Deafweekly February 23, 2011

deafweekly

February 23, 2011
Vol. 7, No. 18

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers on Wednesdays and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. These are the actual headlines and portions of recent deaf-related news articles, with links to the full story. Minor editing is done when necessary. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2011 and any unauthorized use is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly.

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DEAFLYMPICS
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Slovakia
SLOVAK POLICE DETAIN HEAD OF THE SLOVAK DEAFLYMPICS COMMITTEE
The head of the Slovak Deaflympics Committee, Jaromír R., was detained on the evening of February 19 during a police operation at Slovakia’s Rusovce border crossing. “He was definitely not caught accidentally,” Police Corps President Jaroslav Spišiak told a press conference on February 21, adding that in addition to the original accusation lodged against the individual earlier, another has been made that goes beyond the original one. Spišiak said the police will definitely request custody for the accused and will provide more information at a later time. / The Slovak Spectator

Slovakia
DEAFLYMPIC ORGANIZER IN SLOVAKIA CHARGED WITH FRAUD
An investigator from the Office for the Fight Against Corruption pressed charges of fraud against Jaromír Ruda, organiser of the cancelled Winter Deaflympic Games in Slovakia. Police have charged that Ruda, who served as president of the Slovak Deaflympic Committee, fraudulently borrowed €10 million ($13.75 million US) from at least four companies for securing the Winter Deaflympics, saying that to obtain the loans, Ruda provided a false guarantee from the Bank of Columbia. Ruda has not returned the money nor has he provided proper evidence for the use of it now that the Games have been cancelled, the police said. / The Slovak Spectator

Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia
ICSD ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) announced on Feb. 17 the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, Mark Dolley, to help lead the organization starting on March 1, 2011. "ICSD is faced with immense challenges and I'm grateful that Mark Dolley will now be bringing his high-level experience of sport, sports policy and his vital Olympic Movement professionalism and 'ethos' to the ICSD," commented ICSD President Craig Crowley.
Tiffany Granfors, Chief Executive Officer, will be leaving the organization after ten years of loyal and professional service, on February 28. / ICSD

Montreal, QC, Canada
CDSA HOPING FOR COMPENSATION FOR CANCELLATION OF DEAFLYMPICS
With Canadian athletes all back on home soil after the cancellation of the Winter Deaflympics, the Canadian Deaf Sports Association is now adding up the bills with the hope of getting some compensation from event organizers. The Feb. 18-26 event in Slovakia was cancelled due to funding issues. CDSA executive director Kimberley Rizzi said that she plans to meet with her executives to plan the next steps in the process. "Everybody is trying to figure everything out," Rizzi said. / CBC Sports

London, England
WHY IS NO ONE LISTENING TO THE PLIGHT OF BRITAIN'S DEAF ATHLETES?
Just as well that Britain sent no athletes to the Winter Deaflympics in the High Tatras of Slovakia last week. The event had to be scrapped because apparently the local organiser did a downhill runner with the money. Police are pursuing him. Britain was not represented among 800 putative competitors largely because we could not afford to send anyone. Deaf athletes are easily the poor relations of disability sport, their meager Government funding having ceased because of other priorities. / The Independent

See Also:

DEAFLYMPICS CANCELLATION IN SLOVAKIA SIDELINES LOCAL SKIER / Aspen Daily News Online (Aspen, CO)

DEAFLYMPICS CANCELLATION SHOCKS HOCKEY PLAYER / Daily Local News (Chester County, PA)

DEAFLYMPICS CANCELLED -- PORT DOVER MAN NO LONGER COMPETING / CD989 (Simcoe, ON, Canada)

DEVASTATION FOR DEAF CURLERS / St. Albert Gazette (St. Albert, AB, Canada)

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR LOCAL ATHLETE / Brantford Expositor (Brantford, ON, Canada)

FAMILY STUNNED BY CANCELLATION OF DEAF GAMES / Salem News (Salem, MA)

HEARTBREAK FOR DEAF ATHLETES AFTER DEAFLYMPICS CANCELLED / Banff Crag and Canyon (Banff, AB, Canada)

HOPES OF DEAFLYMPIC WORLD TITLE END IN DISBELIEF, DISAPPOINTMENT FOR LOCAL CURLER / Spruce Grove Examiner (Spruce Grove, AB, Canada)

RENO WOMAN LEFT OUT IN THE COLD WHEN DEAFLYMPICS ARE CANCELED / The Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, NV)

