76
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD TO
    CONDUCT A STUDY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW TO ASSESS
    SERVICES FOR DEAF, HARD-OF-HEARING, AND DEAF-BLIND
    POPULATIONS.



 1        WHEREAS, there are an estimated 72,000 persons with
 2   hearing loss in Hawaii, who are among an estimated 28,000,000
 3   people in the United States with hearing loss; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, inadequate and unacceptable levels of public and
 6   private services available to the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and
 7   deaf-blind persons in Hawaii adversely affect this target
 8   population, their work, their families, and social activities,
 9   resulting in an overall reduction in the quality of their
10   lives; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, services to this population are provided through
13   public and private agencies and tend to be fragmented and
14   uncoordinated, making it difficult for the target population to
15   receive all available services in the most efficient and cost-
16   effective manner; and
17   
18        WHEREAS, providing a means of access to a majority of
19   these services is mandated by federal and state laws; and
20   
21        WHEREAS, a comprehensive study is necessary to identify
22   the required services, assess the State's compliance with
23   federal and state mandates relating to those services, and make
24   recommendations for the establishment of an administrative
25   structure to provide and monitor appropriate and effective
26   services to the target population; and
27   
28        WHEREAS, the Disability and Communication Access Board,
29   under section 348F-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, has the
30   responsibility, among others, to:
31   
32        (1)  Establish guidelines for the utilization of
33             communication access services provided for persons
34             who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind in state
35             programs and activities;

 
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 1   
 2        (2)  Serve as public advocate of persons with disabilities
 3             by providing advice and recommendations on matters
 4             relating to access for persons with disabilities,
 5             with emphasis on legislative matters, administrative
 6             rules, policies, and procedures of the state and
 7             county governments;
 8   
 9        (3)  Review and assess the problems and needs relating to
10             access for persons with disabilities in the State in
11             order to provide recommendations in the improvement
12             of laws and services;
13   
14        (4)  Serve as the designated state agency to coordinate
15             the efforts of the State to comply with the
16             requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
17             and
18   
19        (5)  Provide technical assistance and guidance to state
20             and county entities in order to meet the requirements
21             of state, federal, and county laws providing for
22             access for persons with disabilities through public
23             education programs and other voluntary compliance
24             efforts;
25   
26   now, therefore,
27   
28        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
29   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
30   of 2000, the Senate concurring, that the Disability and
31   Communication Access Board, in conjunction with the Department
32   of Human Services' Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for
33   the Blind Division, is requested to conduct a comprehensive
34   review to assess services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-
35   blind persons; and
36   
37        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that
38   the study:
39   
40        (1)  Review the range of services to the target population
41             currently available in the public and private sectors
42             in Hawaii;
43   
44        (2)  Identify those federal and state laws that mandate
45             services to the target population, and assess the
46             State's level of compliance with those laws;

 
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 1   
 2        (3)  Determine whether the provision of mandated services
 3             to the target population is adequate and, if not,
 4             what the deficiencies are; and
 5   
 6        (4)  Make recommendations on the establishment of an
 7             administrative structure to provide the required
 8             appropriate and effective services and to monitor
 9             those services;
10   
11   and
12   
13        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is requested that the study
14   include a review of communication access, education, early
15   intervention programs, post-secondary education, social
16   services, employment, independent living, telecommunications,
17   mental health, recreation including tourism, emergency
18   notification including civil defense, and professional
19   development and standards for those persons who serve the
20   target population; and
21   
22        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Disability and
23   Communication Access Board is requested to convene a task force
24   to provide input for the study, to include representatives from
25   the following organizations and groups:
26   
27        (1)  Aloha Association for the Deaf;
28   
29        (2)  Hawaii Services on Deafness;
30   
31        (3)  Hawaii State Coordinating Council on Deafness;
32   
33        (4)  Coordinating Council on Persons Who Are Deaf-Blind in
34             Hawaii;
35   
36        (5)  Ohana Kuli Ano Kokua chapter of the national Self-
37             Help for the Hard of Hearing People;
38   
39        (6)  Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advisory Committee to
40             Vocational Rehabilitation Services;
41   
42        (7)  Advisory Council for Hawaii Center for the Deaf and
43             the Blind;
44   
45        (8)  Gallaudet University Regional Center;
46   
47        (9)  Pacific Basin Rehabilitation Research and Training
48             Center;

 
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 1   
 2       (10)  One consumer representative from each county;
 3   
 4       (11)  One representative who is a member of the target
 5             population;
 6   
 7       (12)  One representative who is a family member of a person
 8             who is a member of the target population;
 9   
10       (13)  One representative who has an interest in the target
11             population community;
12   
13       (14)  Hawaii Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf;
14   
15       (15)  Kapiolani Community College Interpreter Education
16             Program; and
17   
18       (16)  Department of Human Services, Vocational
19             Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division;
20   
21   and
22   
23        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Disability and
24   Communication Access Board is requested to submit an interim
25   report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to
26   the convening of the Regular Session of 2001, and a final
27   report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to
28   the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and
29   
30        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference
31   Bureau is requested to assist in drafting any proposed
32   legislation as a result of the study; and
33   
34        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
35   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the
36   Disability and Communication Access Board, Director of Human
37   Services, President of the Aloha State Association of the Deaf,
38   President of the Board for Hawaii Services on Deafness,
39   Chairperson of Hawaii State Coordinating Council on Deafness,
40   Chairperson of the State Coordinating Council on Deaf-
41   Blindness, President of Ohana Kuli Ano Kokua chapter of the
42   national Self Help for the Hard of Hearing, Chairperson of the
43   Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advisory Committee to Vocational
44   Rehabilitation Services, Chairperson of the Advisory Council
45   for the Hawaii Center for the Deaf and Blind, Director of
46   Gallaudet University Regional Center, Director of the Pacific
47   Basin Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Kapiolani

 
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 1   Community College Interpreter Education Program, Administrator
 2   of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the Blind
 3   Division, Hawaii Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and the
 4   Acting Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.
 5   
 6 
 7 
 8 
 9                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________