The Council serves as an advocate for all Idahoans who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Council provides direct services and is involved in public and private sector programs and policies as they relate to persons with hearing impairments. The Council's goal is to improve the quality of life for Idahoans who are deaf or hard of hearing by providing services such as newsletters, brochures, workshops on communication access, information and referral, advocacy, assistive device demonstration centers and workshops, and by coordinating and advocating for increases in services and access to services provided by other agencies. The Council serves as a resource for other state agencies regarding the needs of persons with hearing impairments and how to meet those needs.

The Council provides demonstration and loan of assistive devices for people who are deaf or hard of hearing through demonstration centers throughout Idaho. There are 7 centers located in Moscow, Boise, Twin Falls, Idaho State University, Caldwell, Coeur D'Alene and Idaho Falls. The Council has a small grant program administered by United Cerebral Palsy to help people purchase assistive devices. Application can be made at the demonstration and loan centers.

Numerous brochures are available from the Council on the requirements of the ADA Act for public and private agencies to provide reasonable accommodations and communication access for Idahoans who are deaf or hard of hearing; a statewide directory of sign language and oral interpreters; Help and Hope, a Resource Guide for Parents of a Child with a Hearing Loss; Opportunity, a newsletter published quarterly.

Find a sign language interpreter, go online to: http://www.cdhh.idaho.gov/interpreting_services.htm