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NATIONAL
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Rockville, MD
FORMER ROCKVILLE DEAF-SERVICES EXECUTIVES TO BE SENTENCED IN JUNE
The sentencing of John T.C. Yeh, founder and former CEO of Rockville deaf services company Viable, and his brother, former Viable executive Joseph Yeh, has been delayed from this month to June 6, according to federal court documents. The Yehs in October pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Trenton, N.J., to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The Yehs each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. At least a dozen defendants, including former Viable executives Anthony Mowl and Donald Tropp, have pleaded guilty in the case. John Yeh is expected to be sentenced before any of the others who have pleaded guilty, said Christopher A. Hostage, a Rockville attorney representing Tropp. / The Gazette

Albany, NY
GOV. CUOMO'S BUDGET AX MAY CHOP SCHOOLS FOR BLIND, DEAF AND SEVERELY DISABLED
Gov. Cuomo wants to slash state funding to schools for the blind, deaf and severely disabled - and is asking local school districts to pick up the tab. Cuomo's proposed budget eliminates all direct funding to 11 schools serving such children -- including three in the Bronx, one in Queens and one in Brooklyn. Advocates say the move is a departure from tradition because the state has financed the education of the blind and deaf directly for more than a century. / New York Daily News

See Also GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PUTS ST. MARY'S SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IN JEOPARDY / WBFO

Seattle, WA
BIRK RESIGNS FROM SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Officer Ian Birk has resigned from the Seattle Police Department, according to Police Chief John Diaz. Birk's resignation became effective last Wednesday. According to a statement by Diaz, Birk communicated his intentions to him to resign his commission with the Police Department. Birk, 27, joined the department in July 2008. Last Wednesday, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg said his office would not file criminal charges against Birk for the fatal shooting of First Nations woodcarver John T. Williams, who was deaf, on Aug. 30. / Seattle Times

Maryland Heights, MO
CALLER TELLS COPS MAN BROKE WINDSHIELD, LEAVES OUT THAT HE TRIED TO RUN HIM OVER
A Maryland Heights man who is deaf had an interpreter report to police earlier this month that a man broke the windshield of his car. What Andrew H. Stcyr, 24, failed to have the caller mention, according to police, is that he was trying to run over the man at the time. And he tried to run him over not once, but twice. Stcyr faces felony charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. / St. Charles Journals

Springfield, MA
BUDGET CUTS THREATEN PROGRAMS FOR DEAF
The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is the primary agency in the state providing an umbrella of services for all ages of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. The commission is once again facing another round of cuts from its budget of $5.3 million. The budget proposed for the next fiscal year is $4.8 million. The end result will be fewer interpreters, caseworkers and resources for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. / The Republican

Austin, TX
TEXAS SCHOOLS COULD BE SUED FOR EDUCATION CUTS
Texas school districts could see an increase in lawsuits if special needs children are refused admission to the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the School for the Deaf because of cuts in the proposed state budget, superintendents told senators Monday. Senators on the finance committee heard from superintendents of both schools, who said they are required under federal law to enroll students who cannot be adequately served by their local school districts. / The Associated Press

Arroyo Grande, CA
ARROYO GRANDE WOMAN ARRESTED IN LARGE-SCALE HEARING AID SCAM
An Arroyo Grande woman accused of scamming elderly people was arrested February 9. 68-year-old Loretta Walker previously owned six hearing aid stores, located in Ventura, Santa Maria, Grover Beach, San Luis Obispo, and Paso Robles. Authorities say she was selling the hearing aids to people and making them think they came with a warranty. But when they would bring the aids back to be repaired, she would tell them that the warranty ran out or that there never was one. / KSBY

Concord, CA
CONCORD POLICE SEARCH FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD CHILD'S STOLEN HEARING AID
The Concord Police are searching for a stolen hearing aid, which belongs to a two-year-old child, according to Lt. Garrett Voerge. Lt. Voerge says the child lost the hearing aid after he fell off a scooter while playing in the play area of an apartment complex at 2751 Monument Boulevard on Tuesday night. While playing, he fell off his scooter and hit the ground, causing a cochlear implant to fall out of his left ear. The victim was assisted off the ground, and taken home. A witness saw a male subject pick up the implant, place it in his pocket, and run out of the apartment complex. / San Francisco Chronicle

