request

[Guest guest]

As many of you know, I am working on an advocacy campaign with the

National Coalition on Deafblindness. We are trying to get a $2

million increase in the account that funds the state deafblind

projects, the national technical assistance and dissemination projact

and teacher training programs. This account has been level funded for

twenty years. We are making some progress and have been asked by

several congressional offices for more information. They want and

need to understand the issues the children and their familes face.

The coalition has a web site with a section called stories.

http://dbcoalition.org/stories.htm

However, it needs to be stronger and more compelling.

I am writing to ask for your help. If any of you have stories or

segments of web sites or blogs that you would be willing to share, I

would love to include them in the stories section. I would certainly

work with you to protect your privacy.

, if you are able to share your article that would be a

wonderful addition.

The Congressional staff want to know how these services make a

difference. Anything you can share would be very helpful.

Thank you

Betsy

[Guest guest]

Betsy:

I'm afraid that Andy and I have not kept up with changes to I.D.E.A.

sufficiently since 's stint at Perkins to know what changes there have

been. Is deafblind funding still available by state (this helped us so much

to understand our child, though the school district rejected the available

training...). In other words, I'd like to know where the statute (if that's it)

now stands before we write. won the fight in the federal court of

appeals, and I think that that fact may help here. Deafblindness and

CHARGE were mentioned in the opinions. Perhaps you - or someone -

would like to take a look at the final appeals court ruling and even the

earlier ones. I think that Zatta has all of this. It not, I can either

give

you the citation or direct you to the 8th circuit site. Let me know what you'd

like. Martha

Note: I must warn you that we've just endured 12 days without electricity

and thus have scads of things to do. I'll respond as quickly as possible.

We can always talk by phone - though not tomorrow!

[Guest guest]

Thank you to those of you who responded to my request. We have added

your stories to our web site. http://dbcoalition.org/stories.htm

<http://dbcoalition.org/stories.htm>

If others of you are willing to help, let me know. Your stories and real

experiences are what legislators need to hear about.

In answer to Martha's question, IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 so it

won't be up again until 2009 at the earliest. We did OK in the 2004

reauthorization in that we kept the $12.8 million as a dedicated

allocation. However, we've had that same $12.8 million for twenty

years. So, the coalition started an advocacy campaign last fiscal year

to increase the specific, dedicated allocation by $2 million. Last year

we got a letter from Sen. Kerry and Sen. Kennedy requesting that

increase to the Chairs of the Labor, HHS Appropriations Subcommittee.

However, we did not make it into the final Senate budget.

We are trying again for FY 08. Right now we are trying to get

legislators to include this request on their short list to the

Appropriations Committee. We have a commitment from a Rep. in IL, and

some interest from another in WI. Representatives of the Coalition are

meeting with MA and NY legislators this week and MA, CA and CT

legislators next week.

It's a long shot but we desperately need the increase. We also feel

it is a good way to raise awareness about the needs of this group of

kids now, and in the years coming up to the next IDEA reauthorization.

There is much more specific information on the coalition website.

http://dbcoalition.org/ <http://dbcoalition.org/>