D.E.A.F., Inc. Press Release
May 10, 2005
D.E.A.F., Inc. is pleased to announce that Stephanie Clark has been appointed to the position of Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN) Regional Specialist. CEPIN is a new program funded by a grant received from Telecommunications for the Deaf, Incorporated (TDI). The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded TDI nearly $1.5 million in a two-year project, called CEPIN, in developing model community education programs for Deaf and hard of hearing consumers. TDI will coordinate efforts by specialists in four centers throughout the US in promoting emergency preparedness.
The CEPIN Project goals are to reduce Americaıs vulnerability to terrorism by providing coordination and oversight of accessibility resources and services in emergency preparedness, homeland security, and public safety. The projectıs goal is to empower individuals nationwide, who are Deaf or hard of hearing to work alongside their neighbors before, during and after a crisis, preventing and minimizing damage and promoting faster recovery.
CEPINıs main objectives are to increase opportunities for outreach, training, information and referral, and empowerment for various stakeholders across America. Stakeholders include the constituencies that TDI and four centers serve: Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, and Deafblind. CEPIN hopes to increase interaction by these primary stakeholders with first responders in the community such as the fire department, police department, paramedics, 911/public safety answering points and organizations such as the American Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies. Other stakeholders include government officials, employers, businesses and volunteer groups.*
As the new Regional Specialist, Stephanie will cover fifteen states within the Great Lakes and New England area (serving CT, DE, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI,VT, and WI).
Stephanie will conduct emergency preparedness outreach, training, networking, and empowerment for consumers who are Deaf, DeafBlind, Late Deafened and Hard of Hearing. She will develop collaborative relationships with first responders, organizations, agencies, and public officials on the local, regional, and state level in preparation for, coping with and/or recovery from natural disasters or manmade calamities. For the first few months of this project, Stephanie will be acquainting herself with and focusing on outreach, networking, and collaboration, with an ultimate goal of providing workshops in the fall of 2005.
She brings a strong background in advocacy and public presentation skills with a M.Ed degree in Instructional Design from the University of Massachusetts-Boston and a Bachelorıs degree in Social Work from Salem State College. Stephanie worked for the Massachusetts Statewide Enhanced 9-1-1 program as a TTY/instructor in the mid 1990s and is familiar with various emergency programs concerning interpreters and agencies in the area.
Stephanie will work out of the D.E.A.F., Inc. office as her home base and can be reached via email at sclark@deafinconline.org, or via phone at 617.254.4041 (TTY/V). Be sure to visit the TDI web page at www.tdi-online.org/tdi/resources.emergency.asp for more information.
*From The GA-SK News Magazine Volume 35 No.3.