►
Description
BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 012021
A
Okay,
good
morning,
everyone
thank
you
for
being
here
today,
as
we
can
start
the
meeting
we're
attending
the
city
of
laredo
blue
ribbon
committee
meeting
for
january
20th,
2021,
and
so
I'd
like
to
start
the
meeting
by
by
reviewing
and
approving
the
minutes
for
the
last
meeting
that
we
held
on
december
16th
2020.
So
if
you
all
can
take
a
look
at
those
and
if
there
are
any
revisions
or
changes
that
have
to
be
made,
please
please
voice
your
your
concern
or
the
changes
that
we
need
to.
A
B
A
C
A
The
next
item
we
have
on
the
agenda
is
a
guest
speaker
by
the
name
of
emma
faye
rudkin
she's,
the
founder
and
executive
director
of
the
aid,
the
silent.
Okay.
That's
why
I'd
like
to
say
a
little
a
number
of
things
about
mr
rutkin.
She
is
and
I'm
reading
off
another
computer.
So
excuse
me
if
I
don't
look
at
the
screen.
A
Mfa
went
profoundly
deaf
at
the
age
of
three
and
has
spent
her
life
turning
a
disability
into
an
ability.
She
is
an
internet.
She
is
an
internationally
known
role,
model
and
public
speaker
for
the
deaf
and
the
hard
of
hearing,
as
well
as
founder
and
executive
director
of
aid
assignment
travels.
The
country
with
her
service
dog
hank,
sharing
her
story.
Mfa
is
both
fluent
in
sign
language
and
spoken
language
and
thus
being
a
bridge
between
the
death
and
the
hearing.
A
D
D
D
D
B
D
What
I
do
for
a
living
as
well
so
early
on,
I
was
actually
not
born
deaf
and
they
believe
I
became
deaf
around
the
time.
I
was
three
now
this
is
before
they
had
early
newborn
screening,
so
I
could
have
been
born
that
they
don't
know
because
at
that
point
it
wasn't
required
by
law
that
you
have
to
do
screening
for
newborns,
but
they
believe
it's
in
correlation.
D
D
This
is
before
we
leave
the
internet,
and
so
there
is
no
support
group
to
find
other
deaf
parents
having
no
clue
what
to
do.
I'm
actually
burning
texas,
so
a
little
smaller
of
an
area
outside
of
san
antonio.
There
was
no
death
community,
so
she
was
very
alone.
So
all
of
a
sudden
she's
told
that
her
daughter
is.
D
And
so
they're,
just
desperate
at
the
point
that
they
get
to
us.
Even
I
do
a
non-profit
side
of
it.
I
do
a
lot
with
governor
abbott's
committee
on
disabilities,
but
by
the
time
you
get
them
a
lot
of
time.
They
do
not
have
happy
news
to
tell
you.
They
have
very
difficult,
very
frustrated,
so
it's
really
our
job
that
we
we
make
them
feel
like
they're
hurt
and
that
we
help
them
get
to
the
next
step
of
what
needs
to
happen.
But
my
mother
describes
that
moment
of.
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
The
exams
aren't
given
through
spoken
instruction,
but
they
will
be
written
in
sections
just
list
and
list
for
the
teachers
and
she
would
always
bring
me
with
her,
and
I
would
be
this
little
girl
just
so
bored.
Why
are
we
meeting
with
the
teacher
before
school
even
starts,
and
my
mom
would
always
say
you're
doing
this,
because
one
day,
you're
gonna
do
it
for
yourself,
you're
gonna
become
your
own
advocate
and
little
did
I
know.
Not
only
would
I
become
my
own
advocate.
D
D
D
D
D
D
I
didn't
want
to
be
treated
any
different,
and
that
was
the
moment
of
you
know
what
I
don't
need
to
be
treated
different,
but
I
do
need
you
to
make
accommodations
and
there's
nothing
wrong
with
trying
to
meet
me
where
I
can
actually
be
at
the
same
playing
field
as
everyone
else.
A
lot
of
this
job
is,
you
know,
helping
other
people
just
be
on
the
same
playing
field.
