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Deaf YES: Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery

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Worcester, MA
Deaf YES: Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery

Our mission is to partner with Deaf people to develop innovative addiction & mental health resources. Our mission at the Deaf YES!

Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery is to partner with the Deaf community to develop innovative addiction and mental health resources that are accessible, useful, and freely available to Deaf sign language users. We value key principles of servant leadership to support this mission – choosing ethics over profit, prioritizing people over tasks, empowering others before seeking personal gain, balancing focus with flexibility, and leading with gratitude. Our work within the Deaf community has only been successful because of our community engagement approaches. Our Center’s clinical services and research studies are co-led by Deaf professionals, hearing professionals, and Deaf laypersons, ensuring that the work we do is relevant and accessible to our population of focus. In addition to this community co-leadership model, we continuously infuse the voice of Deaf community members into our work via ongoing qualitative interviews, focus groups, and community forums. At Deaf YES!, we strive to create an inclusive and empowering environment. We embrace diversity in all forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, disability, age, and socioeconomic background. Honoring and celebrating the rich tapestry of identities, experiences, and perspectives of Deaf people allows us to build stronger connections and work together to overcome barriers. We firmly believe that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are essential cornerstones for fostering innovation, creativity, and collaboration, and promoting positive change. Our commitment to self-reflection is unwavering, and we continuously seek to learn, grow, and improve as an organization. We invite individuals, organizations, and communities to join us on this journey toward empowerment, recovery, and a more inclusive world for Deaf people.

10/08/2025

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Let's Talk About Stigma-
Stigma can silence people before they even ask for help.
In the Deaf community and beyond, stigma around addiction and mental health causes deep harm-not only to those living with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), but also to their families, friends, and the professionals trying to help.
It looks like shame. Hiding. Isolation. Misinformation. And it's often rooted in a lack of understanding.
When we learn that addiction can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors, and is a treatable illness, we can move from blame to empathy, and from silence to support.
This series is created in collaboration with With Naima and National Deaf Therapy
Questions? Email: signsofsafety@gmail.com

Video description: Tam is wearing a red and black flannel shirt with her hair up and wearing glasses along with black shirt with white text.

Transcript in the comments!

10/06/2025

Did you know childhood trauma can affect how children grow, learn, and connect with others? Check out this informative post that Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child Resilience Center has created!

10/02/2025

DEAF & SOBER CURIOUS?

This study may be for you!

WHO CAN JOIN?
- Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled or Hard of Hearing
- Fluent in ASL
- 18 years and older
- Alcohol use in the past month
- Trauma-related stress in the past month

POSSIBLE BENEFITS MAY INCLUDE:
- 12 virtual counseling sessions at no cost
- Learning skills to manage trauma and addiction
- Earning up to $500 for completing 5 online surveys throughout the course of the study

INTERESTED? Contact signsofsafety@umassmed.edu

Visual Description: Two women chatting in ASL. One woman is light-skinned with curly hair sitting on pink chair with yellow blanket hanging on it behind her against cream colored wall. The other has long brown hair and clear glasses, wearing a striped long sleeve shirt, sitting with a wooden closet behind her.

Transcript: [Hey, have you seen this flyer about a research study trying to recruit Deaf people who are sober curious? No, I don’t think I have. What’s the study about? It is a virtual study by the DeafYES! team at UMass Chan related to alcohol use and trauma. Interesting. Why are they doing this study? The study team wants to examine a new therapy specifically designed for Deaf individuals, to see if it supports personal healing. Wow. Our community could really benefit from having a resource like that! But what would I get if I joined? Well...you can earn up to $500 for completing five online surveys throughout the course of the study. And, depending on your state of residence, you could receive 12 virtual counseling sessions at no cost and learn skills to manage trauma and addiction. Interesting. I’m Deaf myself and curious about sobriety. Do you think I’m eligible for this study? I'm not sure. Have you experienced trauma-related stress and used alcohol within the past month? Yeah, thinking…I think so. Then you might be eligible. Why don't you contact them to find out more? You can email signsofsafety@umassmed.edu. I bet they would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thanks for letting me know. I'll definitely check it out.]

