Background

The State Legislature passed House Bill 2463 directing that the Department of Assistive Rehabilitative Services (DARS - the agency that administers DHHS) combine (reduce duplication) their Independent Living Programs with those of the Division of Blind Services into one Independent Living Program with the goal of providing better services and eliminating costs (saving taxes).   The Sunset Commission then recommended that DARS also evaluate whether services provided through Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) should also be “mainstreamed” into the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to provide better services - so all services would be provided in one location to people who are Blind, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or other abilities - all in one place “mainstreamed”.   

Our Goal

Share information in an accessible format (VLOGs on FaceBook) and provide an opportunity for citizens who are Deaf across the State of Texas to have an opportunity to submit electronic public comment to the State of Texas in their native language - American Sign Language - due to the last minute notice and very limited opportunity to provide face to face public comment in Midland and San Antonio (locations and times listed below).

Save Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) Overview 

In response to this mandate, DARS is holding public hearings, unfortunately in locations where there are not very many people who are Deaf that are able to participate and share their opinions.  These dates, and locations are listed below.  If you are able to attend one of the sessions, we would encourage you to do so.  Please note that public testimony from people who are Deaf that requires use of Sign Language Interpreters is available for all these locations and times listed below.  

In order to provide a broader base of opinions to DARS and the state officials considering these changes that will greatly impact our community, some friends of the Deaf Community  have established this web site as well as a FaceBook page so that people can create and share VLOGs in response to these proposed changes.  These VLOGs will be submitted to the State of Texas as public comment in response to these proposed changes at DARS.

Some issues that you may want to talk about in your VLOG that you share to our FaceBook page include:

• Share your personal feelings about being Mainstreamed with Blind, and all other people with Disabilities when seeking support for Deaf Services (deaf to deaf compared to deaf with an interpreter working with hearing)
• Are you comfortable receiving services from an office where people are not fluent in American Sign Language to ask for support that is very personal or serious (job/legal/medical) - and you may have to wait for an interpreter before you can begin communicating?
• Do you prefer to talk with someone who is Deaf - like you - or go through an interpreter to speak with someone - or write notes with someone - who is not as familiar with the language and culture of the Deaf?  Talk about what you think would happen in a “Mainstream” Independent Living Center.
• Do you think “Mainstreaming” Deaf Services with all other services will make things better or worse for you?