Our Mission

The UCSF Center on Deafness is committed to:

  • providing quality and innovative mental health and substance abuse services for individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have hearing loss and their families; and
  • advancing the skills and knowledge of professionals and the community through its training programs and dissemination of written and video materials in the area of mental health and deafness/hearing loss.

Our History

The UCSF Center on Deafness began in 1967 when a program of mental health services for the deaf and research in mental health and deafness was established at Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute by Dr. Hilde Schlesinger. Since its founding thirty-five years ago, the Center on Deafness continues to provide comprehensive mental health outpatient services, and has been the recipient of numerous research and training grants.

In our effort to strive under our original mission to provide culturally competent and linguistically accessible services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their families/significant others, we have successfully shifted to a managed care, fee-for-services program with multiple contracts.

In order to respond to demands for our services and community feedback, we developed a dually diagnosed program, began providing case management for walk-in clients at a downtown San Francisco office, began a new and rewarding collaboration with teachers, students, and their families in our San Mateo Partnership Program, and set up a new satellite office in the East Bay. All these positive changes are the result of tremendous support from county mental health and substance abuse departments and private foundations as well as collaborations with other key deaf service agencies.

UCCD's services are unique because:

  • staff use a variety of communication modalities, including ASL (American Sign Language) and Signed English. Assistive listening devices are also provided during appointments;
  • services are provided by professionals and supervised interns who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and hearing. All are knowledgeable about Deaf culture, hearing loss, mental health, and substance abuse; and
  • specialized programs are available for individuals with substance abuse and mental health issues, and for persons with HIV and hearing loss.

Internship Program

Internships are available for those who are enrolled in B.A. programs and in M.A. level counseling, marriage family therapy, psychology, social work, program development and management and planning (MAP) programs. The internship experience is tailored to meet each trainee's professional and educational goals, including increased knowledge in areas of mental health, substance abuse and deafness and increased knowledge of community based mental health and substance abuse services.

For a printable information sheet and application, click here.

To contact the Internship Coordinator regarding deadlines or with other questions, click here.

Volunteer Opportunities

The UCSF Center on Deafness is a comprehensive mental health clinic for individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or late deafened and their families. UCCD is affiliated with the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute (LPPI), a teaching and research psychiatric hospital under UCSF.

Volunteer opportunities at UCCD are tailored to meet the volunteers experience and needs. All volunteers are provided with a general orientation and will meet on a regular basis for check-in with a staff person. In general, volunteer experience includes the following:

  • Clerical Assistance - assisting with general office duties and special projects.

Click here for a printable volunteer experience application.

After a review of the application, volunteers will be contacted for an interview. To participate in the volunteer program, the volunteer will need to submit appropriate medical clearance forms and attend a UCSF Volunteer/Staff orientation.

UCCD Outreach Letter

Click here to view UCCD's current Outreach letter.