For over 20 years, TLC has successfully run multiple lines of consulting service for the community. More recent additions include fee-for service interpreting, behavioral health assessment and consultation, and Deaf Culture diversity training for businesses. These solutions offer the opportunity for TLC to meet important needs in our community while diversifying our revenue streams to benefit our students and clients.
Our services support business, educators, organization, behavior health and clinical professionals, researchers and the broader community:
Guide to Providing Services
We are excited to bring back our in-person conference this fall at The Learning Center for the Deaf!
Guide to Providing Services offers a unique opportunity for Early Intervention Service Providers and Speciality Support Service Providers to come together to learn and to network.
Our Consulting Hub
For Businesses, Educators and Organizations:
- Educational, audiological and therapeutic consultation for deaf and hard of hearing students in mainstream settings
- Inclusion and Access: Creating a “Deaf-friendly” workplace that welcomes deaf and hard of hearing individuals
- ASL Instruction: Customized classes for your employees and students
- ASL interpreting services (hourly, temporary, or permanent basis)
- Video Production: Creation of videos in American Sign Language with captions and voice overs.
- K-12 Deaf Education Research Partnerships
-
Language development and evolution in quantum science and physics: A partnership with the Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) at Harvard University
For Clinical and Behavioral Health Practitioners:
- Best practice for trauma-informed care for deaf and hard of hearing children impacted by language deprivation and trauma
- ASL interpreting services (hourly, temporary, or permanent basis) across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire
For Interpreters:
- Certified Deaf Interpreter testing and credentialing
- Advanced ASL instruction (on-site trainings and customized one-to-one instruction)
- Test prep support and mentorship
- Internships
For Students, Family and Friends:
- Clinical Placements
- Practicum Experiences
- Internships
- Customized ASL Classes
- ASL Interpreting Services
- Resources and Consultation
- For Businesses, Educators and Organizations:
- For Clinical and Behavioral Health Practitioners:
- For Interpreters:
- For Students, Family and Friends:
For Businesses, Educators and Organizations:
- Educational, audiological and therapeutic consultation for deaf and hard of hearing students in mainstream settings
- Inclusion and Access: Creating a “Deaf-friendly” workplace that welcomes deaf and hard of hearing individuals
- ASL Instruction: Customized classes for your employees and students
- ASL interpreting services (hourly, temporary, or permanent basis)
- Video Production: Creation of videos in American Sign Language with captions and voice overs.
- K-12 Deaf Education Research Partnerships
-
Language development and evolution in quantum science and physics: A partnership with the Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) at Harvard University
For Clinical and Behavioral Health Practitioners:
- Best practice for trauma-informed care for deaf and hard of hearing children impacted by language deprivation and trauma
- ASL interpreting services (hourly, temporary, or permanent basis) across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire
For Interpreters:
- Certified Deaf Interpreter testing and credentialing
- Advanced ASL instruction (on-site trainings and customized one-to-one instruction)
- Test prep support and mentorship
- Internships
For Students, Family and Friends:
- Clinical Placements
- Practicum Experiences
- Internships
- Customized ASL Classes
- ASL Interpreting Services
- Resources and Consultation
Examples of Our Work
2023 National Deaf Education Conference
From left: Shira Grabelsky, Director of Education Initiatives (NDEC organizing committee - workshops); Mary Jane Huru, Admissions Director/Family Liaison; Milmaglyn Morales, Early Childhood Center Principal.
Deaf View Image Art (De'VIA)
Mental Health Clinician and Art Therapist Noel King participated in the 2023 De'VIA Curriculum Session at Wisconsin School for the Deaf, a workshop for Art Teachers and De'VIA Artists.
Trauma-Informed Care
Walden Community Services clinicians and staff frequently provide training on trauma-informed care, including recently to Walden School staff. Trauma-informed care realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for recovery; as well as recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, and staff.
NASSP Conference
Marie Philip School Secondary Principal Jessica Greenfield attended the 2023 National Association of Secondary School Principals conference in Denver.
Statehouse Visitors
Representative Denise Garlick and Imene Bouziane Saidi, Program Director for the Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities, met with TLC Senior Administration and Program Leaders to discuss current policies at the State House, as well as advocacy efforts in support of the community TLC serves.
Partnership with MCDHH
Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) Commissioner Opeoluwa Sotonwa and Peggy Lee, Director of Social Services, visited TLC and explored how both organizations can collaborate on removing systemic barriers for teacher of the deaf certification, deaf and hard of hearing students’ graduation requirements, and leveraging Healey-Driscoll initiatives to support Deaf Education in the Commonwealth.
Badavas Parent Infant Program staff Thea Cabral and Claire Miller attended the national EHDI Conference in Cincinnati. They also represented TLC at the Massachusetts Newborn Hearing Screening state stakeholders meeting
COO Karen Bishop and Talent Acquisition Specialist Keri Darling recently presented at William James College Center for Crisis Response and Behavioral Health. The program trains police and co-responders on how to work together to assist folks experiencing a mental health crisis in the community. Karen and Keri presented from a lens of intersecting Deaf and mental health communities.
TLC hosted the MetroWest Leadership Academy on its Framingham campus. Three TLC leaders, who are Academy alumni, welcomed the class: Carla Del Pizzo (2020), Senior Community Relations Manager; Patti McCarthy (2019), Senior Events & Giving Manager; and Linda Sutton (2020), Director, Staff Development & Training.
