Mercer County touts two communication-access grant applications to expand captioning, ASL and hearing-loop services

Speakers at an event at the Mercer County Administration Building said Mercer County has applied for two communication-access grants and is using the funding to expand services for deaf and hard-of-hearing residents.

Unidentified Speaker 2 told attendees that the county "has applied for not 1, but 2 of our communication access grants," and commended County Executive Dan Benson and county staff for pursuing the funding to improve inclusion for Mercer County residents. The event highlighted existing accessibility features at the venue, including captioning, hearing-reduction loops and sign-language interpreters.

Organizers identified the grant source as the division of the deaf and hard of hearing at the Department of Human Services. Unidentified Speaker 1 said the division has made funding available to counties "to help install hearing induction loops and other technologies and make ASL accessible to residents in their counties." Speakers described the initiative as an effort to achieve "functional equivalency," meaning people can participate in public meetings and access county services "the same as everyone else."

Speakers said the work started in commissioner chambers and has since been extended to other county touchpoints. Unidentified Speaker 3 said the county is expanding accessibility into social-service one-stop centers, workforce development sites, libraries and mobile units so that "pretty much any customer or consumer and citizen-serving location" can provide necessary accommodations.

Event presenters framed the project as part of broader efforts to advance health and social equity and strengthen disability services and the supporting workforce. No formal vote or motion was recorded during the event, and organizers did not specify a timeline for project completion or which specific vendors or technologies will be used.

The county did not provide additional budget details or a schedule for installations at the event. Questions about final award decisions, implementation timelines and vendor selection were not addressed in the remarks provided at the event.