Upload
jessica-schneider
View
216
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
City of Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Task Force on Disabilities
City of Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Task Force on Disabilities
Our GoalOur Goal
Improve access to the local Hospitals to greater accommodate the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Improve access to assistive technology Improve communications between staff and
patients Ensure the Americans with Disabilities Act is
being considered and followed Raise awareness to hospital procedures Raise awareness of deaf needs in hospital
settings
Your RightsYour Rights
Provide services and programs in the most integrated setting appropriate
Make reasonable modifications in policies and procedures to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless it would result in a fundamental alteration in the program or activity
Ensure buildings are accessible
Provide auxiliary aid to individuals with disabilities, at no additional cost, where necessary to ensure effective communication for individuals with hearing, vision or speech impairments
Section 504 and the ADA
CommunicationCommunication
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), hospitals must provide effective means of communication for patients, family members, and hospital visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Notes, TTY/TDD’s, Interpreters, Amplified Telephones, closed captions are some of the possible accommodations for the deaf and hard of hearing
Our ProcessOur Process
Complaints regarding access come to the Task Force on Disabilities
Decision to survey the local hospitals
Supplemental consumer survey for comparisons
Analysis and comparisons for data to decide what needs to be done
Education for the hospitals and consumers via the Task Force and advocacy groups
Consumer Survey Consumer Survey
Results from the General Question Section
Most people rated their hospital visit as fair or good.
The majority of people rated communication with staff as fair.
Most consumers rated the hospitals willingness to fulfill requests as fair.
Consumer Survey cont.Consumer Survey cont.
Results for the Equal treatment section of the questionnaire.
Question Yes NoDo you feel you were treated well at the hospital? 79% 21%
Did you feel the hospital staff was understanding of your hearing loss?
70% 30%
Did you feel you were treated the same as other patients?
48% 52%
Did the hospitals staff seem to care about your health issue?
84% 16%
Did you feel the hospital staff could help you in getting better?
78% 22%
Consumer Survey cont.Consumer Survey cont.
Results for the Accommodations section
About 90% of the time hospitals provided a TTY/TDD on request
Video relay equipment not offered Certified interpreter was provided 60% of
the time with a request, 29% of the time without a request
Emergency alarm flashers provided the majority of time without a request
Your SuggestionsYour Suggestions
Have better access to TTY/TDD’s Written communication is often an
insufficient means of communication Need to get interpreters Education needed about deaf culture Speak face to face to aid in lip
reading Staff needs to be educated on how to
use the assistive technology Doctors and nurses should have some
training with ASL
Your CommentsYour Comments
“They write to me- too many words, too little, hard to understand. Had them call my therapist-she explained why I needed and interpreter and TTY.”
“Without my glasses on I can’t see well, so if I say to a doctor or a nurse, I’m deaf and need my glasses to read your lips- don’t scream in my face- it won’t make me hear any better!”
“Doctors, nurses and support staff need to be aware that there is a different culture within the deaf and hard of hearing communities.”
Next StepsNext Steps
Education Educate both groups on how the
different groups are run and their procedures
Awareness Bring awareness about equal health care
for everyone with a disability Advocacy
Begin a movement to ensure equal care for everyone at every facility
Special Thanks to:Special Thanks to:
City of Pittsburgh/Allegheny Task Force on Disabilities
Department of City Planning- Noor Ismail, Richard Meritzer
Participating Hospitals Consumer Participants Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Chris Noschese
Kim Mathos Danielle Lengle Christina Chamberlain Jennifer Macioce Mary Alice Olsen Teresa Nellans Susan Shaffer Consumer Health
Coalition Irv Freeman Tanya Ulrich