Useful Links

Please note: The links included on this page are intended to provide you with more information. We do not endorse nor are we responsible for the content or issues you may encounter while accessing the listed websites.

If you have links that you think would be valuable to others, please let us know.


    • Accessible Emergency Information - This Northeast Texas based site offers 18 emergency preparedness videos which are friendly to Deaf, Blind and limited sight populations

    • ACHIEVA - formerly Arc Allegheny, is western Pennsylvania’s largest provider of comprehensive services and supports for children and adults with disabilities and their families. Each year, approximately 10,000 individuals and their families come to ACHIEVA for assistance and support. Webinars are available through the site on a variety of relevant topics.

    • Advocate Health - Chicago based group that offers videos on several health conditions that are offered in American Sign Language.

    • Allegheny County Department of Human Services - This site provides information about various supportive services and related departments within Allegheny County.

    • Allegheny Health Choices Ombudsman/Advocacy Program - facilitates problem-solving between consumers, family members, providers, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, and Allegheny County that promotes the principles and practices of resiliency and recovery. The Ombudsman helps Allegheny County HealthChoices behavioral health care and/or drug and alcohol service users to:understand and be able to exercise their rights,find advocacy services in the community,and to navigate the complaint and grievance process. The service is free of charge and all information exchanged is held strictly confidential.

    • Alternative Solutions Center - This Deaf owned and run psychotherapy practice offers a video clip in American Sign Language about suicide and what you can do if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide.

    • ASL Deafined - ASL Deafined is a paid subscription-based website to have a full access to the ASL lessons and quizzes online. These lessons are designed for three different groups.

    • Center for Hearing & Deaf Services, Inc. - HDS’ Mission is to provide a diverse and affordable program of quality diagnostic, rehabilitative and supportive services designed to address problems experienced by children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing and serve as an information and referral source for this population and the general public. The vision of HDS’ staff is to be caring professionals serving persons who are deaf or hard of hearing with excellence, dignity and trust.

    • City of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Task Force on Disability - The mission of the city of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Task Force on Disabilities is to advise the Mayor and County Executives on city and county policies that will benefit persons with disabilities.

    • Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN) - The website is designed to promote awareness about emergency preparedness activities. In doing so, also we encourage networking among emergency responders and deaf and hard of hearing consumers for the purpose of such programs in local communities.

    • Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Service - offers videos in ASL to enhance awareness and education about crimes and abuse

    • Deaf Wellness Center at the University of Rochester - The University of Rochester has embarked on a depression screening awareness campaign specifically directed to the Deaf Community. Help is available if you suffer from depression. Check local resource directories to find help in your area.

    • DeafMD - This website offers physical health related topics in American Sign Language to raise awareness about important health topics and improve the overall health of the Deaf community.

    • Deafmd.org - The website offers information on diseases and illnesses, and diagnostic tests.

    • Disability Rights Network - The mission of the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania is to advance, protect and advocate for the human, civil, and legal rights of Pennsylvanians with disabilities.

    • Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh - The Fair Housing Partnership Of Greater Pittsburgh (FHP) is a private nonprofit organization established in 1984 to create, promote and support equal housing choice and opportunity in our community.

    • GettingHired.com - GettingHired.com’s mission is to create sustainable employment growth and opportunities for people with disabilities. More than 30,000 individuals have registered, at no cost, with GettingHired.com as Jobseekers. In addition to access to jobs, the Jobseeker functionality provided by GettingHired.com includes access to a robust suite of networking and career development tools designed to prepare individuals to enter the workplace, to connect with peers and mentors, and to be supported throughout the process.

    • Hearing Loss Association of Pennsylvania - The Hearing Loss Association of America is the leading organization representing people with hearing loss. HLAA provides assistance and resources for people with hearing loss and their families to learn how to adjust to living with hearing loss.

    • Helen Keller National Institute - Resources for Deaf-blind youths and adults

    • Interactive Guide to Access Planning - Sponsored by Phonak, the interactive GAP Learning Guide was developed to help teens and young adults with hearing loss to better enable and empower themselves as they make significant life transitions. GAP is the first guide of its kind that is interactive and combines the wide spectrum of resource materials used to support self-advocacy for young people with hearing impairment.

    • Low income and Affordable Housing in Allegheny County - The Department of Human Services Affordable Housing Resource Guide offers information about shelters and affordable housing units in the Pittsburgh area

    • McAuley Ministries - McAuley Ministries is named in honor of Catherine McAuley who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland in 1831. We serve as a catalyst for change, committing resources and working collaboratively to promote healthy, safe, and vibrant communinities.We continue the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy by focusing grantmaking on the Pittsburgh neighborhoods traditionally served by the Sisters—the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland—and the sponsored ministries of the Sisters in southwestern Pennsylvania.

