Social Services for the Deaf

The available social services for the deaf vary from location to location. Larger cities often offer more services than smaller towns or rural areas. The Department of Social Services or similar agencies in many states offer social services for the deaf. Other organizations also offer social services for the deaf, such as the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Interpreting

• Social services for the deaf include interpreting services. Registered interpreters for the deaf provide interpreting services in medical, legal, educational and other settings. Interpreters for the deaf are usually fluent in American Sign Language but may provide interpreting in other forms of sign language as well, like Signed English or Signed Exact English. Some interpreters also provide interpreting services for deaf-blind people.

Communication Assistance

• In addition to interpreting services, social services for the deaf include other forms of communication assistance. Services include things like real-time captioning services, assistance making telephone calls and assistance selecting and learning to use assistive devices like TTY telephones.

Mental Health Services

• Mental health services for the deaf include the same kinds of mental health services hearing people sometimes need, including psychiatric care, individual counseling, family counseling, group counseling and drug and alcohol treatment. Some agencies provide culturally sensitive mental health services for deaf people. They offer mental health professionals that sign fluently and have a familiarity with deaf culture and issues that affect the deaf.

Independent Living Training Services

• Some social service agencies provide training in independent living for the deaf. Areas of training might include budgeting, transportation, housing, education and health. The goal of independent living training is to allow people with disabilities to live independently and to set and achieve goals for self sufficiency.

Hearing Loss Association of America

• The Hearing Loss Association of America has more than 200 chapters across the United States. Local chapters provide monthly support meetings, information about hearing aids and cochlear implants, tips on coping with hearing loss and referrals to other community resources. Visit the Hearing Loss Association of America website to find the chapter nearest you.

  Hearing Loss Association of America

  7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 1200

  Bethesda, MD 20814

  301-657-2248

  hearingloss.org

American Sign Language Classes for Immigrants

• Some social service agencies offer American Sign Language classes for immigrants. American Sign Language differs from the sign language used in many other countries so immigrants need to learn the language, much like hearing immigrants might attend English as a Second Language classes.