DSHS - Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Home page

Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Hearing loss affects people from all walks of life, from infants to the elderly and across communities, with no regard to socio-economic status, religious affiliation or ethnic background.

The various communities of people with hearing loss who interact with hearing people and use unique means of communication include:

  • Deaf
  • Hard of Hearing
  • DeafBlind
  • Late Deafened
  • Families
  • Professionals
  • General Public

Deaf population in Washington

  • Approximately 506,000 individuals with a hearing loss live in the State of Washington
  • Approximately 12,600 individuals are profoundly deaf
  • Washington is ranked with the second largest deafblind population in the nation.

Federal accommodation laws