D
I
interact
with
friends
on
the
playground,
and
this
is
just
a
saddest
story
that
things
would
happen.
For
example,
I
would
go
to
school
and
hear
that
so
many
people
were
going
to
go
dancing
or
they
were
going
to
go,
have
a
party
somewhere
like
a
birthday
party,
but
then
they
would
talk
about
it
and
come
monday.
D
D
And
the
way
that
I
speak,
because
I
never
known
what
normal
speech
sounds
like
so
speak
spirit
behind
to
me.
But
it's
just
hours
every
single
week
sitting
with
a
therapist
in
front
of
a
mirror
and
mimicking
what
she
was
doing
and
then
a
lot
of
times.
I
would
put
my
hands
on
her
throat
but
in
front
of
her
mouth
and
throw.
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
Important
not
the
end
of
the
story,
you
can
have
great
joy,
you
can
have
great
purpose,
and
so
that
was
a
pivotal
moment
where
I
started
growing
in
this
incredible
confidence.
I
went
from
someone
who
could
hardly
speak
in
front
of
other
people.
You
could
hardly
interact.
He
could
hardly
stand
up
for
myself.
So,
all
of
a
sudden,
being
this
really
confident
person
who
was
not
afraid
of
anything.
D
Music
like
well,
I'm
gonna
sign
myself
up
for
piano
or
something,
and
I
learned
to
play
music
people
saying
you
can't
make
the
show
if
you
sing,
where
I
started
singing
and
I
learned
to
play
through
vibrations
hours
of
practice,
how
I
learned
to
sing
and
play
music
was.
I
sat
in
the
corner
of
my
bathroom
and
I
would.
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
B
D
D
And
so
either
silent
was
designed
that
we
were
done
waiting
on
our
system
that
was
taking
forever
and
and
it's
funny,
because
I
actually
do
so
much
on
a
state
level
to
help
with
the
system.
But
the
nonprofit
was
designed
that
children
can
come
at
any
moment
and
we
will
quickly
get
them
the
resource
and
not
have
to
go
through
all
the
red
tape
and
even
though
we
are
able
to
quickly
to
provide
it.
D
Becomes
to
get
hearing
aids
so
we've
been
able
to
save
us
in
this
new
way.
So
we've
saved
us
a
couple
of
hundred
children
in
this
new
way.
We
were
able
to
service
the
most
on
the
shortest
amount
of
time
which
helps
us
and
follow-up
care,
and
all
of
that,
so
that's
the
biggest
part,
is
we
do
the
resources
we
spent
over
a
quarter
of
a
million
just
on
resources.
This
past
year.
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
Right
next
to
each
other.
So
when
you
have
events
you
could
be
anywhere
in
the
event
you
don't
have
to
stay
to,
like
the
deaf
section,
you
can
actually
go
in
the
event
and
see
interpreting
and
captioning
from
wherever
you're
at
so
a
the
silent
has
met.
So
many
needs
that
were
missing
and
say
that
that's
probably
the
main
part
of
my
job
and
then
us
being
a
member
on
the.
D
D
A
A
D
E
Emma
this
is
diana,
and
I
just
really
want
to
thank
you.
I
know
we've
been
trying
to
communicate
and
it
finally
happened,
which
is
a
great
thing.
I
know
these
pop-up
tents
that
I
follow
what
you
all
do
I've
been
in
communication
with
your
office
to
understand
what
all
that
is,
and
I
understand,
they're,
working
on
or
you're
working
on
a
border
initiative,
and
we
would
like
to
see
how
we
make
partner.
E
I
know
there's
a
lot
of
logistics
that
go
into
that
and
right
now
with
the
coronavirus
and
everything
else,
you
know,
but
we
would
assure
to
secure,
of
course,
meals
and
and
a
venue
and
assure
that
everybody's
got
their
ppe
and
all
this
good
stuff
in
partnership
with
the
folks
in
our
community.
So
we
offer
that
to
you
and
want
to
jump
on
board
for
your
border
initiative.
E
E
So
we've
got
two
border
areas
of
course
being
later
and
del
rio.
If
there
that
initiative
was
possible.
If
there's
any
way
we
could
jump
in,
we
do
have
a
lot
of
resources.