New York, NY
MISSING AGAIN: MOHAMMED SALEEM, 24, DEAF, MUTE, MENTALLY CHALLENGED
Mohammed Saleem, a 24-year-old guy who is deaf, mute, and suffers from either autism or Down syndrome (news accounts differ), has gone missing from the Kew Gardens area of Queens. It's believed that this is at least the fourth time Saleem has gone missing in just the past five months. But this time, he's been missing for a week. / The Village Voice

Staunton, VA
POSITIVE SIGN OF THE TIMES
A new bill giving students foreign language credit for taking sign language courses is sitting on Governor Bob McDonnell's desk awaiting his signature after being approved by wide margins in both the House and the Senate. It is appropriate that the bill comes from here since Staunton is the home of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind. VSDB has been an integral part of the Staunton community since 1838. / The News Leader

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INTERNATIONAL
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Bangkok, Thailand
DEAF WOMAN STORMS PM'S STAGE
Security officers protecting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva are being blamed for allowing a deaf woman to confront him on the stage at a function. Kesarin Wutthiwong, 46, caught the prime minister by surprise yesterday morning when she approached him on stage while he was addressing an audience of about 1,000 civil servants at a meeting to discuss the problem of teenage pregnancies. The woman approached him with a poster declaring that she had to sell sexual services in order to make ends meet and she was asking the prime minister for help. / Bangkok Post

Ottawa, ON, Canada
CAN A DEAF INUIT MAN WITH A UNIQUE WAY OF COMMUNICATION GET A FAIR TRIAL?
Accused of sexually desecrating human remains in a Nunavut graveyard, Bobby Suwarak elicited both community outrage and a complex challenge for the judicial system. Suwarak, 40, who grew up in the remote hamlet of Baker Lake, has been deaf since he was five. He never learned American Sign Language, communicating instead with an Inuit form of the non-verbal language. After charges were laid against him last fall for indecently tampering with the graves of women, the court took steps to find the right interpreter to ensure Suwarak fully understood the proceedings. / Toronto Sun

See Also SENTENCING OF DEAF GRAVE DESECRATOR DELAYED / Canoe.ca

Ottawa, ON, Canada
INMATES ISOLATED, EXPERTS SAY
Deaf inmates in Canada are often isolated with limited access to prison rehabilitation programs, experts say. Jim Roots, executive director of the Canadian Association of the Deaf, said courts and corrections try to accommodate special needs of deaf offenders, but a lack of dedicated resources means they are frequently shut out. "They are isolated amid a dangerous populace with whom they cannot communicate," he said. / Brantford Expositor

Paisley, Scotland
DEAF MAN INJURED IN 'UNPROVOKED' STREET ASSAULT
Police are hunting a thug who launched a brutal street attack on a deaf man. The victim, 47, suffered a fractured cheekbone during the “unprovoked” assault in Neilston Road, Paisley. The suspect, who was with a woman, targeted the man as he passed the Rainbow Garden Chinese Takeaway at around 9.30pm on Sunday. / Evening Times

Bristol, England
SECOND SIGNING: RETURN OF THE BRISTOL SIGN POETRY FESTIVAL
The weekend of February 19-20 saw the accomplishment of the second highly successful annual Bristol sign poetry festival, run as part of a three-year project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council on creative metaphor in sign language and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law’s ‘Identities’ theme. On Saturday, Deaf people from around the country took part in a poetry composition workshop, led by three established Deaf poets, working with the theme "What does Bristol University mean to me?" In the evening, they joined the poets (Richard Carter, Kabir Kapoor and Donna Williams) in a sell-out performance of new signed poetry at Bristol Deaf Club. / Bristol University

Twickenham, England
TOOTING'S HOGAN ENJOYING LAST LAUGH
Great Britain deaf footballer Daniel Hogan says he may not have been part of the banter as a kid, but it seems he is having the last laugh now. The Tooting 27-year-old is in the 23-man GB squad for this summer’s European Deaf Football Championships in Denmark, where the team hope to go one better than the runners-up spot they claimed four years ago. Hogan, a regular for Fulham Deaf FC since quitting Tooting & Mitcham reserves, has represented his country since making his debut as a 17-year-old in a 3-0 defeat to Ireland. / Richmond and Twickenham Times

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
DEAF MUTE SPLIT INTO TWO IN TRUCK ACCIDENT
A Saudi deaf mute man was split into two after a speeding heavy truck bumped into him while he was walking in the middle of the road in the Gulf kingdom, a newspaper reported on Saturday. Police had to gather parts of his body strewn on the road amidst a pool of blood after the accident in the southern province of Jazan, the Arabic language daily Alriyadh said. / Emirates24/7

