STATE OF MICHIGAN

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

RICK SNYDER STEVEN H. HILFINGER
LANSING
GOVERNOR DIRECTOR

Memorandum
DATE: 6/2/2011

TO: DODHH Advisory Council

FROM: Sheryl Emery, Director

SUBJECT: Deaf Commissions and Divisions Across USA

This memo is to keep you abreast of what is occurring within DODHH and other states with
Divisions for the Deaf and Commissions.

As you will see, below, many Commissions for Deaf/Hard of Hearing/ Deaf-Blind are facing
challenges. Some are merging with a VR, as we were, in attempt to survive. Though the
legislature has approved a budget, DODHH has not yet been apprised of the situation. I have
met our new Chief Financial Officer and I do feel very confident that she is advocating strongly
on our behalf to ensure DODHH has the financial support it needs. However, do expect a
change at DODHH in the late summer or fall, as we have been informed we will have to move.
As of yet we do not know where, but if you want to assist us packing, we welcome volunteers.

With the addition of Kathy Mitchell, the Division has been able to post dates for testing and
work that had fallen behind is being caught up on. She is fitting in nicely and we are happy to
have her. I am, once again, able to turn my attention back to the completion of rules and
preparing to share that information with the community.

The information, below, was received from my colleague Steven A. Florio who serves as
Acting President of National Association of State Agencies for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (NASADHH):

1) Line item ($250,000/annum) was eliminated by Governor Rick Scott, who has
the authority to line item veto on Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH), last Thursday. The FCCDHH would not be funded
by the State in FY 2011-2012. We do not know if they will become totally
inactive.

2) The Connecticut Commission for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired (CDHI) will
be merged with the Board of Education Services for the Blind and Bureau of
Rehabilitative Services effective on July 1, 2011. The legislation was passed not
long ago to make this happen. The agency will be known as the Bureau of

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Rehabilitative Services (BRS). Because of this merger, all individual director's
positions will be eliminated; therefore, Stacie Mawson (Director of CDHI)
decided to retire on June 1st. CDHI will cease on June 30th. They are currently
configuring the structure of a new BRS agency.

3) The Idaho Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ICDHH) survived 100%
state budget cuts through its own line item. ICDHH is now funded by the Idaho
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, but ICDHH remains autonomous,
carrying out its functions/services independently.

4) The position for the Director of the Maine Division for the Deaf, Hard of
Hearing, and Late Deafened has been vacant since December 2010 because the
position is frozen due to budget problems in Maine.

5) The position for the Director of the Missouri Commission has been posted
since December 2010 and they hope to find someone to fill in starting on July 1,
2011.

Many of our agencies continue to experience some budget cuts that have either
direct or indirect impact on services/programs. We are seeking creative ways to
ensure that programs and services to deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind
continue to retain support. We ask that you remain vigilant on our behalf.

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