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VOLUME 41, NO. 4
APRIL, 2023
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KCDHH
Participates in KY HEARS Clinic
 KCDHH’s Telecommunications Access Program Coordinator, Jessica Endler
Smith, participated in the Kentucky Hearing Healthcare Equal Access
Reaching Statewide) KYHEARS clinic in Lawrence County on March 30. She
demonstrated KCDHH’s equipment to deaf and hard of hearing participants. KY
HEARS is a statewide hearing healthcare initiative of Heuser Hearing
Institute, Louisville, who have worked with legislators to develop a plan
to close the education and achievement gaps for individuals who are deaf
and hard of hearing throughout the state. Read more about KY HEARS here.
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April
is National Deaf History Month
National Deaf History Month during April celebrates the contributions and
accomplishments of people who are deaf and those who are hard of hearing
and raises awareness for the Deaf community. The National Association of
the Deaf first introduced National Deaf History Month in 1997, and in 2006,
the American Library Association partnered with NAD in supporting and
spreading awareness of this celebration. Initially, the month was celebrated
from mid-March to mid-April. Then in March 2022, the National Association
of the Deaf released a statement changing the dates to April 1-30 based on
feedback from the NAD Deaf Culture and History Section and various
stakeholders, including from organizations that represent marginalized
communities within the Deaf Community.
Deaf History
Important Sites:
April 10, 1823 — Kentucky School for the Deaf, Danville, founded.
April 15, 1817 — The American School for the
Deaf, the first
public permanent school for Deaf children in the United States, was opened.
Located in West Hartford, Connecticut, the school is a nationally renowned
leader in providing comprehensive educational programs and services for
Deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Encyclopedia Britannica: History of the Deaf includes information dating
back to the 16th century.
People and Events in Deaf History
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Read Feature Story on
KSD’s 200th Anniversary
 The
Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) was recently featured in the Kentucky
Teacher, a publication of the Kentucky Department of Education. The
article discussed KSD’s long history of addressing the educational needs
for deaf and hard of hearing students and its 200th Anniversary
celebration. Read the article by clicking here.
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KCDHH Looking to
Fill Parent Rep Board Vacancy
 Do you want to make a change in the lives of deaf and hard of hearing
consumers? The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH)
is looking for a committed individual who will be involved in an exciting
phase of development within state government.
The KCDHH Parent Representative is currently
vacant. Applicants may be deaf, hard of hearing or hearing, but must have a
child that has a hearing loss. The Parent Representative serves a
three-year term, which will begin July 1, 2023 and
expire June 30, 2026.
If you or someone you know is interested in
serving on the KCDHH Board please complete (or share with an interested
party to complete) the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Commission Membership Application Form, then print and mail to the following address:
Amy Hatzel, Chair, 632 Versailles Road, Frankfort, KY 40601.
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FCC Helping
Households Connect
 Gov.
Beshear announced April 7 that Kentucky has been recognized as one of the
top five states and territories in the United States for getting eligible
households signed up for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Nearly
40% of eligible Kentuckians have signed up.
The ACP helps ensure households can afford
high-speed internet for work, school, health care and more. The benefit
provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for
eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount
of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from
participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50
toward the purchase price. To learn more about the ACP and its eligibility,
click here.
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Thurby Day Luncheon May 4, Bet on
Sound Beginnings
 A Thurby
Day Luncheon benefiting The Hearing & Speech Center, Lexington will be held
on Thursday, May 4, at the Signature Club of Lansdowne.
In the spirit of the Kentucky
Derby 2023, Tom Leach, “The Voice of the Kentucky Wildcats,” will share and
breakdown the 149th Kentucky Derby field and share his top picks for the
greatest two minutes in sports! For ticket or sponsorship table
Information, click here or
email Sharon.michael@hscky.org.
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UofL Hosts Silent Weekend for
ASL Learners/Interpreters
The University of Louisville is
hosting the first silent weekend May 19-21 aimed at American Sign Language (ASL)
learners and working interpreters. All workshops will be taught in ASL with
no English interpretation. There will also be ASL skill development classes
that will be continuing educational units (CEU).
Included in the registration
are some meals. On campus housing is available for an additional fee. For
event information, click here. To register,
click here. Register
by April 18.
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Kentucky Hands & Voices Host SuperHEARo
5K May 20
 Join Kentucky Hands & Voices for the 6th
annual SuperHEARo 5K at White Hall State Historic
Site, 500 White Hall Shrine Road in Richmond on May 20. The
1-Mile Fun Run (non-timed event) will take place at 9 a.m. followed by the
5K (a timed event) at 9:30 a.m. In addition to an in-person event at White
Hall State Historic Site, there will also be a virtual option you can join
from near or far! Participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite
superhero. Packet pick-up will be available at Surge Screenprinting
on Friday, May 19 or prior to the race on Saturday beginning at 7:30am.