I
get
you
all
the
red
tape.
You
don't
want
to
deal
with,
there's
a
little
bit
of
tape,
but
hearing
aids
are
usually
not
that
difficult
for
us
and
mr
net.
Maybe
you
want
to
chime
in
and
just
share
a
little
bit
about
that
endeavor
was
with
possibilities
of
working
with
eddie,
silent.
F
D
Oh,
yes,
I
think
anyhow,
I
mean
it's
constant,
so
that's
just
I
think
a
lot
of
it
is
probably
just
people
not
fully
knowing
what's
happening
so
sometimes
it's
like,
we
tell
them
hey.
This
is
the
service
and
they
just
touch
this
book
cause.
It's
like
make
a
contact
here.
I
work
a
lot
with
a
with
our
deaf
support
specialist.
Here
I've
got
two
representatives
that
I
think
a
lot
of
it
and
all
these
sharp
information
full
of
information
police
shots
that
are
some
of
them,
have
no
quick
intuition.
D
D
F
F
D
D
Another
patient
and
how,
through
a
process
she
felt
like
she
became
a
person
and
there's
so
many
things.
She
had
never
heard
that
the
state
provides
so
there's
there's
some
type
of
disconnect
with
the
actual
professionals
that
work
with
the
children
or
the
the
families
or
individuals
who
is
deaf,
there's
not
a
lot
of
relay
of
information,
because
it
is
true,
I
think
they
get
to
the
next
patient
and
they're,
assuming
that
someone
else
in
their
life,
some
other
professional
is
sharing
that,
but
a
lot
of
times
that's
not
what's
happening.
D
D
Nobody
ever
explained
that
that's
the
case,
so
just
something
to
think
about
how
do
you
relay
the
informations
of
the
child
and
the
families,
but
then
it's
once
again,
they
have
to
be
the
ones
to
do
the
work
to
get
them.
Are
you
so
excited?
I
just
don't
want
you
like.
That's
always
just
talking
to
me
and
I'm
like
what
you
don't
want.
You
hear
me,
you
don't
want
education,
that's
covered,
but
it
does
happen.
It's
sad.
F
F
B
D
D
A
E
E
E
A
A
Now
she's
she's
done
quite
a
she's
done
quite
well
and
quite
she's
quite
informative
and
has
a
lot
of
important
information.
So
I
think
she
was
a
very
a
good
guest,
so
thank
you
so
much
dana
for
for
pursuing
it
and
and
finally
achieving
and
and
getting
an
appointment
so
that
we
could
show
she
could
share
her
story
with
us.
Yeah.
C
C
C
We
want
this
to
be
available
to
to
our
community,
so
count
us
as
a
partner
to
facilitate
you
know
entry
here
in
our
community,
so
we
can
provide
these
resources.
Thank
you.
So
much
and
your
story
is
amazing
and
it's
great
to
see.
I
think,
having
that
visibility.
You
talked
about
a
role
model.
I
think.
B
C
C
B
E
E
E
Much
needed
so
the
age
group
they
serve
is
from
zero
to
twenty
two
as
with
their
students,
and
we
serve
14
and
older.
So
you
know:
there's
some
there's
a
gap
there
of
who
we
don't
serve,
but
possibly
there
would
be
other
entities
and
we
need
to
get
the
ents
involved
and
whatever
we're
needing
to
do,
I
mean
she
does
have
a
team.
But
being
this
is
this
border
initiative?
We
need
to
understand
what
is
how
do
we
fit
in?
Because
we've
got?
E
We've
got
big
money
to
serve
those
people
as
well,
and
it's
all
about
you
know,
empowering
and
and
supporting
the
individuals.
We
do
have
a
large
deaf
community,
because
I
recall
they
would
do
monthly
meetings
at
the
workforce
center
back
in
the
day
and
they
were
very
well
attended
and
I'm
talking
all
age
groups.
H
E
E
You
got
to
be
on
the
playing
field.
I
don't
want
to
be
on
the
sidelines,
I'm
going
to
share
a
story
with
you
real
quick,
so
I
work
for
general
motors
about
10
years.
