CSD Proud to Serve Greater Minnesota

From: CSD (Press Release) - Jul 2, 2003

________________________________________________

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

Release Date:July 1, 2003

Contact: Derric Miller

CSD Communications Office

CSDProud to Serve Greater Minnesota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — CSD is pleased to announce that they are now providing interpreting services to Greater Minnesota. CSD was awarded the contract with the Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division, effective July 1, 2003, to provide high-quality interpreter referral services throughout the State of Minnesota.

CSD has over 25 years of experience in providing a communication link between deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and hearing individuals through the use of sign language interpreters. CSD will be contracting with local sign language interpreters, who are required to abide by the rules of personal conduct as set forth in the Code of Ethics of the National Registry Interpreter of the Deaf and the National Association for the Deaf. CSD of Minnesota is staffed with a community interpreting manager, four highly trained referral specialists as well as an administrative assistant. Their phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week should the need arise for emergency interpreter services.

CSD will be hiring staff interpreter/outreach specialists in all three regions of the state, which will help identify the needs of the respective communities, as well as assist with last minute requests. In the near future, CSD will be setting up town meetings in the specific areas to explain the services that will be provided.

"CSD has enjoyed a long standing relationship with the Minnesota deaf community in terms of our telecommunications relay service," said Benjamin Soukup, CSD chief executive officer. "But our human services and interpreting services are matching that excellence, and we are excited to service Greater Minnesota in this capacity."

CSD looks forward to having the opportunity of serving the needs of the deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and hearing consumers in Greater Minnesota. If you have any questions, contact Jan Florand at (651) 487-8879.

This project is funded in part by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division.

About CSD – CSD (also known as Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.) was established in 1975, primarily to provide sign language interpreting services to deaf and hard of hearing adults in South Dakota. Today, CSD employs over 2,000 individuals in offices across the nation, providing a broad continuum of social and human services programs, as well as telecommunications relay services. CSD is a private, nonprofit agency dedicated to providing quality services; ensuring public accessibility; and increasing awareness of issues affecting deaf, hard of hearing and individuals with speech disabilities. For more information, please visit www.c-s-d.org .

– 30 –