Awards will
be given for top overall male and female finishers in the 5K, as well as
Best Dressed Male & Female Superheroes. There will also be a prize for
the Best Dressed Wonder Pet. Medals will be awarded for
the top three finishers in various age categories. To signup, click on the
logo below.
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Deaf Women United Opens 2023 Conference Registration
Deaf Women United has opened registration for the 2023 conference
that will be held in Chicago, July 26 to July 30. The early-bird
rate is available through February 28. For more information, click
here.
ALDAcon 2023 Call for Papers Now Open:
Deadline May 1
 The Association of
Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) is accepting workshop proposals for the 34th
Annual International Convention, November 1-5, 2023
at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. If you have
a workshop idea that will enrich the hearing loss community, you are
invited to complete and submit the Call
for Papers form to the Program Committee by May 1.
DSA Conference June 24-30, Hollywood, FL
 The Deaf Seniors of America’s biennial conference
provides educational sessions, activities, and great opportunities for
deaf senior citizens to connect with each other. Every conference is
hosted in a new city and region, providing members with the opportunity
to explore a new location each conference with
guided tours. This year’s conference is in Hollywood, Florida, at the
Hard Rock Casino Hotel, June 24-June 30. The conference committee strives
to provide an optimal, interactive environment for deaf senior citizens
where full access is given for all. Anyone 50 and older may attend. For
registration information, click here.
HLAA Convention in New Orleans, LA June
29-July 1
 The Hearing Loss Association of American’s (HLAA)
2023 Convention is June 29 – July 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana! This
year’s convention in the “Big Easy” promises to be action packed with
educational workshops, demo presentations, an exhibit hall, social events,
and a research symposium. The keynote speaker for the general session
will be Dr. K. Renee Horton, who currently serves as the Space Launch
System (SLS) Quality Engineer in the NASA Residential Management Office
at Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. She worked for NASA, first as a student
from 2009 to 2011, and then started her career as a mechanical test
engineer in 2012. Dr. Horton is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and lifelong lover of science and NASA. A graduate of
Louisiana State University with a B.S. of Electrical Engineering with a
minor in Math in 2002 and a Ph.D. in Material Science with a
concentration in Physics, becoming the first African American to graduate
from the University of Alabama in 2011 in this area. For more information
and to register, click here.
National Black Deaf Advocates
Conference, August 8-13
 The National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) conference,
“Reconnecting to Thrive Together: Reconnect, Recharge, Thrive!”
is set for August 8-13 at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel in Alabama. All
diverse people including deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, hearing,
educators, professionals, federal employees, veterans, senior citizens,
parents, activists, CODAs, students, recent graduates, service providers,
interpreters, allies, and more are welcome to attend. For registration
information, click here.
See How
Easy It Is to Use Hamilton Mobile CapTel
 Curious
about how easy it is to use the all-new Hamilton Mobile™ CapTel® app for iOS? Check out a short video here that shows some of the most popular and useful features of this
user-friendly Captioned Telephone app.
Integrated
Sorenson Interpreting for Zoom
 You now have better solutions for inviting a Sorenson
interpreter into your virtual meetings to make using Zoom for deaf and
hearing collaboration better than ever.
You may have used Video Relay Services (VRS) for your Zoom
meetings before—but not like this. Sorenson’s first-of-its-kind solution
for Zoom VRS enables you to invite their highly skilled American Sign
Language (ASL) interpreters directly into your Zoom call so you can see
everything on one screen—and so can everyone else. Sorenson for Zoom improves
multilingual support and collaboration for deaf and hearing connections.
Read more here.
Safewave
Technology Lauches New Product
 Safewave’s smart wristband connects via Bluetooth to fire alarms, Ring
cameras and security devices — essentially turning any notification or
alert into a vibration. The company's initial product targets those who
are deaf or hard of hearing but future
generations will cater to those with dementia, Alzheimer’s and special
needs. Read more here.
PLEASE VISIT KCDHH’S
IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT
YOU’D LIKE TO LIST
ON THE CALENDAR,
PLEASE EMAIL US AT:
kcdhh@ky.gov
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources
International:
World
Health Organization
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National:
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Vaccines.gov
What You Should
Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO
Laws
Kentucky:
Kentucky Governor News
The official Team Kentucky source for Vaccine
Kentucky Registry of Vaccine Location
KCDHH COVID-19/Vaccine Important Links for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing
KCDHH
Facebook Page
Apps:
For those who have deaf family members who use sign language,
consider downloading Sorenson Wavello and/or the ZVRS Sivo app on your smartphone. This app makes
it possible for you to see your loved ones on your screen next to your
interpreter.
Other KCDHH Resources:
KCDHH
KCDHH’s Telecommunications
Access Program (TAP)
Landline or wireless equipment for
Kentucky residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired, or
have both a hearing and vision loss.
KCDHH Commissioners
KCDHH Staff
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