10/01/2025

SCIENCE IN ACTION!

Last week, DeafYES Co-Director Melissa Anderson served as a committee member while Gallaudet University PhD candidate Claire Hunt successfully defended her dissertation proposal - "A Comparative Study of Early Communication in DHH Adults With and Without Intimate Partner Violence Experiences."

It is wicked cool to see former DeafYES research being built upon and IMPROVED upon by up-and-coming researchers. THAT is real science!!!

Visual Description: [In the image, the presenter is visible in a Zoom meeting window, using ASL to explain her topic. She has light skin and blonde hair that is tied back. The presenter is wearing a dark green top with a white dotted pattern and is seated in a well-lit room with pendant lights hanging from the ceiling and artwork on the wall behind her.]

09/30/2025

MY WHY - CARMELITA

💜 "We search through PsycArticles, our school library’s database, and Google Scholar. But we see there is not much research on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Some studies are not accurate. Some don’t have enough support."

🌈 "This is the first Deaf therapy clinical trial research study. It is something we truly need and truly deserve. Once published, it can open doors for more research opportunities. Research that is accurate, accessible, and well-informed about our community. Something future generations and professionals can use to support us better."

Visual Description: [Carmelita has long brown hair and wears clear glasses. The background is a room with a ceiling fan on and grayish walls.]

Transcript: [Hi! My name is Carmelita Yalcin. I am an Undergraduate Research Intern for DeafYES.Here’s "my why." As a college student, I write a lot of papers for midterms, finals, and essays. That always includes references and in-text citations. One common situation that we, as deaf and hard of hearing college students, often experience is being assigned to focus on the deaf and hard of hearing community, such as something related to deaf mental health. We search through PsycArticles, our school library’s database, and Google Scholar. But we see there is not much research on the deaf and hard of hearing community. Some studies are not accurate. Some don’t have enough support. Some don’t have enough evidence to support ideas and topics for papers. This is the first deaf clinical research study. It is something we truly need and truly deserve. Once published, it can open doors for more research opportunities. Research that is accurate, accessible, and well-informed about our community. Something future generations and professionals can use to support us better. I am deeply passionate about contributing to this type of research study. To see it grow, succeed, and be published!!]

09/29/2025

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

"Recovery is something that you have to work at every single day and it's something that doesn't get a day off." - Demi Lovato 💜

🌄 Keep going, keep growing! 🌈

VD Image 1: [This image has a quote highlighted in white with black comic sans text. The quote says "Recovery is something that you have to work on every single day and it's something that it doesn't get a day off." -Demi Lovato. Below the quote, there is a simple black drawing of a mountain with the words "KEEP GOING, KEEP GROWING" across it. At the bottom, the DeafYES logo is displayed in bold navy blue letters, accompanied by a graphic of a yellow fist facing outwards replacing the S. Below the logo smaller text reads "Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery." On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

VD Image 2: [At the top, the text reads "September IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH" in bold, uppercase letters, with "September" in a cursive style. Below the text, there is a simple bold black line drawing of a human head , with a lotus flower inside the head. The image also includes the DeafYES logo on the bottom left. On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

09/26/2025

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

💜 Did you know that 48.5 million Americans have experienced substance use disorder (AKA, addiction) in the past year?

🌈 But there is hope! 22 million American adults say that they are in recovery. Recovery is attainable!

VD Image 1: [The image presents statistical information about drug addiction in the United States. There are two charts. The first charts uses bodies as visual representation showing that 16.7% or 48.5 million Americans aged 12 and older met the criteria for a substance use disorder within the past 12 months. Below this chart, there's a pie chart which mentions that addiction is considered a highly treatable condition and that recovery is attainable. The pie chart shows out of 30.5 million adults in America who feel they have or have had a substance use problem, around 22 million, or 73.1%, say they are in recovery. The source of this information is below in text: 2023 United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The image also includes logos for American Addiction Centers and DeafYES logos. On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

