Settlement Agreed for US Deaf patients

A federal judge in ST. LOUIS, USA has approved settlement of a lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 1,000 deaf Missourians over mental health services for the deaf reports BND.com (11/05/12).

U.S. District Judge Matt Whitworth approved the settlement Thursday in Jefferson City in a suit filed by the Missouri Association of the Deaf and 13 named plaintiffs. Attorneys for the plaintiffs say about 20 percent of deaf persons in need of mental health services are children.

The suit accused the state of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide adequate mental health care for the deaf. Among many provisions, the settlement requires greater availability of sign language interpreters and development of outpatient and inpatient centers staffed with clinicians and case managers trained in aiding the deaf.

Deaf charity’s Cumbria contract

A NATIONAL deaf charity has been awarded a contract to provide mental health services for people with hearing problems in Cumbria writes Pamela McGowan for the News & Star (21/11/11).

        

SignHealth won the tender to offer the first British Sign Language ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) services for the deaf community in the north west, including Carlisle.

Steve Powell, chief executive of SignHealth, provides services across the country, said: “IAPT is a government initiative aimed at improving emotional and psychological wellbeing, and getting people into work or back into work. The service is available for the general population, including black and ethnic minority groups, but until now it has not been appropriately accessible for the deaf population.

“We will be providing the first specialist IAPT service for deaf people in England, which will be piloted in the North West, including Cumbria, and will be known under the name of ‘BSL Healthy Minds’. If successful, it is envisaged it will be extended throughout the country.”
The pilot will employ psychological wellbeing practitioners fluent in sign language to provide one-to-one support and group therapies for deaf people experiencing common mental health problems.

Mr Powell added: “Until now the communication needs of a deaf person seeking support have been managed by having an interpreter in the room or by not accessing any treatment at all. To provide an interpreter is not only costly and time consuming, but more importantly, is not effective.

“Having a third person in the room is intrusive and doesn’t encourage the relationship between the therapist and client to develop to its full potential. In many cases the client will feel closer to the interpreter and develop a trusting relationship with them rather than the therapist, which can lead to less successful treatment.”