handled?
o UTEP-health center/CSD work together (but interpreters not full-time),
CSD acts as mediator
o NMCCD- make referrals but educate first on how to get interpreter etc.
(middle man), provided only when hard of hearing ask for help
Specific person or program needed to create awareness
o Who is this individual? Funding? City of El Paso? County?
Other Texas cities have been doing that
o Dallas/Austin-advocacy (25 years ago), it’s the practice
o Funding? No single pot of money
ƒ Resource specialist needed to seek funding
Need a building: a center (long term) one stop for services
o Promote signing for the hearing/promote communication
Service training for professionals (put in the training agenda)
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Create awareness that leads to policy
Provide sensitivity training
If just lecture doesn’t get to the point, need to experience it
Medical and mental services are the most important of all issues and will be
critical in life and deaf situations
Aging population will need more services and currently few exist (e.g. nursing
homes)
Many people need to move to cities with services
o Loosing members of our community
Services for people with disabilities must be available to have good quality of life
in El Paso
Legal and Court Ordered Services
El Paso struggling to provide services
When court orders to go to programs where deaf and hard of hearing people are
unable to communicate
Not aware of any referral system
Now looking for points of service
Trying to develop in-house programs without need to refer out (Adult Probation)
Maybe can collect a list of vendors required to have (interpreting) services
Courts can say must comply with ADA or don’t refer clients
One issue is that many agencies providing services, vendors are limited (1-2)
Can put certain conditions/terms to get contracts
What is the root cause for some agencies to provide services?
o Lack of awareness
o Do not want to deal with the hassle
Provide sensitivity training (to providers/courts)
If services are not provided people do not get due process
Alcoholics Anonymous does not charge, they are not required to provide services
o Should the state or court provide the services?
ƒ If the court refers them then they are responsible
Agencies that receive federal funds must comply with ADA, 504
Maybe CDBG will provide grants
Other issues through the legal system
o Don’t have the right people to communicate
o Police don’t know what to do, jail may not be equipped either
o Police procedures without interpreter may not know what to do and end up
paying consequences for not following the rules
Courts trying to provide (interpreter) services
Child support (family interactions may be miss-interpreted and lead to the wrong
conclusions
Child Crisis Center
Funding for court services provided by the courts, no other funds are available
o Legal aid for legal services but not for interpreters
Each agency has funds but are not marked for specific disabilities
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Lack of resources for legal services
Gap- if court requires services than it should provide the funding
Do courts have a statement that addresses discrimination? Yes
o If yes, must comply with providing services
o Courts could be the ones responsible or make AA responsible (since
volunteer program can not)
o Need to advocate for government to provide funding or earmark money
Unfortunately this will not happen soon
Need to promote legislators to provide attention/funding
Very difficult to contact elected officials especially for deaf and hard of hearing
Need center to come together and build leadership and skills to approach
legislators
Adult probation can help advocate for services for the deaf
Department of Corrections have developed a grant to identify deaf and provide
services
Locally all deaf referred to only one probation officer (need more)
Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
Educational interpreting (Gadsden ISD)
Accept any help you can get
UTEP has interpreters but is running thin
o Some gaps in classrooms
o Additional providers will mean more demand
Another call center coming to El Paso
Smaller surrounding communities feel left out
Willing to work together to share resources
Need advocates for services that are lacking
EPCC-interpreter training process is slow (2-3 year process) no overnight fix
Need more advertising in need for interpreters
Private sector provides more funding for interpreters
Strong network and referrals
Mentoring programs at the high schools
Need to establish communication/network
New Mexico has mentoring/shadow certified person
Advertise our area (trilingual opportunities)
Entertainment for youth/promoters will not provide interpreters sometimes need
one month in advance
Family support services- some situations are hard to arrange accommodations
Need referral services and need to make the public aware of that service
Movies-limited with open captions, need to plan ahead and pay more money with
limited captions
o Limited for children
o Limits family outings
o Other cities do have better system for open caption movies (support
services are more organized)
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Other issues are money, theatres are unwilling market is limited
Scheduling is not convenient
Need to close caption at times
Rural schedules have transportation issues
ƒ Need to collaborate to schedule with theatres, advance planning
o www.insightcinema.org
Personal counseling and family counseling
Social work
Daycare
After school activities
Soccer tryouts
o Kids want to join, how do we do that?
