Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Program Teresa O'Brien - Supervisor of Deaf and Hard of Hearing unit The Office of Rehabilitation Services helps individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing obtain services to meet their needs, provides counseling and guidance to help plan vocational goals and services, assists the individuals to obtain employment. They serve as a resource to professionals, state agencies, community organizations, and the public providing information related to employment, training and accommodations for persons who have a hearing loss. Clear communication between the vocational rehabilitation counselors and the individual with the hearing loss is the key to successful vocational rehabilitation services. These counselors use the deaf or hard of hearing person's preferred communication method and have a good understanding of the abilities and problems of deaf or hard of hearing individuals. Services available may include: vocational counseling and guidance; vocational evaluation to determine skills, abilities, and potential to work; vocational training; purchase of hearing aids and appropriate communications devices; interpreter services for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining employment; job placement assistance; and rehabilitation technology services. Resource Links Deaf & Hard of Hearing Brochure (Espanol) Deaf Life Magazinehttp://www.deaflife.com/ Deaf Linxhttp://www.deaflinx.com Deaf Nationhttp://deafnation.com Hearing Loss Association of Americahttp://www.hearingloss.org Helen Keller National Centerhttp://hknc.org/ National Association of the Deafhttp://www.nad.org Questions and Answers About Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Acthttps://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/qa_deafness.cfm Relay RIhttp://www.hamiltonrelay.com/state_711_relay/index.html Rhode Island Association of the Deafhttp://riadeaf.blogspot.com RI Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan (ATEL) Program/programs/atel Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearinghttp://www.cdhh.ri.gov/ Rhode Island Registry of Interpretershttp://www.ririd.org Rhode Island School for the Deafhttp://www.rideaf.net Tips for Applicants with Disabilities on Getting Federal Jobshttps://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/abc_applicants_with_disabilities.cfm For more information on this program, please contact Teresa O'Brien, Supervisor, at 401.787.2984 or by email at teresa.obrien@ors.ri.gov.