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Date:         Fri, 13 Nov 1992 17:34:56 -0400
From:         CXLNVD@RITVAX.BITNET
Subject:      OHIS Fact Sheet

PRESS RELEASE
November 14, 1992

_________________________________________________________________
Oral Hearing Impaired Section - Fact Sheet
_________________________________________________________________

WHO ARE WE?

The Oral Hearing Impaired Section (OHIS) is a part of the Alexander Graham
Bell Association for the Deaf, Inc. (the Bell Association).  The Bell
Association is a tax-exempt 501(c) non-profit organization, headquartered
in Washington, DC.  It serves parents of children who are deaf
and hard of hearing, oral hearing impaired adults, educators of individuals
who are deaf and hard of hearing, and other interested persons in
every state, and reaches out to over 54 nations.

WHEN FORMED

July 1964, Salt Lake City, UT

MISSION

The mission of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, an
organization "comprised of persons who are hearing impaired, parents,
professionals, and other interested persons, is to empower persons who are
hearing impaired to function independently by promoting universal rights
and optimal opportunities for such persons, from infancy through adulthood,
to learn to use, maintain, and improve all aspects of their verbal
communication, including their abilities to speak, speechread, use
residual hearing, and process spoken and written language."  OHIS carries
out this mission as a service organization devoted to volunteering
and helping others by talking about OHIS members' life experiences
as oral hearing impaired adults.

AGE GROUP

Childhood through adulthood.

LOCATIONS

Several recognized OHIS local groups are found in major metropolitan
areas such as Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; San Francisco and
Los Angeles, CA; Rochester, NY.  OHIS Area Representatives, who serve
as resource persons, are found in many states.  If an OHIS member is in
an area where there is no OHIS local group nor an OHIS Area Representative,
the OHIS Membership Directory may be consulted to locate other
local OHIS members.

PROGRAM

A newsletter, _OHIS Speaks..._, published four times a year, informs
OHIS members of OHIS local group and OHIS Area Representative activities,
and news about individual OHIS members.  In addition, OHIS members also
receive many other Bell Association publications, including
_Newsounds_, _The Volta Review_, and _Our Kids_.  An OHIS Membership
Directory is provided to all new OHIS members.

Children under the age of 18 receive free Junior OHIS membership and
receive the _OHIS Speaks..._ newsletter. There is an 'Ann Landers' type
column, "Just for Juniors" in the newsletter in which questions
from Junior OHISers can be answered.  There is also an informal
penpal group for Junior OHIS members.

In addition to other Bell Association scholarships, OHIS grants two $1000
scholarships each year to young persons who are profoundly deaf who wish
to attend college (contact the Bell Association for details).

The OHIS Executive Committee convenes at least once a year, usually at oral
schools for the deaf, to meet with parents, teachers, and young children
who are deaf and hard of hearing.  There is a Committee Retreat every other
year (non-convention years) where members of standing OHIS committees
meet at a retreat location to learn about their respective and other
committees' work.

An OHIS Liaison Officer works at the Bell Association headquarters to
respond to immediate issues involving OHIS matters.

Representation of OHIS on the Bell Association's Board of Directors is
maintained through automatic appointment of the OHIS Chairperson, and
other individual persons who may already be OHIS members.

Many OHIS members serve as volunteer-consultants or resouce persons when
perspectives of an oral hearing impaired person is sought for ADA-related
issues, oral interpreter training workshops, etc.

FUNDING SOURCE

All support is from direct individual, corporate, foundation and
organization contributions.

No funding is requested from United Way or any governmental agency.

FUNDING USE

Two restricted funds, the OHIS Trust Fund and the OHIS Scholarship Fund
generate interest for operating costs and scholarships respectively.
Local OHIS groups raise money locally to reach local children who are
deaf and hard of hearing, parents, educators, and to support OHIS
convention activities.


# # # # #

For direct information, contact Chris Lehfeldt, CXLNVD@RITVAX.

Membership inquires:  Carol Ban, OHIS Membership Secretary, 609
Bryce Trail, Roselle, IL  60172

Postal inquires, for more information about OHIS or the Bell
Association, contact:  Elizabeth Quigley, OHIS Liaison Officer,
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 3417 Volta
Place, NW, Washington, DC, USA  20007-2778

_________________________________________________________________
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