Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Disability Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Advocates seek $2 million to modernize ASL/CART referral system and expand services for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing residents
Summary
Disability advocates told the committee that the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing needs $2 million to replace an outdated referral platform, boost CART capacity and expand housing and long‑term care options for deaf elders.
Representatives of disability advocacy groups and service providers told the committee that the state’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission lacks modern referral technology and adequate housing and long‑term care capacity for deaf elders.
Speakers from the Disability Policy Consortium and advocacy organizations described a referral system that cannot keep pace with requests for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Communication Access Real‑Time Translation (CART). "The referral platform is out of date," said Jonathan Ozak, adding that a $2 million update would accelerate referrals and reduce delays for educational, workplace and medical settings. Nini Silva and other advocates said Massachusetts currently lacks training programs for CART providers (captioners), and the New England Home for the Deaf has waiting lists measured in years.
Advocates asked the committee to include a $2 million allocation to modernize the referral platform, expand CART training (including consideration of restoring programs like the former MassBay CART training), and fund additional units at the New England Home for the Deaf so elders needing a deaf‑centered residential setting are not left waiting. Committee members asked for written backup and utilization statistics.
Ending: Advocates framed the request as preventive spending—updating referrals and building capacity, they said, will reduce crisis events, lower isolation and improve access to services across health, education and justice settings.
