Research Study on Alcohol Use and Trauma in the Deaf Community

Deaf Yes is recruiting!

Who can join?
Deaf
ASL users
Alcohol or Trauma Stress last month?

Possible benefits:
12 virtual counseling sessions - FREE!
Earn $$$

Interested?
SignsOfSafety@umassmed.edu

Now through 2028, the DeafYES! team at UMass Chan Medical School is recruiting Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing individuals across the U.S. for a research study on trauma and addiction!

We are seeking people who have experienced trauma-related stress and alcohol use in the past month. Participants may receive 12 virtual counseling sessions at no cost, learn skills to manage trauma and addiction, and earn up to $500 for completing five online surveys.

Who can join?
Deaf, DeafBlind or Hard of Hearing
Can communicate in ASL
18 years and older
Alcohol use in the past month
Trauma-related stress in the past month
Watch the Recruitment Vlog about the research study on alcohol use and trauma. See the DeafYES is Recruiting! flyer.

If you are interested in the research study, contact the study team at signsofsafety@umassmed.edu.
 

– Thanks to Northern VA Resource Center (NVRC) for sharing this news.

The Urgent Need for NG911: A Lifesaving Upgrade for Accessibility and Public Safety

Bald White man with black glasses and shirt. captions on side says NG911 by CSD with yellow background

We need your help in showing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that you support a major upgrade to our 911 emergency system. The FCC wants to hear from you! 

This upgrade, called Next Generation 911 (NG911), will finally make emergency services accessible to everyone, including Deaf and hard of hearing people who rely on making direct video calls in ASL without the use of third-party help. 

If you’re like most people, you expect your 911 calls to be handled quickly and without communication obstacles. But for those who use ASL, that’s not always possible. Read our blog here on why point-to-point Direct Video Calling (DVC) is absolutely necessary for emergency services.  

Read on at https://csd.org/stories/ng911-for-accessibility.

DAD Note: Thanks to Alanna Smith, IRI for spotting this as it relates to a similar story at https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/04/16/delaware-upgrades-911-system-live-streaming-photo-sharing/83105137007.