Official Site of The State of New Jersey
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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS), individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing receive specialized career services designed to help them prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment. Our Deaf Language Specialists (DLS), also known as Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf, provide direct vocational counseling to eligible DVRS consumers whose primary language is American Sign Language (ASL). Our counselors are also able to meet the communication needs of those with hearing loss who do not sign.
- Vocational evaluation to assist you in discovering the best job goal based on your skills, capabilities, and interests
- Internship assistance for those who are soon to graduate college and need work experience
- SSI/SSDI benefit counseling to help you understand how your income from working may affect your Social Security benefits
- For students in high school up to age 21 or out of school youth with or without a high school diploma up to age 24, Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and Out-of-School Youth Employment Services (OSYES) help prepare you for work or post-secondary education
- Referral to one of three DVRS-funded Regional Career Centers for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. With staff proficient in ASL, these centers offer vocational assessments, job readiness training, job search support, job coaching, and pre-employment transition services for both students currently in school and youth who are not in school. Each location also has an assistive technology demonstration center where you can learn about and try various alert systems and listening devices that may help you at work
- Referral to any of our other approved community-based vocational rehabilitation providers for supported employment services. Staff in these agencies are also proficient in ASL and will assist you with job readiness skills, job placement, job coaching, and long-term follow-along services, if needed
- Financial assistance with:
- College or vocational training
- Hearing aids
- Cochlear Implant replacement or upgrade
To learn if you are eligible for services, contact your county DVRS office. Alternatively, you can contact the Deaf Language Specialists in your county. DVRS will conduct Financial Needs Assessments, and may conduct Diagnostic Evaluations, such as hearing aid tests, to determine eligibility.
Please fill out the Confidential Referral Form or contact your local DVRS office where you will be assigned to a Rehabilitation Counselor who can evaluate your needs and refer you to the services best suited to support your continued or new employment.
PO Box 398, Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-9339 (V), 609-292-8347 (FAX), 609-498-6221 (VP)
Tanya Onsongo: Tanya.Onsongo@dol.nj.gov
2 South Main Street, 1st Floor, Suite 2, Pleasantville, NJ 08232-2728
609-813-3933 (V), 609-813-3959 (FAX)
60 State Street, 2nd Fl., Hackensack, NJ 07601-5471
201-996-8970 (V), 201-996-8880 (FAX), 973-968-6556 (VP)
Gary Mitchell: Gary.Mitchell@dol.nj.gov
795 Woodland Road, Suite 201, Westampton, NJ 08060
609-518-3948 (V), 609-518-3956 (FAX) 856-831-7599 (VP)
Barbara Myerovich: Barbara.Myerovich@dol.nj.gov
101 Woodcrest Road, Suite 127, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
856-549-0500 (V), 856-614-2538 (FAX), 856-831-7599 (VP)
Barbara Myerovich: Barbara.Myerovich@dol.nj.gov
3801 Route 9 South, Unit 3, 08242
609-523-0330 (V), 609-523-0212 (FAX)
(v) 609-224-2010 and (f) 609-224-2047
40 E. Broad Street, Suite 204, Bridgeton, NJ 08302-2881
856-453-3888 (V), 856-453-3909 (FAX), 856-497-0075 (VP)
Emma Gordon: Emma.Gordon@dol.nj.gov
990 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Newark, NJ 07102
973-648-3494 (V), 973-648-3902 (FAX), 862-772-7166 (VP)
Robert Berman: Robert.Berman@dol.nj.gov
Gloucester Regional Service Center
215 Crown Point Rd, Suite 200, Thorofare, NJ 08086-2153
856-384-3730 (V), 856-384-3777 (FAX), 856-497-0075 (VP)
Emma Gordon: Emma.Gordon@dol.nj.gov
438 Summit Ave, 6th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306-3187
201-217-7180 (V), 201-217-7287 (FAX), 201-616-0447 (VP)
Judy Dorrbecker: Judy.Dorrbecker@dol.nj.gov
75 Veterans Memorial Drive E., Suite 101, Somerville, NJ 08876-2952
908-704-3030 (V), 908 704-3476 (FAX), 732-393-8056 (VP)
Barbara Stockton: Barbara.Stockton@dol.nj.gov
Labor Station Plaza, P.O. Box 959, 28 Yard Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08625-0959
609-292-2940 (V), 609-984-3553 (FAX), 609-498-7011 (VP)
Steven Shevlin: Steven.Shevlin@dol.nj.gov
550 Jersey Avenue, P.O. Box 2672, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-2672
732-937-6300 (V), 732-937-6358 (FAX), 732-393-8056 (VP)