Sports
La Fe
o Art contest
o Speech contest
o Kerville TX, camping
o Self esteem activities
Boy and girls clubs
Teens disconnected from each other
o Families suffer because there is no support network
Outdoor activities, camping
Gus and Goldie swimming programs
Physical activity programs
o Instructors intimidated about safety issues
o They’re just kids
We have few good models around here
o People are not wealthy
o May not know about programs
o Need to promote awareness/transportation
o Need more outreach
Support services needed:
o Child intervention programs
o Need system to identify family needs
o Identify hard of hearing early and children of adults with special needs
(CODA)
o Services for hearing children with deaf parents
o Hearing children may not know how to interpret in an adult situation e.g.
principal’s office
School should provide interpreters and not rely on children
L.C. commission for (CDHH) only program
Community identifies a few people in the community and they get over sheltered
but don’t know the right people to contact
“Low functioning deaf” not served
o Very complex to communicate/ people give up on some children but they
have a right to communicate (whether adults of children)
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o People may try to only address part of the problem
o These children may have low literacy so there is no point of reference e.g.
floods in 2006- newspaper listed services but deaf not aware of FEMA and
other services
In natural disasters deaf often don’t know services available or find out when it is
too late
Documents often too difficult to read (red tape)
Huge gap in services
o What improvements can be made?
o Educate
Need central organization to contact all services and people
Need someone to step forward (too overwhelming)
Service providers are very busy to take it on…
Need someone with time and passion
o Budget management within the city (contact City Manager)
Areas existing resources:
o Chamber of Commerce-business titles come together (trickle down theory)
e.g. tourism-good linkages
Organizations function differently e.g. probation, higher education
Can start with referral system e.g. for interpreters
(Ft. Bliss) soldiers seek assistance at UTEP CSD… would be good to know how
each agency supports the deaf
Ft. Bliss now has wounded soldiers program
o Are soldiers briefed about their rights/services?
Funding is needed to bring it all together
Identification problems
Leadership
Checks and balances to avoid past mistakes/situations
Networking
Group V
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Medical and Mental Health Services
Security issues at jail and El Paso Psychiatric Center
o Workshops are sometimes provided for individuals if deal with courts
More funding for emergency/medical settings
o More training funding
Security process training at jails would help
No centralized coordination for interpreters or other staff that need training
Legal and Court Ordered Services
Arresting officers often need help interpreting with deaf person
o Communication with persons about process
Deaf people are isolated in jail to protect them
Need for specialized language for deaf children and families at children’s hospital
and with more pediatric specialist
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o Advanced training needed for interpreters using medical terminology
Training for interpreters entering jail
Libraries can access to video conferencing for deaf people
No one in El Paso area is making Choclear Implants
o Need at medical school, children’s hospital need staff interpreter at Texas
Tech/Thomason
Deaf community may be wary at times dealing with interpreters
o Deaf community needs education about there rights to request interpreter
o Bilingual interpreter
Funding source may define required protocols for particular age group when
children “age out” of rehabilitation services at age 3, no non-profit organization
that picks up children after age 3, schools/education only, not medical necessity
No network for those who have specialized interpretation skills
o Social workers
o Speech pathologist
A directory is needed
o YIP directory has social services
o Nelly Tovar at El Paso Police Department may be able to help
o May not be able to list individuals
o No one stop shop
Only 1 family in El Paso is certified in foster care knows American Sign
Language
Need a person to call as specialized people are needed at different times/different
situations
o Often people in directory move/change numbers etc.
Need to contact person in each agency
Alma Bebee (CSD)- referral specialist is the only person in the office
Need a systemic based approach what if Alma Bebee is out sick or takes a day
off?
Would help to look at existing models
o John Cage- San Antonio protocols
o E.g. does Children’s Miracle Network know where to refer?
