Official State of Rhode Island website

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State of Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Executive Department / Established in 1977. Restructured in 1992.

History

Year	Event
1977	Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired was created (without any funding)
1983	Telephone Service for the Deaf (TDD) Bill was passed (Now the Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program ATEL)
1987	A budget of $1,000 to pay for interpreters at CDHI meetings was provided.
1987	CDHI “office” at the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities was established (3rd drawer down in the main file cabinet).

Governor DiPrete with CDHH — Signing of the Jury Bill with Governor DiPrete and members of the deaf community.

1990	Pilot program for Interpreter Referral Service was established.
1991	Task Force to develop new Commission was created.
1992	General Assembly bill to restructure the old CDHI and create the new CDHH was passed.
1992	First meeting of the Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH) was held.
1993	CDHH’s statewide Interpreter Referral Service was established.

Governor Almond with CDHH — Governor Almond with Members of the Deaf Community.

1999	CDHH’s first Executive Director was hired.
1999	CDHH’s eighth Legislative Mandate, “Coordinating Council to Implement Strategic Plan for Deaf and hard of Hearing Children” was added.
2001	Total of CDHH Commissioners was increased to 13.
2002	CDHH’s first Deaf Executive Director was hired.

Governor Carcieri with Steve Florio — Agency’s first Deaf Executive Director with Governor Carcieri.

2003	Statewide Interpreter Referral Service was moved in-house.
2005	CDHH’s Emergency Interpreter Referral Service was launched.
2006	CDHH’s ninth Legislative Mandate was added (Track the yearly services provided by exempted interpreters).
2009	Pilot Program for Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Referral Service was established.
2010	CDHH’s statewide CART Referral Service was added.
2013	CDHH’s Emergency and Public Communication Access Program (EPCAP) was added.
2016	CDHH’s fourth FTE, Staff Interpreter, was added.

2017	CDHH celebrated its 25th year of service.
2018	CDHH’s fourth FTE changed to Director, Emergency and Public Communication Access Program
2019	CDHH’s third Executive Director was hired. (Earnest Covington, III)
2021	CDHH received a grant to establish Healthcare Transformation System Project (HSTP)
2021	CDHH with Rhode Island College as the partner received a grant to establish Public Health Equity Sign Language Interpreter Program (PHESLIP)
2022	CDHH hired Interim Executive Director (Charlotte “Dee” Spinkston)
2022	CDHH celebrated its30thyear of service.
2023	CDHH’s fourth Executive Director was hired. (Michelle Cline)

Innivee Michelle Cline Announcement