[DATE]
Dear [Senator/Representative Name]:
This letter is to let you know that [I/name of organization] support[s] the June 22, 2015 letter of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) urging the House of Representatives to make amendments to S. 2424, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act of 2015. The NAD letter provided a ten-page list of proposed amendments that should be accepted into the proposed H.R. 1344. One of the most important proposed change is to shift the perspective from medical to educational so that all deaf and hard of hearing children receive appropriate and timely language intervention services.
The current EHDI Act has negative ramifications on deaf and hard of hearing children and their families that it proposed to serve. This well-meaning law has led to language deprivation for Deaf children across the country. All deaf and hard of hearing children and their families need access to language services, specifically American Sign Language and English.
A main purpose of EHDI is to “intervene” so that deaf and hard of hearing children receive critically necessary services to become Kindergarten-ready. To date, enforcement of the EHDI has been focused mostly on identification of deaf and hard of hearing children, and providing hearing intervention services rather than language intervention services. While hearing intervention services help some deaf and hard of hearing children, language intervention services help all of these children.
The EHDI Act should be revised to include “Family Support” in the name of the law.
Please support these proposed amendments that will ensure all deaf and hard of hearing children achieve their true potential.
If you need additional information, please contact [me/us] at [email address or telephone number].
Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME OR NAME OF ORGANIZATION)
cc: National Association of the Deaf