Welcome!
DCARA provides a wide-range of services for our community members and their families such as communication access assistance, independent living skills, employment services, peer counseling, information & referral, advocacy services, and community education that empower Deaf people to live independent and productive lives, with full access to the rights, privileges, and opportunities available to the general public
Meet the Team
Michelle Camara
Interim Community Empowerment Services Manager
DJ Bakri
Community Empowerment Specialist
Lanetra Georgieva
Community Empowerment Specialist
Michelle Yook
Community Empowerment Specialist
Resources
211 Bay Area Information & Referral
Alameda
Contra Costa
San Mateo
Santa Clara
Solano
DOJ (Department of Justice)
EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
CODIE (Center on Deafness-Inland Empire)
- VP: 951-801-5674
- Email: info@codie.org
- www.codie.org
DHHSC (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center)
- VP: 559-578-4117
- Email: resources@dhhsc.org
- www.dhhsc.org
DSC (Deaf Community Services of San Diego)
- VP: 619-550-3436
- Email: info@dcsofsd.org
- www.deafcommunityservices.org
GLAD (Greater Los Angeles on Deafness)
- VP: 323-892-2225
- Email: info@gladinc.org
- www.gladinc.org
NorCal (NorCal Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
- VP: 916-993-3048
- VP: (P3) 916-550-9355
- Email: info@norcalcenter.org
- www.norcalcenter.org
OC-DEAF (Orange County Deaf Equal Access Foundation)
- VP: 714-503-0669
- Email: info@ocdeaf.org
- www.ocdeaf.org
TriCounty GLAD
- VP: 805-256-1053
- Email: info@tcglad.org
- www.tcglad.org
DCCS (Deaf Community Counseling Services)
- VP: 415-255-5854
- Email: dccs@felton.org
- https://felton.org/social-services/adult/dccs/
DCS (Deaf Counseling Center)
- VP: 240-380-2577
- Email: frontdesk@deafcounseling.com
- https://deafcounseling.com/
NDT (National Deaf Therapy)
Self Study ASL Vlogs
DeafHope
- VP: 510-735-8553
- Email: deafhope@deaf-hope.org
- https://www.deaf-hope.org/
Adult Protection Services
Where to report
- 1-833-401-0832
Gather and Trade (Estate Planning and Financial Consultant)
BACDSC (Bay Area Coalition of Deaf Senior Citizens)
BAADA (Bay Area Asian Deaf Association)
BABDA (Bay Area Black Deaf Advocates)
SFDC (San Francisco Deaf Club)
California Association of the Deaf
CalFresh
Shelter
- Alameda:
– https://homelessaction-center.org/
– https://covenanthouse-california.org/
– https://www.self-sufficiency.org/schp
– https://bfwc.org/services-homelessness/
- Contra Costa:
– https://www.bayarearescue.org/
– https://www.helunahealth.org/
– https://www.trinitycenter-wc.org/
- Del Norte:
– https://ruralhumanservices.net/
– https://www.frcredwoods.org/
- Humboldt:
– https://www.arcatahouse.org/
– https://www.uplifteureka.com/
- Lake:
– https://www.lakefrc.org-housing-services/
- Marin:
– https://rittercenter.org/housing-services/
– https://www.northmarincs.org/
- Mendocino:
– https://www.mendocinochc.org/
– https://redwoodcommunity-services.org/
- Napa:
– https://www.srcharities.org/
- Santa Clara:
– https://familysupportive-housing.org/
– https://www.homefirstscc.org/
– https://covenanthouse-california.org/
- Santa Cruz:
– https://housingmatterssc.org/
- San Francisco:
– https://www.hospitality-house.org/shelter-program.html
– https://svdp-sf.org/navigation-center/
– https://svdp-sf.org/what-we-do/msc-shelter/
– Compass Family Services: 49 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
- San Mateo:
– https://svdpsm.org/programs-peninsula-family-resource-center/
– https://www.lifemoves.org-directory/first-step-for-families/
- Solano:
– https://vsscorp.org/shelter.php
– https://canbsolano.org/housing/
- Sonoma:
Elizabeth Grigsby
- VP: 408-426-8880
- Email: egrigsbyEA@gmail.com
DeafTax
- VP: 1-855-280-5447
- Email: info@deaftax.com
- https://deaftax.com/
P&R Taxes
- 805-835-4836
- Email: prtaxservice@gmail.com
What can the Community Empowerment Services Department support the Community Members with?
The Community Empowerment Services provide for individuals and groups who self-identify Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, DeafPlus, Hard of Hearing and/or LateDeafened.
Service Area
DCARA provides service to the 14 following counties in California:
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Alameda
-
Contra Costa
-
Del Norte
-
Humboldt
-
Lake
-
Marin
-
Mendocino
-
Napa
-
San Francisco
-
San Mateo
-
Santa Clara
-
Santa Cruz
-
Solano
-
Sonoma
If your county is not listed here, please visit here to see which organization can serve you.
7 Categories
Communication Services
1. Document Translation
2. Equipment Demonstration
3. Interpreting Assistance
4. Phone Mentoring
Click here to watch ASL Version
Job Development and Placement
The individuals will be prepared to find and maintain employment for a minimum of 6 months. Employers will have the knowledge to create an accessible workplace for their Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, DeafPlus, Hard of Hearing and/or LateDeafened employees.
Click here to watch ASL Version
Peer Counseling
Peer counseling is provided to support clients to process information to promote and support their sense of wellbeing.
Peer Counseling include the following:
1. Education on sense of the health and wellbeing
2. Space for 1:1 interaction
3. Identity development and awareness
4. Support emotion and grief
5. Cultural understanding and awareness
6. Offer safe spaces to share
7. Education, Understanding, and Awareness
Click here to watch ASL Version
Information & Referral
When individuals, families, and communities have questions about service resources such as Deaf* community, hearing loss, home care, housing, assistive devices, events and health care. Information & Referral are available for you all!
Click here to watch ASL Version
Advocacy Services
Clients will have increased access to employment, education, and other services provided by both private and public agencies and businesses.
Advocacy Services include the following:
1. Systemic Advocacy
2. Legal Advocacy
3. Self-Advocacy
4. Family Advocacy
5. Youth Advocacy
Click here to watch ASL Version
Community Education
DCARA offers Community Education to advance community-learning and sustainability. The aim of Community Education is to equip communities with the skills they need for full meaningful, and autonomous participation in everyday life. Community Education goes beyond educating individuals by providing education to communities and groups.
Click here to watch ASL Version
Independent Living Skills Instruction
The Independent Living Skills (ILS) Instruction helps clients in learning new and healthy independent living skills.
ILS services are provided in the following manners:
1. Individual services
2. Classes and/or workshops
3. Community education events
4. Webinars
5. Educational vlogs
Click here to watch ASL Version
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