For the last few years, the position of FRID Representative to the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH) has remained vacant. We are thrilled to announce the recent appointment of Gina Halliburton as FRID Representative on the council. Following is Gina's bio:
Eugenia C. Halliburton (also known as Gina) was born and raised in Southeastern Michigan where she was very actively involved with the Deaf Community. Gina holds NAD-III certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and is a licensed and ordained minister. The sunny state of Florida became her home in 2015. Her first plan of action was to seek out and learn about the Deaf Community. She became a member of FRID and FAD, volunteered at The Arc, ILRC and her local church. Her other activities include operating a non-profit, Deaf Nations Of the World, Inc., which provides humanitarian services to people who are Deaf and was most recently awarded a gubernatorial appointment as the FRID representative on the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH). Gina will celebrate 31 years of solid marriage in 2017, has 2 children and 5 grandchildren which she looks forward to seeing every chance she gets. She is excited about this season of life, eagerly anticipating making a difference in the lives of deaf people we serve as interpreters of excellence in Florida!
FCCDHH meets quarterly in various parts of the state, and these meetings are always open to the public. Since not all of us are able to make the meetings, part of Gina's role as FRID Representative will be to provide updates to be disseminated to our members. Please see Gina's introductory report below, which includes background information on the council.
Greetings FRID members and associates. My goal is to keep the interpreting community abreast of the workings and events involving the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH).
As an introduction, it is the role of the council to serve as an advisory and coordinating body in the state of Florida. The council recommends policies that address the needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened persons and is authorized to provide technical assistance, advocacy and education. They meet quarterly in various cities throughout the state.
The FCCDHH has 15 active members representing the following interests:
- Florida Association of the Deaf
- Association of Late Deafened Adults
- Individuals who are Deaf-Blind
- Deaf Services Center Association
- Alexander Graham Bell of Florida
- CART
- Audiologists
- Department of Children and Families
- Department of Education
- Department of Elder Affairs
- HLAA-FL
- Parents of children with hearing loss
- Florida Registry for Interpreters of the Deaf
AGENDA ITEMS: The February meeting in Tallahassee covered several agenda items. I have included links to their respective websites wherever possible.
- Florida Department of Health updates (link: http://www.floridahealth.gov/provider-and-partner-resources/fccdhh/index.html)
- Presentation regarding the Sunshine Laws (link: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=02000299/0286/Sections/0286.011.html)
- Report of Legislator visit
- Biennial Report discussion
- Presentation of Health Early Steps and Newborn Hearing Screening
- Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (link: http://www.ftri.org/FloridaRelay)
- Public Service Announcement to heighten awareness regarding deafness
SAVE THE DATE:
- November 2 – 5, 2017 FAD 100th Anniversary Celebration 46th Biennial Statewide Conference. (link: http://www.fadcentral.org/)
The council will meet again on May 11 & 12 in Fort Lauderdale. Stay tuned for more announcements regarding location and the public comment times.
