Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center opened in 1984 as the only non-profit 501(c)3 organization in Central California dedicated to serving Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and Late Deafened individuals and their families. Our four offices (Fresno Headquarters, Central Coast Outreach, South Valley Outreach, and Merced Outreach) serve eight counties, which include Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, and Tulare Counties in the green area of the map. Most of our staff and at least 51% of our Board of Directors are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Because we value all people, we have made our offices Safe Spaces for our LGBTQIA+ community members.
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We provide seven core services as mandated by California Department of Social Services: Advocacy, Independent Living Skills Instruction, Job Development and Placement, Counseling, Information and Referral, Communication Assistance, and Community Education.
We also offer support groups and specialized services and programs, such as our Employment Development Department services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, “What Did You Say?” support group for the Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened, Reaching Out and Communicating with our Kids (ROCK) program, Youth Employment Services (YES!), DeafBlind Support Group, Blackish, LGBTQIA+ Community, and PRAISE-KODAtime, a program for KODAs ages 0-5 in our community. We strive to improve language and communication accessibility of local services for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community, working in conjunction with other organizations.
DHHSC arose from the heart of California, where we focus on our Central California Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. Our dedication to this community is profound, for we began with a small group of motivated community members in Visalia who wanted to make a difference however they could. From these humble beginnings, our journey through the years has always been guided by our love for the community itself.
DHHSC is strongly committed to open and equal access to all of our events and services. Please let us know let us know your communication needs so that we can provide you with services as effectively as possible.
If you have a request for special accommodations for an appointment or event, please contact us in advance. DHHSC adheres to an “of, by, and for the deaf” philosophy.
No person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, handicapped status or the ability to pay, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination with respect to DHHSC’s services. DHHSC’s facilities are accessible to all persons with disabilities.