Deaf Blind Advocates Urge Connecticut for Enhanced Interpreting Services

Sherry Burns, a deaf-blind advocate, brought urgent attention to the critical need for tactile interpreters during a recent Human Services Public Hearing in Connecticut. Speaking passionately, Burns highlighted her frustrations with the lack of accessibility in healthcare settings, where the absence of qualified interpreters has led to canceled appointments and compromised medical care.

Burns shared her personal experiences, detailing how she often faces last-minute cancellations of interpreter services, leaving her unable to communicate effectively during crucial medical visits. "Without such an interpreter, I cannot have my health care needs met," she stated, emphasizing the importance of tactile interpretation for individuals like herself who cannot rely on video relay services due to vision limitations.

The hearing also featured testimony from other deaf-blind individuals, including Lisa Flaherty Vaughn, who echoed Burns' sentiments about the isolation and frustration stemming from inadequate interpreter services. Vaughn called for more trained interpreters familiar with tactile communication methods, urging the establishment of a board to oversee interpreter training and certification.

Nick Dion, president of the Connecticut Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, added that the ongoing shortage of interpreters has stretched resources thin, often forcing interpreters to work overtime and compromising the quality of services. He advocated for the creation of an interpreting standards board to enhance training and ensure that interpreters are equipped to meet the diverse needs of the deaf and deaf-blind communities.

The committee members expressed their commitment to addressing these issues, recognizing the need for improved access to interpreters in healthcare and other essential services. As the hearing concluded, the urgency of the situation was clear: without immediate action, many deaf-blind individuals will continue to face significant barriers to accessing vital healthcare services.