Advocacy

  • Victims’ Rights Pocket Cards (link)
  • Civil Rights Fact Sheet (link)

American Sign Language (ASL)

  • Portland Community College ASL Studies (link)
  • Sign Class (link)
  • Western Oregon University ASL Studies (link)

Children

  • Position Statement on Improving Child Protection Services for Families with Deaf Individuals (link)
  • Position Statement on Quality Foster Care Services Continuum for Deaf Children (link)
  • Position Statement on Mental Health Services for Deaf Children (link)
  • Protecting the Rights of Parents and Prospective Parents with Disabilities: Technical Assistance for State and Local Child Welfare Agencies and Court (link)

Community

  • Abolition and Disability Justice’s Guiding Principles (link)
  • Community-Based Needs Assessment (CNA) of Oregon’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities: Final Report as of December 30, 2016 (link)
  • Hands and Voices of Oregon (link)
  • How many Deaf and Hard of Hearing people live in Oregon by counties (link)
  • Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (link)
  • Quota in Central Oregon (link)
  • Research & Resource Center with Deaf* community (RRCD) at Western Oregon University (link)

Crime Safety

  • Accessibility and Digital Security (link)
  • Know Your Rights ASL: Interacting with the Police (link)

Deaf-owned Businesses in Oregon

  • A5 Interpreting (link)
  • Clackamas River Growlers (link)
  • Camp Taloali (link)
  • Cymaspace (link)
  • Jennifer Jo Deily Fine Art (link)
  • King’s Hookah Lounge (link)
  • Looslea Holsteins Dairy Farm (link)
  • Pah! Restaurant (link)
  • PILEA Play (link)
  • Sign Class (link)
  • Tactile Communications (link)
  • Tim Baker’s Lawn Care (link)

DeafBlind

  • American Association of the DeafBlind (link)
  • DeafBlind Kids (link)
  • DeafBlind Interpreting: National Training & Resource Center (link)
  • Helen Keller National Center Region 10: Northwest (link)
  • Oregon Commission for the Blind (link)
  • Oregon DeafBlind Project (link)
  • National Center on DeafBlind (link)
  • Protactile Communications (link)
  • Protactile Language Interpreting: National Education Program (link)
  • For more information, please refer to the “Telecommunication” subgroup below.

Deaf with additional disabilities

  • Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization (link)
  • Oregon Deaf Autism (link)

Education

  • House Bill 3183 Toolkit: A Resource for Special Education Providers Regarding the Relevant Services and Placement Options for a Child Who Is Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing. August 2022. (link)
  • Language Assessment for American Sign Language (link)
  • Oregon Department of Education’s Kindergarten Ready Assessment (KRA) on Deaf and Hard of Hearing children
  • Report of 2017 House Bill 3412: Task Force on Assessments of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (referred as LEAD-K) (link)

Emergency Preparedness

  • Checklist for Emergency Responder: Ensuring Language Access and Effective Communication During Response and Recovery (link)

Hard of Hearing

  • Hearing Loss Association of Oregon (link)
  • Hearing Loss Association of Lane County (link)
  • Hearing Loss Association of Linn and Benton (link)
  • Hearing Loss Association of Portland Chapter (link)

Health

  • ADA National Network: Healthcare and Face Coverings: Reducing Communication Barriers for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patients (link)
  • Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Informational Videos in ASL (link)

Housing

  • Oregon ASL Realtors (link)

Hotlines

  • Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon (link)
  • ASL COVID-19 Hotline (link)
  • National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline (link)
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (link)
  • Oregon Hate Crimes and Bias Hotline (link)

Interpreters

  • File a complaint on a Healthcare Interpreter with Oregon Health Authority (link)
  • File a complaint on a certified or qualified interpreter with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (link)
  • List of Deaf Interpreters in Oregon by Research and Resource Center with Deaf* community (RRCD) at Western Oregon University. (link)
  • List of ASL Interpreter Agencies in Oregon (link)
  • Portland Community College Interpreting Training program (link)
  • Search for certified or qualified Oregon Healthcare Interpreter (link)
  • Report a Patient Safety Issue in Medical settings e.g., an interpreter agency sends non-qualified interpreter to the appointment (link)
  • Search for certified or qualified Sign Language interpreters with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (link)
  • Western Oregon University Online Interpreting Training program (link)

Late-Deafened

  • Association of Late-Deafened Adults (link)

Law

  • Oregon’s own version of ADA law (ORS 659a)

Law Enforcement

  • Deaf/Hard of Hearing Communication Card with Police (visor card, wallet card)
  • Community Proposal Directive for Law Enforcement Agencies (link)
  • Pullover Pal (link)
  • Oregon Legislative Update: Governor SIGNED on 5/6/2021! Proposed bill to provide “that the registered owner may request that registration cards issued for vehicles include that owner, or person operating vehicle, may be deaf or hard of hearing.” (link)

