NorCal Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a non-profit, community-based organization serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals, their families and the general public in 24 northeastern counties of California. NorCal is one of a few organizations established by deaf and hard of hearing people to serve their community, and as a result, the services and programs at NorCal are uniquely design
ed of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing people. All members of the Board of Directors are deaf or hard of hearing. The director and staff members at NorCal represent the spectrum of experiences, educational backgrounds and communication modes of the deaf and hard of hearing community. NorCal is headquartered in Sacramento with outreach offices in Redding, Chico, Marysville and Stockton and employees who are co-located at the California Employment Development offices in Roseville and Sacramento. NorCal employs approximately 50 people and contracts with a number of freelance interpreters and captioners. Founded in 1977, NorCal was one of three organizations chosen to participate in a historical research demonstration project. The demonstration project led to the creation of the Deaf Access Program (DAP) in 1980, currently overseen by the California Department of Social Services Office of Deaf Access. Today, NorCal is one of eight organizations contracting with the Office of Deaf Access to provide DAP services throughout the state. It is the mission at NorCal to support and promote equal access and opportunities to education, employment and public services by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. At the time of establishment and still today, many deaf and hard of hearing people face language, education, information and employment barriers and are unable to access other agencies providing essential services. Thus, NorCal fills an important need in the community. NorCal offers a myriad of services addressing key issues facing the deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Services include assistance for employment, advocacy, peer counseling, independent living and communication. NorCal also has specialized services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals with developmental disabilities including a day program, and a supported employment program for placement in competitive employment with the support of 1:1 job coaching. For the greater community, NorCal provides information and referral, sensitivity training and community outreach. To help businesses and employers comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NorCal provides sign language interpreting and real-time captioning services for fees. NorCal also provide support services for families with infants who have been diagnosed with hearing loss through the state’s Newborn Hearing Screening Program.