Austin-CSD person contacts agencies to get appropriate contact people
Need systemic approach to be institutionalized
Interpreters unsure of protocols
No central registry for interpreters
o Stop-gap measure may be a regional services outreach program to help
centralize
Inter-agency agreements
o Regional specialist
ƒ Doug Dittfurth
ƒ DARS/DHHS
ƒ Randi Turner
Region 19 has no central point of contact to find/pay contractor that they need
Need to have paperwork in advance in order to pay contractor
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CSD or other interpreter agency needs to help announce that interpreter are
available on XXXX days
Shortage of interpreter
o CPS may need immediately
o CSD told CPS would take 3-4 days, CPS was out of state/federal
compliance
Need some flexibility with interpreters because clients may have to reschedule
Educating consumers about services and what they need to know to access
services
Dealing with cultural issues
Need a centralized one stop agency
Train professionals in ASL?
o Why take on additional responsibilities?
Use students with mentors to go into agencies
o Be used in more technical situations
Call back individuals who have left the field
Offer CEU’s
Every member of Region 19 network with Sorenson
Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
Gaps- Specialized interpreters for medical/legal
Education for families in selecting method of education for children
o SEE vs. Oral vs. ASL
o SEE used in schools but not the most common
Parents need education in the method that will be the most effective at home
Early childhood-ECI
o Birth to age 3
Regional Day School can service parents and deaf children up to age 21/22
o With no cognitive impairments children graduate at approximately 18
Public schools teach SEE, UTEP and EPCC use ASL
No language alignment between K-12 (SEE) vs. ASL
No current courses in ASL for college students to learn (not to be an interpreter,
just to learn to communicate in ASL)
Austin Community College offers ASL through continuing education for children
and adults
Some schools offer sign language basics
High percentage of students use ASL by the time they reach adulthood
Colleges interpret in ASL
Schools provide books in SEE and training classes in SEE
Deaf culture is different from literal interpretation sometimes
Sensitivity training needed for agencies
Basic sign training for agency personnel
Agency personnel may not understand differences in languages/linguistics issues
School campus administrators need awareness/training that hearing disability is
not cognitive disability
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Education for agencies, deaf people and families on where to find medical
equipment for assistance listening
STAP program on DARS website for free equipment
Television program needed about deaf services to approach the mass market
Social workers- high turnover, no time to network, so use existing contacts
Visit professional meetings of social workers or at UTEP while they are still
students
Diagnostician program (educate students here)
o Special “Education”
Hearing children of deaf parents at high risk dropping out of school
o CODAS (children of deaf adults)
Parenting classes needed later may become more hyper-responsible or rebel
o No existing support for these children
Depth of commission is lessened if children don’t have training
Psychological help needed for youth with deaf parents
Place for children to congregate with other deaf or hard of hearing children
o Sports, contest, etc.
City said they will provide interpreters at parks and recreation facilities
o Currently have a baseball program
Family Violence- holistic workshop for instructors to know how to refer
No formal training for college faculty on child abuse
reporting/identification/family violence
o Sent to counselors but no interpreter available at schools
Even when trainings are offered attendance is low, language and culture come
into play
State and Local
o Formal communication between agencies is critical
o Training/education for parents/children
o Need a central “go to” place to call
ƒ 24 hour access
o Coordinated interpretation services are needed
ƒ Establish protocol to access interpreter services
Need to establish a one-stop resource for faculty/staff/students
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Group Priorities
Group I
¾ Advocacy and more emphatic awareness of deaf community
¾ A place to call “our own:
o a central place
o easily accessible
¾ Lack of service for deaf seniors in the Rio Grande area, improve the quality
o time for waiting for services is too long
Group II
¾ Medical & Mental Health
o provision of interpreters
ƒ service providers responsible
ƒ interpreters (qualified) available
o direct service providers
ƒ RS, medical, mental health personnel
¾ Legal Services
o juvenile services
o court ordered programs (funding needed)
o lack of intermediary interpreters, CDI’s, legal, Spanish, LSM
¾ Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
o resource/outreach center
o legislative funding, support
o partnerships
ƒ local
ƒ statewide
ƒ inter-state
Group III
¾ Medical and Mental Health Services
o Unmet Needs:
ƒ Lack of diagnosed Mental Health issues
ƒ Underserved rural areas
• not enough interpreters
• lack of skilled professionals that know how to sign
• no direct communication between a deaf person &
professionals
• no appropriate testing for the DMH
• misdiagnosis of MR & Learning Dis.
