CAIRS is pleased to announce that as of January 11, 2010, an enhanced version of eRSP will be utilized to better support the coordination of interpreter assignments. The enhanced eRSP will provide substantial improvements to assignment information management and tracking, as well as, more reliable remote access to benefit CAIRS interpreters.

In order to ensure a smooth transition, all interpreter eRSP user names and passwords will remain the same. If you have submitted a change of user name request to Megan (megan@cairs.net) (Ph: 312-895-4300, Ext. 225) you will receive an email with your new access information prior to Monday, January 11, 2010.

As always, access to eRSP can be accomplished via the internet system login (cairs.ersp.biz) and from remote digital devices. In addition, the enhanced eRSP will permit direct access through CAIRS website.

Ongoing technical assistance during this system transition will be provided by Megan. Please direct all questions and requests for assistance to her as necessary. Thank you!

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) announced on May 29th,2009 that the Alternative Pathway to Eligibility system is presently available. Please note the full webpage description and related information.

At the 2003 RID Conference in Chicago, Illinois, organizational membership passed a motion that after June 2008 "all hearing interpreters must hold a minimum of an associate's degree, in any field, to take the NIC." However, RID also recognized that some system of "equivalent alternative criteria allowable in lieu of the educational requirements" was needed for interpreters who possessed many years of experience and expertise, yet who did not have a degree in higher education.

The RID Alternative Pathway to Eligibility system uses a point system that awards credit for college classes, full-time work experience, interpreter-related training, professional interpreting certifications, and specific volunteer services to RID (including articles published in VIEWS or the Journal of Interpretation). The Alternative Pathway to Eligibility system and formal application is required for: (1) Individuals who do not hold an associate's degree or higher and who wish to apply to take the NIC, SC:L, or OTC interview/performance exams and; (2) EIPA interpreters who hold the Ed:K-12 credential and would like to become certified members of RID.

Please note the RID Eligibility Application.

CAIRS would like to extend a special thanks to interpreter Nacole Jackson for again highlighting this important information for everyone's benefit.

CAIRS will be moving to our new offices on Friday, October 23, 2009. In order to facilitate our upcoming move, our offices will close at 2:00 PM on Thursday October 22, 2009 and will re-open at 9:00 AM on Monday, October 26, 2009.

CAIRS normal business operations will fully resume as of Monday, October 26, 2009. For non-emergency interpreter requests, customers can submit service requests through our online webpage during this brief transition.

For emergency requests, please use our paging service by calling (312) 895-4300.

If you are in the neighborhood we invite you to stop by to see our new offices. We are very excited about our move and feel it will permit us to grow in the years ahead! The new CAIRS offices will be in the heart of loop convenient to public transportation and Millennium Park.

Our new address is:

17 North State Street
Suite 1650
Chicago, IL 60602

Telephone, TTY, & Fax numbers remain the same:

Phone: (312) 895-4300
Fax: (312) 895-4313
TTY: (312) 895-4320

CAIRS is pleased to announce establishment of the Community Advisory Committee to assist our organization in identifying and addressing existing issues which affect the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. The CAIRS Community Advisory Committee will work collaboratively with executive management and the Board of Directors to identify community issues and develop recommendations. It is highly desired that all members of CAIRS Community Advisory Committee exhibit a passion for improving the lives of Deaf or Hard of Hearing individuals. Members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, as well as, community stakeholders, educators, community providers and interpreters who have shown leadership in their community, are all encouraged to apply for membership. The initial meeting of CAIRS Community Advisory Committee is planned for January 2010, with the intervening months devoted to the review of member applications by CAIRS Board of Directors. For those who are interested in applying for membership, please review the attached application packet and Fax a completed application to 312-895-4313, attention Nikki Montgomery. Thank you!

After a decade of support for the Illinois Skills Assessment Screening (ISAS), CAIRS' Board of Directors has decided that ISAS will be retired as of June 30, 2010. Subsequent to considerable review, it has been concluded that ISAS is no longer a completely satisfactory evaluation tool for our state's interpreters. Moreover, in light of the recently enacted Illinois Interpreter for the Deaf Licensing Act, CAIRS believes it is vitally important that a professionally recognized evaluation tool be implemented in Illinois.

more »

Please note that Danella Chevry is currently coordinating the "sign up" process for all new interpreters at CAIRS. You may reach Danella by phone at 312-895-4300, Ext. 224 or by e-mail at Danella@cairs.net. Or, you may begin the interpreter sign-up process, by e-mailing us directly from our website (see tab below). As CAIRS is operating in full compliance with the Interpreters for the Deaf Licensing Act, all new CAIRS interpreters must provide a copy of an active State of Illinois professional interpreter license and review the CAIRS Interpreter Handbook, prior to being eligible for assignments. CAIRS policy requires that all interpreters strictly follow the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct . In addition, for interpreters who are still waiting to receive their license, CAIRS may request a copy of the actual licensure application for documentation purposes. Please also note that since January 1st, 2009, CAIRS Licensed Interpreter Registry has expanded by more than 32%. Thank you!

