DEAF WATCH NEWSLETTER ---- MAY 2000 ---- EASY WORDS VERSION Greetings, After a short and light break, I come back to run this newsletter ready to help deaf people! KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! means if you know a lot about something, you can do a lot about it! Sad thing is many deaf do not know English good enough. News is written in harder English and people with easy English do not understand it. But they tell others and sometimes forget or add things to stories. People who use these stories from other people may do something silly and make us look stupid. This means it is hard to share the right information because of not know English well. I talk to deaf people in North California and they tell me they like Deaf Watch and want me to make it easy to read because other deaf not understand English may be afraid of Deaf Watch Newsletter. So we solve this problem by making an easy words Deaf Watch newsletter for the deaf! Easy newsletter will be the same story but in easy words for the deaf to understand. We are not trying to talk to deaf like baby talk, we are trying to tell the deaf what is going on to deaf in easy words. We hope that this easy words newsletter will tell the deaf what is going on so the deaf not be afraid of Deaf Watch Newsletter. This will be hard and interesting for us to do for the deaf people. Only you can read the easy words Deaf Watch newsletter on website. The deaf will take advantage this new newsletter and make them better people to help other deaf people. I welcome your comments, complaints, reviews, and brickbats of this newest addition to the Deaf Watch Newsletter system ALWAYS YOURS! Richard Roehm Chief Editor ************************************************************* NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES Clifford W. Beers National Mental Health Conference will happen at Loew's L'Enfant Plaza in Washington, DC. They will talk about using research into the doctors office. They will talk about different mental sickness and ways to treat it and to tell others about it to help better access. Key Events Wednesday, June 7 Opening Session 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. NMHA hosts a National Institute of Mental Health "Townhall" to discuss current and upcoming mental health research. Thursday, June 8 Government Affairs Day 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Congressional Breakfast and Legislator of the Year Awards Presentation in Cannon Room 345 (Cannon Caucus Room) on Capitol Hill. 10:30 a.m. - Noon Legislative Briefing on key legislative issues. They will talk about different issues. Friday, June 9 Research Day (workshops) 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. Steve Hyman, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health. Board will present an overview of the latest mental health treatment discoveries. Kathleen Merikangas will talk about mental problems in kids and family. Noon - 2:00 p.m. Media Awards Luncheon honoring news people who did well in covering mental health stories in print, broadcast and on-line media. Saturday, June 10 MHA Day (workshops) 7:15 - 9:30 p.m. Closing Night Dinner will include presentation of key leadership and advocacy awards including NMHA's highest honor, the Clifford W. Beers award, to an outstanding consumer who works to improve life for people with mental illness. The evening will end with the traditional ringing of the Mental Health Bell. More than 30 educational workshops on Friday and Saturday will focus on significant mental health topics such as: -Helping Schools and Communities address School Violence; -Engaging Families: The Role of Parents, Siblings and Kin; -Consumer Perspectives on Self-Advocacy; -Co-occurring Disorders/Best Practices in Integration; -Adults with Mental Illnesses in the Criminal Justice System; -New Employment Incentives and Model Programs; -Creating Housing and Other Services for People who are Homeless and Have a Mental Illness; and -Mental Illnesses in Senior Adults. A copy of the full program, workshop and event descriptions are available from NMHA by calling 800-969-NMHA or by visiting the NMHA web site at www.nmha.org. The National Mental Health Association is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans through advocacy, education, research and service. ************************************************************* STAR TESTING ACCESS INVESTIGATED Disability Rights Advocates is a non-profit law center in Northern California. Presently we are investigating access to information about access on the STAR examinations. (The STAR exam is the standardized test administered to students in the spring throughout California.) We are seeking answers to the following questions, but we welcome any other comments you may have: 1. What information do you receive about the STAR examinations? 