HD99 - Addressing Identified Barriers Faced By Persons with Sensory Disabilities

  • Published: 1994
  • Author: Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and HJR 461 Task Force
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 461 (Regular Session, 1993)

Executive Summary:
House Joint Resolution 461 (1993) (Appendix A) was offered as a follow-up to House Joint Resolution 2 (1992), which considered the barriers faced by persons with sensory disabilities in emergency and law enforcement situations. The final report on the initial study, House Document 46 (1993), recommended continuation to ensure that issues identified during the study period would be addressed. The Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing CVDDM agreed to continue as the lead agency for the study with significant support from an expanded task force including state agencies, service providers and consumer organizations named in the authorizing resolution.

Relying upon the recommendations of House Document 46, the Task Force agreed to a work plan which would result in the development of materials to support the needs identified in the earlier study. Specifically, the Task Force agreed to the following activities:

1. Consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and one or more city/county attorneys to determine what if any Code mandates or local laws may conflict with or impact proposals for reduction or removal of identified barriers.

2. Development and implementation of a survey of Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), local Emergency Services Coordinators, and consumers to quantify current access status.

3. Development of a Pocket Handbook for response personnel, to include tips on handling situations involving persons with sensory disabilities, contact information for interpreters and other agencies and other critical information.

4. Development of a Best Practices Guide for Law Enforcement and Emergency Services administrators to utilize in establishing policies and procedures.

5. Development of a Consumer Education Plan to present strategies for working with consumer groups on preparing for emergency situations.

6. Exploration/identification of alternative funding sources for all recommendations. Possible resources include grants and corporate sponsorship.

7. Consultation with the Virginia Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (VRID) to develop a proposal for a model for provision of interpreter services 24-hours on-call.

As a result of the work of the Task Force, all of the identified activities have been completed. Production of materials and actual dissemination began in October 1993. Descriptions of these materials and information on obtaining final products are included in the appendices.

Continued commitment to on-going attention to the identified issues has resulted in agreement by all participants in the Study to continue to meet on an ad hoc basis in the future.