09/02/2026
The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) is the Commonwealth’s principal agency representing the needs and interests of the approximately 1.4 million Massachusetts residents who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or late-deafened. With a staff of about 60 employees, MCDHH provides accessible communication, education, advocacy, and direct services that help people participate fully in their communities.
Its Communication Access Training and Technology (CATTS) team provides resources for Deaf, hard of hearing, and late-deafened residents, including communication access trainings for organizations. CATTS also distributes the Visor Card for interactions with law enforcement and the Emergency Services Card for first responders.
The Community Services Division helps individuals and families navigate state systems, communication access, and education planning, while partnering with community-based Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Services.
The Communication Access Division connects individuals and organizations with ASL interpreters and CART captioners. It also screens interpreters to help ensure quality and supports mentorship and workforce development to build the next generation of interpreters and captioners.
As part of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, MCDHH works with sister agencies to make programs and services more accessible, equitable, and inclusive. Many of its highly skilled staff are themselves Deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened, or deafblind—putting the principle “nothing about us, without us” into practice across Massachusetts.
Learn more about MCDHH at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing