[NFB-DB] NFB-DB Digest, Vol 153, Issue 6

Sat Jul 15 10:36:50 UTC 2023

Hi Doula,
Thanks so much for sending this.  Yes, thisColorado legislation covers the same DB needs as the language now being prepared for the bill that I’ve been referring to.  Sorry to be late in replying to this.  My obligations prevent me from processing my email Inbox as quickly  as I would like, and I’m just now going back and catching your message.  I did not get around to sending you a copy of the email that I sent to Maurice, but I’ll do that tomorrow.  
If you were to look up the Cogswell Macy bill, you would find the language of Title 3, which is the identical language to half of the bill that’s being written, but we have to be careful here.  When I visited Congress in April, the bill was schedule to be introduced in June.  That date has been pushed back several times as the author of the bill continues to negotiate with the NFB’s governmental affairs personnel, including John Pare, with the coalition of family organizations that brought Title 3 into the original Cogswell Macy bill, and with others .  There are many moving parts, and I’m in weekly dialog with the chair of the Policy, Information, & Education committee.  She has evolved sort of as the team leader from the coalition.

In addition to Title 3, which covers qualified personnel in the school system for DB children and youth, the bill  will contain language covering the needs of DB adults including things like SSPs or co-navigators, a DB waiver, and such.
The current projection is for the bill to be introduced in September.  I hesitate to send out language to the entire Division while the language is still being negotiated. However, I believe it’s important for our committee  to watch the developments closely during negotiation.  We need to view developments through the lends of DeafBlind people, which is something that blind people cannot do.

 I don’t believe we have a name for the committee.  Shall we call it the legislative committee?

Again, since there are so many moving parts, I believe the committee should begin work gathering history and information so as to understand the changes as they develop.  I believe the Federation’s leadership wants us to form our own opinion as DB people in order to make recommendations to the NFB leadership.  They realize that they do not walk in our shoes, and they want to know what we think.  If we wait until the bill is ready to be  introduced, it will be too late.  I was very happy, Doula,  to see your survey of availability for a meeting, and I’ll submit mine as soon as I compare it to my calendar.  Once the committee is formed, I’d like to start getting members up to speed and we can examine the language that we believe will remain unchanged; then we can read and discuss the proposed language which is subject to change.  Anything can happen during these negotiations, and we trust our governmental affairs team to make  the right decisions.  I think they want our collective experience as DeafBlind people  as they negotiate for the Federation.  It’s work that we need to stay on top of.

I believe we’ll need to  sharour findings and recommendations with our DB Division board on a regular basis as we learn about new developments.  

If anyone has questions specifically for me about this topic, ,  I’d like to ask that they be sent to my personal inbox off list.  That way, I’ll be sure to see them without delay.  I am excited about the opportunity to work on this together on behalf of DeafBlind people all over the country.  We are changing lives and securing a better future for DeafBlind people. 

Yours in the Federation,

Cathy Miller
> On Jul 13, 2023, at 7:00 AM, nfb-db-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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>   1. FW: [Colorado-Talk] Deaf/Blind legislation passed this year
>      (doula.jarboe at gmail.com)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:44:37 -0600
> From: <doula.jarboe at gmail.com>
> To: "'NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List'" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [NFB-DB] FW: [Colorado-Talk] Deaf/Blind legislation passed
>    this year
> Message-ID: <018701d9b4f9$4acdadb0$e0690910$@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> 
> 
> 
> Greetings Everyone,
> 
> 
> 
>     I just learned about this law that was passed earlier this year here in
> Colorado.  Cathy Miller, is this similar to what you were talking about?  If
> so, perhaps we can base the federal legislation on similar language.
> 
> Warmly,
> 
> Doula
> 
> 
> 
> From: Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Peggy
> Chong via Colorado-Talk
> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2023 12:01 PM
> To: NFB of Colorado Discussion List <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Peggy Chong <chongpeggy10 at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Colorado-Talk] Deaf/Blind legislation passed this year
> 
> 
> 
> I learned of this law, signed by the Governor. Although the NFBCO did not
> have anything to do with this, I think it is a good step for our deaf/blind
> kids.
> 
> 
> 
> Peggy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HB23-1067
> 
> Family Intervener Program Deafblind Children
> 
> Concerning creation of a family and community intervener program to support
> children experiencing deafblindness, and, in connection therewith, making an
> appropriation.
> 
> SESSION: 
> 
> 2023 Regular Session
> 
> SUBJECTS: 
> 
> Health Care & Health Insurance
> 
> Human Services
> 
> Public Health
> 
> BILL SUMMARY
> 
> The bill creates the family and community intervener program (program) to
> support children who are deafblind and their families. The program provides
> deafblind children the services of an intervener who is specifically trained
> in deafblindness, building language and communication skills, and
> intervention strategies with children who are deafblind and their community,
> families, and environment. The Colorado commission for the deaf, hard of
> hearing, and deafblind (commission) shall contract with an intervener
> program manager (manager) who has oversight over the program, the intervener
> activities, and the outcomes for children who are deafblind.
> 
> Starting in 2025, and upon the approval of the department of health care
> policy and financing, the commission shall have the manager direct eligible
> children to receive intervener services through the home- and
> community-based services provided by the community first choice option of
> the federal "Social Security Act".
> 
> The program is funded through the Colorado telephone users with disabilities
> fund.
> 
> 
> 
> Signed into law May 15, 2023.
> 
> 
> 
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> End of NFB-DB Digest, Vol 153, Issue 6
> **************************************