The IDHHC must commit itself to make actual systematic changes and ensure that the state of Illinois, non-deaf individuals and service providers, not only hear, but also listen to the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community the IDHHC is supposed to serve. The status quo of continuously forming task forces and committees, much like the steering committee for the ISD Superintendent search, and developing endless recommendations is unacceptable. These make the IDHHC look like it did something when it reality, it did nothing to create actual equality, respect, accessibility and independence for all individuals who are supposed to be served by the commission.

The leadership and direction of Director Miller has resulted in the IDHHC consistently, knowingly and intentionally failing to represent the Deaf community, those who rely on sign language as their mode of communication, because the IDHHC does not want to create controversy or be in the middle of a dispute. This unwillingness to advocate on the behalf of the Deaf community has come at a large expense to the Deaf community, one that remains ignored and marginalized by the very commission it lobbied legislators to establish.

The Illinois Association of the Deaf is not opposed to the need of supporting a wide variety of issues to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. However, the IDHHC has continuously spent time on issues that have minimal impact on the Deaf community and opposes issues and legislation the community wants or needs.

• HB 5002 – A bill amending the health insurance code requiring health insurance companies to provide coverage for hearing instruments and related services for individuals who received a cochlear implant. There has been no advocating or proposed amendment from the IDHHC to provide hearing aid coverage and related services to all individuals with hearing loss.
• HB 5033 – A bill mandating each qualifying movie theater operates with a certain number of closed captioning devices at any given time. The IDHHC supported this bill despite the bill not doing anything to enhance the accessibility already in place for most theaters in Illinois. At the same time, the IDHHC did not seek out the community’s input, including that of IAD, in which we lobbied to expand the mandate to increase accessibility at movie theaters.
• The IDHHC’s primary focus and emphasis has been non deaf interpreters. The IDHHC has focused on providing professional development opportunities, expanding certification testing capabilities and regulating licenses. The IDHHC has also focused on expanding opportunities for cued speech transliterates in Illinois. Consequently, there has been an insufficient focus on providing training opportunities for deaf interpreters in Illinois and creating awareness of the need for these interpreters to successfully facilitate communication. An increase of the pool of interpreters lower under and unemployment rates while increasing communication access experiences for many in the deaf and hard of hearing community, including DeafBlind individuals. The IDHHC was established to serve the deaf and hard of hearing community, not hearing interpreters.

This is only a short list of the many opportunities for the IDHHC to take a position to support the community it is supposed to serve. Instead of attending hearings, providing amendments or testifying in support or opposition of bills, the IDHHC continues to simply “monitor legislation.” More is possible. It begins with the eradication of the following statement often made by the commission: “the Governor’s office says we cannot do that.”

There are several states that serve as a model and epitome of progression, including Arizona, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska and New Mexico. Unlike the IDHHC, these offices have collaborated heavily with their local communities and have been heavily involved in advocating for continuous legislation and initiatives to be acted on in order to improve the lives of all deaf and hard of hearing in their respective states.

It's time for the IDHHC to follow suit of these other states and positively impact the lives of deaf and hard of hearing Illinoisans. The commission must take action by imposing mandates on Director Miller and holding him accountable to ensure these mandates are satisfied.