Description:

Mission
The mission of the NJ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) is to provide education, advocacy and direct services to eliminate barriers and promote increased accessibility to programs, services, and information routinely available to the state’s general population. If you are a deaf or hard of hearing person and are experiencing barriers to services and programs, DDHH has a deaf language advocacy program, staffed by deaf and hard of hearing specialists, that can advocate for you in a variety of ways.

DDHH deaf and hard of hearing specialists can help you access information you need, or go with you to meetings, in a supportive role. The deaf and hard of hearing specialists can link you to other resources that can help you access the services and programs you need.

DDHH Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialists:

-Work to eliminate language barriers that many deaf and hard of hearing people face in accessing everyday services
-Provide support so that the consumer's concerns and views are given value.
-Give information in a language-accessible manner so that the consumer can make informed choices and are aware of their rights.
-Work to empower the consumer to advocate for themselves in the future.

Principles of DDHH deaf and hard of hearing specialists:

-Putting people first - advocating for the needs of the consumer in a language-accessible manner
-Confidentiality – not disclosing information unless instructed by consumer
-Accessibility – adapting services to meet individual consumer's needs
-Empowerment – empowering consumers so they can do as much themselves as possible.
-Accountability – information relayed to consumer from reliable sources
-Clarity of purpose – clear expectations of what consumers can and cannot expect from advocacy