In the mid - eighties, we began serving people with sensory challenges.  This Division has grown tremendously as we now serve 39 people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deaf Blind.  They live in 12 homes or apartments and 17 of them are involved in our Employment/Day Supports Program.  Six others live in their own apartments with less than 24 hour Supports.  Our mission is to promote the hiring of staff who are Deaf or staff who are trained in ASL so that our Individuals have people who can not only communicate, but also support them.  We ensure that our Individuals and staff have access to technology (e.g., TTY devices, wireless systems, flashing light systems for the fire alarm, doorbell and telephone, vibrating alarms) that supports their independence.  WCI educates its Individuals and staff in Deaf Culture and provides a Part-time Staff Interpreter as well as contracted Interpreters.

Employment & Community Based Day Supports:

The Employment program offers a full American Sign Language (ASL) environment.  All of the staff that work in the site are fluent in ASL (a majority of them are deaf as well).  This has lead to the Individuals feeling comfortable in the work place.  Those Individuals who have difficulties when not understood have improved due to the full ASL environment that they experience.  This site supports many competitive employment placements.  Burger King, Plants Unlimited, Bear Spot Farm, Marriott Hotel, Westin Hotel, The Center's Landscaping Team, Verizon Phone Book Delivery for Directrac and Society for Women Engineers Mail Service.

Individuals are greatly encouraged to be a part of their culture.  Many are members of the Massachusetts State Association for the Deaf (MSAD) and the Boston Deaf Club.  This affords them an opportunity to not only learn more about Deaf culture and socialize with others with whom they have something in common, but also to observe other Deaf men and women as role models, who are successful members of the community.

Deaf Supports has regularly scheduled social events throughout the year that have included socials at their homes as well as events out in the community.  Examples of community events are visits to Davis Farmland, Nashoba Valley Snow Tubing, Six Flags Great Adventure, Canobie Lake Park and Harbor Cruise.

Residential Supports:

Within Deaf Supports, Individuals have varying needs for support.  One home where people are Deaf and Blind, they require 1:1 or 1:2 due to needing sighted guide and physical assistance for most tasks and two overnight staff (one awake and one asleep), given their need for physical intervention to evacuate.  At the other end of the spectrum, there are two women who are Deaf who have owned their condominium since 1994.  At one point in time, these women received 24 hour staffing; however, over time as their independence and skills greatly increased, they were able to gradually decrease their amount of staff support.  The remaining eleven (11) apartments within Deaf Supports fall somewhere in between these two homes with regard to staff supports.  Most of the Individuals live with one or two housemates and have 1:2 or 1:3 staff to Individual ratios.

All Individuals in Deaf Supports continue to show determination in achieving their goals.

In Home Supports:

WCI has initiated in Home Supports.  One currently lives in Stoneham with his wife and the other lives with his family in Watertown.  Each receives a number of hours of support within the home or in the community.  Each has specific needs that are addressed in areas such as, community living, community activities, employment, personal health and others.  The supports are flexible and designed to meet the changing needs of the person.