Providing Crisis Intervention for People in the Deaf Community

Deaf individuals may have complete or partial hearing loss. It is important to provide interpreters skilled in signing when attempting to provide crisis services to deaf individuals. It is generally not recommended that crisis responders ask family of friends to interpret for the intervention. 

Family and friends are part of the person’s support community and the individual may feel uncomfortable with them providing the interpreting. Most programs providing mental health services to deaf individuals do have access to interpreters who may be able to assist the crisis responder as needed.