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Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
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Colorado Commission for
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Strategic Plan FY 2013 – FY 2017


Goal 1: Public Information

  • To serve as a clearinghouse for consumers, public and private entities, and the general public.

Strategies

  • Maintain and update a comprehensive electronic community resource directory.
  • Redesign and update the Commission’s website.
  • Expand and disseminate information via the website, conference exhibits, community forums and engagement, video logs, listservs, webinars and other electronic meeting forums, including digital and social media.
  • Update or develop information sheets, guides, and best-practice recommendations, brochures, and other printed media.

Goal 2: Telecommunications Equipment

  • To expand and improve the provision of telecommunications equipment and/or accessories to qualifying deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind individuals.

Strategies

  • Perform outreach and educate the public about the availability of the Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (TEDP).
  • Make the TEDP application more user-friendly and available for a wider audience.
  • Expand the TEDP through:
    • National Deaf Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP)/ICanConnect (ICC).
    • Wireless Program. 

Goal 3: Legal Auxiliary Services

  • To expand and improve the provision of auxiliary services and aids to the State Court System and consumers.

Strategies

  • Monitor and maintain efficient scheduling, accounting, and auxiliary service provider oversight systems.
  • Implement stakeholder feedback system.
  • Increase awareness of the availability of auxiliary services and aids.
  • Expand the pool of Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI’s) and Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) service providers.
  • Expand the use of remote services (Video Remote Interpreting and remote CART).
  • Create a sustainable mentoring program for auxiliary service providers.

Goal 4: Outreach and Consultative Services (OCS)

To promote compliance with Federal, state and local accessibility laws and regulations through collaboration and policy development efforts with consumers, public and private entities, and other stakeholders to develop equivalent access to services. 

Strategies

  • Provide and expand provision of technical assistance to stakeholders including public and private entities and community organizations.
  • Develop and implement training modules available on the Commission website.
  • Develop and implement a stakeholder contact database, and a bank of resources and trainings that can be used for system navigation, and provide access to electronic-based consultations and trainings for consumers.
  • Increase staff capacity to provide efficient services, and to provide one-on-one assistance for equivalent access to communication within systems.
  • Maintain and expand use of Communication Access Assessments.
  • Hold community forums to discuss a variety of the stakeholder issues and needs.

Goal 5: Grant Program

  • To administer grants annually available to state agencies, state-operated programs, local government, or private nonprofit or not-for-profit community-based organizations.

Strategies

  • Determine priorities for the funding of projects.
  • Enhance and monitor a grantee evaluation system to assess progress and accomplishments.
  • Communicate with stakeholders about the grant projects and the benefits they offer, including the positive impact and outcomes achieved.
  • Seek additional funding to support and expand the grant program.

Goal 6: System Advocacy and Program Development

  • To improve communication access at all levels of government and community-based systems through program development and systemic change.

Strategies

  • Expand programs and services available for deaf-blind individuals i.e. Support Service Providers (SSP).
  • Expand programs and services available for aging deaf and hard of hearing adults.
  • Promote the development of specialized communication-accessible programs for deaf and hard of hearing individuals who are developmentally disabled.
  • Identify and implement systemic improvements in the government system (auxiliary services provided in the Executive Branch of the government).
  • Create a Communication Access Fund for statewide access to legal and medical services.
  • Secure sustainable funding for the Daylight Project and its system building efforts.
  • Hold a legislative forum with public and private entities, community organizations, and consumers or interested stakeholders when needed.

Goal 7: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention and Deaf Education

  • To improve early hearing detection and intervention, and educational systems of deaf and hard of hearing children from birth through secondary education.

Strategies

  • Convene a Task Force of interested stakeholders to study the effectiveness of the early hearing detection and intervention system, and update and implement the Colorado Department of Education’s Blue Print.
  • Include deaf and hard of hearing adults in the early hearing detection and intervention, and educational systems.
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