San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines
A COMPUTER SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
There is now computer school for the deaf. The deaf who graduated from high school can continue their post secondary education by attending the Computer Trainers Education for the Deaf ( CTED). The course aims to train computer instructors who will be deployed nationwide. For the launching of the program, 26 scholars were selected. / Philippine Information Agency

Kingston, Jamaica
DOCTORS MUST BE TRAINED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DEAF
An advocate for the hearing impaired community is calling for doctors and health workers to be trained in Jamaican sign language so that they can communicate effectively with their deaf patients. Deaf Community Leader, Rian Gayle, who was participating in a panel discussion organized by the Jamaica Association for the Deaf on February 17, said that communication has proven to be a serious barrier between the deaf patient and the health system. / Jamaica Information Service

Capetown, South Africa
AFRICAN STORYTELLING AT ITS VERY RICHEST
Andile Vellem is a member of the Remix Dance Company, and is taking part in Neo Muyanga’s play Memory of how it feels at the Baxter. Although he is deaf, it has not stopped him from pursuing a career in dance, which has taken him to London, New York and Ghana. Q: Tell us about your role in Memory of how it feels. A: I do more physical theatre than pure dance. / Independent Online

Zimbabwe
MAJOR BOOST FOR MISS DEAF
The Miss Deaf beauty contest that catered for deaf models has received a major boost after the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority endorsed the pageant and renamed it Miss Tourism Deaf. Under the new set-up, the deaf models will be ambassadors of Zimbabwean tourism to the deaf world. Miss Tourism Deaf was unveiled last week and saw a total of 10 deaf models taking part in the contest. / Afrique en Ligue

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LIFE & LEISURE
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Millcreek, UT
SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF GRAPPLE WITH BALANCING TWO TRACKS
At Jean Massieu School of the Deaf, 5-year-old Athziri plays a card-matching game in her preschool class. She is learning to recognize animals and name them in American Sign Language, forming her hands to say “zebra,” “bear” and “monkey.” A few miles away, Ryan, 3, is in his first year of preschool at Upland Terrace Elementary. Ryan, who is deaf, is learning to listen and speak aloud with the help of a cochlear implant behind each ear. Both children are students of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. But their parents have chosen different routes for their education. / The Salt Lake Tribune

San Diego, CA
THE DEAF LEADING THE DEAF-BLIND
When you are asked, "What is life like for someone who is both deaf and blind?" what is the first name pops in to your head? It's Helen Keller, of course, the most famous deaf-blind American. What do contemporary deaf-blind people in San Diego think about Helen Keller? According to Cathy Kirscher, a Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) regional representative based here, they're not entirely fond of the organization's namesake because their lives are nothing like hers. / Voice of San Diego

Charlotte, NC
MIRACLE-EAR INTRODUCES 100% INVISIBLE HEARING AID
Miracle-Ear, the company responsible for the first in-ear hearing aid has taken the technology a step further, creating a 100% invisible hearing aid, the Miracle-Ear Mirage. The Mirage is a discreet completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid. It can be custom molded to sit comfortably in the ear canal, unknown to anyone but the wearer. / PRWeb

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Chicago, IL
INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE SERVICES INC. LAUNCHES FIRST ALL-WIRELESS HIGH DEFINITION VRI SERVICE FOR HEALTH CARE
International Language Services, Inc. (ILS), one of the largest providers of on-site healthcare interpreting services, today announced a nationwide launch of the first all-wireless high definition Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) service. The innovative and cost-reducing service is now available to healthcare providers in most major metro markets nationwide for both spoken languages and American Sign Language (ASL). / redOrbit

Flint, MI
FAY HALL BRINGS CHALLENGES, HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE TO MICHIGAN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF PLANS
On Fay Hall’s fourth floor, deep drifts of cracked plaster and dust cover the floor like area rugs. Rafters peek through holes in the ceilings. Graffiti adorns a wall with the words “get out,” tiles lay sprawled in a hallway instead of glued to the floor and a small dead bird is partially hidden amidst the rubble. Time and neglect have taken a heavy toll on the landmark building on the campus of the Michigan School for the Deaf. But the 97-year-old building, one of the oldest of its size left in Flint, will see new life starting this summer. / Flint Journal

