Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) has announced the formation of the IDHHC Director’s Stakeholders Advisory Group (SAG). This initiative invites individuals to contribute their insights on issues affecting the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind communities. The SAG will provide recommendations to the IDHHC Director on addressing the shortage of sign language interpreters and improving data collection in Deaf services.

Volunteers for this group are expected to be committed, engaged, and collaborative. Meetings will be held virtually during normal business hours with no compensation provided. These meetings will accommodate different schedules and focus on advancing recommendations.

It is clarified that SAG members are not Commissioners or official representatives of the Commission but serve as an informal advisory group offering valuable perspectives from various community representatives.

The Commission will update the public on SAG's progress through its website. While only SAG members will participate in meetings, a live view-only link will be available for public access.

Interested individuals should submit a brief statement of interest along with relevant experience or qualifications to DHH.Communications@illinois.gov by February 26, 2025.