Announcements:
Increasing Skills through Elevate America
In cooperation with Microsoft, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is pleased to offer E-Learning courses at no cost to you. The need to increase skills is essential in the current economy. Those individuals out of work can use this time to increase their skills. Workers must continuously improve and modernize their skills to keep up with the changing world of work. This innovative public-private program will provide 20,250 vouchers for free technology training and Microsoft certification to help Kentuckians meet the demands of the 21st century economy.
Learn more about this opportunity...
***URGENT***
Caption Bills Coming Up For Legislator Review
The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) needs your help! KCDHH is trying to get legislators to pass 2 caption bills which would require movie theaters that have 5 or more screens to provide captioning for their movies. The legislators may not understand the importance of these bills so they need to hear from you!
More details about how you can help us help you...
Telecommunication Access Program
Testing Sites Now Available
The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) is pleased to announce that three Telecommunication Access Program (TAP) testing sites are now open across the state.
More details...
KCDHH Position Vacancy Announcement
The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) seeks an experienced, creative individual to fill the position of Executive Advisor.
More details...
IRS Videos in ASL Available on YouTube
With tax season in full swing, did you know that deaf and hard of hearing consumers can find answers to their tax questions directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in American Sign Language (ASL)?
The IRS has built a YouTube channel complete with a series of ASL videos—that are also voiced and captioned—on a myriad of tax topics, including e-File and Direct Deposit, Free File and Fillable Forms, Education Tax Credits, Unemployment Compensation and Home Energy Credits. ASL videos on many more important subjects for taxpayers will be added as they become available.
Just go to the IRS YouTube channel to see ASL videos that will help you complete your taxes this year. You can post and share these videos through your websites, vlogs or other social network venues. Click on the subscriptions button at the top of the YouTube page and you can find out right away when future videos become available.
U of L hopes to lessen critical need for interpreters for deaf
By Nancy C. Rodriguez. An estimated 77,000 Kentuckians depend primarily on American Sign Language to communicate — but the state currently has only 182 certified interpreters; it should have 310, according to the state’s Commission the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Read more in: The Courier-Journal
SAFE Patrol
If you are a deaf or hard of hearing traveller on one of Kentucky's major highways and if you have a pager or any other means to send out an email, you can now be less apprehensive about your car breaking down, leaving you stranded without help. SAFE Patrol is standing by and ready to help, free of charge.
Read more about this... (PDF)
Education and Workforce Development Cabinet
New Executive Director named to KCDHH
The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) is pleased to announce the selection of its new executive director, Ms. Virginia L. Moore, effective September 1, 2009. Ms. Moore, a long-standing employee of the agency, assumes this post after having served as Deputy Executive Director since November 2008.
Read more... (PDF)
H1N1 (Swine flu) Fact Sheet
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services: Department for Public Health has released a H1N1 Fact Sheet.
H1N1 Fact Sheet (PDF)
DeafMD Signed Video
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services LENDING LIBRARY
The Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health,
Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities: Do you need information on hearing loss and how it impacts treatment??
More information... (PDF)
Health Alert - Home Safety Guidelines to Aid with Recent Flooding
Read the guidelines... (PDF)
Deaf Off Drugs and Alcohol offers deaf 12 Step & support meetings led by deaf facilitators.
More information... (PDF)
Research Study: Help Test the Usability of a New Assistive Listening Device!
Learn more... (PDF)
Eastern Kentucky University creates a department of Sign Language and Interpreter Education
Officials at Eastern Kentucky University recently announced the formation of a Department of Sign Language and Interpreter Education. The following story appeared in the Lexington Herald-Leader.
NAD partners with IRS for new economic stimulus PSAs
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is partnering with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to produce four new PSA videos dealing with the economic stimulus package. A total of seven videos are now available. To view them please click on the links below.
Instructions on How to Fill Out Form 1040-A
How to Reach the IRS with Questions
For Taxpayers Who Normally Don't File
ASL videos provide facts about cancer
The University of California at San Diego has produced a series of videos in ASL that provide facts and detection methods for various tyeps of cancer. Topics covered in the videos include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, prostate and testicular cancer. For more information about the series click here.Learn more about ADA issues through ASL podcasts
The Southeast ADA Center has posted several podcasts online to help consumers understand the Americans with Disabilities Act. The podcasts are broadcast using ASL.
FCC releases report on E-911
In case of an emergency, dialing 911 from an IP relay or VRS is easier than one might think. Thanks to a new report and order from the FCC it is now possible to dial 911 through VRS or IP relay. This pair of videos explain the process.
As spring approaches the possibility of severe weather increases dramatically. Sign up now to protect yourself by having severe weather watches and warnings sent to you via email.
ASL Public Service Announcements
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is looking for feedback from deaf and hard of hearing individuals related to their ASL Public Service Announcements (PSA) which are posted on their website.
Please view the PSA's and leave your feeback so the CDC will be encouraged to continue this service!
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/psa.asp
"The Training of Realtime Writers Act of 2007" Please help support this bill! (PDF)
Housing friendly to deaf and hard of hearing planned
Beginning in the fall of 2008, seniors in Kentucky will have more affordable housing options when Franciscan Senior Estates is complete. The 54-unit apartment building plans to have 12 with special features for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
TDD Users Contacting the Governor's Office
For TDD users who wish to contact the Governor's Office, please use the following number - 502-564-9551.