ƒ Lack of understanding between a deaf individual and a hard of
hearing individual
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Lack of understanding of why Trilingual Inter. Services are needed
as well as IDI services, and the funding related to obtaining these
services
ƒ Service providers do not want to provide the service of interpreting
ƒ Need advocates for D/HH community who are not self serving
ƒ Need individuals to run a center
ƒ Misappropriation/mismanagement of funds by previous
administrators - Fraud/Waste/Abuse
o Informal Referrals Handled
ƒ They are not handled
ƒ Advocate awareness
o Confidentiality Issues
ƒ Lack of communication affects confidentiality
ƒ Perception of confidentiality is different for everyone
o What can be done to improve communication between professionals and
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals?
ƒ Provide training for medical students
ƒ Core curriculum should be modified to include specific needs of
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing populations in helping professions
and medical professions
ƒ CEU’s/classes to be included in professional level
ƒ Information/Education/Self Advoc. Classes for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing population
ƒ Improve collaboration
o Agency/Funding (seeking)
ƒ Adult Probation – have money to contract services within Adult
Probation, but they can’t fund outside referrals for anger
management
ƒ City and County “usually” fund services for WIC/Food stamps
ƒ Some group III members do not know if agency is seeking funding
¾ Legal Services
o How is it handled?
ƒ Subcontracting used the Deaf Center previously, El Paso only has
3 court certified interpreting; have full time jobs
ƒ Lack of preventative services to help keep Deaf and Hard of
Hearing populations out of system
ƒ Need court certified interpreting
o Is court ordered services meeting their intent?
ƒ No
ƒ Service contracted providers are not willing to pay the fee
ƒ Lack of continuity of care/service
o What are the problems caused by miscommunication/breakdown in the
system?
ƒ Lack of court ordered compliance
ƒ Can result in incarceration
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Violating CPS court order because there are no interpreting
services available at parenting classes or anger management
ƒ Employees and administrators are not on the “same page” when it
comes to providing access to services for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing individuals
ƒ Providers use law as a crutch
ƒ No DEAF CENTER!
o What types of funding are currently available to receive court-ordered
services?
ƒ There are not state/federal funding available because service
provider bears the cost, but they don’t comply and provide
interpreting
ƒ Limited funds
ƒ Online? Classes/Courses available?
ƒ Is there money sitting around that we are not accessing or grants
we are unaware of?
¾ Service Gaps for Children
ƒ Rural areas and local schools are not addressing appropriate needs.
Yet Deaf and Hard of Hearing kids are placed in special education
ƒ The system is stagnant/will not be creative
ƒ Appropriate accommodations are not being provided
ƒ Identify adequate tracking system after the deaf of hearing loss
ƒ Distinguish the difference between the positive and negative
factors
ƒ Summer/recreational programs for children
ƒ Transition from: elementary, secondary, post secondary and
workforce
ƒ Identify unique unmet needs of hearing kids of deaf adults, deaf
kids of deaf adults, deaf children of hearing adults
o What unique services do children/adolescents need?
ƒ Recreation
ƒ Socialization
ƒ Mentorship/role models
ƒ Religious
ƒ Sex education
ƒ Drug/alcohol intervention
o Support services to assist Deaf and Hard of Hearing person and their
families
ƒ Interpreter resources, free resources, access to resources
ƒ Appropriate, trained staff with other agencies such as ECI,
HEADSTART, etc.
o What referral resources are currently used?
ƒ ECI
ƒ Schools
ƒ DRS/DARS
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Relay, VRS,
VOLAR
SS
Medicaid, etc.
