September is Deaf Awareness Month! It’s a time to learn about and uplift the experiences of individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. The term “deaf” is used for people who may identify as deaf, deafblind, deaf plus, deafdisabled, hard of hearing, or late-deafened. It recognizes the fluidity of personal identity and acknowledges the experiences of our diverse communities.
Since 2022, the Department has supported deaf Californians under the guidanc
e of our Deaf Access Specialist, Lisa Gonzales. Additionally, a Deaf Specialist is employed by each of the 21 regional centers to enhance deaf services. Deaf Specialists provide deaf sensitivity training and expertise to regional center staff. The expansion of support staff led to the first Deaf Plus Conference in December 2023, deaf resource fairs, and many new ideas. Services have increased statewide between Service Access Equity-awarded grants and Community Resource Development Plan-funded projects. Virtual statewide training has been developed. A Request for Proposals for a new Language & Communication Assessment tool in sign language also has been released. The Deaf Steering Committee also provides recommendations to improve the quality and the range of services for individuals who are deaf. The committee includes 30 subject matter experts from across the State.
DDS has launched a new webpage dedicated to resources for the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind communities. The site is also a central hub for regional center events statewide. For more information, please visit the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Resources page.
