Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center

What Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center does

Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center (HSDC) is a 1937-founded nonprofit resource hub headquartered in Seattle, Washington, operating three regional offices (Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham) and serving 13 counties in Western Washington. The organization delivers a multi-disciplinary service portfolio spanning clinical care (speech-language pathology, audiology), ASL interpreting coordination, deaf and hard of hearing case management and advocacy, and bilingual ASL/English early childhood education through two named sub-brand programs: the free Parent-Infant Program (PIP) for children ages 0–3 and Rosen Family Preschool (ages 0–5), the only fully immersive ASL/English classroom in King County. The technology and methodological backbone is a bilingual/bicultural service delivery model combining American Sign Language and English, supplemented by a virtual service delivery platform established during COVID-19 that enables remote interpreting, speech therapy, and family support.

Revenue mechanics reflect a hybrid nonprofit model. Core community programs (PIP and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services) are provided free of charge to eligible households and are funded by donations, grants, and fundraising campaigns including GiveBIG, end-of-year appeals, and online donations through the Zeffy platform. Earned revenue comes from fee-for-service ASL interpreting coordination and organizational training (e.g., Deaf Culture and workplace accessibility training delivered to employers such as Safeway), supplemented by meeting space rentals and an assistive listening technology loan program. Distribution is conducted through direct in-person service at the three offices, in-home visits for early intervention, on-site organizational training, and virtual channels. The customer mix is dominated by individual families and Deaf/hard of hearing adults served through case management, with a smaller enterprise training segment.

The organization is led by a Co-Executive Director model (Ariele Belo and Lindsay Klarman) since November 2022, with Klarman announcing her departure in March 2026 and Allie Rice named as incoming Executive Director effective June 8, 2026. There is no parent company, no outside equity, and no disclosed financial figures; the organization is governed by a board including executives from BECU, FedEx, and Discover Live.

Name

Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center

Legal name

Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center

Website

https://hsdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HSDC is a 1937-founded Seattle-based nonprofit resource hub delivering audiology, speech-language therapy, ASL interpreting, advocacy, and bilingual ASL/English early childhood education to Deaf, hard of hearing, and speech-diverse communities across 13 counties in Western Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM)

Keywords

• Deaf and hard of hearing services
• Speech language therapy
• ASL interpreting services
• Audiology clinic services
• Bilingual deaf education

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit organization, HSDC relies heavily on donations from the community. They conduct fundraising campaigns including GiveBIG, end-of-year campaigns, and accept donations through their website via Zeffy platform.
2. Professional Services Revenue: HSDC provides fee-for-service interpreting services to organizations and businesses, including training seminars on Deaf Culture and workplace access (e.g., Safeway partnership).
3. Free Community Services: Core programs including the Parent-Infant Program (PIP) and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) are provided free of charge to eligible families in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, funded by donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center (HSDC) is a nonprofit resource hub that delivers communication, advocacy, and education services for the Deaf, hard of hearing, and speech/language diverse communities. It operates clinical speech-language and audiology services, ASL interpreting coordination, case management and advocacy for Deaf adults, and bilingual ASL/English early childhood education through its Parent-Infant Program (PIP) and Rosen Family Preschool. The organization also provides Deaf Culture and accessibility training for businesses and institutions.

Product overview

Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center (HSDC) is a nonprofit resource hub offering a comprehensive suite of services for the Deaf, hard of hearing, and speech/language diverse communities across Western Washington. The organization operates as a multi-service center combining clinical services (Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology), interpreting services, advocacy programs, and bilingual early childhood education. Core programs include the Parent-Infant Program (PIP) providing free early intervention for children 0-3, Rosen Family Preschool as a bilingual ASL/English preschool for ages 0-5, and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services offering case management across 13 counties. The organization also provides organizational training (Deaf 101), meeting space rentals, and educational video content. Services are available to clients regardless of ability to pay, with interpreting services, advocacy, and the Parent-Infant Program offered free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rosen Family Preschool: A bilingual ASL/English preschool program for children ages 0-5, the only preschool in King County with fully immersive classrooms teaching both American Sign Language and English.
• Parent-Infant Program (PIP)

