Our services are available to the estimated 90,000 deaf, hard of hearing and late deafened adults in our four county service delivery area encompassing Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie Counties. Founded in December of 1988 as an all volunteer relay service, our community services have been evolved and expanded over the past 20 years to our current level of service which includes:

Children's Hearing Aid Fund  

We have created a segregated fund for the sole purpose of providing hear aids or repairing hearing aids for children up to 17 years in age.  It is our goal to insure that no child in the 4 county area with hearing loss goes without an aid because their parents can not afford it.  This is done in conjunction with South Coast ENT.

Adult Hearing Aid Bank

Our Adult Hearing Aid Bank is run in conjunction with South Coast ENT to provide services to our clients at extremely low rates.  A qualified individual can receive a reconditioned aid for a total out of pocket expense of about $300.  This service is available at the South Coast ENT offices in each county.

Sign Language Interpreting Referrals

Many of our community use American Sign Language as their primary form of communication.  This service has evolved to a referral type system with Deaf Communication Specialists providing the Sign Language Interpreters for the Deaf.  For more information about Deaf Communication Specialists, please visit their website at http://www.deafcom.us/ .

Hear Store

For the convenience of our clients, we sell a limited array of difficult to obtain ALDs (Assistive Listening Devices).

Resource Library

We provide a supply of educational information to loan to any interested consumers.

ADA, IDEA & Hearing Health Advocacy

As more people desire to be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, the questions on accommodations required are becoming more frequent.  This area has been expanded to assist hard of hearing individuals in the area of consumer advocacy for hearing aid purchases.

Client Advocacy / Case Management

Advocacy and Case Management is our largest service provision and the most difficult to define.  The general common denominator under this service is “bridging the communications gap” and providing information and access to necessary services based on a total client needs assessment.  In many cases our deaf clients have an English comprehension level of 5th

grade or less, so deciphering written communication for them is a large portion of this service.

 ASL Classes (American Sign Language)

American Sign Language courses are taught by Robin Peterson, M.A., with HANDTALKERS, LLC.  We offer levels 1-5 along with Interpreter Training and FRID preparation.  For more information please contact Mrs. Peterson at HANDTALKERS@aol.com.

Telecommunications Distribution and Training Service:

The "Phones On Loan Program" is performed in concert with the State equipment distribution program offered by the Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI).  Distribution is done at our main office 4 days a week, on Tues. at the Vero Beach office.  The phones on loan program offers specialized telephone equipment to any Florida Resident who is deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired or deaf-blind.  Distribution involves evaluating the clients with respect to the proper equipment to be provided and then training them on how to use it. This program is paid for by an 11cent monthly surcharge on land line telephone bills.

Community Outreach and Education 

 Outreach and Education focuses on the prevention of hearing loss.  The Dangerous Decibels Program is a public health campaign designed to change the attitudes and behaviors of school aged children by educating them about the dangers of loud noises and how to avoid them.  Two years ago, DHHS launched a pilot project in four elementary schools in Martin County and four in Indian River County. This curriculum -- designed by the Oregon Museum of Science and History and the Oregon Hearing Research Center –  has now expanded to a total of 35 elementary schools and reached over 4,000 children on the Treasure Coast.  It is DHHS' goal to continue to spread the awareness to as many individuals as possible.

Emergency Notification:

We are currently pursuing alternative funding sources to sponsor an “Emergency Pager” test program. And we are working closely with Martin County Emergency Management to insure our clientele will be adequately served in an emergency.