PRINTABLE FLYERS
Stop the Spread of Germs: English
Detenga la propagacion de germenes: Spanish
Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19): English
SINTOMAS DE LA ENFERMEDAD DEL CORONAVIRUS 2019: Spanish
Communication Card from the WA Depart. of Health
CDC's ASL Videos : Symptoms of Coronavirus 2019 - Closed Captioned
For more information: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
COVID-19 Vaccine
Please visit the Department of Health (DOH) website or view the resources below for information.
- How do COVID-19 Vaccines Work in Your Body?
- How COVID-19 Vaccines are Made?
- How to Verify COVID-19 Vaccine Information
- COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions
- A Message from the Governor about the COVID-19 Vaccine
Click on the video icons to view short videos from DOH: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/Vaccine
The link below will take you to the Local Health Jurisdiction (LHJ) directory posted on the ALTSA website:
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1200/LHJAgencyInfo.pdf
Washington State Resources
DeafBlind Service Center
Northwest ADA Center
Regional Service Centers
Nationwide Resources
American Association of the DeafBlind
Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA):
- Coronavirus Resources for People with Hearing Loss
- Guide for Effective Communication in Health Care
- Temporary Recommendations for Hospitals and Medical Facilities During COVID-19 Pandemic
- How do I Communication with Doctors, nurses, and Staff at the Hospital During COVID-19
National Association of the Deaf (NAD):
- ASL Resources for Coronavirus
- Guidelines for Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Healthcare Providers
- Communicating with Medical Providers during COVID-19
- Coronavirus Resources (Access to Information, Medical, Employment, Education, Media Kit)
- COVID-19 Related Policies
National Deaf Center (NDC):
Helen Keller National Center – Northwest
Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.
Communication challenges people with hearing loss will face when hospitalized with COVID-19 (Chad Ruffin, M.D.)
Excerpted below is a list that summarizes the communication barriers experienced by D/HH folks hospitalized with COVID-19:
- Patients can be too sick to keep their hearing equipment physically in place.
- Being confined to respiratory isolation can break the normal flow of communication accommodations:
- Respiratory isolation creates physical barriers
- Masks will not be lowered so that you can lip read
- Masks are being rationed, so doctors and nurses are limited when they can enter a room. This disrupts normal methods of using communication strategies such as video remote interpreting and even personal speech recognition apps.
- Being confined to respiratory isolation can break the normal flow of communication accommodations:
- Accommodations did not provide ideal communication. Significant communication barriers continued to limit medical conversations. This occurred despite much work by staff in a busy, but not overwhelmed environment. Healthcare workers naturally respond by communicating less information to increase efficiency. For patients, this makes it harder to make informed decisions.
- You may be the first patient with severe hearing loss that your healthcare professional has ever had.
- These communication problems are happening not only with the typical D/HH community (people who have CI or wear HA or use ASL), but even more so for many seniors with presbycusis, who are experiencing speech discrimination and are in isolation with only medical staff with a mask or someone behind a glass wall trying to communicate with them.
The Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing distributes information as a public service.
Online Directory of Services
ODHH Brochures
General Information for Consumers and Professionals
RESOURCES and LINKS on Diversity and Disabilities available for you!
- Careers with Department Services for the Blind Careers with DSB
- Internet Navigation for the Visually Impaired - Accessibility Guide - NVision Eye Centers
- Conference on Disability Advocacy 2020 Increasing Access and Opportunity
- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation DVR employment resources
- Employee Assistance and Resource Network Disability Inclusion EARN
- Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment GCDE
- Governor Inslee’s Executive order 13-02: Improving Employment Opportunities and Outcomes for People with Disabilities
- Hear from youth with disabilities in Washington about what it means to have pride in identity: Disability History and Pride Project
- Intersectionality Panel: Race and Disability Experts and advocates on disability and race
- Job Accommodation Network: AskJan
- Manufacturing Workforce Solutions for the Disabled Community Inclusive design solutions for disabled communities
- Southeast Region will host the "I AM ABLE – Access Ability Individuals with Disabilities" virtual meeting on October 6: I am Able: Access Ability Individuals with Disabilities
- Supported Employment Services Northwest Center People of all abilities
- Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation TVR Employment Resources
- The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program's (OFCCP)
- US. Department of Labor’s National Disability Employment Month Resources
- U.S. Department of Labor blog Advancing Compliance Solution
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions EEOC
- U.S Office of Personnel Management Federal Disability and Employment
- Washington’s Protection and Advocacy System Disability Rights Washington
Did you know?
Interesting Videos about Deaf Culture
Interesting Reads of ASL and Deaf Culture
- Gallaudet President Roberta Cordano navigates through both worlds
- Gallaudet President Roberta Cordano makes a statement on early childhood language development
- Information about American Sign Language
- These Hands
Interesting Resources of Inclusive Public Events and Meetings
- Like the Mic: This is a video campaign launched by Rooted in Rights and the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) to bring awareness that life should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to hear.
- Closed Captioning: Information about the benefits and requirement of turning on closed captioning at public places.
- New Seattle Law: Seattle will require closed captioning for TVs in bars, restaurants and stadiums.
- Let's Loop Seattle: Advocacy to remove communication barriers and open doors to employment, public accommodations, state and local government services, transportation, and telecommunications.
- Text to 911: Information about the status of Text-to-911 service across Washington State