Deaf Home Services (DHS) provides a range of services for children, youth, adults, and families whose primary language is American Sign Language (ASL). DHS is guided by the principles that individuals of all ages have the inherent right to meaningfully participate in and belong to a family, engage as active members of their community, and pursue their hopes and dreams with the necessary range of personalized supports to assist them.
Deaf Home Services
Our Services
Deaf Home Supports (DHS) offers a range of services to:
- Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing children and youth involved with or in the care of Child and Family Services (CFS) and who could benefit from living in a predominately ASL environment (e.g., individuals who cannot use spoken language to communicate, individuals with Autism).
- Deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing adults who have an intellectual disability, need supports to live in the community, and who could benefit from living in a predominately ASL environment (e.g., individuals who cannot use spoken language to communicate, individuals with Autism).
All our staff and home share providers are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or proficient in ASL. We provide support and facilitate communication among Deaf and Hard of Hearing staff, home share providers and individuals and with the hearing world (e.g., social workers, doctors, probation officers, dentists, schools, etc.) by working with interpreters, ASL proficient staff, and augmenting technological supports.
Individualized services range from supports to live with family or significant others, to move into an alternative home (foster home for children or adult home share for adults), or to live independently in the community with supports that match the needs of the individual. Sservices involve case management and in-home and in-community supports to help improve the quality of life, assist with the development of life skills, and facilitate the individual’s engagement in community life. All services are provided in ASL.
We offer shared Deaf homes, staffed 24/7, for children and for adults. The homes have an ASL rich environment they share with peers and where individuals can thrive with the support of staff and their significant others. We have Deaf role models and a signing milieu where individuals can sign and can strengthen their language and communication skills. We participate and engage meaningfully in community, school and work life as well as foster the individuals’ connection and communication with their families and significant others:
- Kai Na Quiniget (KNQ) for children ages 8-18.
- Adult House for individuals age 18 and up.
A Deaf group runs every Wednesday evening to give participants an opportunity to use and improve their social skills, participate in recreational activities with other Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in an ASL environment, and have an experience of community.
In addition, participants have the option to attend other New Directions recreational and social activities including movies, arts and crafts, music, life skills development, health and nutrition, etc., in a lounge setting.
We use a person-centered approach that responds to everyone’s emotional, psychosocial, cultural, linguistic, intellectual, recreational, physical, and spiritual needs and honours their potentials and right to self-determination. We offer culturally proficient services for individuals and home share providers in American Sign Language (ASL).
Referrals to Deaf Home Supports are made through various New Directions Adult and Child Services programs.
If you are not a part of another New Directions Service and would like to make a referral, contact the Deaf Home Supports Manager.
Referrals
Sheila.Montney@newdirections.mb.ca
204-500-8375
Through video relay Service Interpreter