    • Medical Interpreting - This site offers resources in interpreting in mental health settings, resources for interpreter education and continuing education resources

    • Mental Health Practitioners Guide for Working with Persons who are Hard of hearing - provides information and a wonderful overview of issues specifically related to behavioral health concerns of persons with hearing loss and their families

    • Mercy Behavioral Health - (MBH) provides a full continuum of recovery-oriented, community-based mental health, mental retardation, and drug/alcohol treatment and prevention services.Established in 1969, Mercy Behavioral Health strives to empower people to overcome barriers and to lead healthy and successful lives in the community. We serve children, adolescents, adults, families, and senior citizens in more than 60 neighborhoods throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.

    • National Alliance of Mentally Ill (NAMI) - National Alliance of mentally Ill is the nation’s largest grass roots organization for people with mental illness and their families.

    • National Association of the Deaf (NAD) - The Mission of the NAD is to preserve, protect and promote the civil rights, human and linguistic rights of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America.

    • National Court Reporters Association - Communication Access Realtime Translation is the instant translation of the spoken word into English text using a stenotype machine, notebook computer and realtime software. The text appears on a computer monitor or other display. This technology is primarily used by people who are hearing-impaired or who are learning English as a second language. Find information about CART on this web site.

    • National Organization on Disability Emergency Preparedness Initiative - The mission of this agency is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer services to make communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to public health, crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.

    • Network of care for Behavioral Health - Helpful videos are available about common mental health conditions which are provided in American Sign Language

    • Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) - ODHH provides three primary services: advocacy, information and referral for all people with hearing loss.

    • PA Affordable Housing Locator (PAL) - Housing vacancy information listed on this system is updated every month as vacancies become available in every county in PA. This is not only a list of affordable housing but also a tool to find immediate vacancies throughout the state. All units are rental and funded by HUD, USDA and/or PHFA.

    • Pennsylvania Bar Association Sign Language Interpreter Fund - The Pennsylvania Bar Association has established the Sign Language interpreter/CART Fund to reimburse attorneys who pay for sign language and/or CART interpreters to communicate with clients or potential clients who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

    • Pennsylvania Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (PARID) - PARID is an affiliate of the Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. It is the mission of PARID to provide state and local forums and an organizational structure for the continued growth and development of the profession of interpretation and transliteration of American Sign Language and English.

    • Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PATTAN) - PATTAN is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education working in partnership with families and local education agencies to support programs and services to improve student learning and achievement.

    • Raising and Educating a Deaf Child - intended to answer questions from parents, teachers and other professionals who work with deaf children. Approximately 90 percent of deaf children have hearing parents, so many times those parents feel overwhelmed and at a loss to find resources to answer questions they may have.

    • Resolve Crisis Network - Residents of Allegheny County may seek help by calling resolve crisis network 24 hours a day by calling Resolve Crisis network at 1-888-7YOUCAN or 1-888-796-8226.

    • Telecommunication Device Distribution Program (TDDP) - provides free adapted telecommunication equipment to eligible Pennsylvanians.

    • The Association of Medical Professionals With Hearing Losses (AMPHL) - provides information, promotes advocacy and mentorship, and creates a network for individuals with hearing loss interested in or working in health care fields.

    • The Health Care Quality Unit (HCQU) - The HCU works in conjunction with mental retardation programs in Southwestern Pennsylvania counties/ joinders to provide healthcare, training and technical assistance to group homes, family living homes and ICF/MR settings, so that all individuals with mental retardation living in Pennsylvania are provided with the finest community services in the nation.

    • The Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse - The office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has made the network of care for Behavioral Health available to all counties in Pennsylvania. The network of care is an online informational place for individuals, families and agencies concerned with mental and emotional wellness, substance abuse and developmental disabilities.

    • Ticket to Work - This site contains five videos (captioned & with ASL interpretation) from recent Work Incentive Seminar Events (WISE). Topics covered include: Introduction to work incentives, SSD, SSI, Ticket to Work, & ‘Next Steps’ in contacting & selecting an Employment Network. Thousands of supplemental social security (SSI) and social security disability insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries have learned how to stay in control of their benefits and still be able to work.

    • Transition to Adulthood - The Transition to Adulthood website provides information and resources for families whose children, youth and young adults with special healthcare needs are transitioning to adulthood, focusing on self-care and self-advocacy. Materials include brochures for families that help to prepare patients of all ages and intellectual levels for transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare providers.

    • United Way - As a community’s fundraiser, United Way of Allegheny County streamlines the process of getting dollars to agencies that are impacting critical community needs. The agency provides a superb list of community resources.

    • Visor card - The sites listed below are provided compliments of the Center for Hearing Loss. A visor card can be downloaded and put in your car. If you are pulled over, then you can safely and quickly express your communication needs.

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