New Mailing Address
Effective immediately the Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired (CDHI) has a new mailing address. the physical address will remain the same, Prospect Avenue. To ensure prompt delivery of your mail please send all correspondence to:
Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired
P.O. Box 330730
West Hartford, CT 06133
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
CDHI thanks you for your patience.
In order to be fiscally responsible the State of Connecticut is being very cautious about increasing the number of state employees during these current economic times. There is currently a hiring freeze imposed by Governor Rell. As a state agency, the Commisson on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired must adhere to all state policies.
The good news is Governor Rell has granted permission to refill several of the individuals who retired on July 1, 2009. The agency is now in the process of hiring an Interpreter Coordinator and two Counselors of the Deaf.
The Governor's Office understands that the services CDHI provides are important. CDHI is waiting for approval to hire additional Sign Language Interpreters to be able to provide Certified Deaf Interpreting services to Connecticut. The employees at CDHI remain committed to providing quality services to the residents of Connecticut.
SWINE FLU UPDATE
For information and the Deparmtent of Health updates on the Swine Flu in Connecticut visit http://www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch/cwp/view.asp?a=2533&q=439092
The Judicial Branch's American with Disabilities Committee launched from its Internet homepage a direct link to specific ADA information, including ADA contact people at dozens of Branch facilities. The site, CT Judicial Branch - Americans With Disabilities Act, is found by clicking on “ADA” under the “Quick Links” section of the Branch homepage, Connecticut Judicial Branch - jud.ct.gov.
The ADA page also has links to this Committee’s homepage, CT Judicial Branch Americans with Disabilities Committee (ADA), and to a juror accommodation form for jurors who may need assistance.
Great News!!
Emergency medical interpreting services for nights and weekends continues!!
A collaborative effort by menbers of the Deaf Community, the Office of Protection and Advocacy (OPA), the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), Family Services Woodfield (FSW), the Connecticut Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired (CDHI), and the Connecticut Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (CRID), has succeeded in re-establishing the hospital emergency interpreting service program. Deaf Citizens can now feel comforted. Sign Language Interpreters will be dispatched to hospital emergencies whenever possible on nights, weekends and during holidays, 24/7.
How it works:
It works pretty much like it has in the past!
A Deaf patient in a hospital emergency room.....
The hospital may try "Video Relay Interpreting (VRI)" for information collection (forms and paperwork) and early preparation, or triage, until an interpreter arrives.
Protocol I:
The hospital will call 211 (or CDHI and CDHI will refer to 211).
211 will check the FSW list.
211 will call and dispatch the available FSW "on-call" interpreter to the hospital.
Protocol II:
If no FSW interpreter is available, 211 will tell the hospital to call (860) 231-7623, the CDHI emergency interpreting telephone number.
The hospital will call the CDHI emergency interpreting number. The CDHI answering service will contact CDHI Coordinators. CDHI Coordinators will call the hospital for details. The Coordinators will try to locate an available interpreter and dispatch the interpreter to the hospital.
Protocol III:
If no CDHI interpreter is avaialble, CDHI Coordinators will encourage the hospital to write a brief note to the patient stating: "No FSW interpreter, no CDHI interpreter available now. Still trying. Time don't know."
The hospital should then call private hospital resources for interpreter(s). If still no interpreters, start over with Protocol I and then Protocol II.
