Please be advised: The resources curated by ASDC are compiled from reputable sources and are intended to offer support and references for you and your family. This collection is not exhaustive, and additional resources exist that are not included here.
ASDC does not offer therapeutic or medical advice. We deeply value your mental health and strive to extend the utmost support possible. We encourage you to conduct research on the provided resources to identify the one that aligns most effectively with your requirements.
24-Hour Crisis Hotlines
DeafLEAD offers 24-hour crisis lines committed to providing a safe place for you to get the help that you need
Video Phone: 321-800-3323
Provides a 24-hour confidential crisis counseling via text messaging.
Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis support
If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency situation, please text/call 911. Learn more about text-to-911 or watch this short video on how you can use this feature.
If your area does not have text-to-911 available, please use TTY or relay service.
Creating Mental Health Awareness: Conversations with Signed by Stories
ASDC has partnered with Signed by Stories in a effort to support, promote and bring awareness to mental health wellness for the Deaf/HH community. Additionally, Signed By Stories aims to further mental health awareness, advocacy, education & support for Deaf, Hard Of Hearing, Deaf Blind, Late-Deafened and Deaf Disabled people through storytelling – and ASDC fully supports that mission.
Crucial Conversations
Starting in June 2022, ASDC and Signed by Stories embarked on a compelling series of discussions centered on mental health awareness and well-being within the deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) community.
These engaging conversations are broadcast live and accessible online throughout the year, providing an open platform for DHH individuals to share their invaluable insights and personal experiences regarding their mental health journeys. The discussions will encompass diverse contributors, including professionals, parents, friends, and families, who have played supportive roles throughout these journeys.
The aim of these conversations is to foster candid yet enlightening dialogues, shedding light on the mental health challenges confronting the DHH community. By raising awareness, the goal is to cultivate a culture of change that is not just inclusive but also responsive, empowered, and culturally competent. Together, we endeavor to create a more understanding and supportive environment for mental health within the DHH community.
Dates/times and access information will be shared here, as well as on our respective Facebook and YouTube platforms, and through Zoom. In addition to viewing the replays of each months’ conversation here, you can also find them on our YouTube channel and blog.
Learn more about Signed By Stories
Upcoming Conversations – Join us Live
Replays
March 24, 2023: “A Conversation on Mental Health and Wellness by Deaf Women Warriors with Cerebral Palsy”
Resources and Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities
For a comprehensive overview of Mental Health Services for People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – please visit ASDC’s Member Organizations
Gallaudet University Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Child Resilience Center
Gallaudet University Counseling & Psychological Services
Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center @ Gallaudet University
RIT/NTID (student focused)
Parenting/Therapy
Justice Involvement
Special Topics on Mental Health & Well-Being
(from the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes)
- Leading the Way: Eight Strategies for Deaf Communities to Enact System Change
- Self-Care as Part of Mental Health
- Mental Health Services
- Family Support for Deaf Teens
- Role Models as Facilitators of Social Capital for Deaf Individuals: A Research Synthesis
- Mental Health Care for Deaf Individuals: Needs, Risk Factors, and Access to Treatment
- Late-Deafened Individuals: Implications for Postsecondary Outcomes
- Family Context: Understanding the Importance of Siblings
Online 12 Step Meetings in ASL, Text, or Interpreted
Online Recovery Meetings
Click on the link below to open a list of online recovery meetings in American Sign Language (ASL) or meetings providing ASL interpretation. The list contains the dates, times, meeting links, and descriptions of the meetings.
DODA Meetings
If you go to the link below, you will see a calendar that has the days and times when online meetings occur through Zoom. You just click on the link and join the meeting. At the bottom of that page, is a daily thought/meditation in ASL. You can watch a different one every day of the year.
Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Online Directory of 12-Step Meetings – ASL or ASL-interpreted options
Outpatient Programs
Center for Family Services – Recovery Network for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Loss
Voorhees, New Jersey (Serves the entire state of NJ through telehealth services)
Provides services to individuals experiencing substance use disorders who are Deaf, hard of hearing or who have hearing loss. All services are provided by staff that are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and culturally sensitive to the Deaf community.
**Services are currently available via TeleHealth.**
Deaf Addiction Services at Maryland (DASAM)
Baltimore, Maryland
Provides dual-diagnosis services (addictions and mental health) for individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. All staff members are fluent in ASL and staff interpreters are present at all times. Programs include: Methadone and Buprenorphine Maintenance, Intensive Outpatient Program, Detoxification Services, and Mobile Addictions Counseling.
Bridgemark Addiction Recovery Services
Warwick, Rhode Island
Provides specialized services for the D/deaf. Individualized treatment plans.
Deaf Community Services – Signs of Life Program
San Diego, California
Comprehensive outpatient drug and alcohol treatment for Deaf, Deaf-blind, late-deafened, and hard-of-hearing adults. Offer short- and long-term outpatient services including individual and group alcohol and drug counseling, case management, dual diagnosis (alcohol/drug and mental health) care, assessment, information, and referrals.
