A COMMENT ON THE
NY State Interagency Coordinating Council
for Services to Persons who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, or Hard of Hearing
For the first time there is a NY State Interagency Coordinating Council for Services to Persons who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, or Hard of Hearing. This council is administered by the New York State Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy to Persons with Disabilities.
Some of the mandates:
describe current initiatives to address the needs of the target constituencies, and recommendations for new standards and policies to assure communication accessibility and community-based services
and plan for the development and implementation of a comprehensive continuum of services.
The state has reserved seats for agency heads to represent the interests of this constituency, but the state has not allocated seats for interpreters. Since interpreters provide an important perspective, I feel we should advocate for a place on this council.
This would have to be done quickly. I understand there are three (3) seats still unassigned, and certainly at least one interpreter could be among them.
This is a political appointment, so we need to make use of our political system.
We need to contact not only our local Assemblymen and Senators but also the leadership and the New York State Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy to Persons with Disabilities.
We should also contact RID and Reg 1 Rep. The more who contact our state government, the more likely a positive response.
Stephanie Feyne
Background info:
Interagency Coordinating Council for Services to Persons who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing
Chapter 174 establishes an Interagency Coordinating Council for Services to Persons who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing. The Council is sited in and provided administrative direction and support by the Commission pursuant to Mental Hygiene Law §45.21.
The focus for the Commission and the Council is on assuring "full and equal opportunities for persons who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing and their families in New York state to support them in their efforts to lead independent and productive lives."
The law requires the Commission to maintain data on deafness and related conditions; serve as a clearinghouse for information; disseminate general information; receive and respond to complaints; and carry out an ongoing needs assessment – all functions consistent with the Commission's current mandates with regard to people with all types of disabilities, pursuant to the 2005 merger with the former Office of Advocate for Persons with Disabilities.
The law requires annual reports which describe current initiatives to address the needs of the target constituencies, and recommendations for new standards and policies to assure communication accessibility and community-based services and, in 2011, a plan for the development and implementation of a comprehensive continuum of services, which maximizes existing resources and administrative mechanisms to address issues and legal obligations; for example, using existing complaint resolution mechanisms when possible to address communication accessibility barriers.
NY STATE CONTACT INFO
New York State Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy to Persons with Disabilities http://www.cqcapd.state.ny.us/contact.htm
To search for your Assembly Rep:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
To search for your State Senator; http://www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm
NY State Senate Majority Leader
Malcolm A. Smith
14th District (Parts of Southeast Queens and the Rockaways)
E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us
NY Senate Minority Leader
Dean G. Skelos
9th District (Part of Nassau County)
http://www.senatordeanskelos.org/9/Contact.aspx
Speaker of the Assembly
Sheldon Silver
representing the 62nd District (Part of New York County)
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=064&sh=con
Majority Leader of the Assembly
Ron Canestrari
CanestR@assembly.state.ny.us
Minority Leader of the Assembly
James Tedisco
Email: TediscJ@assembly.state.ny.us
Current and Former Metro Members submitted Motions for RID
-There is a motion to reinstate the proxy voting system for Business Meetings at our National Conference. We recognize it is difficult for some RID members to attend the conference but believe they should still be able to vote. In this proposal, one member attending the conference can hold the proxy for up to 20 members.
- There is a motion to create a protocol for online voting. This will assist members to be involved in RID decision-making and to have all the information they need in order to make a prudent decision.
- There are 3 motions to limit the power of the Board and give the general membership of RID the power to make the final decision on issues of certification, testing, and certification categories. This is a response to the Board's 2007 decision on the EIPA which changed the meaning of "Certified Member".
Metro Moms
updates coming soon!
RID Membership Renewal Information
RID Membership is renewed annually by June 30.
RID has decided NOT to send out annual announcements reminding members to renew.
If you have a response to this new policy, send emails to
membership@rid.org
To renew online please follow this link.
http://www.rid.org/member_center/renew/index.cfm?
YOUR USER NAME IS YOUR MEMBER NUMBER.
YOUR PASSWORD IS THE FIRST 4 LETTERS OF YOUR LAST NAME
FOLLOWED BY THE LAST 4 NUMBERS OF YOUR MEMBER NUMBER.
For example:
If the member's name is JANE SMITH and the RID Member # is 12345
The
USER NAME would be 12345
and the PASSWORD would be smit2345.
Announcement from RID:
We have a new database that allows members to now renew online. We will not be sending out membership renewal reminders. Also, located in the back of your VIEWS magazine is the renewal form and dues/fees (April edition).