On the tour, the class learned about Marie Philip School, Walden School, Audiology Clinic, TLC's Community ASL classes, and Interpreting Services.
Parent-mediated occupational therapy (OT) is a family-centered method of providing care for children and their families. The published study aimed to understand and describe the parents’ perspectives of whether parent-mediated OT services improve child participation and parent-child social interactions in the home and community. Co-authored by TLC's Allison Klowan, OT, OTD, OTR.
Read the publication from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Walden School Director of Clinical Services Kasey Pendexter, LMHC, LMFT, recently presented at Gallaudet University's Psychology Colloquium and Division webinar; of which Kasey is a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child Resilience Center.
This webinar discussed the use of evidence-based psychological treatments with deaf and hard of hearing children and adolescents. It will provide a brief overview of three treatments (i.e., Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), Parents-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Sensory Monitor Arousal Regulation Treatment (SMART) that are currently being adapted for use with deaf and hard of hearing children and adolescents.
Claire Miller, Speech-Language Pathologist, had a webinar published for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, called "One of a Kind: Possibilities in Bilingual Assessment of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children." The webinar was developed to better prepare SLPs to work with the deaf and hard of hearing population in cultural and linguistically-appropriate practices.
YW Boston: Elevating Lives Conference
Feature a panel of local business leaders and industry experts, including TLC Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Kyle Amber Clark, who will co-facilitate a breakout session called "Dream Work Through Teamwork: Advancing DEI Work as Non-Managers."
Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Kyle Amber Clark wrote an article for Worcester Business Journal for their Diversity and Equity issue, providing an important perspective on accessibility and intersectionality in the Deaf community
Read the Article
Walden Community Services Director Elisa Valles joins a panel discussion from Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership presents conversation and reflection on the importance of health equity in the behavioral health recovery process and the necessity of access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare options for all. Keynote by Dr. David Satcher and panel discussion by individuals sharing their lived and professional experiences of navigating behavioral health inequities and exploring how to make behavioral health care more inclusive for all.
TLC's Nate Joslin, Dru Balsley and Sarah Wintman all presented at the Revolutionary Beginnings National Counselors for the Deaf Association (NCDA) 2022 Conference. The NCDA, in partnership with the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf, invited school counselors, social workers, school-linked mental health therapists, school psychologists, and other school-related professionals working to serve the needs of Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, or DeafDisabled students to join their Virtual Conference.
Dru presented an "Introduction to Trauma Sensitive Yoga", while Sarah presented "Developing Self Conceptualization in Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment", as well as "Utilizing the Powers of Play and SMART with Trauma-Impacted Deaf Youth". Nate presented "Addressing Implicit Bias: Healing Centered Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (HC-AAP) With Rats."
Six staff represented TLC at the 2022 American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA) Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico conference by presenting their expertise, clinical backgrounds and therapeutic training:
- Noel King, MAAT, APCC, Mental Health Clinician: “Building a Bridge between the Deaf Community and Art Therapy”
- Justina Ercolino, MSW, LCSW, In Home Therapist/Intensive Care Coordinator, and Morag Morag McDonald, MSW, In-Home Therapist/Intensive Care Coordinator: “Chaotic Mind to Calm Mind” (Skills building for Social Resilience Model trainers)
- Devonta Thomas, Intensive Care Coordinator; and Kristie Medeiros, M.ED, Therapeutic Mentor: “Deaf People of Color: Unpacking the Needs of this Population within the Deaf Community”
- Sarah Wintman, LICSW, RPT, Mental Health Clinician: “Developing Self Conceptualization in Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment” (child focus)
TLC Superintendent Glennis Matthews will co-present "Equitable Cultivation of Hidden Deaf Education Leaders" at the CEASD 2022 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The presentation will cover how identifying and cultivating external and internal leaders is a significant challenge throughout Deaf Education and the Deaf community and provide guidance on how leaders and organizations can enhance the development of aspiring leaders.
Noel King, MAAT, APCC, Mental Health Therapist, presents at the American Art Therapy Association. Her presentation is called "Building a Bridge Between the Deaf Community and Art Therapy."
Andrea Simonson, Educational Audiologist with our Public School Partnerships program, recently published an article sharing their point of view as a spouse of someone with sudden sensorineural hearing loss in a blog. Andrea will also be featured in an upcoming issue of ASHA Leader.
Read: Sudden Hearing Loss - Our Journey to Rehabilitation
TLC Superintendent Glennis Matthews at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development Deaf World Lecture Series: December 1, 2021.
ACRC Conference
Our Walden School Clinical Team presented at 2021 Children's Residential Center's (ACRC) International Conference.
Presentation Outline:
- Sarah Wintman (at right) and Valerie Farr: "Playful Expressions: Transforming the Milieu to Treat Trauma-Impacted Deaf Youth"
- Dru Balsley and Kasey Pendexter: "Family First: Supporting Families of Deaf Youth in Midst of COVID-19"
- Nate Joslin: "Addressing Implicit Bias: Trauma-Focused Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (TF-AAP) with Rats"
PHESLIP (Public Health and Equity Sign Language Interpreting Program)
Walden Community Services' Kristie Medeiros presented at Rhode Island College in August 2021. Her presentation on Deaf BIPOC was part of PHESLIP night, and included presenters from Brown University and Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapist Allison Klowan presented her doctoral capstone project from graduate school at the 2021 virtual MAOT conference.