The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is the primary agency in the Commonwealth that provides technical assistance and direct service to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, enabling them to live independent, productive lives. There are approximately 40,000 deaf individuals and 300,000 hard of hearing individuals in Massachusetts who participate in the Commission's programs. The programs offered include interpreter services, Computer Aided Real-time Technology Referral Services (CART), and specialized independent living services. In addition, the Commission provides bilingual case management services, consumer training and referrals, and distributes information about services available to deaf and hard of hearing clients. The agency is mandated to facilitate technical assistance and training to other state agencies to help them deliver services to the deaf and hard of hearing. The Commission provides services through nine Independent Living Centers throughout Massachusetts.

The Commission provides interpreter and CART reporter services to over 20,000 clients and provides case management, peer mentoring, self advocacy assistance, and specialized independent living training to over 1,100 clients. The Commission also offers training to approximately 1,500 individuals annually, in the public and private sectors, on how to communicate with individuals living and working in their communities who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Commission provides communication services for approximately 30,000 late deafened individuals in the Commonwealth by providing interpreter and CART reporter services. In addition, the Commission conducts public education awareness programs on how to communicate with individuals who develop hearing loss later in their lives.

In Fiscal Year 1997, the Commission implemented an innovative program to use freelance interpreters to respond more efficiently and effectively to requests for interpreter services. The Commission is required to provide interpreter services to allow deaf and hard of hearing individuals access to basic services such as emergency care services and services provided by the courts. The commission receives over 20,000 requests for interpreters annually and has been able to provide an interpreter 58% of the time for the first half of Fiscal Year 1997. The Commission plans to increase this rate to 65% in Fiscal Year 1998 by focusing on filling the requests for court-qualified interpreters.

Budget Recommendations

The amount recommended for Fiscal Year 1998 will enable the Commission to provide the same level of services as in Fiscal Year 1997 and to meet the objectives outlined above.

Budgetary Direct Appropriations

COMMISSION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
4125-0100	For the administration of and services provided by the Massachusetts commission for the deaf and hard of hearing	3,312,516

Budgetary Retained Revenues

COMMISSION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING RETAINED REVENUE
4125-0101	The Massachusetts commission for the deaf and hard of hearing is hereby authorized to expend an amount not to exceed seventy thousand dollars for interpreter services from charges received on behalf of said services and from monies received from private grants, bequests, gifts or contributions; provided, that for the purpose of accommodating timing discrepancies between the receipt of retained revenues and related expenditures, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the commission may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the lower of this authorization or the most recent revenue estimate therefor as reported in the state accounting system	70,000

Intragovernmental Service Spending

INTERPRETER SERVICES INTRAGOVERNMENTAL CHARGEBACK
4125-0122	For the cost of interpreter services provided by staff of the Massachusetts commission for the deaf and hard of hearing; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of accommodating timing discrepancies between the receipt of retained revenues and related expenditures, the department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the lower of this authorization or the most recent revenue estimate therefor as reported in the state accounting system	125,000
	Intragovernmental Service Fund 100%

Federal Grant Spending

MASSACHUSETTS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP
4125-0103	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Massachusetts Assistive Technology Partnership	755,368