DeafBlind Programs

Community Intervener Program

Community Interveners work one-on-one with deafblind infants, children, and youth, and with deafblind adults who have additional intellectual or developmental disabilities. They provide consistent support with communication, social activities, and community involvement.

Eligible deafblind individuals can receive up to 14 hours of Community Intervener Program support each month.

Apply for support Become a Community Intervener

Who qualifies for this program?

Children under 22 with a documented combined vision and hearing loss, and Colorado residency. Adults over 21 with a documented combined vision and hearing loss, and Colorado residency who need assistance with:

Making independent decisions
Accessing the community independently

What is a Community Intervener?

A community intervener is a professional who:

Has specialized skills and training to support the empowerment, social skill development, communication skill development, and concept development of deafblind children, youth, and adults with additional intellectual disabilities
Works consistently one-to-one with a deafblind individual on goals set by the individual or their family members and support team

Become a Community Intervener

Community Interveners do WITH, not for!

Things community interveners do:

Share visual and/or auditory information that might be missing or incomplete
Support the individual in developing a communication system that is accessible to them
Promote community integration and participation
Grow a trusting relationship and promote social and emotional well-being

Community Interveners are NOT for:

Respite care
Medical care or nursing
Housekeeping or cleaning
Transportation or driving
Chores or errands

Community Interveners can provide access in many areas, including but not limited to:

Home
Recreation center
Religious services
Community events
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Family outings

Community Intervener Program Advisory Group

Interested in sharing your thoughts and helping shape the future of the Community Intervener Program? Contact us here to join the CIP Advisory Group, which meets bimonthly on Zoom.

Program Contact:

dbp.cddhhdb@state.co.us

Phone: 720-457-3679

Service Provider Lookup

Community Interveners provide ongoing communication and access support for deafblind children and adults with additional cognitive disabilities.

Orientation and Mobility specialists provide focused training on navigation skills that promote independence.

Support Service Providers are vendors that assist deafblind individuals, allowing them to perform their essential daily activities.

Use the spreadsheet to find a DeafBlind Programs provider that fits your needs.

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Become A DeafBlind Programs Vendor

Please see our Vendor page for the most up-to-date information on becoming a vendor for DeafBlind Programs.

Orientation And Mobility (O&M) Guidelines

The Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind (CDDHHDB) Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Program supports deafblind people in learning how to travel safely and independently.

Orientation means knowing where you are and understanding your surroundings.
Mobility means being able to move safely and efficiently from one place to another.

The goal of the program is to support deafblind people's independence and confidence while traveling.

Role, Responsibilities And Code Of Ethics Of The O&M Specialists

O&M specialists work with deafblind people to support them in learning to travel safely and independently. They do this by:

Doing assessments to understand what skills the person might need to develop.
Creating a travel training plan.
Teaching basic travel skills, like using a white cane, traveling with a guide dog, or moving safely in familiar areas.
Working with people to learn how to use buses, trains, and other community transportation.

O&M specialists believe that being able to move independently is very important for a person's growth and independence. They are committed to helping each person reach their full potential.

O&M specialists agree to follow a professional Code of Ethics. CDDHHDB uses the Code of Ethics from the book Foundations of Orientation and Mobility, Third Edition, Appendix A: "Code of Ethics for Orientation and Mobility Specialists."

Qualifications Of O&M Specialists

O&M specialists must:

Be at least 18 years old.
Be able to use the deafblind person's preferred way of communicating.
Pass a background check (no criminal record).
Have a valid driver's license.
Have professional liability insurance.
Be an approved vendor in good standing.
Have a current O&M certification, such as the ACVREP COMS certification.

O&M specialists must also keep their certification active by completing continuing education classes.

How To Request Orientation And Mobility (O&M) Training

The consumer contacts either the DeafBlind Programs Manager or an O&M specialist directly to ask for services.
The DeafBlind Programs Manager checks to make sure the person meets the eligibility requirements as deafblind. If approved, they notify the O&M specialist and share the consumer's contact information.
The O&M specialist reaches out to the consumer to talk about their goals and set up a time for training.
Either the consumer or the O&M specialist shares the training schedule with the Scheduling Team. A confirmation email will be sent to the O&M Specialist and the deafblind consumer.

Even though SSPs and deafblind consumers may enjoy working together and building positive relationships, the SSP's role is different from that of a friend. If an SSP and consumer are also friends, they can meet outside of SSP work hours. However, this is separate from the SSP assignment.

Support Service Provider (SSP) Guidelines

Download the Deafblind Consumer Guidelines Download the Support service provider guidelines