NAD Announces Release of Two Mental Health Position Statements

Posted October 3, 2008

The Board of Directors of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), at
its April 2008 meeting, approved a new position statement on Mental
Health Services for Deaf Children and a supplementary position statement
entitled Culturally Affirmative and Linguistically Accessible Mental
Health Services. Both statements, recently posted on the NAD website,
were prepared by the Mental Health Subcommittee of the Public Policy
Committee. The supplementary statement is intended to be an update to
the 2003 NAD Position Statement on Mental Health Services for People who
are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

These documents will provide guidance to state and federal agencies,
consumers, state associations, and affiliates on appropriate mental
health service delivery for deaf children and adults. In addition, the
two documents reflect the belief of the NAD that access to language,
namely American Sign Language (ASL), is a basic human right.

"I am proud of the work that this subcommittee did. This subcommittee
had top experts in the mental health and deafness field from all over
the country," said NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins. "Together, they
produced two documents that reflect current trends in the field and are
a model for all states and service providers. Service delivery for deaf
children poses particular challenges that are unique and different from
those for deaf adults," she continued. "It is vital that optimal mental
health care for deaf children be available in this country."

The Public Policy Committee is chaired by Howard A. Rosenblum, Esq., who
has years of experience in mental health law. Liz Hill, LCSW, served as
chair of the Mental Health subcommittee, and was recently elected to the
NAD Board of Directors. Members of the subcommittee were: Robert
Baldwin, Sara Bianco, Barry Critchfield, Suzanne Dennis, John Gournaris,
Michelle Niehaus, Linda Russell, and Brad Trotter, Melissa Watson, Roger
Williams, and Darlene Zangara.

Click here to read Mental Health Services for Deaf Children
(http://www.nad.org/2008mentalhealthchildrenpositionstatement)

Click here to read the Supplementary Statement on Culturally Affirmative
and Linguistically Accessible Mental Health Services
(http://www.nad.org/2008mentalhealthpositionstatement)