Vermont Center For The Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Mission and Philosophy

Mission and Philosophy

The mission of The Vermont Center for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Inc. is to provide comprehensive educational and support services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, adults, and families throughout Vermont and surrounding states. This is accomplished through:

The Austine School, in Brattleboro, is an independent, coeducational day and residential school for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children age four to twenty two from New England and New York. Striving to prepare students for entry to college and career by making learning relevant to everyday life, the school provides a challenging academic program, sensitive to the individual needs of each student. The ultimate goal for every Austine student is to experience a happy, healthy and successful adulthood.

The William Center, located on the Austine School Campus, is an approved independent school and licensed by the Department for Children and Families as a residential facility for emotionally disturbed deaf children. All students receive weekly counseling from a licensed mental health counselor.

The Williston Regional Day Program in Williston, VT. is housed within a large public elementary school. It is a day program for Pre/K to grade eight students that utilize both mainstream and specialized curricula. Interpreters accompany students to all mainstreamed classes.

The Bennington Regional Day Program, in Bennington, VT., is a specialized day program much like the Williston Program for Pre/K to grade six students.

These four educational facilities are approved by the Vermont Department of Education and Vermont Department of Children and Families for residential programs.

VCDHH Consultant Program is statewide and provides an array of special services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from birth to twenty-one years regardless of their educational placement. Consultants provide children and their families unbiased information regarding language choice, communication methods and educational opportunities throughout the child’s developmental years. Families and school staff are provided with in-service training and ongoing support.

The Family Sign Language Mentor Program provides statewide, home-based individual sign language instruction and family support for deaf, hard of hearing and non-verbal individuals and their families

American Sign Language Program provides sequential, comprehensive sign language instruction to students and adults across Vermont. It also offers consultation and materials to school districts offering ASL for foreign language credit. Additionally, this program oversees and assists in developing statewide standards for ASL instruction. Family Services provides a full array of family-ased services that include educational workshops, social opportunities, parent-to-parent networking, community outreach education, ASL instruction, Deaf mentoring, a lending library and a parent newsletter.

Center for Audiological Services was established in 1971 as the Austine Hearing Center. The Center’s goal is to provide quality, affordable audiological services to the general community in southeastern Vermont and to students at the Austine School for the Deaf.

Vermont Interpreter Referral Service (VIRS) provides statewide interpreter referral services for ASL/spoken English/oral interpreting assignments in medical, legal, mental health, employment, educational, civil and recreational settings.

Vermont Parent Infant Program (VTPIP) is a statewide program focusing on the services and support of families of children, from birth to age three, with a diagnosed hearing loss or for whom hearing is an area of concern. This program is offered at no cost to all Vermont families.

Mental Health Services are provided statewide by masters and doctoral level clinical staff who are fluent in ASL and have expertise in working with persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Adult Services, also known as Access, is a community-based employment program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Access services include supported employment, case management, service coordination, community outreach, independent living skills instruction and vocational assessment.

Deaf Victims Advocacy Services (DVAS) is a program that serves victims of domestic and sexual violence who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. DVAS also provides training on working with Deaf consumers to involved agencies, including police departments, court personnel and shelter staff.

Vermont Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (VT EDP) providestelecommunications equipment for qualified Vermont individuals with a communication impairment or disability.

Austine-Green Mountain Lion's Summer Camp serves children from ages two to eighteen. It provides an opportunity for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and their siblings to experience the pleasure of summer camp. Each day is filled with educational opportunities using adventure activities, outdoor education models and environmental studies. Educational support such as tutoring or other services specified in each child’s individual education plan is also provided.

All VCDHH academic and residential programs are approved and licensed by the Vermont State Department of Education or by another department of the state government.