That's
why
they're
a
lot
of
my
training
and
I
was
on
a
committee
that
was
advocating
to
bring
jet
service
to
la
rezo
and
now
this
is
back
in
the
early
90s.
We
didn't
have
jet
service.
You
remember
the
prop
jobs
anyway,
so
I
was
on
that
committee
and
I'll.
Never
forget
the
lady's
name,
nora
ray.
E
Kentucky
but
last
last
minute
guess
who
gets
air
service
the
jet
service?
First
mcallen,
I'm
like
what
what
happened?
I
mean
it's
been
going
a
long
time,
so
I
think
it's
time.
I
think
we're
great
we've
got
great
resources
here.
I
think
we
all
have
commitment
with
skin
in
the
game
that
we
can
actually
make
something
happen,
of
course,
with
jeanette's
leadership.
E
B
F
And
she's
like,
what's
the
matter
they're
asking
you
a
question:
are
you
okay,
you're
feeling
sick
and
he
put
his
head
up
and
he
had
tears
in
his
eyes
and
he
said
there
was
a
clock
way
across
the
board
room
on
the
wall
and
he
said
I
have
never
heard
a
clock
and
I
just
like
it
makes
me
emotional.
Even
now,
you
know
what
we
take
for
granted
in
our
everyday
life
and
doing
it
what
we
do
and
rushing
here
rushing
there.
F
B
A
A
A
And
it
wasn't
until
one
time
when
I
was
in
the
hallway
and
they
were
escorting,
a
young
adult
she
wasn't
an
adolescent.
She
was
very
young
adult.
She
was
crying
accompanied
by
a
police
officer.
She
was
handcuffed,
she
was
crying
because
she
had
never
been
there.
She
had
never
been
hospitalized
and
her
her
impression
of
what
the
mental
health
hospital
was
was.
What
you
see
on
tv
and-
and
she
was
crying
in
the
sense
of
you-
could
tell
that
she,
her
fear,
was
like
deep
rooted.
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
I
Meeting
it
went
at
recess
by
11
pm,
so
they'll
continue.
Today's
at
they'll
continue
the
agenda
today
at
5
30..
I
believe
they're
going
to
go
over
the
consent
agenda
for
the
health
department,
which
provides
in
submission
r18
that
our
program
is
going
to
be
ratifying
the
submission
of
the
continuation
grant
application.
I
I
I
I
First,
we
did
go
above
and
beyond
and
go
after
hours,
because
we
know
there
was
families
that
were
working
as
well
as
communicating
them
through
zoom
and
making
sure
that
we
would
assist
them
with
any
questions.
So
the
state
found
that
to
be
very,
very
helpful,
and
that
was
a
a
lot
on.
The
survey
was
common.
I
I
I
Autism
miles
from
heaven
the
golden
heart
project-
and
we
also
shared
this
information
through
our
social
media
platform
for
the
community.
The
educational
workshop
is
required
by
the
state
grantor.
So
when
we
work
the
workshop,
when
we
provided
the
workshop,
we
did
it
in
efforts
to
assist
the
caregivers
during
this
round.
We
knew
during
again
under
these.
I
I
I
I
I
Work
with
a
healthy
living
with
healthy
living,
where
she
can
help
manage
her
diabetes
so
that
no
secondary
issues
occur.
So
this
was
great
knowing
that
you
know
it
wasn't
great
as
far
as
her
results,
but
it
was
good
that
we
got
her
through
the
first
step
of
being
able
to
look
at
her
health
and
then
also
being
able
to
tend
to
it.
So
this
was
a
great.
I
I
I
I've
coordinated
also
with
doctors
in
a
doctor's
hospital
to
present
a
new
initiative
that
was
given
to
me
by
the
university
of
texas
disability
study
center
implementing
a
one-page
profile.
It
was
a
webinar
that
was
done
by
miss
shelby
davenport,
where
it's
it's
going
to
be.
Focusing
on
the
disability
community
that
enters
a
hospital
for
care.
I
Hospital
admitted
they
might
not
have
a
individual,
caregiver
or
parent
or
family
member
that
could
go
in
with
them.
