Whew!  Folks, it is an exciting time to be in Kentucky, with the recent series of Town HAll meetings aimed at focusing on deaf issues here, with the KCDHH traveling around to 4 sites in Kentucky in an effort to learn about the deaf and hard of hearing communitiy's concerns, suggestions, and so forth.

We just had our town hall for the Eastern portion of Kentucky this past Saturday, and I think it was an unqualified success!  I would have loved for more people to have shown up, but the town hall was still well attended with approximately 40 members of the deaf and hard of hearing community present, as well as VR counselors, an itinerant teacher for the deaf (travels to different public, mainstreamed schools to ensure quality of deaf education offered to those students attending those schools), the KCDHH staff, a Hamilton Relay representative, and many others.

The folks at KCDHH have worked their rears off to make these meetings as professional, efficient, and educational as possible, and I want to thank them.  Eastern Kentucky is an area that has been, for far too long, ignored in respect to the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing, and this was a tremendous leap forward in allowing them to bring to light their concerns and ideas.  I'm certain the KCDHH staff left there truly impressed by the desire and willingness of this community in this portion of the state to learn and fight for themselves.  The Executive Director of the KCDHH (LizHill) has taken to putting together vlogs on a regular basis regarding many issues.  She has done a wonderful job in the short time she has been here.  If you would like an opportunity to view these vlogs (they are captioned for those who may not understand sign well), please view them at this link:

http://www.kcdhh.org/vlog/

There is one more town hall, in Northern Kentucky, which she discusses on her most recent vlog, as the date, time, and location have all been confirmed.  I wish them well up there, and the community as well. 

Two things jumped out at me during the course of the most recent town hall.  One was the strong outcry for an increase in the quality of educational opportunities offered, and the second, was a craving for the new wireless technology the KCDHH will begin offering (FREE) to the deaf and hard of hearing throughout the state through their TAP (Telecommunications Access Program) program.  Details are still being worked out on that, so more information will follow soon.

But the biggest issue was (to me) deaf educational opportunities.  I didn't get a chance to ask the attendees regarding where their children attended school, but it makes me wonder about whether they want to mainstream their kids or send them to KSD?  Many issues regarding that need to be discussed further, but it was good to see the concern apparent in so many people regarding this.  I'm hoping that ignites a grassroots effort to recruit more qualified teachers and interpreters state-wide.

At any rate, I wanted to take this blog piece and give thanks and credit where they are due....KCDHH has done and continues to do, a wonderful job, and I wish those folks much continued success.

Eddie