Florida Telecommunications Relay Distributes Free Amplified Phones to Florida

Online, February 14, 2013 (Newswire.com) - The Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County reminds area residents, that free amplified telephones are available to permanent Florida residents with hearing loss. The Deaf Service Center is one of 22 regional distribution centers for Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc., the statewide non-profit organization that administers the specialized phone program.

To qualify for a free amplified phone, you must be a permanent Florida resident, at least 3 years of age and certified with a hearing loss. Phones are distributed by appointment every Wednesday morning at the Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County, located at 3111 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. Call 561-802-3353 for more information or to make an appointment. Cordless phones, amplified phones, captioned phones, and phones that amplify and clarify speech are a few of the options available.

In 1991, the Florida Legislature passed the Telecommunications Access System Act (TASA). The intent of TASA is to provide basic telecommunications services for Hard of Hearing, Deaf, Deaf/Blind, and Speech Disabled individuals, in the most cost effective way possible. TASA mandates that the FTRI equipment distribution program and the Florida Relay Service be funded by a monthly surcharge billed to all telephone customers (landlines) in the State of Florida.

About FTRI
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI) is a statewide non-profit 501(c)3 organization that
administers the Specialized Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program for citizens of Florida who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf/Blind and Speech Impaired. FTRI is also responsible for the education and promotion of the Florida Relay Service. For more information, visit www.ftri.org.

About the Deaf Service Center
The Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County, Inc. was founded in 1984 as a private, non-profit
501(c)(3) human service organization. It was established to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing families and
individuals of all ages to achieve independence through accessibility, education and advocacy. The
majority of the agency's programs and services are free of charge. Today, the Deaf Service Center in
West Palm Beach continues to be the only agency in Palm Beach County providing services and
programs specifically for individuals with hearing loss. According to data from the National Center for
Health Statistics, and local county statistics, Palm Beach County has a population of more than 202,000
(16% of the total population) individuals with hearing loss. Of this group, over 16,000 are profoundly deaf.
For more information, visit www.deafservicecenter.com.