Folks:

THose hard-working and forward-thinking folks at the KCDHH (Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) have done it again....They are now in the process of adding new wireless devices to their TAP program, which allots assistive devices on a first come, first served basis to those who meet certain requirements and submit an application for the devices.  For more information about this program, please check out their most recent newsletter at this link:

http://kcdhh.ky.gov/ois/newsletter.html

Simply select the June 2009 link once you are on the newsletter home page, and the information about the new devices is contained in an article written by Rowena Holloway, a Policy Analyst with the KCDHH.  It's an exciting time to see my "Old Kentucky Home" jumping forward into the 21st century.  I'm not sure just how many other states have made this venture, but I'm sure it is not many.

On another note, the PSC (Public Service Commission) here in Kentucky recently made some changes regarding the payments for Relay Services, and it is a WINNER all the way around.  For those of you who have land-line phones, you often will notice a 9 cent surcharge on your bill.  That surcharge is bill to all land-line users in the state, and it funds the Kentucky Relay Service, which enables the deaf and hard of hearing to make TDD calls.  Over the past couple of years, land line usage has dropped dramatically, as more and more people move to wireless only telephonic access.  This has led to a drop in the revenue funding the relay service here, as well as a drop in usage of the relay service, as more and more people are going to text messaging, videophones, and so forth.  One thing people don't realize, is that that funding was also used to fund the distribution program for assistive devices.

Now, with the new change, the wireless customers in Kentucky are also going to be billed on their monthly bill, at the rate of (I believe) 4 cents a month, and the landline users will see a drop in the charge on their bill to an equivalent amount.  So while wireless users may now pay 4 cents more a month (48 cents a year), landline users will see their bill drop from 9 cents to 4 cents a month.  This will enable the program to continue to be funded, while also reducing the bill on landline users.

Lastly, on the last page of the newsletter, you will see this absolutely ridiculous picture of me speaking at the Eastern Kentucky Town Hall Forum.  I was answering a question about a job expo that was coming to Pikeville at the time, and telling those people they need to get out and go to the expo, as there would be a lot of job openings there.  I'm wearing the maroon shirt and on the left side of the page.  I only wish I had know they were gonna take my picture, I would have TRIED to look a little less goofy.  :-)

Eddie