The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing was established in 1977 to improve the quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing residents. It serves as a statewide information referral center for issues related to people with hearing loss, oversees the Arizona Relay Service, the Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program and licenses American Sign Language Interpreters. The agency serves citizens who are deaf- blind and who have speech difficulties as well. The agency name was changed in 1985 to the Arizona Council for the Hearing Impaired, and in 2000 was again changed to its present name. The Commission aspires to be a national leader in communication access, support services and community empowerment throughout the state.

An update to the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2030 (FRP30), to bring its Road Network Illustration (Map 25) into compliance with Arizona Revised Statute requirements and to resolve inconsistencies between Map 25 and parts of the Flagstaff City Code. This update does not alter the intent of FRP30; it is only concerned with correcting errors, removing legal vulnerability, and improving the readability of FRP30.

Support of older persons across our state requires a network composed of partnerships at every level. The quantity and quality of services available are an indication of priorities at the national, state, and local level, and we thank the statewide community for prioritizing resources in a way that makes these services possible. Aging services would not be as comprehensive or effective without our partnership.

The State Plan on Aging includes all assurances and plans to be conducted by the Department of Economic Security, Division of Aging and Adult Services under provisions of the Older Americans Act, as amended, during the period identified. Each state is required to develop a State Plan on Aging. The development of the Arizona State Plan is the responsibility of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Aging and Adult Services.

The updated Arizona Deaf and Hard of Hearing Quality Assurance Task Force Report is a comprehensive document, born out of an awareness that there are overlapping issues that affect us all – and working together to resolve these common issues increases our ability to succeed as a community. Issues addressed within this document range from education to service delivery and public awareness.

After several years of intensive community research, the report truly encompasses the opinions and worthwhile feedback of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Arizonans, their family members, interpreters, non-profit organizations and service providers. Report highlights range from Deaf senior services to an ongoing need for public awareness – that’s just part of the 54 findings you will find contained within this report!