Hard of Hearing-Late Deafened Services

Vocational Rehabilitation has implemented a new initiative in serving individuals who are hard of hearing and late deafened. Vocational Rehabilitation currently has 45 Communication Specialists located in the major Vocational Rehabilitation offices statewide.  An individual whose communication mode is use of amplification (hearing aids, and/or assistive listening devices), lip reading, large visual display or real time captioning would be served by the Communication Specialists that covers the county in which they live. Communication Specialists’s have experience in assistive technology, coping skills training, communication strategies, and job site/work analysis.

Some examples of these specialized services for consumers who are hard of hearing/late deafened include:

• Assessment of Technology needs
• Onsite work/task analysis
• Technology training
• Communication/Coping skills training
• Educational training programs with support services such as note-takers, interpreters, assistive listening devices
• Community training programs such as employment preparation and training

Lori Bishop, Coordinator of Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened Services, provides technical assistance and coordination statewide. Lori is located in Frankfort and can be reached at (502) 564-4440 (V/TTY), (502) 564-6745 FAX, or LoriT.Bishop@ky.gov.