The May 9th, 2009, Come Meet the CAIRS Coordinators event at Columbia College was a great success. So, CAIRS coordinators want to send out a big "thank you" to all interpreters who attended! For those interpreters who were not able to attend, please take a moment to review the agenda. Please stay tuned for more such events in 2009! Thanks again! From Amanda, Megan and Scott

In response to the increasing need for professional interpreter services in educational settings, CAIRS has proactively established special least-cost pricing for our educational and academic clients. This newly introduced preferential rate structure will become a permanent component of CAIRS operations, as of March 1, 2009. In order to qualify, your organization must demonstrate that education is its primary mission. Eligible clients include all primary and post-secondary institutions – specifically school districts, public/private schools, universities, community colleges and technical schools. Please forward all inquires to Nicole Montgomery.

Beginning January 2009, CAIRS will work to provide interpreters with expanded information concerning each requested interpreter assignment – to ensure that all assigned interpreters are in full compliance with the new licensing legislation. In June of 2008, our agency introduced the CAIRS Assignment Core Information Protocol to guarantee that the right interpreter is always contracted to the right assignment. In light of the new legislation, however, CAIRS coordinators will now require that all clients provide even more detailed information regarding each requested assignment. Moreover, in accordance with established CAIRS policy, all our interpreters possess the professional right to decline an assignment. Therefore, CAIRS interpreters should only accept assignments when appropriate to their licensure requirements. During 2009, CAIRS will continue to forward "inquires for clarification" to the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) to make sure that all parties possess a clear, accurate and evolving understanding of the legislation's many definitions. During this time of great transition for the Illinois interpreter community, CAIRS will make every attempt to assist and educate -- for the ultimate benefit of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community!

Please note that effective March 1st, 2009, CAIRS has increased its special interpreter-reimbursement fee by 60% per assignment, for all off-hour notice assignments. In addition, for said assignments, CAIRS has increased the travel-time allowance to a maximum of three hours. All CAIRS interpreters who participate as "on call" interpreters will also receive this increase. These increases are in addition to interpreter's standard reimbursements and have been implemented to ensure that more licensed interpreters are available for off-hour notice assignments. During 2009, CAIRS will continue to make operational enhancements to best support our interpreters and Deaf or Hard of Hearing consumers. Thank you for choosing CAIRS!

As we move into a brand new year, it appears that 2009 will be a busy time for the state's professional interpreter community and our agency. The new Illinois Interpreter for the Deaf Licensure Act of 2007 has established a new regulatory environment that will influence the interpreter profession in Illinois for many years to come. CAIRS believes that over the long term, this legislation will substantially benefit professional interpreters, as well as, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. During 2009, CAIRS will continue to introduce qualitative operational enhancements to promote regulatory compliance and service excellence.

more »

RID Needs Your Input: The RID Government Affairs Program (GAP) is currently in the process of seeking input, via a survey, from the membership to identify the priority government affairs issues facing the profession. This is an essential step in creating a comprehensive, member driven strategy to address these areas of concern and ensure RID is an integral part of the fabric of the community. Your input is extremely valuable and crucial to the growth and development of this newly launched program. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We intend to report back to the membership the results of this survey in the Spring issue of VIEWS. To take the survey, log in to your RID member account at www.rid.org, and under Account Information, click on "Take a Survey;" then click on "2010 RID Government Affairs Program Survey." Please note that once you log in to the survey, you must complete it in one sitting. Should you be kicked out of the survey before completion, please contact Tina Schultz, Director of Communications at tschultz@rid.org

Deadline for Responses: February 16, 2010
Estimated time for completion: 15 minutes

Take the Survey Now »

Message From DeafMD.org:
As you may know, DeafMD.org is a freely accessible, health education website designed for the Deaf community and sign language interpreters alike to improve their sign and to become more knowledgeable regarding various diseases & illnesses. Our first year has been tremendously successful, welcoming over 150,000 visitors and 600,000 page views, all through word-of-mouth advertising.

To this point, we have been a self-funded and singular effort, adding topics and relevant news when we are financially able. Our mission is to provide clear and concise health education to the Deaf & Hard of Hearing community to improve their overall health and wellness. One way we hope to do this is through an e-news blast to our nearly 20,000 subscribers nationwide 1-2 times per month, via our "Vital Signs" e-newsletter.