2. What information do you receive about access on these examinations? Please contact us at mailto:general@dralegal.org and reference the STAR exam. Thank you for your help. ************************************************************* PUC TAPS SPRINT TO SERVE RELAY TEXAS PHONE SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS AT RECORD LEVELS The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) this month chose Sprint Corporation as the provider of service for the Relay Texas program until Aug. 31, 2005. The Commission named Sprint over other companies as the best value for the state based on the company's service improvements, cost, networking, and administrative reporting. Contract negotiations will be held to reach a five-year agreement that starts on Sept. 1. All PUC News Releases are available at www.puc.state.tx.us ************************************************************* AMINOGLYCOSIDE EAR DROPS - OTOTOXICITY The Canadian research people found out that some ear drops like (gentamicin, neomycin and framycetin), are not researched well. There is many difference in agreement if the ear drops are safe or not to people that have ear drum defect. Ear drops may pass into the middle ear through the ear drum and go into in to the inside and hurt the inside of the ear to cause ringing in the ears or lose balance. Some rules in treatment of ear infections in such situations have been suggested and is listed on the text or web versions of the newsletter. ************************************************************* DISPOSABLE HEARING AIDS FOR THE ROCK AND ROLL GENERATION Reported by Alan Mozes Millions of baby boomers who went many times to rock and roll concerts now have lost some of their hearing but they are afraid to use hearing aids because of cost and other reasons. They came up with a throw away type of hearing aid that costs less. They named it "Songbird" and it is to help about 23 million Americans who have small hearing loss. They cost about $39.00. ************************************************************* HOUSTON TO DEVELOP DEAF POLICIES Reported by MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN Houston agreed to provide sign language interpreters to deaf in court to settle government ADA investigation. But Houston still deny unfair deaf treatment. This started when deaf man did not know why he was arrested and not able to communicate with jail people. Deaf man sued the city in federal court. The government investigator found out deaf man was right and city of Houston was wrong not to have ASL interpreter. ************************************************************* HUD ANNOUNCES REVISION TO MODEL BUILDING CODES Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today announced that HUD has issued its final review of four model building law ideas. The law ideas are then suggested to cities to make the homes in their areas to be more accessible to disabled. ************************************************************* DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR COMMENTS ON PROPOSAL TO UPDATE THE ADA AND ABA GUIDELINES The Access Board has given everyone an extra 60 days to send in ideas to change the access rules it has proposed under ADA and ABA laws. The last day is May 15, 2000 and you may email your ideas to docket@access-board.gov and you must include your full name and address of the in the text or they wont use it. The proposed rule is posted at www.access-board.gov. For more information contact Dave Yanchulis at yanchulis@access-board.gov ************************************************************* "IT IS TIME TO CLOSE THE NC SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF" Tom Bertling, Author and Book Editor says it is time to close the North Carolina schools for the deaf. He says the buildings are poor condition and a lot of money is wasted to keep it from getting worse. Tom tells about the leaking roofs, ADA access problems and there seems to be many more. He also says too few students are in each of the 3 schools. He doesn't want to talk any more about it especially the sex and race abuse problems. He says its time to do something strong about it. He says the governor should resist the appeals by ASL and Deaf Culture people and close the schools and start over. He says the money should go to helping the students of the deaf schools mainstream into the public schools.. He says there will be plenty of money available for interpreters, special teachers, and other access needs as the law says. He says this way deaf people will get good education than be stuck with the system ASL and deaf culture likes. Info: Kodiak Media Group PO Box 1029-E Wilsonville, OR 97070 FAX: 503-625-4087 skeptical1@mindspring.com (Before you get mad at this guy, try to read his original editorial which is on the text or web versions of this newsletter. We've tried our best to simplify Tom's editorial and we may have inadvertently left some points out.) ************************************************************* DEAF SUE MOVIE GIANTS OVER CAPTIONS Reported by KALPANA SRINIVASAN When Aaron Fudenske wants to see a movie on the big screen, he almost always catches a foreign film with english captions or a high action picture. Arron frustrated about not enjoying movies along with 2 other deaf people sued the Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corp. and AMC Entertainment because they dont have captions on the movies they show in their theatres. But some companies the deaf are suing say they already have captioning. The lawyer for the deaf says once a while is not enough. The deaf