History of the RI CDHH

• 1977: Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired (CDHI) was Created (without any funding)
• 1983: Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) Bill was Passed (Now the Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program)
• 1987: CDHI Provided Budget of $1,000 to pay for interpreters at CDHI meetings
• 1987: CDHI “office” established at the Governor's Commission on the Disabilities' office (3 rd drawer down in the main file cabinet)
• 1990: Pilot Program for Interpreter Referral Service
• 1991: Task Force to Develop New Commission
• 1992: General Assembly Passed a Bill to Restructure the old CDHI and Created the new CDHH
• 1992: Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH) Holds its First Meeting
• 1993: CDHH's Statewide Interpreter Referral Service was Established
• 1999: CDHH Hired its First Executive Director
• 1999: CDHH's Eighth Legislative Mandate was Added "Coordinating Council to implement strategic plan for Deaf and hard of hearing children"
• 2001: Total of CDHH Commissioners was Increased to 13
• 2002: CDHH Hired its First Deaf Executive Director
• 2003: Interpreter Referral Service moved in-house
• 2005: Total of CDHH Commissioners was decreased to 11 due to the Separation of Power Government Change. [Two legislators (House of Rep and Senator) no longer be able to serve on any commissions under the Executive Branch.]
• 2005: CDHH launched the Emergency Interpreter Referral Service.

Chairpersons

• Travis Zellner 2004 - Present
• Wayne Cook, Jr. 2002 – 2004
• Jan Luby (Acting) 2001 – 2002
• Beth Wilson 2000 – 2001
• Dinaz Adenwalla 1993 – 2000
• Bruce Bucci 1991 – 1993
• Jeanne Panarace (Acting) 1991
• Aristotle Ogoke 1990 – 1991
• Ray Filippo (Acting) 1990
• Beth Wilson 1984 – 1990
• Jodi Glass 1984 – 1985
• Helen Novsam 1982 – 1984
• Peter Blackwell (Temporary) 1981