On Wednesday, representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) joined News 9 on the Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Porch to provide information about the agency’s services and an upcoming community event.
Mark Beutler, Director of Communications, and Kelley Guitierrez, DeafBlind Programs Specialist, spoke about the department’s mission. The representatives also gave details about DeafBlind Awareness Day, scheduled for Monday, June 30, at MetroTech OKC, at 1900 Springlake Dr. in Oklahoma City.
In this Q&A, Beutler and Guitierrez explain the purpose of the event, outline available services, and share how DRS works with individuals and employers to support inclusive employment across the state.
What is the mission of Oklahoma DRS?
Beutler: “The mission behind what we do, in a nutshell, is putting Oklahomans with disabilities back to work. So you have a disability, we provide the training, the skills necessary, the education to get you back in the workforce, to make you a productive member of society again, and to become a taxpaying citizen. So basically, that’s our core mission of what we do.”
What can we expect at DeafBlind Awareness Day?
Guitierrez: “So DeafBlind Awareness Day will be Monday, June 30th, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. We will have an awards presentation that starts at 2 p.m. We’re going to honor some people who have served in the DeafBlind community. We have the spokesperson who is a young lady who has made great progress in her life since she lost her vision and her hearing.”…