Lawsuits in Oregon (current & past)

  • Kristina Boswell v. State of Oregon, U.S.D.C. Case No. 3:22-cv-00502-MO (link)
  • Abraham v. Corizon Health, Inc (2022)
  • Viewpoint to pay $225,000 to deaf job applicant Indi Matthews for employment discrimination (2022)
  • Abraham v. Corizon Health, Inc: Deaf Inmate’s Disability Bias Claim (2020)
  • Disability Rights Oregon filed lawsuit on behalf of protesters with disabilities (2020)
  • Deaf prisoners: Oregon should use only certified interpreters, groups say (2019)
  • Springfield to pay $450,000 to deaf man injured by police officer (2019)
  • Ludwig v. State of Oregon: Employment Discrimination (2018)
  • DOJ sues Pacific Northwest on behalf of Oregon Veteran with Hearing Loss (2017)
  • Abraham v. Corizon Health, Inc: Clackamas County Jail failed to provide ASL interpreter service for medical treatment (2017)
  • Oregon University Settles Lawsuit over Service Dog (2014)
  • Deaf inmate gets $150,000 settlement from Oregon after claiming assigned jobs were discriminatory (2014)
  • Wolfe v. City of Portland: Police did not provided ASL interpreter in response to 9-1-1 call (2012)
  • Oregon v. Mason: Portland Police did not provide ASL interpreter to translate the Miranda Warnings (1981)

*Please let us know if we missed any current or past lawsuits pertaining to deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing Oregonians.

Legislative Bills (Current 2023 Legislative Session)

  • Senate Bill (SB) 287 Relates to the licensure of teachers requiring specialized training related to a disability. (link)
  • House Bill (HB) 2664 Bill of Rights for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Foster Children relating to Child Welfare. (link)
  • HB 2669 Bill of Rights for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Children relating to Education. (link)
  • HB 2696 Authorizes Health Licensing Office to issue sign language interpreter licenses to qualified applicants. (link)
  • SB 685 Modifies the definition of “Communication Facilitator” (link)
  • SB 560 Directs the State Board of Education to establish rules requiring the provision of advocacy services to parents of children with disabilities in relation to public education. (link)
  • HB 2994 Modifies requirements for health insurance coverage of hearing-related items and services. (link).
  • SB 569 Requires closed-captioned television receivers in public areas within places of public accommodation to display closed captioning unless exception applies. (link)

Legislative Bills (passed)

  • 2021 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 2498. “Provides that the registered owner may request that registration cards issued for vehicles include that owner, or person operating vehicle, may be Deaf or Hard of Hearing.” (link)
  • 2021 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 3183. “Requires parents of child who is deaf or deafblind or who is hard of hearing to be provided information about relevant services and placements offered by school district, education service district, regional programs and Oregon School for the Deaf whenever individualized family service plan or individualized education program is developed, revised or reviewed.” (link)
  • 2019 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 3205. “Expands Telecommunication Devices Access Program to include provision of communication facilitator.” (link)
  • 2017 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 3412. “Establishes Task Force on Assessments of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.” (link)

Medical

  • Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 ASL Video (link)
  • Oregon Health Authority’s Deaf/Hard of Hearing Preferred Language Card (link)
  • Oregon Health Authority’s FAQ Regarding Providing Interpreter Services to Individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing or Individuals with Limited English Proficiency in Medical Settings (link)
  • Report a Patient Safety Issue in Medical settings e.g., no accommodation provided (link)

Mental Health

  • List of ASL Therapists in Oregon (PDF)

Safety

  • Text to 9-1-1 (link)
  • Get A Smoke Alarm by American Red Cross (link)
  • Statewide Area: Smoke Alarms for Oregonians (link)
  • Portland Area: Smoke Alarms for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Portlanders (link)
  • Bend Area: Smoke Alarms for Oregonians who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (link)

Self-Advocate

  • Civil Rights for Individuals and Advocates (link)

Seniors

  • Avamere Chestnut Lane Assisted Living for the Deaf and DeafBlind, Gresham (link)

Sister Services

  • Northwest Human Services Connection: for the Deaf, DeafBlind, & Hard of Hearing (link)

Support Groups

  • ASL access NA, AL-ANON, NAR-ANON, and AA 12-Steps Program Virtual Support Groups (link)
  • Portland Deaf Access Committee of Alcoholics Anonymous (link)

Telecommunications and Internet

  • Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) (link)
  • DeafBlind MMX Videophone (link)
  • Free iPad, iPhone, and other equipment for Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing (link)
  • ICanConnect – Oregon (link)
  • Oregon Lifeline (link)
  • Oregon Statewide Assistive Technology Program (link)

Video Access

  • Oregon Department of Human Services’ Frequently Asked Questions in ASL (link)
  • Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) Card (link)