Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

DMHAS Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind Programs and Services (DHOH)

 

American Sign Language (ASL) Public Service Announcement

 

Text-to-911 is now available in Connecticut. Screenshot of video.

Information on: DHOH Crisis and Emergency Services

Links to Resources are at the bottom of this page. 

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) Interpreting, Certified Deaf Interpreting, Home Sign, Tactile Interpreting, Signed English, Foreign Sign Language, other forms of visual gestural communication as well as Assistive Listening Devices, Communication Access Real Time (CART) and Video Relay Interpreting.

Each DMHAS state operated facility and program designates a DHOH Contact person who helps persons with disabilities arrange DHOH Services for that facility’s programs, services and activities at no cost to the person: 


  • Capitol Region Mental Health Center (CRMHC), Hartford: Laurie Mastrianni, Laurie.R.Mastrianna@ct.gov, Voice: 860-293-6345, Videophone: 860-856-6121
  • Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC), New Haven (in conjunction with Yale): Melissa Dennis, Melissa.Dennis@ct.gov, Voice: 203-974-7328 (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 (TTY Relay 711)
  • Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS), Bridgeport and F.S. DuBois Center Stamford: Roberta Goldberg, Roberta.Goldberg@ct.gov, Voice: Bridgeport, 203-551-7574; Stamford, 203-388-1612 (TTY Relay 711), Videophone: 203-612-5648                    
  • 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: Julie Pratt, LCSW, Julie.Pratt@ct.gov, Voice 860-262-5664 (TTY Relay 711)

DHOH Contacts at DMHAS State Operated Facilities

For other 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 (DMHAS OOC)

The DMHAS OOC Community Services Division approves DHOH service requests from DMHAS staff for events sponsored by DMHAS OOC Divisions.

DMHAS Funded Providers

DMHAS funded providers of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services are places of public accommodation covered by ADA Title III and provide DHOH Services to persons with disabilities on request without imposing a surcharge. 

Persons with disabilities who are clients, visitors, or guests of DMHAS funded providers should contact the provider to request either verbally or in writing DHOH services or other reasonable modifications.

Requests should be made as soon as possible to when DHOH services or reasonable modifications are needed to allow time for arrangements.

DHOH Resources:

Information on interpreter and other DHOH services is available from the following 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.
  • 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.
    • DAS DHOH Vendor List (this list is not inclusive of all vendors providing DHOH services and does not constitute endorsement by DMHAS of any vendor.)


Other resources Include: 

  • 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 on matters related to 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).

DMHAS: 

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 December 2023