Due
to
the
you
know,
guidelines
that
their
the
hospitals
are
now
putting
so
mitch.
Shelby
davenport
worked
a
new
initiative
in
austin,
texas
hospitals,
where
a
one-page
description
or
profile
is
provided
for
the
individual.
It's
almost
like
an
emergency
preparedness
plan
where
it
gives
more
information
on
the
individual
that
is
being
cared
for
to
help
alleviate.
I
Services,
so
this
one
page
profile,
I'm
going
to
be
doing
a
workshop
for
the
doctors,
hospital
nurses
and
staff
for
patient
relationships
and
they're
going
to
also
be
providing
it
by
their
white
board,
where
the
nurses
keep
notes.
As
far
as
how
many
visits
they
take
and
again,
this
one
page,
description
or
profile
will
have
information
on
an
individual
that
has
a
disability
and
that
I
could
give
you
an
example.
I
I
I
I
The
I'm
I'm
very
respectful
of
her
schedule,
so
I'm
hoping
soon
lmc
will
jump
on
this
initiative
as
well.
I
thought
of
first
reaching
out
to
the
hospitals
prior
to
educating
the
community
on
it,
because
I
didn't
want
to
educate
the
community
first
and
then
show
up
with
the
information
in
the
hospital
say.
Well,
we
don't
understand
what
you're
giving
us
so
we've
already.
I
I
There's
probably
a
lot
of
families
that
need
a
little
bit
more
information,
preparation,
information,
health
tips,
if
they're
caring
for
an
individual
that
has
a
medically
complex
condition.
Of
course,
we're
going
to
be
mentioning
cdc
guidelines
and
recommendations
and
the
state
issue
information
that
was
sent
to
us
by
our
grantor
january.
We
did
focus
on
birth
defects,
awareness
and
glaucoma.
I
During
these
health
conditions,
of
course,
birth
defects,
it
could
be
in
the
womb
to
birth
and
so
on.
So
we
do
mention
to
to
the
community
in
the
educational
videos
that
they
were
to
get
with
their
doctor
and
find
out
early
on.
They
can
start
preparing
for
the
resources
our
program
offers
from
the
state
to
assist
their
child.
That's
gonna
have
a
birth
defect
and
as
far
as
glaucoma
awareness,
I
do.
I
I
Vision,
screening
and
then,
if
they
do,
require
glasses
or
bifocals,
they
have
a
program
that
assists
the
individual
to
purchase
these
items
and
it
would
be
free
of
cost
for
the
individual.
So
we've
been
putting
that
on
social
media
every
monday
for
the
new
services
and
the
collaboration
that
we're
doing
with
the
pbt.
I
I
I
I
I
That
process
works
in
insurances
but
where
they
were
seeing
the
gap
was
college
students
once
they
are
off
moms
and
dads
insurance
college
students
go
to
school
and
they're,
like
I,
don't
have
health
insurance.
What
do
I
do?
Well?
This
was
a
secondary
source
for
them,
so
they
could
be
able
to
have
a
course
of
screenings
and
the
resources
to
obtain
their
glasses,
and
then
it
goes
into
an
adult
application.
So
there's.
I
I
For
fitness,
I'm
sorry
I'm
just
going
to
bring
up
something
real,
quick
chair
fitness
is
it's
a
comprehensive
exercise
program,
that's
designed
for
individuals
who
have
complications
standing
during
its
fitness
regime.
This
includes
children
to
senior
citizens,
people
with
balance
issues,
injuries,
disabilities
or
suffering
from
obesity.
It's
designed
to.
I
Keep
this
I
myself
got
certified
in
this
area
as
an
instructor.
I
did
it
because
it
was.
I
was
working
with
my
son,
this
type
of
workouts,
it's
fun,
it's
in
a
chair,
it's
it's
something
that
she'll
love
to
do
and
it
just
popped
in
my
head,
and
I
said
you
know
what
I
think
right
now
with
us
being
at
home,
a
lot
of
especially
my.
I
Able
to
go
exercise
because
one
studies
here
in
laredo
show
that
children
and
young
adults,
even
adults
with
disabilities,
are
in
the
obesity
range
it's
a
high
percentage
because
of
their
physical
disability,
or
you
know,
there's
not
enough
programs,
there's
not
enough
fitness
programs.
