The Missouri Commission for the Deaf functions as an agency of the state to advocate public policies, regulations, and programs to improve the quality and coordination of existing services for deaf persons, and to promote new services whenever necessary. To these ends, the Missouri Commission for the Deaf will work with individuals, organizations, and state departments as an active force, to better the lives and opportunities of all deaf and hard of hearing Missourians.

Two members must be deaf; one must be a parent of a deaf child; one must represent the business community; one must represent the Missouri School for the Deaf or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; one must represent local public school administration; and one must be a professional from the field of audiology, psychology, speech pathology, mental health, or medicine; one must be an interpreter for the deaf; one must represent and organization that represents the interests of deaf and hard of hearing people.

The Missouri Commission for the Deaf is mandated to promote deaf awareness; to develop state certification of sign language interpreters; to maintain the quality interpreting services; to maintain a census of the deaf population in Missouri; to promote the improvement of physical and mental health services for deaf persons; and to establish an effective communication network among the deaf adult community.