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Wyoming Relay tells council why relay services matter to workforce access
Summary
Wyoming Relay staff described relay call service, equipment distribution, and employer loan programs, noting the service is funded by a telephone surcharge (currently 4 cents) and warning of technical risks as telecom moves from analog to internet‑based systems.
Lori Lor slinsky, program manager for Wyoming Relay, told the council the program operates under the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and provides three core services: relay call assistance that connects people with hearing or speech impairments to standard phone users, an equipment distribution program that supplies devices and tablets, and training/outreach for employers and the public.
"The purpose of relay service is to provide functional equivalent telecommunication access," she said, noting the program is mandated under Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act and established in state statute. Lori explained that the program receives no general state or federal appropriations and is funded by a small surcharge on phone bills; she said the fee is currently four cents and that advisory committee action could raise it to about 10 cents next year to sustain operations.
Lori described eligibility rules for free equipment (residency in Wyoming, documentation of hearing/speech impairment and ability to use devices) and a loan program that employers or businesses can use to trial equipment for employees. She emphasized the program’s role in the workforce: untreated hearing loss correlates with lower annual earnings and increases costs to health care and employers, she said, and Relay helps employers retain and support affected workers by providing interpreters, captioning and accommodations.
The presentation flagged technical and policy challenges: the national transition from analog telephone networks to internet‑based services, differing federal and state jurisdictions over internet relay, and the importance of affordable, high‑speed broadband to support video remote interpreting for sign language users. Lori said staff are monitoring federal and state changes and working to keep equipment and training current.
Council members asked how the program connects to workforce development goals; Lori said Relay can provide employer technical assistance, interpreter sourcing and captioning help and runs a loan program for short‑term equipment needs. There was no council vote on the presentation; members thanked Relay staff and invited follow‑up questions about outreach and sustainable funding.
