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DHHCRC Mental Health Awareness ASL Videos

ASL video about the topic of human trafficking. This video includes a definition of human trafficking and other related key terms. It discusses risks and protective factors and identifies national and DHH-specific supports available.

ASL video, adapted from a resource developed by the NCTSN, about how to talk to children about mass shootings. It provides information about how to start a conversation, common reactions children may have, and how to seek help.

ASL video, adapted from a resource developed by the NCTSN, about how to talk to children about mass shootings. It provides information about feeling common response to mass violence events like feeling afraid or unsafe and making everyday issues worse and how to take care of yourself.

ASL video, adapted from a resource developed by the NCTSN, about coping after mass violence for teens. It provides information about common emotional responses to mass violence events, specially for teens, and how to empower teenagers themselve.

ASL video, adapted from a resource developed by the NCTSN, about age related reactions to a traumatic event. It provides information about potential physical and emotional reactions categorized by age groups such as young school-age children, school-age children, and adolescents, and offers guidance on how to help children cope.

DHHCRC Infographics

Spread awareness on what Language Deprivation means.

The infographic provides an overview of language deprivation, clarifies misconceptions about sign language, illustrates the challenges faced by individuals with language deprivation, and highlights the importance of early access to language for deaf children to prevent this condition.

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Share what Culturally and Linguistically Affirmative Mental Health Care should look like.

This infographic depicts a mental health provider preparing for a session with a DHH client, highlighting the importance of self-reflection on biases, knowledge about the DHH community, and adapting the environment for effective communication. It also suggests best practices for DHH clients, emphasizing personal and cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills, as well as the significance of feedback in refining care for DHH individuals.

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Share Clinical Decision-Making for Culturally Affirmative Care of DHH Clients

This infographic outlines a framework for clinical decision-making tailored to the needs of DHH clients. It emphasizes the integration of three key elements: clinical factors, available research, and clinical expertises. The infographic highlights how each component contributes to creating a supportive environment for DHH clients, focusing on understanding the unique cultural and communication needs of the DHH community.

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DHHCRC Sponsored Mental Health Intervention

What is PCIT?

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach designed to improve the parent-child relationship and address behavioral and emotional issues in young children. Developed by Sheila Eyberg in the 1970s, PCIT combines play and behavior therapy elements to create a structured and effective intervention.

Two Phases:

Child-Directed Interaction (CDI): In this phase, parents learn to interact positively with their child through play. They use specific skills such as praises, reflections, and behavioral descriptions to reinforce positive behavior.

Pride Skill
PRIDE skills in PCIT are a set of positive interaction techniques designed to improve the parent-child relationship and encourage positive behaviors in children.

Avoid Skill
“Avoid” skills refer to behaviors that parents should avoid during interactions with their children to prevent reinforcing negative behaviors and create a positive and supportive environment.

Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI): This phase focuses on teaching parents effective discipline strategies. Parents are coached in using developmentally appropriate consistent consequences for inappropriate behaviors.

Effective Commands
Effective commands in PCIT are designed to increase the likelihood of compliance from the child and to enhance positive interactions between the parent and child.

Publication

The DHHCRC has published groundbreaking research on adapting Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Deaf families using ASL, enhancing culturally affirmative mental health services.

View the Publication

PCIT International

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) helps parents manage young children’s behavior through live coaching, improving communication and discipline strategies.

PCIT for Parents

SMART stands for Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment, an innovative mental health therapy for children and adolescents who have experienced complex trauma to help them with emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal regulation

What is SMART?

SMART stands for Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment.

SMART utilizes an array of therapeutic equipment, such as weighted blankets, balance beams, fitness balls, and large cushions, in shared play to support children’s natural ways of regulating their bodies and their emotions to facilitate attachment-building, and to allow for embodied processing of traumatic experiences.

The treatment blends movement and relationship to regulate arousal states and powerful affect, thereby engaging the subcortical and cortical neural pathways to increase behavioral and psychological integration.

Foundation of SMART: SMART is a therapeutic modality that incorporates somatic movement to support healing from traumatic experience in youth.

SMART Spiral: SMART Spiral helps the clinician understand the therapeutic processes that occur in SMART therapy.

Summary of SMART Spiral?

SMART Spiral shows the therapeutic processes in SMART therapy, both in sessions and over the course of treatment. This happens naturally in each session. There are three threads: Somatic Regulation, Trauma Processing and Attachment-Building.

Publications

Warner, E., Westcott, A., Cook, A., & Finn, H. (2020). Transforming trauma in children and adolescents: An embodied approach to somatic regulation, trauma processing, and Attachment Building. North Atlantic Books.

National Resource 

American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) 

  • https://deafchildren.org/
  • This resource offers many resources designed to empower families of Deaf and hard-of-hearing children. It provides a wide range of support, including online ASL classes, Deaf mentors, and family-centered events. The organization also offers valuable resources for parents and educators on topics such as navigating the IEP process and promoting mental health wellness within the Deaf community. Materials and events are available in English and Spanish.

Deaf Latinos y Familias Organization

  • https://deaflatinosyfamilias.org/
  • This resource includes weekly family ASL classes in Spanish, workshops on building strong family bonds and advocacy, and community events aimed at strengthening relationships between parents and their Deaf children. The organization focuses on empowering parents to become effective advocates for their children’s education and communication access, while also fostering a sense of unity within the community. All resources are designed to support families in maintaining both their Latinx cultural heritage and a strong connection to the Deaf community.

