Resources for Deaf Individuals

 

Crisis Support 

  • Deaf Hotline: 855.812.1001
  • Deaf Crisis Line: (VP) 321.800.3323
  • Supports callers facing a variety of challenges and are victims of crime
  • ASL Accessible 
  • 24/7
  • Free and confidential service 
  • Operated by DeafLead
  • Can connect using a webcam (follow the link below)
  • Website: Link 
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 
    • Supports callers struggling with suicide 
    • ASL Accessible 
    • 24/7
    • Char, text, call, or VP 988 
    • Website: Link 

 

Ohio Community Centers for the Deaf

 

Other Ohio Deaf Service Providers: 

DeafBlind Resources: 

 

Reputable ASL Interpreting Agencies in Ohio: 

 

Captioning Services:

 

Legal Resources 

 

ASL Classes: 

 

Other Resources: 

 

Video Phone (VP): 

What is VRS? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuUXBcO4O6Y 

 

VRS Companies: 

Deaf Friendly Products: 

  • SquareGlow: https://www.squareglow.com/ 
    • Deaf Owned 
    • Provide flashers that flash in different colors to notify if someone is at the door, a message was received, etc. 
  • Flashing Light Doorbells: Link 
  • Bed Shaker Alarm Clocks: Link
  • Car Phone Holder: Link

 

Statistics: 

  • “About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears” – Source
  • Around 96% of deaf children are born to hearing parents – Source 
  • 22.9% of families with Deaf children regularly sign at home – Source
  • “Persons with deafblindness represent between 0.2% and 2% of the global population” – Source 
  • “15% of adults aged 18 and over had some hearing trouble without a hearing aid” – Source
  • “Approximately 303,000 Ohioans are Deaf or hard of hearing” – Source 
  • In a 2025 publication, “Members of the U.S. Deaf community experience higher rates of mental health problems than do hearing individuals… Although 63% of [Deaf] participants screened positive for one or more current mental health problems, only 31% of those individuals were engaged in treatment” – Source
  • “Although it is commonly reported that 25% of women in the general population experience domestic violence in their lifetime, estimates within the Deaf community are closer to 50%” – Source
  • A study on IPV among Deaf female college students found that, “more than 50% of Deaf survivors did not label their experiences of psychological aggression and physical assault as abuse, even when these experiences included severe harm (e.g., death threats, choking)” – Source  
  • A 2020 publication describes the types, frequency, severity, and trends in healthcare access compilations experienced by Deaf patients. “48.2% were ‘told an interpreter was not available’; 28.7% received an unqualified interpreter; interpreter was promised but not provided (18.5%)” – Source
    • From this study “for each additional year during the study period, complaints were 1.6 times more likely to have an interpreter promised but not provided.”
  • “More than one third of young Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals experience poor family relationships, suicidal behavior, poor communication, poor mental health and physical health, and a higher incidence of certain clinical disorders” – Source
  • “Children with disabilities are nearly three times more likely to be subjected to sexual violence than children without disabilities” – Source
  • “About 55% of Deaf people have additional Disabilities” – Source 
  • “About 14% of deaf people receive Social Security Disability Insurance, compared to 24% of people with a mobility or visual disability” – Source 
  • “Police are less likely to respond to reported violence against victims with disabilities than they are to reported violence against victims without disabilities. Police respond to 90% of reports by victims without disabilities and 77% of reports by victims with disabilities” – Source
  • “Survey conducted by the Spectrum Institute Disability and Abuse Project found that 70% of respondents with disabilities experienced of respondents with disabilities experienced some form of abuse by an intimate partner, family member, caregiver, acquaintance or stranger.” – Source
  • A study asked “Deaf and hard of hearing adults multiple questions about help-seeking and found that 
    • 87% preferred to seek help from someone who used ASL, 
    • 75% preferred that the person providing help be deaf, 
    • 56% preferred that they be hard of hearing, and 
    • 41% preferred that they be hearing.” – Source