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)
  • What is ASL? (Link)
  • Where to learn ASL? (Link)
  • Find ASL Classes (Link)
  • How to Communicate with Deaf Individuals (Link)

Captioning

  • Archer Captioning (link)
  • Cue Captions (link)
  • HearingBuddy App (link)
  • LNS Captioning (link)
  • Speech-to-text options (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-run Organizations in Oregon

  • A5 Interpreting (link)
  • Bridges Oregon (link)
  • Camp Taloali (link)
  • Cymaspace (link)
  • Friends of Oregon School for the Deaf (link)
  • Northwest American Sign Language Association (NW-ASLTA) (currently not active)
  • Oregon Association of the Deaf (link)
  • Rose City Deaf Bowling Association (link)
  • World Deaf Timberfest (link)

Deaf-owned Businesses in Oregon

  • Dave’s Automotive Shop, Newport (link)
  • Elizabeth Shuler-Krause (ESK) Advocacy & Consulting (link)
  • Jennifer Jo Deily Fine Art, Corvallis (link)
  • King’s Hookah Lounge, Portland (link)
  • Looslea Holsteins Dairy Farm (link)
  • MAXimize Your Tech (link)
  • Sign Class (link)
  • Tactile Communications (link)
  • Talking Hands Massage Therapy (link)
  • Tattoo Artist at Electric Chair, Portland (Instagram)
  • Tim Baker’s Lawn Care (link)
  • Woof Neighborhood Dog Wash & Grooming, Redmond (link)

DeafBlind

  • What is DeafBlind? (Link)
  • Oregon’s Medicaid Co-Navigator / Support Service Provider (link)
  • 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

  • Elizabeth Shuler-Krause (ESK) Advocacy & Consulting (link)
  • Engage-Ed Curricula & Resources for educators (link)
  • 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 Dept. of Education: Deaf Student’s Bill of Rights Toolkit (link)
  • Oregon’s Bill of Rights for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Children relating to Education (link)
  • Oregon Dept. of Education: Deaf Student’s Bill of Rights Toolkit (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

  • Build Preparedness: the Be 2 Weeks Ready tool kit by the Oregon Emergency Management (link)
  • Checklist for Emergency Responder: Ensuring Language Access and Effective Communication During Response and Recovery (link)

Hard of Hearing

  • What is Hard of Hearing? (Link)
  • Help to pay for Hearing Aids (link)
  • Hearing Loop in Oregon (link)
  • Hearing Loss Association of Oregon (link)
  • Hearing Loss Association of Lane County (link)
  • Hearing Loss Association of Portland Chapter (link)
  • Center for Hearing Access (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)

Hearing Aids

  • What are Hearing Aids? (Link)
  • Request for Assistance from Oregon State Eagles Hearing Aids Fund for children (birth to 21) (link)
  • Oregon’s Medicaid Coverage on Hearing Aids for Children and Adults (link)

Housing

  • Oregon ASL Realtors (link)

Hotlines

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (link)
  • Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon (link)
  • ASL COVID-19 Hotline (link)
  • National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline (link)
  • Deaf Crisis 24/7 Hotline (link)
  • Oregon Hate Crimes and Bias Hotline (link)

Interpreters

  • How to Interact with Interpreters? (Link)
  • How to Interact with Interpreters through VRS (Video Relay Service) (Link)
  • How to Interact with Interpreters through VRI (Video Remote Interpreting) (Link)
  • What is a Deaf Interpreter? (Link)
  • 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)
  • RID State-by-State Regulations (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 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 (2025 Legislative Session)

  • Legislature closes on June 29, 2025

Legislative Bills (passed)

  • 2025 Regular Session. Senate Bill (950): Allows the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters to establish by rule criteria for the issuance of a supervisory sign language interpreter license or sign language interpreter license by endorsement. (link)
  • 2025 Regular Session. Senate Bill (SB) 731: Requires public employer employment policies to provide for a pay differential for sign language skills in the same manner that pay differentials are provided for other bilingual or multilingual skills. (link)
  • 2023 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 2994 Modifies requirements for health insurance coverage of hearing-related items and services. (link).
  • 2023 Regular Session. Senate Bill (SB) 569 Requires closed-captioned television receivers in public areas within places of public accommodation to display closed captioning unless exception applies. (link)
  • 2023 Regular Session. Senate Bill (SB) 685 Modifies the definition of “Communication Facilitator” (link)
  • 2023 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 2696 Authorizes Health Licensing Office to issue sign language interpreter licenses to qualified applicants. (link)
  • 2023 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 2669 Bill of Rights for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Children relating to Education. (link)
  • 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)
  • 2005 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 3230. “Establishes Office for Services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Department of Human Services. (link).

Legislative Bills (did not pass)

  • 2025 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 3808: Requiring the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to adopt rules related to the certification of deafblind interveners. (link)
  • 2025 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 2133: Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a program to assess, monitor and track the language developmental milestones of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. (link)
  • 2019 Regular Session. House Bill (HB) 3206: Requires Department of Human Services to administer program to make support service providers available to individuals who are deaf-blind. (link)

Medical

  • ASL Access Doula (link)
  • 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)
  • Oregon Health Authority’s File Complaint on Discrimination e.g., mental health treatment facilities/homes and outpatient behavioral health services (link)
  • Oregon Health Authority’s File Complaint on Civil Rights (link)
  • Report a Patient Safety Issue in Medical settings e.g., no accommodation provided (link)
  • American Medical Association: Patient Interpreters H-385.928 (link)
  • American Medical Association: Use of Language Interpreters in the Context of the Patient-Physician Relationship H-160.924 (link)

Mental Health

  • List of ASL Therapists in Oregon (link)
  • Ethical Reasoning and Mental Health Services with Deaf Clients (link)
  • Language Deprivation and Deaf Mental Health (link)
  • Provision of Mental Health Care Services to Deaf Individuals Using Telehealth (link)
  • Treatment of Deaf Clients: Ethical Considerations for Professionals in Psychology (link)

Newsletter to subscribe

  • Oregon Association of the Deaf (link)
  • Oregon’s Hands and Voices (link)
  • Oregon School for the Deaf (link)

Oregon Laws

  • American Sign Language in K-12 Schools (link)
  • Oregon’s own version of ADA law (ORS 659a)

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)

Scholarship

  • Salem Foundation: Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Scholarship (link)

Self-Advocate

  • Civil Rights for Providers and Advocates (link)

Seniors

  • Avamere Chestnut Lane Assisted Living for the Deaf and DeafBlind, Gresham (link)
  • Guidance on Supporting Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Residents (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

  • What are the communication Devices for the Deaf Community? (Link)
  • What are Cochlear Implants? (Link)
  • What are Assistive Devices for the Deaf Community? (Link)
  • 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)

Transportation and Travel

  • Portland International Airport Visual Paging (link)
  • Portland International Airport Accessibility (link)

Video Access

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