Hands & Voice

  • https://www.handsandvoices.org/resources/OUR/index.htm
  • This resource offers a variety of tools and educational materials aimed at helping families of D/HH children protect their children from abuse, neglect, and bullying. Hands & Voices provides accessible webinars, articles, and guides focused on child safety, trauma, and navigating difficult conversations about abuse. The resource includes practical strategies for parents and professionals on creating safe environments both at home and in educational settings. Additionally, the resource offers materials to help families advocate for the inclusion of safety plans in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs). Resources are available in English, with some materials also offered in Spanish. All video content is captioned for accessibility.

National Deaf Center

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Facts for Families Guide

American Academy of Pediatrics: Mental Health Resources for Families

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Parenting Videos

Child Mind Institute: Video and Topic Resources

  • https://childmind.org/resources/video-resources/
  • https://childmind.org/topics-a-z/
  • The video resources option leads to a video library of content covering various topics and tips for families. All videos are in English with closed captions available. The topics option leads to article resources separated by topic, and all articles here are available in English and Spanish with an option to listen to the articles read aloud in both languages. 

Florida International University: Center for Children and Families Parent Resources

  • https://effectivechildtherapy.fiu.edu/parents/
  • This general resource provides video interviews with mental health professionals on a number of topics focusing on common parent questions and concerns on a variety of mental health related topics. All videos are in English and closed captioned. 

Medline Plus: Child Mental Health

  • https://medlineplus.gov/childmentalhealth.html
  • This general resource provides articles and printouts for both parents and children on a variety of topics including specific disorders, types of treatment, and the process of diagnosis. Tools to help families find a psychologist or psychiatrist are also included. All resources are available in English and some are also available in Spanish. 

Mental Health America: Resources for Parents

National Academies of Science: Tools for supporting emotional well-being in children and youth

  • https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/other/dbasse/wellbeing-tools/interactive/
  • This general resource provides video and downloadable PDF resources to help parents promote emotional wellness skills in children of all ages. The additional resources tab offers resources aimed at more specific groups as well as support for families on mental health and other key issues. This resource is available in English with closed captioning available on videos. 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

  • https://www.nctsn.org/
  • This network website offers a wide range of resources designed to support families, educators, and professionals in addressing the needs of children affected by trauma. The organization provides educational materials on trauma-informed care, including strategies for supporting children’s mental health and emotional well-being. Resources cover topics such as trauma recovery, post-traumatic stress, and resilience-building. NCTSN also offers specific guidance for working with diverse populations, including Deaf and hard-of-hearing children, with some materials available in ASL, Spanish and other languages. The website features toolkits, webinars, and research-based guides to help individuals and organizations promote healing and safety for children experiencing trauma.

National Institute of Mental Health

Project Teach: Parent and Family Page

  • https://projectteachny.org/parent-and-family-resources/
  • This general resource for parents provides a number of video and article resources on a variety of mental health related and parenting topics. Videos are closed captioned, and PDFs are available in English, Bengali, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, and Simple Chinese. Some phone numbers and office locations are specific to the state of New York

Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology: Effective Child Therapy

University of Rochester, Golisano Children’s Hospital

  • https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/behavioral-health-wellness/resources-for-families.aspx
  • This general resource offers webinars, mental health text, phone, and online direct support resources, web based trainings, and other articles and information related to mental health and parenting. Some resources listed here are specific to the Rochester, NY area. All resources are available in English, while some are also available in Spanish. Videos are closed captioned and some webinars have ASL interpretation.

Books and Scholarly Articles 

  • Books
    • Glickman, N. S., & Hall, W. C. (2018). Language Deprivation and Deaf Mental Health. Routledge
  • Articles
    • Johnson, P., Cawthon, S., Fink, B., Wendel, E., & Schoffstall, S. (2018). Trauma and resilience among Deaf individuals. The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 23(4), 317–330. https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed/eny024
    • Bower, C. M., Reilly, B. K., Richerson, J. E., & Hecht, J. L. (2023). Hearing assessment in infants, children, and adolescents: Recommendations beyond neonatal screening. Pediatrics, 152(3). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-063288
    • Hall, W. C., Dye, T. D. V., & Siddiqi, S. (2023). Associations of childhood hearing loss and adverse childhood experiences in Deaf adults. PLOS ONE, 18(6), e0287024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287024
    • Kushalnagar, P., Ryan, C., Paludneviciene, R., Spellun, A., & Gulati, S. (2020). Adverse childhood communication experiences associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases in adults who are deaf. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 59(4), 548-554.

Blog: Language deprivation and Mental health, Neil Glickman

  • https://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/Glickman_Language_Deprivation_Article.pdf
  • This resource by Dr. Neil Glickman, explores the critical intersection of language deprivation and mental health in the Deaf community, emphasizing the importance of culturally informed care, the challenges of assessing and treating language-deprived Deaf individuals, and the need for specialized knowledge, resources, and interventions in mental health services.

Contact Us

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child Resilience Center

HMB e150

(202) 370-1315

Monday
9am - 4pm
Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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