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Deaf-Blind Resources

An individual who is Deaf-Blind is a person who experiences a dual sensory loss affecting both his or her vision and hearing. The degree of vision and hear loss will vary person to person.

Support Service Provider (SSP)

A support service provider (SSP) is any adult that knows sign language and has been trained to work with Deaf-Blind adults. An SSP could be hearing, Deaf or hard of hearing. An SSP is trained to be a sighted guide and knows how to relay visual information to his or her client. An SSP can take on a number of different roles including assisting with daily activities and providing access to the environment and community participation.

An SSP is NOT an interpreter and is not required to hold state or national certification.

Deaf-Blind Resources

Below is a partial listing of Deaf-Blind resources. If you know of a link that should be included, please contact the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH).

  • Center for Deaf-Blind Persons (CDBP)

  • WI Deaf-Blind Tech Assistance Project (WDBTAP)

  • American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (check AFB Career Connect)

  • Deaf-Blind International (DBI)

  • Deaf-Blind Service Center (DBSC)

  • Hellen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC)

  • National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB)

  • Vision Aware (VA)

  • Western Oregon University (WOU)

Below is a partial listing of known contact people related to the Deaf-Bind services.

Joan Schneider, Executive Director, Center for Deaf-Blind Persons
414-481-7477

Jolene Gruber, WDBTAP Grant Coordinator
608-356-0091

Jen Gettelman, WDBTAP Deafblind Consultant
262-749-6601

Jeff Bohrman, Ph.D, Program Director of the Ohio Deaf-Blind Outreach Program

Kathy Mezack, Vocational Services Training Supervisor at the Helen Keller National Center

Paul Deeming, Program Manager of Deaf-Blind Services, Minnesota

Last revised December 28, 2021