The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) is partnering with the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance (MOVA) in providing critical resources to help stabilize the lives of people who have long term traumatic hearing loss. Effective March 7, 2016, Commissioner Heidi Reed of MCDHH has announced the appointment of Stacey (Corin) Walsh to serve as Project Director and oversee services provided to survivors who lost their hearing as a direct result of the Boston Marathon bombings. Ms. Walsh earned her Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from Boston College, and completed specialized training in the Massachusetts Victim Assistance Program as well as training in Psychological First Aid. She brings extensive career experience in the field of victim assistance through program coordination, group facilitation, counseling, therapeutic support, case management, and advocacy. Most recently, she served as Navigator within the Massachusetts Resiliency Center, a program established with funds from the Antiterrorism Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP), and focused on providing outreach, resource referrals, advocacy, and support to 500+ survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings. During that time, she worked alongside MCDHH Case Manager Diane Crouse and became very familiar with the needs of Deaf and hard of hearing people. As Director of MCDHH’s MOVA Project, Ms. Walsh will report to Deputy Commissioner Tricia Ford, and work in team with Hearing Loss Peer Specialist, Shannon Silvestri. Ms. Walsh will be based in MCDHH’s 600 Washington Street office, in Boston.
Services are being provided by MCDHH with grant funds from MOVA. Project staff will work specifically to provide a spectrum of assistive hearing services, counseling, technology expertise, peer to peer support, aural rehabilitation and long term guidance for Boston Marathon Bombing survivors who are living with acute, untreated, hearing loss. The project will also provide referrals for necessary resources, identifies resources outside of Massachusetts for out of state victims, provide ongoing management, and conduct trainings.
As a state agency, MCDHH is responsible for improving accessibility and quality of existing services and promoting development of new services when necessary. In addition to the MOVA project, MCDHH offers a range of services to help stabilize the lives of people with hearing loss; Communication Access Training & Technology Services, Referral of Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), Case Management, contracted Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Services, and connection with the Commonwealth’s 911 Equipment Distribution Program for emergency telephone access.
Hana Hanigan, Ami.Hanigan@massmail.state.ma.us.