DMHAS Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind Programs and Services (DHOH)
American Sign Language (ASL) Public Service Announcement
Information on: DHOH Crisis and Emergency Services
Resources can be found at the end of this webpage.
The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) complies with Connecticut Statutes and Federal laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
DMHAS state-operated facilities, services, programs, and activities:
Persons with disabilities who are clients, patients, visitors, and guests of DMHAS state operated facilities and programs can request auxiliary aids and services in order to have equal access at no cost to the full continuum of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services offered by DMHAS.
DMHAS facilities provide DHOH services, including American Sign Language (ASL) and Home Sign interpreting, Certified Deaf Interpreting (CDI) and Tactile interpreting, Signed English, Foreign Sign Language, along with other forms of visual communication as well as Auxiliary Aids and access to Communication Access Real Time (CART) and Video Relay.
DHOH Contacts at DMHAS State Operated Facilities
DMHAS state operated facilities and programs DHOH contacts help people with disabilities with DHOH Services at that facility at no cost to the person:
· Capitol Region Mental Health Center (CRMHC), Hartford
Melissa Dennis, Melissa.dennis@ct.gov
Voice: 860-293-6345 Videophone: 860-856-6121
Cell: 959-710-9365
· Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC), New Haven (in conjunction with Yale)
Dana Jacquemin, Dana.Jacquemin@ct.gov,
Voice: 203-974-7494 (TTY Relay 711), Videophone: 203-361-3370
· Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH), Middletown and Blue Hills Hospital, Hartford
Patricia Flint, Patricia.Flint@ct.gov
Voice 860-262-7192 (TTY Relay 711)
· River Valley Services (RVS), Middletown
Sarah Gadsby, Sarah.Gadsby@ct.gov
Voice 860-262-7192 (TTY Relay 711)
· Southeastern Mental Health Authority (SMHA), Norwich
Stephenie Guess, Stephenie.Guess@ct.gov
Voice: 860-859-4645
· Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS), Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center (GBCMHC) and F.S. DuBois Center Stamford
Glenn Alleman, Glenn.alleman@ct.gov
Voice: Bridgeport, 203-551-7574 Voice Stamford, 860-929-2980
Videophone: 203-416-8177
· Western CT Mental Health Network (WCMHN), Danbury, Waterbury and Torrington
Cliff Knight, Clifford.Knight@ct.gov Voice: 959-895-2355 (TTY Relay 711)
· Whiting Forensic Hospital (WFH), Middletown
Shantika Canty-Porter
Shantika.Canty-Porter@ct.gov Voice 860-262-5141 (TTY Relay 711)
For information on requesting reasonable modifications of DMHAS programs, services or activities contact the DMHAS facility’s ADA Title II contact person: DMHAS ADA Title II
DMHAS Office of the Commissioner
The DMHAS Office of the Commissioner (OOC) Community Services Division approves DHOH service requests for events held or sponsored by DMHAS OOC Divisions.
Requests from DMHAS OOC Divisions are submitted using the DMHAS OOC Interpreter Request Form at least 10 days in advance to allow time to arrange an interpreter.
Related webpages:
· DMHAS and Americans with Disabilities Act Title II
DMHAS Contracted Providers
Mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers contracted by DMHAS comply with Title III of the ADA.
Title III of the ADA requires places of public accommodation including DMHAS contracted providers to provide goods and services for people with disabilities on an equal basis with the rest of the public and remove barriers when easily accomplishable and carried out without much difficulty or expense (readily achievable) unless there is undue hardship.
People with disabilities who are clients, visitors and guests of DMHAS contracted providers must contact their provider to request DHOH services or other reasonable modifications either verbally or in writing.
Requests should be made as soon as possible to when services are needed to allow time for the request to be reviewed and arrangements made.
Other DHOH services
People who are not receiving services from DMHAS or a DMHAS contracted provider should contact one of the following:
- 2-1-1 Infoline provides information on sign language and other DHOH services. Call 211 (CT Relay 711 or TTY 800-671-0737) or visit the 211 Infoline website ( www.211ct.org ) and type “Sign Language Interpretation”
- Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) helps persons with disabilities and who are 55 or older. DADS, Central Office, 55 Farmington Ave 12 floor, Hartford, CT 06105 Phone: 860-424-5055 TTY: 860-247-0775.
- DADS Aging and Disability Resource Center, "Community Choices," links older adults, persons living with disabilities, and caregivers in Connecticut to services and supports: 1-800-994-9422.
o DHOH Interpreter Registry
Resources
· American School for the Deaf (ASD) Outreach Services, ASD outreach services includes fee for service certified sign language interpreting services to the public, 24 hours/7 days a week.
· ADA.gov, Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights Division ADA website
o ADA Requirements for Effective Communication
· ADA Coalition of Connecticut, (ADACC) nonprofit membership organization which educates organizations and the public on the ADA.
· Centers for Independent Living A statewide network of regional Centers for Independent Living which advocates for people with disabilities to live independently.
· Connecticut Association for the Deaf, (CAD) is a state association affiliated with the National Association of the Deaf to promote the rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing Connecticut residents.
· Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS). DMHAS and other state agencies use DAS approved vendors for interpreter services. For information on DAS vendors go to: www.ct.gov/das or CTsource Contract Board.
o DAS DHOH Vendor List A list compiled by DMHAS of vendors approved by DAS. The list is not inclusive of all vendors providing DHOH services and does not constitute endorsement of any vendor.
· Connecticut Legal Rights Project, (CLRP) is a statewide advocacy organization that provides legal services to low income individuals with mental health conditions who reside in hospitals or the community regarding treatment, recovery and civil rights.
· Disability Rights Connecticut, (DRCT) is a statewide advocacy organization and Connecticut’s Protection and Advocacy System for persons with disabilities.
· Hearing Loss Association of America, nonprofit membership organization with chapters in Connecticut which provides information, advocacy and support for people with hearing loss.
· New England ADA Center, one of ten regional ADA technical support centers.
· New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Marketplace, a division of Oak Hill School, NEAT is a vendor of new and used assistive technology for persons with disabilities.
· Relay Connecticut, (Hamilton Relay) provides telecommunications relay services for people living in Connecticut including, TTY, Voice Carry Over (VCO), Hearing Carry Over (HCO), Speech-to Speech (STS), Spanish and CapTel® (captioning telephones).
Links on this website were functioning when it was published.
This page was prepared by William Pierce, ADA Title II Coordinator, (William.pierce@ct.gov) Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Office of the Commissioner, 860-418-7000 (TTY Relay 711)
ACA Notice: DMHAS and other federally funded healthcare providers complies with federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Section 1557).
DMHAS DHOH Services Revised February 2025