Health care accessibility in the U.S. remains a significant challenge for the deaf and hard of hearing community. According to the National Association of the Deaf, many people who use American Sign Language encounter barriers when seeking medical care due to the lack of qualified interpreters at most health care facilities.
To address this issue, the local League for the Blind & Disabled has launched a two-year pilot program in partnership with Headwaters Counseling. This initiative aims to enhance access to mental health and substance misuse services for their clients. The League will provide interpreter services for both group and individual therapy sessions, as well as training for interpreters specializing in mental health and addiction settings. Additionally, mental health providers will receive training on deaf culture to better serve this community.
Funding for this partnership comes from a grant of nearly $300,000 from the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction. John Guingrich, president and CEO of The League, highlighted their longstanding commitment to the deaf community through initiatives like DeafLink, which has been part of The League since 2006. DeafLink offers comprehensive services including case coordination, advocacy, and assistance in overcoming barriers related to housing, employment, communication, access, and education.
Despite federal mandates requiring effective communication between health care providers and deaf patients, challenges persist. These include a shortage of American Sign Language interpreters in medical settings, financial constraints related to budgeting for communication services, and insufficient awareness of the specific needs of the deaf population. This contributes to health disparities among the hard of hearing, including difficulties in accessing mental health services.
Guingrich noted that interpreters have reported hearing-impaired individuals facing obstacles in receiving necessary mental health support, especially in settings like substance misuse groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, which often lack funding for interpreter services.
Studies cited by The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education indicate that while 20.6% of adults in the U.S. experience major depressive episodes and 31.2% have anxiety disorders, there is limited research on the prevalence of these conditions among deaf adults who use American Sign Language.
Rita Kersh, President of the American Council of the Blind of Indiana, who is blind and hard of hearing, emphasized the ongoing challenges in accessing medical information and services. She highlighted issues with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance and the need for accessible materials for individuals with hearing and vision impairments.
Existing federal laws, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, mandate that health care providers ensure effective communication with hard-of-hearing patients. This includes arranging for qualified interpreters rather than relying solely on family members or friends who may not fully understand the patient’s needs.
The goal is to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing individuals have equal access to mental health services and information in their preferred language. Addressing these challenges will require policies and resources that increase the availability of qualified interpreters and improve communication with deaf patients.
The collaboration between The League and Headwaters Counseling is a commendable step towards making mental health services more accessible to the hard of hearing community. The lessons learned from this pilot program could serve as best practices for future initiatives aimed at enhancing accessibility through improved interpreter services and affordability.