VD Image 2: [At the top, the text reads "September IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH" in bold, uppercase letters, with "September" in a cursive style. Below the text, there is a simple bold black line drawing of a human head , with a lotus flower inside the head. At the bottom, DeafYES logo is displayed in bold navy blue letters, accompanied by a graphic of a yellow fist facing outwards replacing the S. Below the logo smaller text reads "Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery." On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

09/25/2025

NATIONAL SU***DE PREVENTION MONTH

💜 🩵 The Signs of Safety research team would like to recognize National Su***de Prevention Month, honoring those whose lives have been affected by su***de - either directly or through someone you know. 💜 🩵

***dePreventionMonth

Visual Description: [Video clip of a Zoom meeting with 7 team members. Each team member is signing a brief message of hope or support. From left to right, top to bottom:
Melissa: BIG HUG. I LOVE YOU!
Felicia: HUGS!
Naima: I LOVE YOU!
Carmelita: YOU ARE ENOUGH!
Gabby: JUST KEEP GOING!
Kayla: HUGS!
Rhys: SUPPORT!]

09/24/2025

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

Fill your recovery with things that give you MEANING and JOY 🌈

VD Image 1: [The image contains several graphics and text. At the top, bold black text reads, "FILL YOUR RECOVERY WITH THINGS THAT." Below this text, there are six graphics arranged in two rows. Below these graphics, there's bold black text that says "GIVE YOU MEANING AND JOY." The first graphic in the top row is a bicycle, a tree, and a cloud. The second graphic shows a frying pan with various ingredients like vegetables and herbs. The third graphic is a paint palette and brush. In the bottom row, the first illustration is a stack of books. The second image is a group of four people embracing showing support. The third and final graphic shows a beach scene with an umbrella, a beach ball, and a bucket. There's a DeafYES logo at the bottom of the overall image. On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

VD Image 2: [At the top, the text reads "September IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH" in bold, uppercase letters, with "September" in a cursive style. Below the text, there is a simple bold black line drawing of a human head , with a lotus flower inside the head. At the bottom, DeafYES logo is displayed in bold navy blue letters, accompanied by a graphic of a yellow fist facing outwards replacing the S. Below the logo smaller text reads "Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery." On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

09/23/2025

MY WHY - TAM

💜 "Everywhere there is alcohol, easy access to alcohol. And it is socially accepted. So, I relied on alcohol a lot...I used it to cope with and help me feel calm. To cover my trauma...After that, I began to realize I truly needed help. I looked for resources, looked for help. I contacted rehab and even detox centers. So many of them declined me because I am Deaf."

🌈 "When I saw the opportunity to be part of DeafYES team...Oh, I had to grab it and be involved! Because really it feels close to home personally for me. I am really excited to see this research happening. And to see what the results will be. This is just the beginning."

Visual Description: [A woman with shoulder-length, curly gray and blonde hair is wearing a navy blue sleeveless top. She has floral swirl tattoos on both arms. She is seated in front of an intricately carved wooden panel adorned with detailed floral and geometric patterns, creating a warm and serene backdrop.]

Transcript located in comments.

09/22/2025

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

Recovery starts with...
Caring for your WHOLE self 💜

VD Image 1: [At the top, the text reads "September IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH" in bold, uppercase letters, with "September" in a cursive style. Below the text, there is a simple bold black line drawing of a human head, with a lotus flower inside the head. On the bottom left, DeafYES logo is displayed in bold navy blue letters, accompanied by a graphic of a yellow fist facing outwards replacing the S. Below the logo smaller text reads "Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery." On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

VD Image 2: [Graphic that has four overlapping vertical circles with text in each circle with graphics and a title. Above the circles, there's bold text in black that says "RECOVERY STARTS WITH...". The top circle is red and contains the word "CARING," in bold black, the second circle is dark blue with the words "FOR YOUR" in bold black, and the third circle is yellow with the word "WHOLE" in bold black. The last circle is teal with the words "SELF" in bold black. To the left of the circles, there is a graphic of a steaming cup, a candle labeled "SELF CARE," and a small plant. On the right side, there is a silhouette of a person with arrows pointing inward towards them. At the bottom left corner is the DeafYES logo. On the bottom right is a logo for "UMass Chan Medical School," with all text in white.]