sued to force captioning, they dont want money. Theatres complain that it costs too much to set up a system to make deaf access. But the Theatres are trying to reach out to the deaf AMC says they have open captioning for 3 years already and is preferred by the community. ************************************************************* EEOC PROPOSES RULES TO HARMONIZE WITH ADA Equal Employment Opportunity Commission plans new rules to make them work better with ADA. They want your feedback and ideas. Ideas must be received by May 1, 2000 to the Office of the Executive Secretariat, EEOC, 1801 L Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20507. For more information, contact Carol R. Miaskoff, Assistant Legal Counsel, at 202-663-4689 or TDD 202-663-7026. Check out www.eeoc.gov/press/3-1-00.html. ************************************************************* NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE OWNERS RESPONDS TO RECENT LAW SUITS FILED BY LAWYERS FOR DEAF AND BLIND INDIVIDUALS. National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) responds to lawsuits by deaf and blind. NATO says the lawsuits do not agree with the positions by leading disability rights organizations, not productive, and without merit. Their proud of their work making the theatres accessible to the deaf and say there is no reason for these lawsuits. NATO goes into detail about the lawsuits and technologies available. They talk about NAD and their movie coalition. NATO says again that the disability community do not agree with the lawsuits. NATO says they have lead the way to open captioning and have theatres that have it 7 days a week 52 weeks a year. NATO says deaf or hard of hearing should work with them and not bring up legal action. NATO also says the ADA does not require them to instal the devices and the lawsuits are without legal merit. NATO goes on to talk about Report 101-116, August 30, 1989, page 64 and the Federal Register (July 26, 1991), Section 36.303, the Dept. of Justice states "Movie theatres are not required to present open captioned films." For further information on open captioning of films, and the efforts of America's movie theatres to expand access to deaf and hard of hearing patrons, contact Nancy Linke-Ellis, the Executive Director of Tripod Captioned Films at 310-829-3884. For further information on the position of the National Federation of the Blind, contact Dr. Harold Snider at 301-460-4142. ************************************************************* RESOURCE OF THE MONTH: Deaf Teen Network This website was developed to provide information to Deaf teens about local, regional, national and international events, as well as information relating to Deafness. Deaf Teen Network http://deafteen.tripod.com/ ************************************************************* This month's recipients of the Deaf Watch GOLD Award. Heartland disABILITY Compliance Alliance http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Stream/1005/ This site sets a great example for others! DeafCarolina News http://www.deafcarolina.com Great and reliable source of deafness and disability news! Deaf Teen Network http://deafteen.tripod.com/ This site is a winner for Deaf teenagers! Let's give these sites a round of applause and a visit! ************************************************************* Letters from readers. Theodore A. Pinnock informs us that the Title III of the ADA is about to be amended by a proposition he think is unfair. He then talks about a San Diego group called Committee for Preserving the ADA and their missions and their website at www.save-ada.com. Asks for your support and to buy their ADA mediation book. Theodore A. Pinnock ------------------- An anonymous writer complains of services of Tripod Theatre and their not responding to complaints. (ANONYMOUS) ----------- NAD LEADERSHIP Have You Seen It? Perry complains about NAD's leadership and being a scorned leader. Perry J. ----------- MEDIA REVIEW: "60 MINUTES" BROADCAST ON 02/27/00 Lev Pribyktov in his lengthy letter discusses a National Security Agency project and it's legal worthiness and then rolls onto discussing his difficulties with the New Jersey legal system in great detail. Lev Pribyktov ------------------------------------------------------------- - DEAF WATCH - Federal ID Number : 33-0765412 - Chief Editor/Editor : Richard Roehm - Orange County, California - Internet : Deaf@activist.com - Nesmuth@worldnet.att.net - ICQ #: 7389913 | Handle: SilentKnight - DEAF WATCH Http://www.deafwatch.com - Http://www.i-sphere.com/eyedeaf/deaf.htm - Visit Http://www.i-sphere.com/eyedeaf/nez.htm ---------------------------------------------------------- - Education is the best gift that lasts a lifetime! - Help someone subscribe to The Deaf Watch Newsletter ---------------------------------------------------------- - SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION - To be added to the mailing list, send "SUBSCRIBE" - To be deleted from the mailing list send "DELETE" - to this address DEAF@ACTIVIST.COM - - Mailing lists are not sold/given to anyone. ------------------------------------------------------------- - Need to stay on the net? 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