Barbara Stockton: Barbara.Stockton@dol.nj.gov
60 Taylor Avenue, Neptune, NJ 07753-4844
732-775-1799 (V), 732-775-1666 (FAX), 732-606-4961 (VP)
Joel “Ted” Rooy: Joel.Rooy@dol.nj.gov
13 Emery Avenue, 2nd Fl. Randolph, NJ 07869-3886
862-397-5600, Option 4 – (V), 973 -895-6420 (FAX), 973-607-2034 (VP)
Robert Berman: Robert.Berman@dol.nj.gov
1027 Hooper Ave. bldg 6, 3rd Fl, Suite 1, Toms River, NJ 08753-2225
732-505-2310 (V), 732 505-2317 (FAX), 732-606-4961 (VP)
Joel “Ted” Rooy: Joel.Rooy@dol.nj.gov
200 Memorial Drive, 1st floor, Paterson, NJ 07505
973-742-9226 option 3 (V), 973-279-5895 (FAX), 973-968-6556 (VP)
Gary Mitchell: Gary.Mitchell@dol.nj.gov
40 E. Broad Street, Suite 204, Bridgeton, NJ 08302-2881
856-453-3888 (V), 856-453-3909 (FAX), 856-497-0075 (VP)
Emma Gordon: Emma.Gordon@dol.nj.gov
75 Veterans Memorial Drive E., Suite 101, Somerville, NJ 08876-2952
908-704-3030 (V), 908 704-3476 (FAX), 732-393-8056 (VP)
Barbara Stockton: Barbara.Stockton@dol.nj.gov
445 Marshall Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
908-329-9190 (option#2)- (V), 908-454-8334 (FAX), 973-607-2034 (VP)
921 Elizabeth Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07201-2306
908-965-3940 (V), 908-965-2976 (FAX), 908-242-3563 (VP)
Margaret Ferrao: Margaret.Ferrao@dol.nj.gov
445 Marshall Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
908-329-9190 (option#2)- (V), 908-454-8334 (FAX), 973-607-2034 (VP)
The Regional Career Centers for People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RCC) are funded through a contract through the NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Each RCC provides vocational assessments, job readiness training, job coaching and assistive technology demonstrations to adults as well as pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to students in high school and out of school youth. A confidential referral form must be completed in order to obtain any of these services with the exception of pre-employment transition services. The Pre ETS-Referral form must be completed to obtain services in Pre-ETS.
515 Valley Street, Suite 100
25 Kennedy Blvd, Suite 600
603 N. Broad Street, Suite 210
Contact: Program Assistant, Nichelle Frederic
- Pays for the cost of 2 hearing aids
- For additional information, call 1-800-356-1561
- Applicants are encouraged to call before applying to ensure they will qualify
- Application fee is $125 for 1 hearing aid and $250 for 2 hearing aids
- They provide behind the ear hearing aids (BTE) only
- Based on income and assets for all those in the household
- To learn more about the program, or request materials for the program, call Tina Nemitz at Hear Now at 800-328-8602 x2818
- Hearing Aid Assistance Fee for Service Program, under Family Centered Care Services
- Applications must be preauthorized through the State Special Child Health Services Staff Website for SCHS CMU
- The Fee for Service Program is available for children birth through 21
- The family must be residents of New Jersey for at least 3 months prior to the application
- Based on gross family income
- The program does not cover the cost of the visits
- The Fee for Service Program is a form of payment of last resort meaning that the family either has no insurance or has an insurance policy that does not cover hearing aids
- For additional information, please contact the case manager in the respective county found here
- Must be over 65 years old
- Automatically eligible if receiving Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) benefits
- Income limits if single ($26,575)
- Income limits if married ($32,582)
- Qualified applicants receive 1 reconditioned hearing aid (only out of pocket expense is earmold)
- For additional information, call DDHH: (609) 588-2648
- A catastrophic illness is any illness or condition, acute or chronic, for which expenses are incurred that are not fully covered by insurance, state, federal programs, or other sources and exceed the program's eligibility threshold.
- In any prior, consecutive, 12 month period, eligible expenses must exceed 10% of the family's income, plus 15% of any excess income over $100,000.
- The child must have been 21 years or younger when the medical expenses were incurred.
- The family must have lived in New Jersey for 3 months immediately prior to the date of application. Migrant workers may be eligible, temporary residents are not.
- There are no specific exclusions by diagnosis.
- Families may be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses.
- For further information and application, call 1 800-335-3863
- NDI can provide affordable loans to help people with disabilities purchase the assistive technology that best meets their needs, including hearing aids.
- For further information, contact Laurie Schaller at lschaller@ndi-inc.org or 202-449-9521 or visit assistivetechloans.com.
