Many government offices and departments are cutting their budgets. The same thing is happening with hospitals and clinics. Not for profit organizations also are reducing services. In some cases, deaf people have contacted these government offices or not for profit agencies to make an appointment. The staff at the office has told deaf people, "sorry, we can no longer pay for a sign-language interpreter for this meeting or appointment. Bring your own interpreter or we will communicate by writing back and forth. We don't have funds." This is wrong AND it is against the Law!
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and Federal Law 504 guarantee the right of deaf people to have "appropriate communication". Further, the law states that the DEAF PERSON decides what is appropriate communication, NOT the staff person at a government office or not for profit agency or hospital!
If the police wish to interview a deaf person and the deaf person demands a qualified interpreter, then the police or investigator MUST do this before the interview can continue.
If a deaf person is a patient in a hospital OR is the deaf spouse or deaf parent of a patient, and that deaf person asks for a sign-language interpreter, then the hospital MUST follow the law.
If a deaf person must go to Social Security, the IRS, State Unemployment office, Tax Hearing, etc, and that deaf person asks for an interpreter, then these government agencies must follow the law. If they do not, then the deaf person can file a complaint with OCR (The Office of Civil Rights) about discrimination. (Using government "budget cuts" is not an excuse for denying the Civil Rights of deaf people.)