Guild of Interpreters for the Deaf

We are an organization dedicated to supporting the interests of those who serve the deaf community as interpreters, lay or professional, regardless of national or local certification. Email us for more information.

Sign up for the free Guild of Interpreters for the Deaf newsletter to receive regular email updates on regulatory actions in the state of Virginia.

Important New Regulations Affecting Interpreters!

Read the summary of these changes.
(You must have Acrobat Reader installed in order to read the summary.)

The guild comments on these changes.

The Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) is the state agency charged with the regulation of sign language interpreters. Click here to read the powers and duties of this department as outlined in Virginia code. VDDHH provides certification for interpreters and maintains a directory of qualified interpreters. The proposed regulatory changes will have the following affects on interpreters:

Remove VQAS (Virginia Quality Assurance Screening) Screening Level 1, to be replaced with Novice Interpreter Designation. Interpreters receiving Novice Interpreter designation will not be included in the Directory of Qualified Interpreters.
Increase testing fees by 50%
Establishing a Consumer Grievance procedure where complaints can be lodged against interpreters for violating the code of ethics, despite the fact that Virginia Code already provides judicial remedies for ethical violations.

The Interpreter's Guild is opposed to these regulatory changes. In accordance with the Regulatory Process, we have requested that the revisions be suspended for thirty days to give time for another open meeting. This thirty day suspension was granted from September 24th 2001 to October 24, 2001. The Guild has taken our prepared comments to VDDHH and are awaiting further action.

Read Michelle Efird's letter dated August 2, 2001 to VDDHH regarding these changes. Copies were also sent to Governor Gilmore, Lt. Governor Hager, Delegate O'Bannon, and Senator Stosch.

Read Louis Rossiter's response dated August 29, 2001. Louis F. Rossiter is the Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

Read the minutes of the Guild's first meeting, July 30, 2001

Regulatory Townhall site

Commonwealth of Virginia site

Virginia Department of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

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