Audiologist
Group IV
¾ Medical and Mental Health Services
ƒ Doctor’s need awareness of specific needs and accommodations
ƒ Need concise document of roles and responsibilities
ƒ Need to educate general deaf population of their rights
ƒ Need to provide information to critical people to trickle down to
others
ƒ Awareness is key and it is the challenge
¾ Legal and Court Ordered Services
ƒ Not aware of a referral system
ƒ Provide sensitivity training to service providers re. courts
ƒ Lack of resources for legal services
¾ Service Gaps throughout the Continuum
ƒ Need advocates for services we lack
ƒ Need strong network and referral
ƒ Entertainment for youth
ƒ Once we have a referral system need to make public aware of that
service
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Participant’s List
Name
Agency
Diana Alba
Communication Services for the Deaf (CSDVRS)
Catherine Bachtold
West Texas Community Supervision Correction Dept. - WTCSCD
Jaime Barceleau
El Paso Rehabilitation Center
Daniel Barr
Staff Judge Advocate Office at Ft. Bliss
Alma Bebee
Communication Services for the Deaf of Texas El Paso
William Bennet
City of El Paso
Blanca Carrasco
Interpreter
Gerardo Castillo
InterAmerican Interpreting Services
Carmen Castro
Auditory Impairment Teacher from YISD
Yoshiko Chino
Interpreting Program Director for the Community Outreach
Program for the Deaf (COPD) at New Mexico
Sarah Compton
Sorenson Communications
Jennifer Dahlgren
New Mexico Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(NMCDHH)
Michelle Ellington
City of El Paso – Community Development
Liza Enriquez
Communication Services for the Deaf - Interpreter
Jasmin Escamilla
Restoration Company
Martha Faeldog
Interpreter
Jessie Fernandez
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
Angela Feltner
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
Lisa Fragoso
Sorenson VRS
Alex Furnari
United Way of El Paso
Janine L. Gallinar
Centro Salud Familiar La Fe
Armida Garcia
Secure Horizons
Bianca Garcia
Sorenson VRS - Interpreter
Celine Gerber
Tim Hanson
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
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Name
Agency
Julie Hernandez
Gadsden Independent School District
Sandra Hinojos
Gadsden Independent School District
Jose Lara
VOLAR
Jan Lockhart
Center for Student w/ Disabilities Director at EPCC
Martha Macias
City of El Paso
Elizabeth Mariscal
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
Sara Martinez
Literacy Programs Manager at EPCC
Eduardo Molina
El Paso Regional Days School Program (EPISD)
Mary Mooney
Sign Language Interpreter and Coordinator at EPCC
Rosa Moore
Audiologist from Ysleta Independent School District
Maggie Morales
West Texas Community Supervision Correction Dept. - WTCSCD
Christina Moya
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
David Myers
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services at Austin - DARS
James Nance
El Paso Sheriff’s Office
Maria Nava
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services at Lubbock - DARS
Selma Nevarez
Gadsden Independent School District
Josie Parra
VOLAR
Maria Perez
VOLAR
Norma Perez
El Paso Rehab
Deborah Peterson
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
Jose Prieto
Sign Language Interpreter at EPCC
Lorena Ramirez
El Paso Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
Angelica Rodriguez
Region 19
Charles Roybal
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
Cristina Salgado
EVERCARE
Pat Sanchez
Communication Services for the Deaf - Interpreter
Susana Santillan
UTEP/Disabled Student Service Office
James Saunders
UTEP/Disabled Student Service Office
Victoria Schwartz
El Paso Regional Days School Program (EPISD)
Mark Seeger
Communication Services for the Deaf - Interpreter
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Name
Agency
Jo Sosa
Restoration Company
Luz Taboada
Workforce Development Director at EPCC
BJ Thrash
Interpreter
Randy Thrash
Dept. of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - DARS
Roberto Viera
LIONS/Centro Salud Familiar La Fe
Ray Vigil
Social Security
Margaret Villalobos
Gadsden Independent School District
Donna Villareal
West Texas Community Supervision Correction Dept. - WTCSCD
Sandra Williams
NM Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - NMCDHH
Patricia Wolschlager
Sexual Trauma & Assault Response Service - STARS
Teresa Woody
Juvenile Probation Department
Luis Zamarripa
Child Protective Services
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Coordination/Appreciation
El Paso Community College’s Office of Institutional and Community Planning facilitated the
Rio Grande Coalition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services planning session on September
7, 2007. We had a total of 75 participants. We would like to thank the following individuals
who lent their talents, patience, and hard work to make this planning session a success.
