Stavros
Advocates for Independent Living
Deaf Services
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Services (DHILS) Program provides services for any Deaf, late Deaf or Hard of Hearing people who want full communication access at work, home, school and in the community. The program is housed in the Springfield Stavros office at 262 Cottage St, but services are available to any resident of Franklin, Hampshire or Hampden County.
The DHILS staff work with their consumers in three main areas: Communication/Advocacy Services, Skills Training Services, and General Services. DHILS advocates and an outreach specialist work with their consumers in many areas, especially related to communication access and specialized equipment. We also sponsor many events for the Deaf and HOH community.
Communication Advocacy Services
The DHILS program works with their consumers to help them get specialized equipment such as TTYs, doorbell and telephone flashers, and new Video Relay Service equipment. Along with this assistance there is also a TTY loaner program available for when a consumers' equipment needs to be sent out for repairs. The DHILS staff will provide resources and training for consumers related to requesting and using interpreters in person and over the phone. Our staff also works in conjunction with many other agencies in the state to advocate for our consumers' legal rights in many areas including communication, housing, medical insurance, and schooling among others.
Skills Training Services
As part of the Skills Training Services offered by the DHILS program our consumers can attend workshops or get one-on-one skills training on a large variety of subjects: housing, finances/budgeting, transportation, TTY and Video Relay Service training and peer counseling. With our interpreted workshops we are able to bring in specialists from the community to educate our consumers regarding nutrition, health care, Medicare/Medicaid changes, purchasing homes, voting rights, legal rights, and many other subjects. Our goal is to help our consumers learn what they need to live independently and these workshops provide a constant flow of information in a format that fits their communication methods.
Other Services
The DHILS department makes referrals to other agencies or organizations when our consumers need assistance that we cannot provide ourselves. We also sponsor community activities, group meetings, and work with volunteer/intern programs through local colleges. Stavros' monthly clinics on funding and housing are interpreted, so provide information to our consumers as well as the general deaf/hard of hearing community, and our outreach program continues to reach new consumers.
DHILS Staff
Paul Batch: Director/Deaf Advocate pbatch@stavros.org
Eva-Maria Brancewicz: Deaf Advocate ebrancewicz@stavros.org
Springfield office 413 781 5555