09/19/2025

FRIDAY FACT, courtesy of DWAVE

Did you know that September is National Recovery Awareness Month?!

Video Description: [Video opens with a while individual with long braided blond hair. They are wearing a red shirt sitting in front of a black background. They have earrings, facial piercings, and tattoos. Throughout the video there are captions in white at the bottom. Video closes with DWAVE’s contact information. Website: www.dwaveohio.org. VP: 614.678.5476. Text: 614.887.7233. Email: info@dwaveohio.org]

Transcript: [Hello! I’m Rose Larson. I want to talk about National Recovery Awareness Month, which is happening this month. Recovery is possible! Not only am I someone who has recovered but I have witnessed many others thrive in their recovery. It IS possible! I want to briefly share my recovery story. I became addicted after my divorce. I experienced a lot of violence during my marriage, including physical, verbal, and mental abuse. However, during my marriage, I wasn’t acknowledging it. I just continued on with my life. I was just trying to survive as I had two children with me and I didn’t want to address the violence. During that time I was confused as to why the violence was occurring why my partner would insult me. I also loved my partner and continued to push aside my conflicting feelings. Similar to a bottle overflowing. As I was suppressing these feelings and experiences my bottle continued to fill. Until one day my bottle had overflowed, and I left getting a divorce. My divorce was UGLY. During the divorce I lost a lot of things. I experienced domestic violence during this marriage, With divorce there is a lot of loss – a lot of bad things happened sequentially for me during that time. My bottle was overflowing and it had all become too much for me to handle and I continued trying to suppress it. I started heavily drinking alcohol. I would drink and go out with friends to mask what was happening. To cover the pain and try to fill the hole. I had a friend introduce me to drugs. Thats what catapulted me into addiction. This is because drugs helped me feel numb. Helped me to overlook the pain, distraught, and hole I was feeling. Drugs allowed me to continue functioning without addressing everything I had been suppressing. I needed to be a mother to my children. I needed to keep moving with my life, I couldn’t fall apart. But as I continued on, my addiction became more and more severe. To the point where it was impacting my finances, family, and work. Those around me noticed my strange behavior. I was becoming more depressed. Drugs were helping to mask that hole I was feeling but even though I wasn’t always feeling it, the hole was still there. On drugs I was becoming more depressed and the hole wasn’t being filled. Again, I would feel numb while on drugs, but the hole was still there. It was this vicious cycle of constantly needing to feel numb to mask the hole. But the hole was growing bigger and bigger till eventually it got where I questioned what’s the point of life? That’s when I decided I needed help. I did get help. I went to rehab. After that I have been sober for 12 years. I did relapse a couple of times in the beginning but after that I really thrived and have been sober since. I did try an array of treatments like medication, counseling, therapy, and group. There is not a one size fits all approach. What works for one person won’t necessarily be successful for everyone. When I experienced my relapse, it meant I needed additional support or strategy to overcome the addiction. Sometimes one needs to work at a treatment till it clicks with them for them to be successful. Other times if one approach isn’t working, try a different approach that fits you better for you to be successful. Recovery looks different for everyone. There is no set time for when one will achieve recovery. Sometimes it takes many years. Sometimes it requires a lifetime of effort. For some, it may take a short time, maybe 1 month. It varies for everyone. But it does work! Education is really important. Awareness and understanding what addiction is. Why addiction occurs and where it comes from. Individuals having a support system. A support system is family, friends, loved ones. Having that support. Having access to resources and information. Access means having information that is readily available in ASL. This support system is to have no judgement, or oppression, just full support and empathy. It’s extremely important to have love. Love, empathy, and support. Recovery is possible! I am an example of recovery and I have witnessed many others be successful in their recovery! If you are watching and connect to this video. You share a similar experience with addition, are struggling to understand why violence is occurring feel free to contact DWAVE for support. Happy National Recovery Awareness Month.]

Address

100 Century Drive
Worcester, MA
01606

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	8am - 6pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+17746704486

Website

https://deafyes.org/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/deafyes

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