Office of Deaf Services Iowa Department of Human Rights August 2011 SIGN of the TIMES E-NEWS Visit DSCI website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov Questions or Comments? Email us: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov INFORMATION STAFF’S VIDEOPHONES Suzy Mannella’s VP: 515-598-7327 Stephanie Lyons’ VP: 515-598-7326 Local Numbers - We can only return the calls using local numbers or IP addresses. Visual Answering Machines - We have a visual answering machine available on our videophones. When you see Please leave your message now. Recording go ahead and sign your message and give us your local phone numbers or IP addresses for us to return the calls. Then hang up when you are done. Here’s the website that has information about how our answering machine works. http://www.zvrs.com/z-services/my-mail/MyMailTutor INFORMATION The Office of Deaf Services formerly the Division of Deaf Services Commission of Iowa is currently going through a transition within the Iowa Department of Human Rights (DHR). Reorganized in spring 2010, DHR's new mission is to ensure basic rights, freedoms, and opportunities for all by empowering underrepresented Iowans and eliminating economic, social, and cultural barriers. Iowa Code Chapter 216A The Office of Deaf Services has combined its administrative functions with 6 other population- specific offices: Latino Affairs, Status of Women, Persons with Disabilities, Status of African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans within our newly created Division of Community Advocacy and Services (CAS) at DHR. For more information visit DHR’s new website: www.humanrights.iowa.gov The office of deaf services is established to provide the following services: 1. Serve as the central permanent agency to advocate for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. 2. Coordinate and cooperate with the efforts of state departments and agencies to serve the needs of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing in participating fully in the economic, social and cultural life of the state, and provide direct assistance to individuals who request it. 3. Develop, coordinate, and assist other public or private organizations which serve persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. 4. Serve as an information clearinghouse on programs and agencies operating to assist persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. For more information visit our services website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov or contact us at dhr.dsci@iowa.gov ANNOUNCEMENT For the past several years, the Office of Deaf Services had been RID Certification Maintenance Program Sponsor (CMP) approving Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for certified interpreters. This program requires an RID Certified person to run the program. With the departure of Kathryn Baumann-Reese, Deaf Services no longer meets the requirements of this program and is no longer a sponsor. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) has a website available to search for a CMP Sponsor to offer CEU’s for your workshops, independent studies, etc. at www.rid.org or go to Iowa State Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (ISRID) website to see available continuing education events at http://new.iowastaterid.org/CEUs.php CALENDAR OF EVENTS 8/05: 6:00 pm: American Sign Language Social located at ALL-Play, Des Moines. 8/15: 10 am –1 pm: Sign Language Interpreters and Transliterators Board Meeting located at Lucas State Office Building, Room 526, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines. The deadline for submission for the September issue is August 30th. Send e-mail submissions to the editor at dhr.dsci@iowa.gov MARK YOUR CALENDARS October 6—9: Deaf Women in the Heartland Conference located at Wesley Woods, Indianola, IA. Click here to get registration form or go to Iowa Association of the Deaf’s website: http://iowadeaf.com/ SUBMITTING ARTICLES, NEWS, RECENT EVENTS, OR INFORMATION For more details on these events, see our events webpage: http://www.deafservices.iowa.gov/events/index.html INFORMATION Dear Iowa Residents, Hamilton Relay, the contracted service provider of Iowa, is seeking your assistance in identifying candi- dates for this year’s Deaf Community Leader Award. We are looking for individuals who are deaf and who have been a positive influence in Iowa, demonstrat- ing commitment to advocacy, leadership and enhancing the lives of those around them. The award will be presented during Deaf Awareness Week in September. Is there someone you wish to nominate? A questionnaire is attached to assist in providing information about your candidate, including a brief description about the individual and what this person has done that causes you to nominate him/her. Please send your nominations directly to me by August 15th via e-mail, fax or by mail. My contact information is included under my signature below. Celebrating Deaf Awareness Week through the recognition of community leaders is something we look forward to each year. Thank you in advance for your participation in nominating deserving individuals from your community. We are eager to learn more about the community leaders in Iowa. Sincerely, Lori Sporrer Relay Iowa Outreach Project Manager Lori.sporrer@hamiltonrelay.com V/TTY 712-653-2440 Fax: 712-653-2555 PO Box 295 Manning, IA 51455