Deaf Services Advocates Manual

This manual addresses topics related to mental health care for deaf and hard of hearing people and the clinical specialty of Deaf mental health care. It is primarily intended for use by Deaf Services Advocates within the Missouri Department of Mental Health's behavioral health system of care. However, others interested in learning more about these areas of practice may also find the resources beneficial.

Consultation and additional resources are available by contacting the Director of Deaf Services. 

Pretrainings and Overview

Pretrainings

• Deaf Services Training - Video Version with Quizzes (5 hours) - In Relias Learning. Lookup Code: MOCMHC-DEAFSERVICES
• Mental Health Practitioner Online Training - Minnesota Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division Mental Health Program (3 Hours)

Slide Deck

• Introduction and Overview

Training Agenda

• Deaf Services Advocates Training Agenda

Unit 1 - Introduction to Hearing Loss and Assistive Technologies

Slide Deck

• Introduction to Hearing Loss and Assistive Technologies

Videos (YouTube)

• Newborn Hearing Screening Method (4 minutes)
• Hearing Loss Simulation (1 minute)
• Cochlear Implant Simulation (2 minutes)
• FM System Simulation without Captions (6 minutes) - FM System Simulation with Captions (6 minutes)

Prevalence Data

American Community Survey - US Census Bureau

• Table: Disability Characteristics - Missouri
• Table: Disability Characteristics - Missouri by County
• Map: Deaf and Serious Hearing Difficulty Ages 0-18 Population Count - Missouri by County
• Map: Deaf and Serious Hearing Difficulty Ages 18-64 Population Count - Missouri by County
• Map: Deaf and Serious Hearing Difficulty Ages 65+ Population Count - Missouri by County

Child Count - Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Hearing Impaired (HI) Child Count Statewide
• Hearing Impaired (HI) Child Count by County
• All Child Count Data

Fact Sheets - National Institute for Deafness and Communication Disorders

• How Do We Hear
• Your Baby's Hearing Screening and Next Steps
• Your Baby's Hearing and Communicative Development Checklist
• American Sign Language
• Hearing Aids
• Cochlear Implants
• Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders

Other Resources

• Newborn Hearing Screenings - Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• Do You Need a Hearing Test? - National Institute for Deafness and Communication Disorders

Unit 2 - Introduction to Deaf Education

Slide Deck

• Introduction to Deaf Education

Video (YouTube)

• What the Eyes Reveal About the Brain: Advances in Human Language Acquisition (40 minutes)

Services and Consultation

• Resource Center on Deafness - Missouri School for the Deaf
• Families First Early Intervention for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Ages 0-8 - Missouri School for the Deaf
• First Steps Early Intervention for Children with a Developmental Delay Ages 0-3 - Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Legal Resources

• Meeting the Communication Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities - US Departments of Justice and Education
• FAQ on Effective Communication for Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools - US Departments of Justice and Education
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 Final Regulations Pertaining to Deaf Education and Audiology - Unofficial Summary
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Regulations
• Missouri State Plan for Special Education - Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Research Briefs - Gallaudet University VL2 Laboratory

Language Acquisition

• Advantages of Early Visual Language
• Children with Cochlear Implants - Implications of Bimodal, Bilingual Approaches
• The Benefits of Bilingualism: Impacts on Language and Cognitive Development
• ASL/English Bilingual Education
• Family Involvement in ASL Acquisition
• Identifying Language Delays

Child Development

• Social-Emotional Development in Deaf Children
• The Importance of Gesture in Child Development
• Visual Attention and Deafness
• Eye Gaze and Joint Attention

Literacy

• Reading and Deaf Children
• The Importance of Fingerspelling for Reading

Alternate Languages

• Notas de Investigación en Español
• 研究简报中文版

Unit 3 - Ethics: Cultural Competence and Scope of Practice

Slide Deck

• Ethics: Cultural Competence and Scope of Practice

Codes of Ethics and Standards of Practice

American Psychological Association

• APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
• APA Multicultural Guidelines

American Counseling Association

• ACA Code of Ethics
• ACA Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies

National Association of Social Workers

• NASW Code of Ethics
• NASW Standards and Indicators of Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice

Recommended Additional Readings and Resources

• Serving Clients With Hearing Loss: Best Practices in Mental Health Counseling
• Treatment of Deaf Clients: Ethical Considerations for Professionals in Psychology
• The Case for Cultural Competency in Psychotherapeutic Interventions
• Why People Fail to Recognize Their Own Incompetence
• American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States
• Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - See also Hofstede's Compare Countries Tool
• Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt Wherever You Are

Unit 4 - The Legal Basis for Accessible Services

Slide Deck

• The Legal Basis for Accessible Services

Legal Resources

• Disability Nondiscrimination and Accessibility Laws Resource Sheet
• Effective Communication Under ADA Title II and ACA Section 1557 Fact Sheet
• Tugg v. Towey, 864 F. Supp. 1201 (S.D. Fla. 1994)
• Belton v. Georgia, Not Reported in F. Supp. 2d (N.D Ga. 2012) 

HIPAA FAQ and Guidance - US Department of Health and Human Services

• Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule permit health care providers to use e-mail to discuss health issues and treatment with their patients?
• Must a covered health care provider obtain an individual’s authorization to use or disclose protected health information to an interpreter?
• When a covered entity uses a certified Telecommunications Relay Service to contact patients with hearing or speech impairments, is the Relay Service a business associate of the doctor?
• FCC Public Notice: Clarification of the Use of Telecommunications Relay Service and HIPAA
• Individuals’ Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information 45 CFR § 164.524

Unit 5 - The DMH Deaf Services System: Access and Standards of Care

Slide Deck

• The DMH Deaf Services System: Access and Standards of Care

Additional Office of Deaf Services Resources

• Information for Providers
• Contact Information for Deaf Services Offices and Programs
• Request Deaf Services Brochures, Deaf Crisis Line Posters, etc.

Unit 6 - Introduction to Advocacy and the Role of the Deaf Services Advocate

Slide Deck

• Introduction to Advocacy and the Role of the Deaf Services Advocate

Additional Resources

• Placeholder

Unit 7 - Model Training

Slide Deck

• Model Training: Meeting the Mental Health Service Needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers

Unit 8 - Ongoing Supports and Additional Resources

Office of Deaf Services Resources

• Online Trainings
• Information for Providers
• Contact Information for Deaf Services Offices and Programs
• Deaf Services Advocates Directory
• Request Deaf Services Brochures, Deaf Crisis Line Posters, etc.

Video (YouTube)

• TEDx Talk: Hearing the Unheard (16 minutes)

Recommended Additional Readings

Articles

• Therapy Using Interpreters: Questions on the Use of Interpreters in Therapeutic Setting for Monolingual Therapists
• Trauma in the Deaf Population: Definition, Experience, and Services
• Information Deprivation Trauma: Definition, Assessment & Interventions
• Simply Put: A guide for Creating Easy-to-Understand Materials - US Department of Health and Human Services

Books

• Deaf Culture: Exploring Deaf Communities in the United States
• Language Deprivation and Deaf Mental Health
• Preparing Deaf and Hearing Persons with Language and Learning Challenges for CBT
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Deaf and Hearing Persons with Language and Learning Challenges
• Mental Health Care of Deaf People: A Culturally Affirmative Approach
• Psychotherapy with Deaf Clients from Diverse Groups