Deaf Outreach Services

In the state of Connecticut, deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals recognize FSW as one of the leading providers of services especially for them.

Community Services for the Deaf and their Families (CSDF) — Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals and their families turn to CSDF to receive counseling, advocacy, education and case management.

Video Interpreting Services - If you have access to video conferencing equipment, ask us about our new VIS department. We provide interpreting services where the Hearing and Deaf consumers are in one location and our interpreter is connected through a video phone. The service is also referred to as Video Remote Interpreting, or VRI. VIS works especially well for customers who have infrequent need for interpreting service, need interpreting service with little to no notification, or are in remote areas of the state where it's been historically difficult to get qualified interpreters to the region. For more information about the service or the equipment required to use this service, please contact Ami Worster by phone at (203) 727-1442 or at aworster@fswinc.org.

Community Sign Language Service (CSLS) — Provides sign language interpreter services to schools, universities, hospitals, agencies, businesses and individuals throughout Connecticut.

Need to hire an interpreter? Download and print our Interpreter Request Form, fill it out, and fax it back to us at 203-696-0714. Or call 888-676-8554 (voice or TTY).

Types of interpreters available:

• ASL – Customer communicates in American Sign Language (ASL). 
• Transliterater – Customer communicates using signs from ASL in English word order.
• Oral – Customer communicates using speech and lip-reading.
• Tactile – Deaf/blind customer communicates using a hand over hand method.
• CDI – Customer requires a specific dialect of ASL, or uses a foreign sign language.  A CDI may also be used in some settings with a Deaf/blind consumer.

Why choose FSW?

• FSW guarantees that our interpreters meet the requirements of the Connecticut statute for “Qualified Sign Language and Oral Interpreters.”
• FSW provides ongoing supervision of our interpreters including troubleshooting when issues arise.
• FSW makes the best possible interpreter match from our staff of over 80 interpreters.
• FSW will provide consultation regarding the customer's language needs.
• FSW can provide evaluations and reports.
• FSW can, in most cases, provide substitutes when needed.

For interpreter rates, please download our Rate Information.

Let us know how we're doing. Download our Customer Satisfaction Survey, fill it out in Microsoft Word, and mail, fax or e-mail it back to us.

For more information, please call 888-676-8554.