The grant funds enable Program staff to provide outreach and training, to modify and develop materials as well as to provide treatment to deaf and hard of hearing persons. The treatment team includes a medical director, a program director, certified chemical dependency counselors, interpreters, an outreach counselor, a family counselor, a licensed teacher of the deaf, a chaplain, an occupational therapist, a recreational therapist, nurses, a case manager, unit assistants and a program secretary.
Staff are fluent in sign language as well as knowledgeable about and sensitive to Deaf Culture.
As a part of a major metropolitan medical center, the Program also offers a full range of physical and mental health services. The Program operates on a Twelve Step philosophy and offers patients the opportunity to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or other Twelve Step meetings within the hospital as well as in the community. Treatment approaches are modified to respect the linguistic and cultural needs of the patients. For example, patients are encouraged to use drawing, role play and communication in sign langauge as opposed to written work to complete Step assignments. Written materials used in the Program are modified and video materials are presented with sign, voice and captions.