DeafYES! Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery

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.