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West Hartford, CT
AARON KUBEY RESIGNS AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF
Aaron Kubey is exiting as executive director and president of the West Hartford-based National Theatre of the Deaf. Dr. Harvey J. Corson, chairman of the theater's board of trustees, announced Monday that the board accepted Kubey's reisgnation, effective June 30. The brief three-paragraph statement indicated Kubey's desire "to pursue new endeavors" as the reason for his leaving his position which he held for 3 1/2 years. The statement said the board "will review and consider its options, including the restructuring of ther organization, as it approaches its 45th anniversary in 2012." / Hartford Courant

Colorado Springs, CO
SO-CO MOM AND SON DUO BACK ON 'AMAZING RACE'
They became popular two years ago when they finished third on "The Amazing Race." Now a mother son duo from right here in Southern Colorado is back on the show for a second time. Margie and Luke Adams are competing in the show's 18th season. It airs Sunday nights at 7 p.m. Margie, Luke and a large group of family and friends showed up Sunday night for a watch party at Old Chicago's restaurant in Colorado Springs. / KKTV

Los Angeles, CA
ALUMNUS O'BRIEN-LUX WORKS WITH DEAF AND OTHER HEARING ACTORS TO PRESENT 'THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO' PLAY
As a child, 2010 theater alumnus Colin O’Brien-Lux sat for hours in the Deaf West Theatre in North Hollywood, playing Minesweeper while his father worked as a producer on stage. Now he’s in front of the curtain, acting alongside both deaf and other hearing actors in the upcoming production of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” O’Brien-Lux plays Geppetto’s signer in the play, which runs until March 27. His mother, who is deaf, taught him American Sign Language before he learned English. / The Daily Bruin

See Also LEE HALL-ADAPTED ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO BEGINS DEAF WEST RUN FEB. 18 / Playbill

Northbrook, IL
WEST SIDE STORY IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
For the last several months, my two teenagers have been making the 80 mile round trip to Northbrook for play rehearsals. They would arrive home from school after Academic Bowl practice, grab dinner, and then hop in the car for the trek up north. Rehearsals sometimes finished as late as ten p.m. and they would finally fall asleep near midnight. Some folks have asked me why in the world would I allow my kids to have such a crazy schedule and drive so far each day? Because you see, my kids are deaf and hard of hearing. / TribLocal

Northridge, CA
CSUN DEAF STUDIES STUDENT PUBLISHES A NOVEL
A CSUN Deaf Studies student, who just published a novel, hosted a presentation about her book at the National Center on Deafness on Friday. Leah Bornstein, 20, discussed her new book “Once Upon a Sunshine.” It is about three siblings who set out on a journey and meet vampires on their way. The author related many of the events in the book to real life situations she has faced. Bornstein said she grew up deaf, and often felt she could not relate with her family who are all oral speakers. / Daily Sundial

Rochester, NY
FEATURED FILM ANNOUNCED
Deaf Rochester Film Festival is pleased to announce our featured film, Marianna Ucrìa, will be shown on the evening of Friday, April 1, 2011. Marianna Ucrìa is an Italian film based on a historical novel by Dacia Marainim and showcases the adventures of a mute woman who strives to escape her dark past and social pressures that force her to remain married to a man she despises. The film features deaf actress Emmanuelle Laborit, an award winning French actress. Immediately following the showing of Marianna Ucrìa, there will be a Q&A session with Emmaunele Laborit. / DRFF

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SPORTS
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Dallas, TX
NFL STARS AID HEARING-IMPAIRED KIDS
Nearly 100 NFL players will compete for Super Bowl rings in Dallas on Sunday, but on Thursday 200 people received something even more significant: free hearing aids. As part of the Starkey Hearing Foundation's Super Bowl Hearing Mission this week, hearing-impaired kids and adults in Dallas were fitted for hearing aids, giving them a chance to fully engage with the world, in some cases, for the first time in their lives. / AOL News

Worcester, MA
HOLY CROSS DEAF TEAM THRIVES
When Judy Fask was implementing a deaf studies program at the College of the Holy Cross in 1994, the last thing on her mind was a hockey program for deaf people. That was until her husband, Rick, who was the president of Midstate Junior Sharks Youth Hockey, received a call from a mother (Kathy Hastings) who wanted to register her son (Ryan) -- who was deaf -- for hockey. Judy’s reply was simple. “I said ‘We’ll start a program,’” she replied. / USA Hockey

