Call for Support of SSP

For Your Information
Randall Pope <randy.pope@...> 5/21/2009 12:40 PM >>>
From the American Association of the Deaf-Blind

Call for Action -- We Need Your Help!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

We need your help! We are asking you to call your Senators in Congress to
recognize the concept of Support Service Providers (SSPs) as a needed service
for the deaf-blind community.

In meeting the deaf-blind community's highest need, AADB has already begun the
process by developing the language that defines SSPs and what they do.

The language is:

"The Committee asks the Department of Labor (or Dept of Health and Human
Services) to support the efforts of Support Service Providers (SSPs). SSPs relay
visual and environmental information, act as sighted guides and facilitate
communication for people who are deaf-blind, using the deaf-blind person's
preferred language and communication mode. SSPs enable deaf-blind persons to
access their communities and connect with other people, reducing communication
barriers that otherwise would result in social isolation,
incapability to live independently, and inability to participate as citizens
within mainstream society."

This language is the first step of a long process towards recognizing SSPs
nationwide as a profession and to provide this needed service for deaf-blind
people around the country. We want to introduce the language to different
Appropriations Committees, including the Departments of Labor, Health and
Education.

The time is short! Please email or call your Senators today to ask them to
include the language in the Senate Appropriations subcommittees. You can find
your senators by clicking on
http://aadb.convio.net/site/R?i=94RkZIN5EGMbA5si10il3A. This will take you
directly to the Senate's website. If you have trouble accessing this link,
visit www.senate.gov. When you contact the Senators of your state, have them
contact Elizabeth Spiers in the AADB office at elizabeth.spiers@... if they
have any questions or wish for more information.

If you need more information or assistance, please contact Elizabeth Spiers at
elizabeth.spiers@....

Thanks for your help on this very important issue. Please spread the word and
tell them that you want SSPs Service.

With Warm Regards,

Jamie Pope
Executive Director
American Association of the Deaf-Blind
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 121
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Email: aadb-info@...

TTY tel: 301.495.4402
Voice tel: 301.495.4403
Fax: 301.495.4404