Sample letter to Senator

Dear Senator:

I am a professional who works with many people who are deaf-blind.  I also have many deaf-blind friends.   Most of the people I work with have varying degrees of both vision and hearing loss.  

The American Association of the Deaf-Blind is now introducing language to recognize a needed service for deaf-blind people, called support service providers (SSPs).  They are specially trained people who can assist deaf-blind people with visual and environmental information they need to access their communities.  For example, some of my deaf-blind friends can food shop with the assistance of SSPs, who drive them to the food store and read food labels and prices to them.  Other deaf-blind friends use SSPs to help them read their mail so they can answer their mail independently. 

Unfortunately, there are not enough SSPs around the country to meet the needs of deaf-blind people.  My home state of Maryland has no organized SSP program.  My deaf-blind friends rely on a network of volunteers and friends, but that is not enough to meet their needs.  

AADB members have identified SSP services as their highest need.  I am writing to ask that you recognize this need by adapting the language below for your Appropriations subcommittees, including the Departments of Education, House and Labor.  

"The Committee asks 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 towards recognizing SSPs nationwide as a profession and to provide this needed service for deaf-blind people around the country. Please recognize this very valuable service for our deaf-blind community.  Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,