*Overall Coordination
Dr. Dolores Gross
Director, Institutional and Community
Planning
Sandra Mejia
Administrative Assistant
Institutional and Community Planning
Christopher Gomez
Administrative Office Assistant
Institutional and Community Planning
Mary Mooney
Instructional Coordinator for Sign
Language Interpreter Preparation Program
*Facilitators
Silvia Dominguez, Career Services mployment Specialist
Ray Dorado, Career Services Employment Specialist
Christopher Gomez, Institutional and Community Planning Administrative Office Assistant
Dr. Dolores Gross, Institutional and Community Planning Director
Lucia Rodriguez, Grants Management Manager
*Interpreters
Blanca Carrasco
Lisa Enriquez
Martha Faeldog
Bianca Garcia
Pat Sanchez
Mark Seeger
BJ Thrash
*Special Thanks to the Speakers
David Myers - Department of Assistance and Rehabilitative Services/Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Services-Austin, TX
Tom Dillon - New Mexico Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Ruben Schaeffer - Community Advocate
James Saunders - Director of U.T. El Paso Disabled Student Services Office
Rio Grande Coalition Co-Chairs – Alma Bebee, Mary Mooney, Randolph Thrash, and
Sandra Williams
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*Rio Grande Coalition for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Committee Members
Alma Bebee
Communication Services for the Deaf
Jasmin Escamilla
Restoration Company
Jessie Fernandez
Dept. of Assistive & Rehab Services
Janine Gallinar
Centro Salud Familiar La Fe
Tim Hanson
Dept. of Assistive & Rehab Services
Rebecca Luevano
Communication Services for the Deaf
Christina Moya
Dept. of Assistive & Rehab Services
Lorena Ramirez
El Paso Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
Ruth Ramos
Dept. of Assistive & Rehab Services
Randy Thrash
Dept. of Assistive & Rehab Services
Sandra Williams
NM Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Roberto Viera
LIONS
*Special Thanks! Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD) in cooperation with
Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) & Angela Feltner, Sorenson
VRS and the El Paso Hearing & Speech Inc. for the donations, the Lions Club, Alliance
Insurance, El Paso Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (EPRID)
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Event Photos
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Institutional and Community Planning
Draft Mission Statement for the Rio Grande
Coalition for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Communities Serving West Texas and Southern
New Mexico
Our mission is to create and provide a cohesive and defined network of agencies,
organizations and service providers serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind persons and
their families by working collaboratively to promote a full array of community services and to ensure
full and equal access and successful integration into the broader multicultural and multilingual
communities residing along the Rio Grande corridor areas covering Texas, New Mexico and our
neighbors in Mexico.
The Rio Grande Coalition will work collaboratively to promote community awareness and
advocacy for Deaf services and programs that lead to an educated and successful individual and
family and empowered contributing community members.
Preliminary Service Coalition Goals: (Non-prioritized)
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Identify a “one stop” agency for D/deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing persons to access
services and to not get “lost in the systems”
Develop an adequate and trained personnel system for information and referral services
Maximize, expand and create new community and inter agency agreements to maximize
existing services at both local and state levels
Develop leadership and mentorship programs to increase Deaf and Hard of Hearing
participation in community services and organizations
Create a network of early childhood, and after school, and teen educational services targeted
to at risk students and families
Identify gaps in services and professional expertise to create a plan to addressing critical
areas: mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, human sexuality, parenting and family wellness
Provide community awareness/advocacy program and training for existing program staff and
professionals
Create a network of information sharing avenue including print media, public TV, and
technology to include VRS, text paging, email
Address the interpreter referral systems and community and educational based shortages
For contacts, please email any of the Rio Grande Community Coalition Co-Chair Members:
Mary Mooney, El Paso Community College Sign Language Program - mmooney1@epcc.edu
Alma Bebee, Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD) Outreach Specialist abebee@c-s-d.org
Sandra Williams, New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons
(NMCDHH) Outreach Specialist - SandraWilliams@state.nm.us
Randolph Thrash, Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Vocational Rehabilitative Service (VRS) Counselor- Randolph.Thrash@dars.state.tx.us.
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