Please note that Danella Chevry is currently coordinating the "sign up" process for all new interpreters at CAIRS. You may reach Danella by phone at 312-895-4300, Ext. 224 or by e-mail at Danella@cairs.net. Or, you may begin the interpreter sign-up process, by e-mailing us directly from our website (see tab below). As CAIRS is operating in full compliance with the Interpreters for the Deaf Licensing Act, all new CAIRS interpreters must provide a copy of an active State of Illinois professional interpreter license and review the CAIRS Interpreter Handbook, prior to being eligible for assignments. CAIRS policy requires that all interpreters strictly follow the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct . In addition, for interpreters who are still waiting to receive their license, CAIRS may request a copy of the actual licensure application for documentation purposes. Please also note that since January 1st, 2009, CAIRS Licensed Interpreter Registry has expanded by more than 32%. Thank you!

The May 9th, 2009, Come Meet the CAIRS Coordinators event at Columbia College was a great success. So, CAIRS coordinators want to send out a big "thank you" to all interpreters who attended! For those interpreters who were not able to attend, please take a moment to review the agenda. Please stay tuned for more such events in 2009! Thanks again! From Amanda, Megan and Scott

In response to the increasing need for professional interpreter services in educational settings, CAIRS has proactively established special least-cost pricing for our educational and academic clients. This newly introduced preferential rate structure will become a permanent component of CAIRS operations, as of March 1, 2009. In order to qualify, your organization must demonstrate that education is its primary mission. Eligible clients include all primary and post-secondary institutions – specifically school districts, public/private schools, universities, community colleges and technical schools. Please forward all inquires to Nicole Montgomery.

Beginning January 2009, CAIRS will work to provide interpreters with expanded information concerning each requested interpreter assignment – to ensure that all assigned interpreters are in full compliance with the new licensing legislation. In June of 2008, our agency introduced the CAIRS Assignment Core Information Protocol to guarantee that the right interpreter is always contracted to the right assignment. In light of the new legislation, however, CAIRS coordinators will now require that all clients provide even more detailed information regarding each requested assignment. Moreover, in accordance with established CAIRS policy, all our interpreters possess the professional right to decline an assignment. Therefore, CAIRS interpreters should only accept assignments when appropriate to their licensure requirements. During 2009, CAIRS will continue to forward "inquires for clarification" to the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) to make sure that all parties possess a clear, accurate and evolving understanding of the legislation's many definitions. During this time of great transition for the Illinois interpreter community, CAIRS will make every attempt to assist and educate -- for the ultimate benefit of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community!

Please note that effective March 1st, 2009, CAIRS has increased its special interpreter-reimbursement fee by 60% per assignment, for all off-hour notice assignments. In addition, for said assignments, CAIRS has increased the travel-time allowance to a maximum of three hours. All CAIRS interpreters who participate as "on call" interpreters will also receive this increase. These increases are in addition to interpreter's standard reimbursements and have been implemented to ensure that more licensed interpreters are available for off-hour notice assignments. During 2009, CAIRS will continue to make operational enhancements to best support our interpreters and Deaf or Hard of Hearing consumers. Thank you for choosing CAIRS!

As we move into a brand new year, it appears that 2009 will be a busy time for the state's professional interpreter community and our agency. The new Illinois Interpreter for the Deaf Licensure Act of 2007 has established a new regulatory environment that will influence the interpreter profession in Illinois for many years to come. CAIRS believes that over the long term, this legislation will substantially benefit professional interpreters, as well as, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. During 2009, CAIRS will continue to introduce qualitative operational enhancements to promote regulatory compliance and service excellence.

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Department of Human Services (DHS) funding for the Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD) may soon be eliminated, resulting in a required closure of the school. Many believe that closure of the School for the Deaf will have a dramatic negative impact on the community it serves and would represent a significant reduction of public support for a population included within the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

We must act now to send a powerful message to our elected officials and legislative leaders. There is now less than a month before the new fiscal year begins and these devastating cuts take effect. Here's what we need you to do: Contact and urge our state lawmakers to step up and negotiate a comprehensive, responsible budget that protects our state’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

• Illinois State Senators
• Illinois State Representatives

If you are someone who is concerned about the quality of access to professional sign-language services for Deaf or Har of Hearing patients in health care settings, please read this article and contact your Congressional representatives today! Presently, the U.S. Congress is preparing to make potentially sweeping changes to America's health care system in an effort to improve health care quality, accessibility and reduce costs. As part of this overall effort to enhance our nation's health care system, the essential communication needs of Deaf or Hard of Hearing patients must be considered and addressed.

The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is currently advocating for expanded federal mandates that will require Medicare, Medicaid and the private insurance industry to increase funding and reimbursements for professional sign-language interpreter services in the context of health care settings (please see attached DREDF document). In addition to the sign-language resource requirements outlined within the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) has long recognized that effective communication between patients and health care providers is an essential and indispensible component of medical safety and high-quality health care outcomes. Specifically, in accordance with JACHO's published standards RI.21.00, RI.2.30 and RI.2.20 – it is stated that "patients have the right to be involved in their care and have appropriate communication, which includes professional interpreters and translation services." (JCAHO, 2006)

So, please promptly contact your Illinois Senators and Representatives in the U.S. Congress and urge that access to professional sign-language services be expanded by federal mandate for patients who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing! Contact information for Illinois Senator Richard Durbin and help finding the contact information for your Illinois District Representative are available online. Thank you for your immediate action!

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is pleased to share the following links to accessible information about Swine Flu. Please share this information with your family and friends. The NAD is sharing this information as a public service. Please contact the organizations sponsoring the links for additional information or questions:

DeafMD.org
National Center for Deaf Health Research
Center for Disease Control - Swine Flu Video (Closed Captioned)

The Illinois Academy of Audiology (ILAA) is once again seeking outstanding applicants for our 2009 Post-Secondary Scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded to two outstanding students meeting the following criteria. A $1000 scholarship will be awarded to the first place winner. A $500 scholarship or assistive listening device/hearing assistive technology kit will be awarded to the runner-up. CRITERIA: The student must have a hearing loss that is characterized by a pure-tone average of 40dBHL or greater at 1000Hz, 2000Hz in the ear with better hearing. The student must be a high school senior who has been accepted as a full-time student at any regionally accredited institute of higher learning. Applicants will be required to submit a completed application form and essay, along with two letters of recommendations and a current audiological report. Complete instructions and application materials in a PDF format can be accessed through the Illinois Academy of Audiology website, www.ilaudiology.org . Click on the link for Student Resources and then click on the link for ILAA Scholarship Opportunities. The application deadline is May 22, 2009 and winners will be selected by early July. Questions can be directed to: awards@ilaudiology.org