However, to make this a reality and bring you relevant content in ASL in a timely fashion, we need your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to The DeafMD.org Foundation this holiday season? Any and all support is tremendously appreciated.

We invite you to join us in promoting healthy living and health education among the Deaf community with a sponsorship of either DeafMD.org or DeafMD.org's e-newsletter, "Vital Signs". Thank you for taking the time to subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Feel free to contact me at ContactUs@DeafMD.org if you have any questions or to request a media kit.

Wishing you a life full of health and happiness,

Casey Davis
www.DeafMD.org

The Chicago Deaf & Hard of Hearing Cultural Center (CDHHCC) will be hosting its First Annual GALA event, October 9th, 2010. The event will be held at the Chicago Cultural Center (GCC) in Downtown Chicago, from 6 PM to 11 PM. The Gala will feature a reception, a raffle, entertainment performances, as well as presentations about the CDHHCC and the Deaf cultural community. Proceeds from the CDHHCC 2010 GALA event will support the organization's ongoing efforts to obtain a building for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. The CDHHCC believes that it is essential for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community to have a center of its own, to serve for years to come as a place for learning, socializing, entertaining and networking. For more details about the upcoming CDHHCC 2010 First Annual Gala event, please contact Jason Johnson at Chicagodeafculturalcenter.org.

Department of Human Services (DHS) funding for the Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD) may soon be eliminated, resulting in a required closure of the school. Many believe that closure of the School for the Deaf will have a dramatic negative impact on the community it serves and would represent a significant reduction of public support for a population included within the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

We must act now to send a powerful message to our elected officials and legislative leaders. There is now less than a month before the new fiscal year begins and these devastating cuts take effect. Here's what we need you to do: Contact and urge our state lawmakers to step up and negotiate a comprehensive, responsible budget that protects our state's Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

• Illinois State Senators
• Illinois State Representatives

If you are someone who is concerned about the quality of access to professional sign-language services for Deaf or Har of Hearing patients in health care settings, please read this article and contact your Congressional representatives today! Presently, the U.S. Congress is preparing to make potentially sweeping changes to America's health care system in an effort to improve health care quality, accessibility and reduce costs. As part of this overall effort to enhance our nation's health care system, the essential communication needs of Deaf or Hard of Hearing patients must be considered and addressed.

The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is currently advocating for expanded federal mandates that will require Medicare, Medicaid and the private insurance industry to increase funding and reimbursements for professional sign-language interpreter services in the context of health care settings (please see attached DREDF document). In addition to the sign-language resource requirements outlined within the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) has long recognized that effective communication between patients and health care providers is an essential and indispensible component of medical safety and high-quality health care outcomes. Specifically, in accordance with JACHO's published standards RI.21.00, RI.2.30 and RI.2.20 – it is stated that "patients have the right to be involved in their care and have appropriate communication, which includes professional interpreters and translation services." (JCAHO, 2006)

So, please promptly contact your Illinois Senators and Representatives in the U.S. Congress and urge that access to professional sign-language services be expanded by federal mandate for patients who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing! Contact information for Illinois Senator Richard Durbin and help finding the contact information for your Illinois District Representative are available online. Thank you for your immediate action!

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is pleased to share the following links to accessible information about Swine Flu. Please share this information with your family and friends. The NAD is sharing this information as a public service. Please contact the organizations sponsoring the links for additional information or questions:

DeafMD.org
National Center for Deaf Health Research
Center for Disease Control - Swine Flu Video (Closed Captioned)

The Illinois Academy of Audiology (ILAA) is once again seeking outstanding applicants for our 2009 Post-Secondary Scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded to two outstanding students meeting the following criteria. A $1000 scholarship will be awarded to the first place winner. A $500 scholarship or assistive listening device/hearing assistive technology kit will be awarded to the runner-up. CRITERIA: The student must have a hearing loss that is characterized by a pure-tone average of 40dBHL or greater at 1000Hz, 2000Hz in the ear with better hearing. The student must be a high school senior who has been accepted as a full-time student at any regionally accredited institute of higher learning. Applicants will be required to submit a completed application form and essay, along with two letters of recommendations and a current audiological report. Complete instructions and application materials in a PDF format can be accessed through the Illinois Academy of Audiology website, www.ilaudiology.org . Click on the link for Student Resources and then click on the link for ILAA Scholarship Opportunities. The application deadline is May 22, 2009 and winners will be selected by early July. Questions can be directed to: awards@ilaudiology.org