DRS and Mental Health Agency Sponsor Deaf Town Hall Meetings

In order to improve services for people with hearing loss, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) will sponsor a series of town hall meetings in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened and deaf-blind people are encouraged to attend the meetings and share with staff their ideas about what needs to be done, what gaps need to be filled and what service areas need improvement.

A lunch will be served at each meeting at no charge to participants.

Meetings will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following locations and dates:

Oklahoma City - October 24, 2009 at the Shepherd Mall activity room, 2401 N.W. 23rd St., Suite 40B, Oklahoma City.

Lawton - November 14, 2009 at the Executive Inn, 3134 N.W. Cache Road, Lawton.

Sulphur - March 6, 2010 at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf small gym, 1100 E. Oklahoma St., Sulphur.

Tulsa - March 27, 2010 at the Radisson Tulsa, 10918 E. 41st St., Tulsa.

The meetings are free and open to the public. Anyone associated with hearing loss is urged to attend. Ten interpreters for the deaf will be present at each meeting.

The input from these town hall meetings will be presented at a three-day state and national forum held later next year. The recommendations and solutions to these issues will be coordinated into strategic plans for DRS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services staff, and presented to the governor.

For more information, contact Hope Crumley, DRS Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 405-522-7930 or e-mail hcrumley@okdrs.gov .