$312,555 Awarded to Five Counties; $1.18M in Total Funding Awarded Across 17 New Jersey Counties

April 19, 2024

 (TRENTON) – Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman today announced the Department has awarded $312,555 in additional funding to five counties to improve communication and language access to county services for deaf and hard of hearing residents of all ages.

 “We are pleased to award these additional grants to our county partners and to support community areas becoming more accessible for deaf and hard of hearing New Jerseyans,” Commissioner Adelman said. “Inclusion and language access empowers deaf and hard of hearing individuals to more fully engage in their communities, create connections, and obtain critical information.”

The program is supported by Human Services’ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH).

“Communication and language play a pivotal role in shaping our connections, perceptions and how we consume essential information. These additional grants empower New Jerseyans who are deaf and hard of hearing to navigate the world around them with ease and clarity. We congratulate the counties who received funding and look forward to seeing the impact this work will have,” Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Executive Director Elizabeth Hill said.

The five counties that will receive a communication access grant are:

• Bergen County, which will use $32,555 to purchase two stationary desktop hearing induction loop systems to be used by staff for client-facing service and the hiring of Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretive services.
• Camden County, which will use $70,000 to install hearing induction loops in key public facilities, promoting successful interactions between the county health department and deaf and hard of hearing residents.
• Mercer County, which will use $70,000 to install hearing induction loop systems in key county locations, chosen for their critical role in public service delivery.
• Morris County, which will use $70,000 to set up hearing induction loops at various county locations, which include: social service buildings, the county library, and spaces with public events/meetings.
• Union County, which will use $70,000 to set up hearing induction loops at various county locations, which include: social service buildings, the county library, and spaces with public events/meetings. Union County will also implement assistive listening devices in the county courthouse, the county American Job Center, and social service offices.

            This work builds on previous efforts to improve communication and language access to county services for deaf and hard of hearing residents. In April of 2022, Human Services awarded $944,000 in total grants to 13 counties.

            Communication access services are now available in Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, and Union Counties.

            To learn more about the programs and services offered by the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, visit here.