Products and services

• Speech, Language & Communication Services Clinical speech-language pathology evaluation and treatment for children and adults with speech and language impairments, including early intervention, feeding disorders, and motor speech disorders, delivered at HSDC's clinics in Seattle.
• Audiology Services Diagnostic and therapeutic audiology services including hearing evaluations, hearing aid fitting and repair, and assistive listening technology loans for Deaf and hard of hearing community members.
• Interpreting Services American Sign Language interpreting services connecting Deaf and hard of hearing individuals with hearing individuals in various settings, including RID-certified interpreters and Continuing Education Unit (CEU) opportunities for interpreters.
• Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services Case management, advocacy, information and referral services, and education programs serving Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing individuals across 13 counties in Western Washington; provided free of charge.
• Parent-Infant Program (PIP) Free early intervention program supporting families with Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing children ages 0-3 through home visits, ASL instruction, and family-centered language learning; free for eligible households in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties.
• Rosen Family Preschool Bilingual ASL and English preschool serving children ages 0-5, the only fully immersive classroom in King County teaching both American Sign Language and English, following a bilingual/bicultural perspective to deaf education.
• Deaf 101 Training Organizational training program educating businesses and institutions about Deaf culture and accessibility best practices to better serve Deaf and hard of hearing community members.
• Meeting Space Accessible meeting space rentals for community events and gatherings, equipped with communication accessibility features.
• Assistive Listening Technology Loan Program Loan program providing assistive listening devices and technology to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals to improve communication access.

Quantifiable outcome

• PIP is the only program in the Puget Sound that educates deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing infants and toddlers with both ASL and English
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NordstromminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Nordstrom employees participated in Day of Caring volunteer activities with HSDC staff.
• SafewaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Safeway partnered with HSDC for Deaf Culture and accessibility training for HR representatives across Washington State districts. HSDC provided training on Deaf culture, communication styles, and workplace access. Safeway subsequently made their job application portal more accessible and partners with HSDC for ASL interpreters during hiring and training.
• MicrosoftminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2017Microsoft employees volunteered to help create HSDC's new accessible website, improving the organization's digital presence and accessibility for the Deaf community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association of the Deaf (NAD): Civil rights advocacy organization for the Deaf community. Overlaps with HSDC's advocacy and information/referral services but operates at the national policy level.
• Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD): CSD is a national nonprofit providing interpreting, advocacy, and deaf education services at scale. It competes with HSDC on interpreting services while also operating as a broader social enterprise employing DHH individuals.
• Gallaudet University: The nation's premier university for deaf and hard of hearing students. Multiple HSDC staff are Gallaudet alumni (e.g., Pamela Grossman, Braden Painter), and Gallaudet's bilingual ASL/English pedagogy parallels HSDC's educational philosophy.
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell): National organization providing resources, advocacy, and education for DHH individuals using listening and spoken language. Comparable audience and educational mission to HSDC's audiology and speech services.

Direct peers

• Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) at Washington University: CID is a St. Louis-based nonprofit that offers a comparable suite of audiology, speech-language, and listening-and-spoken-language services for DHH children and adults. Like HSDC, it combines clinical care with educational programming, making it a strong operational and mission parallel.
• Hear Center: Pasadena-based nonprofit providing speech-language therapy, audiology, and hearing services to children and adults. Closely mirrors HSDC's clinical service mix on a smaller regional scale.
• Beginnings for Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: North Carolina-based nonprofit offering parent-infant and early intervention services parallel to HSDC's PIP. Direct functional peer in early childhood DHH support services.
• Listen and Talk: Seattle-based nonprofit serving DHH children with auditory-verbal and speech-language therapy. As a direct local competitor for early intervention services, it is one of HSDC's closest geographic and mission-aligned peers.
• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA): National nonprofit providing information, education, advocacy, and support for people with hearing loss. Comparable advocacy and case-management mission, though operating at national scale rather than regional.

Regional players

• Tucker Maxon School: Portland, Oregon-based school for DHH students focusing on listening and spoken language. Operates in an adjacent Pacific Northwest geography with a comparable preschool-through-school-age educational model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HSDCorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HSDCSeattle
• Facebookfacebook.com/HSDCorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hsdcorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center