Resources
Below are lists of specialized state and national resources and organizations dedicated to enhancing the lives of the d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing community:
Immediate Help and Crisis Support
- Louisiana 988: Need emergency emotional support? If you are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, you can chat with a 988 Lifeline crisis counselor 24/7 by:
- For deaf or hard of hearing American Sign Language users, call 988
- Online chat
- 988 Text – Send any message to 988 to start a text conversation
- For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988
- DeafLEAD: Provides 24-hour crisis intervention, advocacy, case management, interpreting, and mental health services to individuals who are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, and late-deafened and their families. DeafLEAD is focuses to help Deaf individuals who are victims of crimes and their families, but it also provides support to individuals, agencies, and organizations providing victim services to individuals with a hearing loss.
Advocacy and General Community Support Services
- Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs: Provides a list of national and local resources for people with disabilities, their families, and the agencies that serve them.
- Louisiana Association of the Deaf: The oldest and largest consumer organization of the d/Deaf and hard of hearing in the state of Louisiana that advocates for the educational, economic, and social well-being of d/Deaf and hard of hearing people.
- Louisiana Rehabilitation Services: Helps people with disabilities obtain or maintain employment and achieve independence in their communities by providing rehabilitation services and working in collaboration with businesses and other community organizations.
- National Association for the Deaf (NAD): A national civil rights organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting the civil, human, and linguistic rights of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. This organization advocates for equal access and full participation in areas such as education, employment, health care, technology, and public life. The organization also promotes American Sign Language (ASL), Deaf culture, language access, and leadership within the Deaf community.
Early Intervention, Youth Services, and Education Support
- Louisiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program: Works to ensure all children who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing can effectively communicate and develop the language skills they need to learn, grow, and thrive.
- Louisiana Hands and Voices: Provides family-to-family support from a trained parent guide to parents of children recently identified as d/Deaf or hard of hearing.
- Louisiana School for the Deaf: Serves approximately 400 d/Deaf or hard of hearing children and their families, making it one of the major schools for the d/Deaf in the nation. Their website includes teacher and class webpages, information about various outreach and support services, and employment opportunities.
- Louisiana Believes | Louisiana Department of Education: Provides guidance and resources for families, educators, and administrators to help students with disabilities reach their full academic potential.
- Louisiana DeafBlind Project for Children and Youth | LSU Human Development Center: Provides information on DeafBlindness, including effective strategies to support children and youth who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing or have low vision or vision loss. The program also provides family support, webinars, training, and technical assistance.
- Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC) Regional Center: National program exclusively serving individuals who are DeafBlind by providing services and resources for community independence.
- College Online Accommodation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: A guide that helps d/Deaf and hard of hearing students to learn about available online accommodations colleges offer to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA. There is also a list available of the five best colleges for students with hearing disabilities as well as additional helpful resources.
- Gallaudet University: An accredited institution of learning, teaching, and research for students who are d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing.
Sign Language Interpreting and Certification
Professional Organizations and Training
- Delgado Community College American Sign Language Interpreter Training Program: An academic program that prepares students for careers as American Sign Language interpreters by providing instruction in interpreting theory, ethics, Deaf culture, sign language proficiency, and practical interpreting skills. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared with the foundational knowledge and skills in Deaf culture, interpreting, language, ethics, and professional practice.
- Louisiana Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf: Professional organization designed to further the profession of interpretation of American Sign Language and English and the transliteration of English. Their website provides information, resources, education, and training opportunities for interpreters.
- National Association of Interpreters in Education Resource Center: A professional organization focused on promoting effective practices and professional excellence in sign language interpreting in K-12 education settings that provides resources, professional development, networking opportunities, and guidance to support current and future interpreters in meeting the communication and educational needs of Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind students.
- Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf: A national professional organization that promotes excellence in interpreting services through certification, professional development, and the establishment of ethical and professional standards for sign language interpreters.
Certification and Testing Programs
- Board of Evaluation for Interpreters Certification Program Exam System: A certification program of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services in charge of testing and certifying the skill level of individuals seeking to become certified interpreters in Texas.
- Center for Assessment of Sign Language Interpretation (CASLI) Exam system: Administers the exams that the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf uses for their national certification programs.
- Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) Exam: The nationally recognized assessment for sign language interpreters working in K-12 education settings that evaluates interpreters’ skills and knowledge of effectively facilitating communication between students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing and others in the school environments.