Welcome to Deaf Services Commission of Iowa SIGN of the TIMES “Equal Communication, Education, and Access” May 2009 Visit the DSCI website: http://www.state.ia.us/government/dhr/ds/index.html Questions or Comments? Email us at dhr.dsci@iowa.gov or call 515-281-3164 V/TTY or Toll-Free: 1-888-221-3724 V/TTY ANNOUNCEMENT This message is to announce several items of interest for Iowa Hands & Voices; • We have a brand new website, please visit!!!! www.iowahandsandvoices.org. • We have a brand new e-mail address - info@iowahandsandvoices.org Please add this to your address book/contact list so it doesn't end up in your spam or junk folders! If you do not wish to be on this distribution list, please send us an e-mail (rather than marking us as Spam or Junk) and we will remove you. • May 15 & 16: 4th Annual Spring Family Camp located at the YMCA Boone Camp. A flyer is available on DSCI’s Calendar Webpage. Please feel free to forward this to any and everyone you know who is interested in family support for kids who are deaf/hard of hearing. Have a Great Day! Susan Hagarty & Vicki Hunting, Parents and Co-Presidents Deaf Services Commission of Iowa has become a partner with 2010 Census. We’ll be doing a variety of things such as encouraging people to return their questionnaires, display- ing/distributing 2010 Census promotional materials, placing articles in the E-news, adding 2010 Census Website link onto our website, and consultants are available to help fill out the questionnaires by appointment. 2010 Census Timeline: Key Dates Spring 2009: Census employees go door-to-door to update address list nationwide. Fall 2009: Recruitment begins for census takers needed to peak workload in 2010. February—March 2010 Census questionnaires are mailed or delivered to households. April 1, 2010 Census Day April—July 2010 Census takers visit households that did not return a questionnaire by mail. December 2010 By law, Census Bureau delivers population counts to President for apportionment. March 2011 By law, Census Bureau completes delivery of redistricting data to states. For more information go to www.census.gov/ INFORMATION CANCER INFORMATION IN ASL From the article at: http://www.lajollalight.com/news/255448-sadler- lauded-for-cancer-education “Sadler has developed many studies aimed at finding ways to increase the deaf community's access to cancer information and cancer care. These include an internet-based cancer education program in American Sign Language, a deaf-friendly ministry-based cancer education program, and a program to train medical students in American Sign Language and Deaf culture to ultimately work with the Deaf community.” See http://cancer.ucsd.edu/DeafInfo/asl_breast.asp Also, additional cancer information in ASL at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/cancer.html#ASL INFORMATION From the Hearing Loss Association of Central Iowa. Please consider being an advocate for the following; The Hearing Aid Tax Credit bill, (H.R. 1646) is now before the United States Congress. The National Hearing Loss Association, and our local HLA-CI are advocates. A brief description follows: "The Hear- ing Aid Tax Credit would provide assistance to many of the 31.5 million people who need hearing aids to treat their hearing loss. If enacted, H.R. 1646 would provide a $500.00 tax credit per hearing aid for children and people age 55 and older". In central Iowa, your representative is the Honorable Leonard L. Boswell. Please write a brief letter, in support of this important bill. Thank you! SUBMITTING ARTICLES, NEWS, RECENT EVENTS, OR INFORMATION The deadline for submission for the June issue is May 29th. Send e-mail submissions to the editor dhr.dsci@iowa.gov CALENDAR OF EVENTS 5/1: 6:00 pm American Sign Language Social hosted by Deaf Awareness and DMACC located at ALL-Play at 615 - 3rd Street, Des Moines, games, eat and drink. First Friday of every month. 5/8: 10 am - 4 pm: Deaf Services Commission of Iowa Commission Meeting located at Mental Health Institute, 2277 Iowa Avenue in Independence. 5/15 & 16: Iowa Hands & Voices 4th Annual Spring Family Camp located at the YMCA Camp in Boone. SAVE THE DATES June 6: 9:00 am: IAD’s 51st Annual Picnic located at Riverside Park, Woodland Ave (North Side of Marshalltown on Iowa 14) in Marshalltown. July 11: 10 am—3 pm: Deaf Awareness Annual Picnic in Des Moines at Greenwood Park, 4500 Grand Ave., Des Moines July 11: 10:30 am—?? pm: Fairfield Deaf 21st Annual Picnic in Fairfield at Jefferson County Park, 2003 Libertyville Rd. Look for posted signs on the new bypass US 34 on the south side of town and also on east US 34 East and US 34 West. July 12: The Relay Iowa Swimming Party will be held in Des Moines this summer! The party will be held on Sunday, July 12th from 6:30—8:30 p.m. The location and details will be announced soon! Mark your calendars now for fun and games at the Relay Iowa Summer Splash event held for deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired individuals and their families! August 7-8: IAD Conference located at Best Western Regency Inn, Marshalltown.