How can I get mental health support and treatment as a deaf/hard-of-hearing person?

Note: NAMI volunteers are not medical or mental health professionals; we cannot offer medical or mental health advice. The material outlined below is informational, and we hope that it helps provide guidance toward getting support.

Know Your Rights

If you are searching for mental health care as a deaf or hard of hearing person, it’s important to know your rights. As a deaf or hard of hearing consumer of mental health services, you have the right to:

Ask for an insurance referral for a qualified mental health professional who has experience working with people who are deaf or hard of hearing
Speak with a mental health care professional in the language and mode of communication that is effective for you
Speak with a mental health care professional in a safe and confidential environment
Receive a clear explanation of your diagnosis and the recommendations being made for your care
Receive a clear explanation of the medications you are being asked to take, how they are supposed to work, and all the possible side effects you may experience
File a complaint if you feel that a mental health service provider has discriminated against you because you are deaf or hard of hearing

Requesting Interpretation Services

Many deaf and hard of hearing people prefer to work with mental health professionals that are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). If your mental health provider is not fluent in ASL, you have the right to request a qualified ASL interpreter. Sometimes, a generally trained ASL interpreter may not be enough to help you and your provider communicate specific, sensitive information related to your mental health. To ensure open communication between you and your mental health provider, you may wish to:

Request an interpreter that is specifically trained in mental health ASL interpretation
Request more than one interpreter
Request the use of additional visual aids

To learn more aboutASL interpretation for mental health services, read the National Association of the Deaf’s Position Statement on Mental Health Interpreting Services with People who are Deaf.

Resources

The resources below will help you connect to mental health treatment, support, and information as a deaf or hard of hearing individual.

Mental Health Treatment

National Deaf Therapy specializes in tele-mental health care for deaf individuals; their website offers a Mental Health American Sign Language therapist locator that is searchable by location, an information guide available in American Sign Language, statistics about mental health needs in the deaf and hard of hearing community, and educational videos on mental health and wellness.
Psychology Today offers a “Find a Therapist” link on their website. Use filters to search for mental health providers in your area who speak American Sign Language (ASL).
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Treatment Locator is a source of information about mental health and substance use treatment facilities in the United States and US Territories. Use the filter “Language Services” and “Sign language services for the deaf and hard of hearing”, along with additional filters such as service type, service setting, type of care, and payment accepted to find a provider that is a good fit for you. Contact SAMHSA via TTY at 1-800-487-4889.

Mental Health Crisis

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free, confidential help if you or somebody you know is experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicide crisis. Call or text 988, or chat at www.988lifeline.org in English or Spanish to be connected to a trained crisis counselor. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals should call 711, then 988, or access the 988 Videophone at https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hard-of-hearing/.
DeafLead provides 24/7 crisis intervention, advocacy, case management, interpreting, and mental health service referrals to victims of crime who are Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, and late-deafened individuals and their families. Contact through Deaf Crisis Line video phone by calling 321-800-3323, by texting “HAND” to 839863, or calling 573-445-5005.
Deaf Hotline is a partnership between Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (ADWAS) and National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) that provides a 24/7 domestic violence hotline for deaf people experiencing abuse; the organization also offers education on healthy relationships, advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or other types of abuse, and training on accessible anti-violence advocacy. Call the Deaf Hotline at 855-812-1001.

Other Resources

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) InfoLine If you or somebody you know has mental illness and thinks that your rights in the workplace are being violated, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) InfoLine at (800) 514-0301 helps people with disabilities, including mental illness, to learn more about your rights in the workplace and what you can do if your rights are being violated. TTY services are available for people who are deaf and hard of hearing by calling 833-610-1264.
National Association for the Deaf (NAD) protects and promotes the rights of Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing, and Late-Deafened People in the U.S by advocating for culturally affirmative and linguistically accessible mental health services. The NAD website provides information about the Model Mental Health for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals Bill of Rights Act, communicating with healthcare providers, video remote interpreting, and minimum standards for video remote interpreting services in medical settings.
The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes has a “Mental Health & Well-Being" resource page with information about caring for your mental health as a deaf person. This website also has a “Resources” section with information on accommodations, interpreting, speech-to-text services, and more.
SARDI Program DODA Meetings offers virtual Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings for deaf or hard of hearing individuals with substance use disorders. They also facilitate virtual Al-Anon groups for deaf and hard of hearing individuals who have family members with an alcohol use disorder.

Hours of operation Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. EST

Call: 800-950-NAMI (6264)

Text: 62640

Webchat: www.nami.org/help

Email: helpline@nami.org