The Special Needs Support Center of the Upper Valley
DEAF Logo

a young girl using sign language A deaf Dartmouth Medical Student with a vision; parents who miss the relationships and support from other parents; the program coordinator of Hearing Outreach Project of Vermont; the Boyle Community Pediatrics Program at the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, and Special Needs Support Center Of The Upper Valley - put them together and shake - and with work, planning, and trusting partnerships comes DEAF. DEAF stands for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Empowerment & Advoacy for Families in the Upper Valley. It offers programs for families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing. The programs are open to the public. Featured speakers have included physicians, psychologists, teachers of the deaf, experts in communication methodolgies and the nationally recognized audiologist, Carol Flexer, from Akron University in Ohio.

DEAF is currently working with DHMC to find ways to enhance the support families identified through newborn screening receive support and community resource connections. Hearing loss is the most frequent birth defect, and with universal newborn screening, children can be identified at birth.

DEAF also offers recreation - a pool party in the summer and sledding in the winter. DEAF is open to all regardless of communication choices and offers sign language interpreters at its meetings upon request. Childcare is available to families for DEAF's Sunday afternoon meetings. For further information about DEAF please contact Kirsten Elin at kirsten.elin@valley.net.

The SNSC-UV homepage address is www.snsc-uv.org