"We know of no other program in America with the dual purpose of training mental health professionals to work with deaf clients and training interpreters to work in mental health settings," explained Basil. He directs the program for SOPP in addition to operating a private practice in Middletown.
Basil said the eight-month graduate program, currently with a limited enrollment, meets one evening each week and two Saturday mornings each month at the SOPP Ellis Human Development Institute in downtown Dayton. The participants, mostly students from SOPP but also including the University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College, receive a Certificate of Mental Health & Deafness upon completion of the program.
A critical part of the program is an outpatient mental health clinic operating on Wednesday evenings. "Our clients are deaf adults and children who are struggling with life," said Basil, noting there are some 4,000 deaf people in the Dayton area and an estimated 230,000 in the United States--roughly one percent of the population.
The Saturday lecture and discussion topics include introductions to deafness, mental health and therapy, plus interpreting, testing and assessment, families, children, chemical dependency, mental illness, medications, forensics and deaf/blind issues.
"Our program is dedicated to training mental health professionals and interpreters in understanding the characteristics, needs, culture and communication aspects of deaf clients and providing these individuals with equal access to mental health services," he said.
Basil, who has been working with deaf individuals since 1989 and is fluent in American Sign Language, said
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Contact: Robert Basil
937-775-4300
Wright State University
14-Jan-2005