Hello everybody. Just wanted to keep you guys posted on progress that's been made on AB 2072 since I've vlogged and blogged on the subject. They postponed the hearing on 13th towards the 20th in order to improve the language of the bill.
From the look of it they added new language in (a) section. Read below.
SECTION 1. Section 124121 is added to the Health and Safety Code to read:
(New Language added here)
124121. (a) Parents of all newborns and infants diagnosed with a hearing loss shall also be provided written information on all communication options for children with hearing loss, including, but not limited to, information about deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies and early intervention centers, and educational programs.
(end of new language)
The information shall be provided:
(1) By an audiologist or other related professional at a followup appointment after diagnosis with a hearing loss
(2) By the Early Start Program, provided for pursuant to the California Early Intervention Services Act (Title 14 (commencingwith Section 95000) of the Government Code) when a newborn and infant enters the program and when the newborn and infant is referred to the program by a state agency.
(b) The state shall not incur any cost, nor shall the state be involved in the implementation of this section.
-----------------------------end quote---------------------
It still does not change the fact that ALL Communication Options are still required and that information would include deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies, early intervention centers, and educational programs.
Now that should make DCARA, NORCAL and GLAD happy since they will be included in the information. But guess what? The new language will also make AG Bell and the rest of the programs you love to hate, happy as well. The new language will also include all the pro-oralism pro-CI programs such as AG Bell and others programs. It amounts to free advertisement for every deaf and hard of hearing organization, agencies, centers and programs including the centers / programs some of you love to hate.
The point is, whatever else you may wish to push for will also benefit AG Bell and the rest of the guys that some of you don't like. Anything else you guys wish to push for? This should be interesting.
Good luck Californians.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Revised AB 2072
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Check out AGBell's support for that bill and how they also support unbiased information being given to parents. The third and fourth paragraph clearly shows that they understand unbiased information is important for parents to be informed.
ReplyDeletehttp://nc.agbell.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=432
Not bad... sounds similiar to Indiana, as I described how the Department of Health worked with the parents of newly diagnosed deaf newborns, by using Hands & Voices' Parent Guides.
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