Email this pageCall for Action -- We Need Your Help!
Thursday, May 20, 2009
We need your help! We are asking you to call your Senators in Congress to recognize the concept of Support Service Providers (SSPs) as a needed service for the deaf-blind community.
In meeting the deaf-blind community's highest need, AADB has already begun the process by developing the language that defines SSPs and what they do. The language is:
“The Committee asks that the Department of Labor (or Dept of Health and Human Services) to support the efforts of Support Service Providers (SSPs). SSPs relay visual and environmental information, act as sighted guides and facilitate communication for people who are deaf-blind, using the deaf-blind person's preferred language and communication mode. SSPs enable deaf-blind persons to access their communities and connect with other people, reducing communication barriers that otherwise would result in social isolation, incapability to live independently, and inability to participate as citizens within mainstream society.”
This language is the first step of a long process towards recognizing SSPs nationwide as a profession and to provide this needed service for deaf-blind people around the country. We want to introduce the language to different Appropriations Committees, including the Departments of Labor, Health and Education.
Background Information:
For many years the deaf-blind population has faced many vision and hearing challenges in all aspects of their lives. Without reasonable hearing and vision, simple tasks such shopping, maintaining a home, and getting an education are huge barriers for anyone with these challenges. Rresearch completed in 1982 reported a total population of over 730,000 individuals with dual sensory losses (Wolf, Delk, & Schein, 1982). Conflicted reports reports later show statistics ranging from 70.000 to 3,000,000 people who are deaf-blind. Deaf-blind members of the American Association of the Deaf-Blind have voted that Support Service Providers (SSPs) are the greatest needed service for the deaf-blind community. Currently there are no federal agencies that recognize what SSPs are or that SSP services are the greatest need for people in the deaf-blind community. Also, SSPs are not universally recognized as a profession as are sign language interpreters, for example. This explains the lack of funding available to support more SSP programs.
Currently, around 18 states and cities around the country provide some level of SSP services. Around three statewide programs exist. The other programs provide SSPs to deaf-blind people on a city or county basis. However, many other states have no SSP services at all. There are not enough SSPs to meet the needs of deaf-blind people around the country. Also, several SSP programs are experiencing decreasing funding support, or have had their funding cut off.
AADB has begun the first step towards funding new and existing SSP programs across the nation by developing legislative language that will recognize SSPs as a needed service.
What is an SSP?
Support Service Providers, or SSPs, are trained, sighed guides and providers of visual and environmental information so that DB people can go about their banking, shopping and do essential errands independently.
The SSP provides this visual and environmental information so that the DB person can make informed choices and decisions and so that the DB person can participate in the wider (mainstream) Community. SSPs are typically sighted people who may be either hearing, deaf, or hard-of hearing. SSPs must know communication modes and techniques used by DB people, usually including American Sign Language. DB people often consider deaf people their natural allies, having had many of the same experiences and feelings while growing up. Deaf SSPs are always a part of our pool. Sign language students often become SSPs as a way to learn about the Deaf-Blind Community, being both paid and rewarded with learning. Many students enjoy the work so much that they remain connected with Deaf-Blind individuals and the community after graduation, continuing to work as SSPs or volunteer for Community events.
While interpreters or interpreting students may work as SSPs, SSPs are not interpreters. Communication assistance often occurs for short exchanges, but this assistance is limited. SSPs do not facilitate communication for important transactions such as the translation of a lease, or the discussion prior to making large purchases; this would require a professional interpreter. The emphasis of SSP work is on visual and environmental (not verbal) information.
What You Can Do?
The time is short! Please email or call your Senators today to ask them to include the language in the Senate Appropriations subcommittees. You can find your senators by clicking on www.senate.gov. When you contact the Senators of your state, have them contact the AADB office at Elizabeth.Spiers@aadb.org if they have any questions or wish for more information.
If you need more information or assistance, please contact Elizabeth Spiers at elizabeth.spiers@aadb.org.
Thanks for your help on this very important issue. Please spread the word that you want SSP Service!