Transcript: How State Services Helps
[White text on blue background reads: How State Services Helps. Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing State Services Division]
Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing State Services helps Minnesotans who are deaf, deafblind or have hearing loss. We also serve their families, human service providers, employers and businesses, schools and others.
Four programs and five offices support independence and participation in life, learning and work:
- Regional Services,
- Mental Health Program,
- Minnesota Access to Communication Technology, and
- Community-based grants.
Regional Services
Regional Services provides information and resources related to hearing loss. This includes training and practical ways for people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing to improve their communication access and live independently. We also offer training to businesses and service providers on making services accessible to people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing.
Mental Health Program
The Mental Health Program provides mental health services in American Sign Language (ASL) to adults who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. We also provide crisis intervention, case coordination, aftercare planning and community placement help. We offer training to mental health service providers who work with people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing.
Minnesota Access to Communication Technology (MN ACT)
MN ACT provides accessible phone devices to people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. MN ACT also serves people who have a physical or speech disability that makes it hard to use the phone. If you qualify for MN ACT, we can also offer help with completing applications for reduced cost phone and internet services.
Community-based grants
Grants increase access to services in your community. They include:
- Deafblind supports, such as services for adults and children who are deafblind and deafblind communication training.
- Family mentors to help families with deaf and hard of hearing children learn American Sign Language (ASL) and other communication and life skills.
- Increasing interpreter capacity in Greater Minnesota through sign language interpreting services for funerals and 12-step meetings, and sign language interpreter training and professional development opportunities.
- Mental health services, psychiatric assessments and telepsychiatry services* for adults and children. (*Note: the grant for telepsychiatry services has ended since this was filmed.)
- Real-time captioning of live TV news programming statewide.
For more information
We also have many resources available through our website. If you have questions or need services, please contact us.