Appleton, WI
HEARING-IMPAIRED GOALIE LIBBEY BREAKER FITTING IN NICELY WITH APPLETON UNITED HOCKEY TEAM
The sounds reverberate throughout an otherwise empty Appleton Family Ice Center during a recent afternoon. The crisp smack as she snares a puck. The distinctive thud that accompanies a successful pad save. The familiar ring of a puck ricocheting off the goalpost. Each is music to a goaltender's ears. But unless they are loud enough to register with Libbey Breaker's hearing aids, the freshman goalie for the Appleton United girls' hockey team likely isn't able to distinguish them. / Appleton Post Crescent

Buffalo Grove, IL
DEAF HEAD BOYS BASKETBALL COACH TEACHES HEARING BOYS
Summary -- Dino is head boys basketball coach for Buffalo Grove Park District. He teach 5th grade hearing boys. He shares his experience how he can handle them. / Fookem and Bug

Bloomfield, MO
CHEERLEADER, THOUGH DEAF, DOESN'T MISS A BEAT
When Bloomfield High School's award-winning cheerleaders take to the gym floor, they move with exact precision. Among the girls who never misses a beat is Torrie Baker, who is deaf. She hears almost nothing, but is in perfect sync with the rest of the squad. Torrie, whose hearing loss was discovered shortly after birth, aspired to be a cheerleader since middle school. She failed to make the highly competitive team in Bloomfield, 50 miles southwest of Cape Girardeau, as a freshman and sophomore. But she was not to be denied. / Dexter Daily Statesman

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COMING EVENTS
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Austin, TX
2011 TDI BIENNIAL CONFERENCE: ACCESS FOR ALL -- TEXAS SIZE!
Join us for the 19th Biennial TDI Conference. June 2-4, 2011, Austin Hyatt Regency Hotel, 208 Barton Springs, Austin, TX 78704. Attendees will enjoy: exhibits where they can view and discuss the latest in accessible telecommunications, media and information technologies for people who are deaf, late-deafened, deaf-blind and hard of hearing; speakers and workshop presenters providing authoritative information regarding access and technology; networking opportunities to mingle with industry representatives, government policy makers, consumers with hearing loss and the TDI staff and board. / TDI

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EMPLOYMENT
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You can advertise your job openings here for just $20 a week (up to 100 words, 10 cents each add'l word). To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Director of Client Support Services
Full-time * Exempt * San Leandro, CA

This position directs and supervises all aspects of Client Support Services (CSS) offices as well as specialized programs. Represents the agency in educational and advocacy contexts; coordinates program development and evaluation, and monitors department budget. This position reports to the Executive Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Coordinate and implement staffing and programs in the San Leandro, Fremont, San Jose, and Fremont Oak Gardens (FOG) Client Support Services offices
• Provide training and supervision to all Client Support Specialists, Program Developer, and contractors (for ASL classes and computer classes)
• Develop linkages and working relationships with other agencies serving the deaf and hard of hearing community
• Implement grant research and grant writing priorities to sustain the programs within the agency
• Oversee the compliance of contracts that fund programs within the agency
• Conduct evaluations of programs to ensure that services are meeting the current needs in the community
• Monitor department budget
• Facilitate regularly scheduled department meetings
• Participate in management team meetings to support department as well as agency operations
• Represent DCARA and/or the deaf and hard of hearing community at meetings and community events
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director.

REQUIRED SKILLS:
• Bachelor’s degree in counseling, social services, deafness, or related areas. MA degree preferred.
• Experience in supervision and management
• At least two years experience in program service delivery
• Demonstrated organizational, analytical, and writing skills
• Demonstrated ability to work well with others and to initiate projects independently
• Knowledge of MS windows software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Proficiency in American Sign Language and English
• Positive cultural perspective of Deaf people
• Able to travel during the week (and occasional weeknights/ weekends) and throughout the DCARA service area

SALARY & BENEFITS: Salary is negotiable dependent on experience and education. DCARA offers full medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits in addition to 12 days of holiday leave plus one week paid winter holiday.

DEADLINE: Friday, March 18, 2010 at 12:00pm

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Send an application (available at www.dcara.org/jobs), cover letter, three references and resume to:
Human Resources
14895 East 14th Street, Suite 200
San Leandro, CA 94578 or hr@dcara.org

DCARA is an At-Will and Equal Opportunity Employer.

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