The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Program offers a range of services to Deaf, Late-Deafened, and Hard of Hearing Adults in Greater Boston and in the South East, North Shore, and Greater New Bedford/Fall River of Massachusetts (we subcontract for services in the Merrimack Valley and Cape Cod).
To make Independent Living a reality for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, we offer Advocacy, Skills Training, Peer Counseling, Information and Referrals, and Health Care Access Project.
Our priority areas are:
- Safe Communities
- Housing
- Assistive Technology for the home
- Jobs and Self Sufficiency
- Financial Management and Public benefits
- Assistive Technology for the home
- Wellness
- Health insurance – obtaining, keeping, using
- Parent Support
- Deaf Parent Supports
- Emergency Preparedness
- Preparing for Emergency or Disaster
- Basic emergency planning
- Youth Services (age 14-22)
- Transition Youth
- Learning about Housing
- Learning Money Management Basic
- Learning Job skillsYouth Leadership
Our Services:
Advocacy
- Applying for benefits (SSI/SSDI, Food Stamps, Medicaid/MassHealth, WIC)
- Finding affordable housing
- Obtaining legal help
- Having your landlord install safety equipment in your home
- Finding appropriate medical care and social services
- Help with schools and children’s services
Skills Training
- American Sign Language
- Communication coping strategies
- Survival English and Math skills
- Using a bank, a checking account, and a savings account
- Budgeting
- Obtaining and using equipment such as TTYs, Visual fire alarms and doorbells, and Assistive Listening Systems
- Transportation skills, using the MBTA
- Using a sign language interpreter
- Filling out applications
- Parent Support Group
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Supports for DCF parents
Peer Counseling
- Opportunities to talk with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing person and share life experiences
- Opportunities to share thoughts and ideas regarding communication issues
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Information and Referral
- Puts people in touch with specific services and benefits related to their needs
- Offers technical assistance and training for other providers (including medical professionals) who want to be more accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people
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Senior Independent Living Program
DEAF, Inc. Senior Independent Living Program provides services specifically to City of Boston seniors age 60 and older, and their families with a dedicated staff. For Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened seniors living outside the City of Boston, we provide services under our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Program (DHILS).
Health Care Access Project (HCAP)
- MassHealth in ASL!
- Do you have health insurance?
- Do you have enough insurance?
- Do you need help applying for MassHealth?
- Do you have any questions about MassHealth?
- CommonHealth
- Family Assistance
- Basic
- Essential
- Prenatal
- Limited
- CommonWealth Care
- CommonWealth Choice
- Health Safety Net
- Who?
- Anyone in Massachusetts
- Help what?
- Apply MassHealth (all programs), Commonwealth Care or Choice
- Picking a health plan
- Annual paperwork ‘recertification’
- MassHealth letters
- Find Doctor, Dentist or Specialist
- Healthy Programs! Information
- (Smoke stop, weight loss, health screening (diabetes, cancer, etc)
Contact us at HCAP@deafinconline.org or TTY/voice (617) 254-4041
VP Help? Yes, email or call for VP appointment
Sponsored by the Massachusetts EOHHS Enrollment, Outreach and Access to Care Grants
To request more information about the DHILS Program, please contact Carol Hilbinger at 617-254-4041 TTY/Voice, or fill out our online form.
VLOG Announcement (November 8, 2011):
Independent Living Program
