State Office Established. Interagency Coordinating Council Pending.
Following her veto of bills passed by the State Legislature in 2021 and 2022 to create a standing commission for services to the deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing, New York Governor Kathy Hochul authorized the establishment of a New York State Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Office. In January 2024, Christopher Woodfill was appointed to head the office and serve as executive director of an Interagency Coordinating Council on Services to Persons Who Are Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing (IAC).
Our state board meets periodically with Mr. Woodfill and we have provided his office with input, reference materials and recommendations on such matters as: how to make state offices more accessible to people with hearing loss, support accessibility for the hard of hearing in healthcare and among first responders, utilization of captioning to the same extent as ASL translation, and the promotion of best practices for hiring and among CART captioners.
In the spring of 2024, HLAA NYS submitted bios of two candidates for appointment to the IAC and two “expert” professional candidates — to serve alongside of two candidates each to represent members of the deaf and deafblind communities.
Our primary contact with the state office is Jerry Bergman, HLAA NYS advocacy committee chair. Feel free to reach out to him via email (jerbergman1@me.com) if you have questions or concerns or wish to bring something to the attention of the state office.
Current Priorities & Agenda Items
Encouraging legislative or regulatory action to . . .
- Require insurers to pay a meaningful portion of hearing aids for all — children, adults
and seniors.* - Require hearing loops in facilities built or renovated with state funds.**
- Require weekly scheduling of movies with open captions to be shown in cinemas
statewide.** - Comparable to laws enacted in states such as neighboring Connecticut, which since 2020
requires coverage – regardless of cost – of one hearing aid per ear within a two-year window for
adults and children, or Maine, which calls for insurers to cover the cost – up to $3,000 per ear –
every three years.
* Comparable to laws enacted in states such as neighboring Connecticut, which since 2020 requires coverage – regardless of cost – of one hearing aid per ear within a two-year window for adults and children, or Maine, which calls for insurers to cover the cost – up to $3,000 per ear – every three years.
** Comparable to NYC ordinances requiring hearing loops in construction and renovation projects receiving major City funding, and requiring movies to be shown with open captions in cinemas.
8/27/23
The secret of getting things done is to act! — Dante
While HLAA’s chapters are concerned with improving conditions for people with hearing loss in their communities, our State Association seeks:
- to assure access to communications consistent with the Americans With Disability Act, other federal statutes and regulations and comparable state law;
- to promote best practices and person-centered care by audiologists and other dispensers of hearing aids; and
- to foster, under state auspices, a statewide program of advocacy and education to ensure continuity of services to persons who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing and the delivery of direct services to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
This is the mission of the HLAA NYS Advocacy and Legislative Committee. All members of HLAA who live in New York State are eligible to join the Committee.
We seek volunteers able and willing to reach out to their state senators and assembly members and other state government officials and those with writing and editorial skills who can help draft white papers on key issues and sample letters. Those interested should email Committee Chair Jerry Bergman at jerbergman1@me.com.
Our philosophy is that hearing loss has diminished our ability to hear but not our voices. To the extent possible, we hope to combine our efforts with advocates for the deaf and other advocates for the rights of people with disabilities.