Expansion of Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Clients

摘要

This project was conducted from January 1976 through December 1978 to increase use of and accessibility to the full range of vocational rehabilitation services by and for the deaf and hard - of - hearing population in New Jersey. Objectives were to increase the number of deaf persons served by the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (NJDVRS), to improve the quality and quantity of NJDVRS programs for deaf and hard - of - hearing programs by employing staff specialized in hearing impairment and associated communication modes, and to increase the availability of ancillary services for deaf and hard - of - hearing persons through specialized staff efforts. Staff responsibilities in the project were defined, and relevant training was provided. Four major accomplishments were realized: (1) increase in New Jersey professionals and service providers skilled in working with deaf and hard - of - hearing rehabilitation clients; (2) increase in skills and expertise of NJDVRS staff; (3) increase in the quality of services provided (evaluation, hearing aids, training, communication skills, job readiness counseling and job development, group sessions, coordination, counseling, service lists, new forms and policies, and cooperative working arrangements with the New Jersey Division of the Deaf); and (4) increase in the quantity of services provided (cases served and cases rehabilitated). Problems encountered in the course of the project pertained to New Jersey civil service regulations, the coordination of services in highly populated areas, hearing - impaired staff, hearing aid pricing, the availability and payment of interpreters, electronic data processing and coding, the naivety of service providers, and deaf consumer education regarding the vocational rehabilitation role. Plans for the continuation of project activities are discussed. Supplementary data and statistics on project results are appended.