From the Desk of
Jan Withers
Division Director

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

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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Communicate.


Collaborate.


Connect.

Upcoming Statewide Events

(subject to change)


NC Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Meeting

May 7, 2021
9 a.m. - noon
More information



Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) National Virtual Conference

June 24-26, 2021
More information

DeafBlind News!

 
Feeling Through, the first ever short film to feature a DeafBlind actor was nominated for an Oscar! The film was first premiered in Cary, North Carolina! DSDHH partnered with the NC DeafBlind Interagency Team to co-host the premiere at the Cary Theatre in May of 2019.
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At-Home COVID-19 Test Option is now Available

Getting tested for COVID-19 is about protecting yourself and your loved ones. To help ensure everyone has access to COVID-19 testing, the NC Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the NC-based Pixel by Labcorp®, has launched a pilot program to provide 35,000 no-cost, at-home COVID-19 testing kits for North Carolinians who face difficulties traveling to testing sites.
North Carolinians that are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind and have difficulty getting to COVID-19 testing sites are eligible for this program.  
The program works in four simple steps:
  • Step 1: Request a collection kit. Go to www.pixel.labcorp.com/nc and follow the instructions to request your at-home collection kit. Pixel will then send you a testing kit.
  • Step 2: Register your kit and collect your sample. Carefully follow the instructions included in your collection kit.
  • Step 3: Mail your sample back to the lab. Use the prepaid shipping envelope included in your collection kit to mail your sample back to the lab.
  • Step 4: Check your results. Using your secure Pixel by Labcorp® account you made in Step 1, check your test results. The results will typically be available 1-2 days after the sample arrives at the lab. 
To learn more about the at-home COVID-19 testing pilot program, and other populations that can be served, please see the ASL and captioned video.

Sean Baker

DSDHH Veterans Liaison
National Military Appreciation Month is celebrated every May and is a declaration that raises awareness about military service and sacrifice and encourages U.S. citizens to observe the month as a symbol of unity to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. In the spirit of appreciation, we have an opportunity to go beyond saying “thank you for your service” by raising awareness about the prevalence of hearing loss among service members and veterans.
 

Veterans are 30% more likely to have severe hearing loss than the general population because of their disproportionate exposure to dangerous levels of noise.[1] Among service members, combat experience presents a 63% higher risk of hearing loss than those who do not.[2] Fearing for their careers and other stigma rooted in military culture, many service members keep quiet about their hearing loss. These behaviors carry over into post military life and contribute to higher rates of unaddressed hearing loss among veterans. Over time, unaddressed hearing loss can increase the risk of isolation, depression, and dementia and reduce overall quality of life.

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DSDHH Receives 2020 DHHS Team Recognition Award!

Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), noted that the annual DHHS Team Recognition Awards honor “individuals and teams across our organization who went above and beyond to further the mission and demonstrate the values of DHHS over the course of this year. These awards not only recognize the hard work and dedication of our teammates, but also their commitment to each of DHHS’ seven core values.

At the DHHS Team Recognition Awards ceremony on March 25, 2021, Dr. Cohen honored DSDHH’s “Team Media” for embodying so well the value of Belonging. The COVID-19 pandemic struck particularly hard the unique community of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind people, placing them at a huge disadvantage when it comes to receiving information about the pandemic.

“Team Media” swung into action on two fronts: ensuring American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at all the live media briefings involving Governor Cooper, Dr. Cohen, and other state leaders and producing videos in ASL and with captions and posting them on DSDHH’s website and Facebook page. The nomination noted, “The inclusion of those whose first language is other than English and those who rely on text is an inspiring display of the value of Belonging.” Indeed, “Team Media” has been so impactful that the videos have garnered national attention.

A huge round of applause to the core members of “Team Media:” DSDHH employees AJ Sondossi, Lee Williamson, Donna Platt, Jeff Greer, Juliet Barbin, and the DSDHH interpreting team.

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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

2301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2301
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NC Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing · 820 S. Boylan Ave · McBryde Building · Raleigh, NC 27603-2246 · USA