"Historically, the dominant hearing culture has relegated deaf people to social categories such as "handicapped" and "outsider." The history of oppression and exclusion of the deaf community -- although with important variations depending on the countries -- and the ignorance and rejection of the natural and preferred means of communication of many of them is a well-known and many times denounced phenomenon," (Munoz-Baell & Ruiz, 1999, p. 1).
Finally, there is a real deficiency of information in Deaf culture regarding hospice and its related services. Finding appropriate facilities can be a time-consuming and frustrating process.
The program: breaking down barriers
The purpose of this program is to meet the challenges stated above by providing hospice services that cater to the unique needs of deaf individuals. This will be accomplished through the use of educational classes and workshops provided in churches and community centers. Deaf persons skilled in ASL will be trained as volunteers and must be available on call when a deaf patient is admitted to the facility. Only those individuals with a high level of signing skills will be accepted. The volunteers will also be asked to accompany the patient to doctor visits as well as make needed home or hospital visits. However, volunteers will not replace certified interpreters who accompany the patient on office and doctor visits. Grief counselors will also be interviewed and possess ASL skills, and may include pastors, ministers, priests, and other religious clergy who serve the Deaf community.
Another vital part of this program will be to generate program awareness throughout the local deaf community by providing advertising and educational materials and possibly a Website.
Community outreach classes will also be a vital component of the program. These classes will help promote program awareness among medical facilities and staff and will also provide a resource for those patients needing deaf services.
In addition, deaf bible study groups and support groups will be offered to assist with the grieving and healing processes. It will be encouraged that family members of deaf patients be included in these classes to help provide the support their deaf family member and/or friends need.
Program staffing
Educated individuals, grief counselors, and religious clergy will make up the program staff. Volunteers will be taught by the core staff members with hopes that these individuals will comprise an extension of the staff. Additional volunteers may include current and retired medical staff as well as volunteers from schools, non-profit organizations, churches, etc. The intention is to find enough volunteers to help keep costs to a minimum.
Program funding
The program will be funded through a variety of efforts. Local churches and churches aware of Deaf needs will be solicited for donations and to perform community fundraisers. Donations from foundations, Deaf organizations, and private organizations will also be sought. Program staff will communicate with the overall Deaf community to generate other fundraisers such as bowling tournaments, sports events, craft and bake sales. Additionally, significant time will be dedicated to grant research. Some of these research resources will include:
Grants for Mental Health, Addictions, and Crisis Services: A published resource that provides information on more than 6,300 grants from 880 foundations for a variety of facilities, including support groups and bereavement counseling.
Grants for People with Disabilities: A publication that offers more than 8,200 grants made by approximately 940 foundations including a range of needs from blindness and deafness to family counseling and general care.
The Complete Directory for People with Disabilities: A Comprehensive Source Book for Individuals and Professionals. This directory includes information about national and state agencies and associations, foundations, camps and exchange programs, living centers and facilities, conference and trade shows and more.
Directory of Grants for Organizations Serving People with Disabilities: A Reference Directory Identifying Grants Available to Nonprofit Organizations: Short entries are provided that describe foundations that provide funding for accessibility, blind, deaf, developmentally disabled, and elderly programs and services (to name a few).
Program marketing: getting the word out
The key to success for any program is effective marketing. To generate interest and promote this program, advertisements will be placed in Deaf bulletins and monthly newsletters, Websites, newspapers, and agencies for the Deaf. Since word of mouth is very popular among the deaf community, additional advertising will also be pursued at local funeral homes, churches, universities and community colleges, community centers and clubs, police and fire departments, city hall, and the chamber of commerce. Along with advertisements, educational literature such as informative brochures and fact sheets will also be displayed where appropriate.
Educational...
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Deaf There has been a dearth of literature on the training and development of deaf and hard of hearing employees. This research attempts to highlight gaps in the research and suggest methods of improving deaf awareness in the fields of human resources and organizational development. The Americans With Disabilities Act requires all organizations to make reasonable accommodations to the workplace environment, policy, and procedure for deaf and hard of hearing employees.
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