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From the Desk of
Jan Withers
Division Director
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It has been a little over one year since the beginning of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. I have been humbled and inspired by the extraordinary commitment of the DSDHH staff, despite the upheavals to their own work and personal lives, to ensure North Carolina’s 1.2 million Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind people have access to the information and resources they need for their own safety and well-being.
DSDHH’s active partnership with the Division of Public Health, North Carolina Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), NCDHHS Vaccine Expert Presenter Team and the NCDHHS Office of Communications has resulted in the development and dissemination of materials, videos and trainings designed to educate both consumers and vaccine providers on ensuring accessible communication at vaccination sites. Wonderful examples of training and informational videos in American Sign Language and with captions can be found at DSDHH’s website.
DSDHH’s seven regional centers have been working with their partners to connect Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals with local vaccination drives. DSDHH’s Wilmington Regional Center partnered with the Columbus County Health Department to provide interpreters at their vaccination drive-thru event in Whiteville. See next page for photos.
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Medicaid and Health Choice Communication Access Services
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Did you know that healthcare providers are required by law to provide effective communication to people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind? One reason many healthcare providers are resistant to providing communication accommodations is the cost related to these services. We are excited to announce that the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) can now assist healthcare providers with these costs through an initiative set up in partnership with the Division of Health Benefits. To be eligible, the Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind person must have Medicaid or Health Choice. Examples of visits covered are doctor appointments, eye exams, in-home health care, mental health counseling sessions and many more! Healthcare providers will be eligible for assistance in paying for services related to communication access such as:
- American Sign Language interpreting
- Cued Language transliteration
- Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART)
- Support Service Providers (SSP)
- Amplification devices
This initiative also covers assistance with communication access services for companions (e.g., parent or guardian).
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