So
this
we're
going
to
be
presenting
this
initial.
I
Chair
fitness
program-
and
it
be
virtual,
so
parents
and
home
and
children
at
home
can
connect
again.
This
is
a
it's
it's
a
project.
We
still
have
to
get
approvals
for
it
and,
of
course,
go
with
legal
to
see
if
it's
going
to
be
able
to
to
be
presented,
because
I
know
even
with
zumba
here
we
have,
you
know
a
guidelines
and
process,
so
we
thought
this
would
be
a
great
initiative.
I
H
E
A
I
A
A
A
B
C
I'm
here,
mr
cassian
I'm
running
low
on
battery.
So
that's
why
I
had
to
shut
down
my
video
but
christine
had
a
very
thorough
report
on
our
efforts
here
with
the
city
of
laredo
health
department,
we're
very
fortunate
and
and
it's
a
testament
to
their
work-
that
we
continue
with
this
grant
fund
to
to
reach
this
special
populations.
C
G
Department
done
such
a
great
job,
and
I
know
they've
been
burning
the
midnight
oil
and
putting
in
way
more
hours
than
they
probably
should
trying
to
take
care
of
all
of
us
getting
our
vaccinations,
calling
people
to
make
sure
they
come
in
for
their
second,
so
I
just
want
to
salute
them
and
and
just
thank
them
for
taking
care
not
just
of
our
disabled
and
sick
people,
elderly
handicap.
I
I'm
just
grateful
for.
A
With
almost
90
percent
of
people
that
our
staff
are
out
out
of
state
nurses
and
stuff,
and
so
state
of
texas
has
done
a
real
good
job
about
hiring
and
creating
and
contracting
with
organizations
that
have
medical
staff,
but
unfortunately,
that's
also
affected
our
own
native
staff
here
and
they've
been
elected
to
also
take
work
with
the
state
and
so
really
appreciative.
It's
been
that
it
requires
a
lot
of
work.
You
have
outside
work
boys
coming
in,
especially
for
your
hr
departments.
Okay,.
A
A
G
Mr
chair,
I
think
we're
all
trying
to
do
the
very
best
that
we
can
but,
like
I
said,
I
just
want
to
say
thank
you
to
erica
and
mr
chamberlain
and
just
everybody
at
the
health
department,
because
I
know
how
hard
they're
working
and
it's
you
know,
take
care
of
yourself
erica.
I
know
you're
overdoing
knowing
you
you're
a
perfectionist
just
take
care
of
yourself
and
for
the
whole
committee.
Y'all
stay
safe,
be
careful.
C
C
C
G
I
B
A
A
C
C
C
A
C
A
G
F
F
F
F
F
G
A
E
B
A
And
that's
the
time
I
was
asking
erica
what
requirements
there
are
I'm
not
65
yet,
but
but
what
is
it
that
they
need
from
from
how
many
individuals
who
may
have
an
underlying
condition?
I
mean?
How
do
you
approve
them,
so
I
thought
they're
going
on
an
honor
system
that
that
helped
so
congratulations.
You're,
like
you're,
like
kobe
3,.
F
Well,
actually,
what
they
shared
with
us
is
that
the
vaccine
we
got
on
the
13th
of
january,
the
second
one.
It
actually
takes
two
weeks
from
that
vaccination
to
be
covered
kind
of
like
a
flu
shot,
takes
a
while
to
actually
kick
in
completely.
So
I'm
looking
at
the
calendar
to
like
the
27th,
but
even
then
it's.
F
F
F
F
G
F
B
G
F
G
G
F
G
B
A
A
G
B
F
A
That's
the
highest
percentage
of
individuals
with
covet
okay.
I
know
that
you've
got
your
large
cities
that
get
the
attention
like
los
angeles
and
phoenix
and
chicago
those
are
like
the
three
because
they're
so
big,
but
percentage-wise.
The
radio
is
right
up
there.
Okay,
because
I
think
nationally,
the
the
contagious,
the
infection
rate
is
like
17
and
laredo's
at
30,
something
percent.