Deaf Services

Deaf Case Management

Employee and Family Resources’ Deaf Case Management is a unique program that assists deaf individuals and their families in envisioning and realizing health and wellness. Case manager may assist clients with a variety of areas such as social skills, housing, safety, training, education, employment, health, mental health, and substance abuse.

Employee and Family Resources’ Case Manager is deaf and fluent in American Sign Language. The case manager works with deaf and hard of hearing individuals and families to identify and prioritize problems, set goals, facilitate access to services, monitor progress, and track outcomes. Wrap-around case management is provided in their own home or in any other community setting as needed to facilitate accessibility and resource development.

Employee and Family Resources is HIPAA compliant. All services are provided in accordance with state and federal guidelines regarding confidentiality and privacy.

Sign Language Interpreting

Employee and Family Resources’ Sign Language Interpreters are Iowa Licensed and Nationally Certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. In addition to staff interpreters, we also maintain a network of highly skilled contract interpreters. All interpreters are held to the highest ethical standards, Code of Professional Conduct, required by the National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Additionally, interpreters are required to earn CEUs to maintain quality of services.

We offer interpreting services in American Sign Language (ASL), contact variety sign language, English signed systems, tactile interpretation, and spoken English. Teamed interpreters are available for assignments exceeding one hour. Fee-for-service interpretation is available to the general community (i.e. medical, social services, trainings/conferences, employment, and more.) United Way of Central Iowa, through Employee & Family Resources, provides no-cost sign language interpreters for client services to their programs receiving funding. All of Employee and Family Resources’ programs are accessible. Simply request a sign language interpreter when you make an appointment with one of our programs or contact us to arrange services with the program(s) listed on our website.

The benefits of hiring an interpreter, other than the obvious compliance with State and Federal laws, are the accurate and nonbiased relaying of information. Successful deaf employees depend on clear communication of employment expectations, safety instruction, and can offer employers a unique perspective on production improvements and efficiencies. Customers are satisfied, employees are successful, and clients succeed when communication is effectively facilitated!

Education

Employee and Family Resources offer a number of trainings on Deaf Culture and the use of interpreters. Our highly acclaimed workshop “Deaf, Deaf World” has received statewide attention as a moving and impactful diversity training. This workshop illustrates what it might be like for individuals to live in a world where the dominant mode of communication (visual/gestural) is different from one’s own (oral/aural). In the “Deaf, Deaf World” the tables are turned on hearing people. For a portion of this training, participants are not be allowed to use speech to communicate, but rather use whatever skills and ingenuity they have available to get their information, needs, or requests across to the workshop leaders. Participants then have an opportunity to discuss their experiences and the barriers faced.