Welcome to Smoky Mountain Center Click here for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services brochure (Adobe PDF format). Purpose and Mission There are an estimated 170,000 persons living within the 25 counties that make up western North Carolina who are Deaf, Hard-of -Hearing, or DeafBlind. When people with hearing loss seek help for psychological and/or behavioral health reasons they often find that services are not accessible due to language barriers or misunderstandings regarding the unique culture of deaf persons. The goal of Smoky Mountain Center Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (SMCDHHS) is to provide Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and DeafBlind persons living in western North Carolina access to quality mental health, substance abuse, and developmentally disabled services that are culturally sensitive and provided in the preferred communication method of the consumer (ASL, PSE, Signed English, Speech reading, etc.). Program Philosophy In rural and semi-rural areas, deaf services are basically non-existent. Deaf consumers seeking mental health services are often confronted with language and communication barriers, as well as cultural issues. For the most part, deaf people are confronted with a system that is inaccessible. Although mental health needs of deaf people are similar in ratio to the general population, it is estimated that approximately only two to ten percent of deaf people who have mental health needs actually receive services. Research points to a, “mistrust of providers” (due to a lack of communication and cultural awareness), “concern with communication issues in counseling”, and,”widespread ignorance about how to obtain services” as the main variables influencing deaf adults’ attitudes and beliefs towards mental health systems. Current laws and regulations that require public entities to provide fully accessible services to persons with a disability may best be viewed as a starting point for delivering truly equal services. The involvement of a sign language interpreter in a therapy session with a deaf person, for example, meets the requirements of the law, yet, it does not allow the individual to communicate directly with the therapist which is a natural benefit experienced automatically by hearing persons. Providing the opportunity for direct communication between consumer and clinician can allow the consumer to focus more on productive goals rather than focusing on communication struggles often found in the triad of Consumer-Interpreter-Therapist. Smoky Mountain Center Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services will strive to fulfill the mission statement by providing: Direct clinical services including counseling and therapy, case management, crisis intervention, and appropriate referrals for psychiatric medication services. Consultation and education to the professional service community, as well as function as a central resource to the various community service entities. Education and empowerment to the deaf community and families. Crisis Intervention. There are numerous controversial cultural issues within the deaf community and controversies between the deaf community and hearing community. Issues include but are not limited to the best way to educate deaf children, the choice of using cochlear implants, and the choice of using voice or sign language, lack of employment opportunities and/or discrimination on the job. SMCDHHS will attempt to provide factual and timely information to empower and educate individuals, families, and groups providing the many facets of a given situation or controversy based on professional research and professional experience. As such, SMCDHHS recognizes and encourages the view that being deaf is not a pathology and staff will make every effort to de-pathologize deafness to promote health and well-being individually and in groups, and in the therapy process and consultation/education. Services The goal of SMCDHHS is to maximize the range of services offered to Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Developmentally Disabled with hearing loss, and Deaf Blind consumers. Click here for a list of offered Services... Fees: Funding is made available through annual state grants allowing most services to be offered free of charge. For services which are not offered free of charge, Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance may be accepted. Additionally, a sliding scale based on ability to pay may be used for consumers who have no insurance. [ Return to the top ]

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