Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center

Name

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center

Legal name

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center

Website

https://dhhsc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and human services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALAGAD

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Disability Services & Accessibility

SECONDARYEDAJAKAI

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

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

SECONDARYEDAKAEAE

Language Disorders Intervention (Receptive/Expressive, Morphology/Syntax/Semantics)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Speech-Language Therapy Services (School-Age)

Keywords

• Deaf and hard of hearing services
• Sign language interpreting
• Community social services
• Disability advocacy programs
• American Sign Language classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Primary funding from California Department of Social Services (CDSS) through Deaf Access Program contracts. Additional grants from First 5 of Fresno County, Fansler Foundation, and Employment Development Department (EDD) for specific programs.
2. Interpreting Services Fees: Fee-for-service interpreting services provided through Interpreting Services of Central California (ISCC). Billing based on hourly minimums (one or two hours depending on area), with half-hour increments thereafter, plus mileage for out-of-town assignments.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, sponsors, and funders. Donations can be directed to specific programs including Core Services, Literacy Program, ASL classes, LGBTQIA+ services, ROCK Program, Deaf Seniors support, and general fund.
4. Class Registration Fees: Revenue from ASL classes, tutoring, DMV instruction, and ASL storytelling classes. Payments accepted online through TicketLeap platform or in person via cash or check.
5. Event Tickets: Revenue from Valley Deaf Festival tickets with tiered pricing by age group (Littlebits FREE, Whatsits $5, Whosits $8, Anywhos $10 at door). Online sales include processing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center (DHHSC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that delivers communication access and human services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and Late Deafened individuals across eight Central California counties. Its core offerings include seven CDSS-mandated services (advocacy, interpreting, independent living skills instruction, counseling, job development and placement, community education, and information/referral) delivered through four offices. The organization also runs ASL/DMV classes, the annual Valley Deaf Festival, and specialized programs such as ROCK, YES!, DeafBlind Services, and deSIGN Artists United.

Product overview

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center (DHHSC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing a comprehensive suite of services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and Late Deafened individuals in Central California. The organization operates four offices serving eight counties. Its service portfolio includes seven CDSS-mandated core services (Advocacy, Communication/Interpreting, Independent Living Skills, Counseling, Job Development, Community Education, and Information & Referral) delivered through dedicated divisions such as Interpreting Services of Central California (ISCC), Employment Services, and DeafBlind Services. DHHSC also offers specialized programs including ROCK (family services), Youth Employment Services, Literacy Program, and deSIGN Artists United. Educational offerings include ASL Classes/Tutoring and DMV Classes. The organization hosts signature events including the annual Valley Deaf Festival (VDF) and community events like Holiday Luncheons and Deaf Awareness Week activities. Supporting services include volunteer programs, facility rental, and a donations program enabling targeted contributions to specific services and programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Interpreting Services of Central California (ISCC): Provides interpreting services including RID-certified sign language interpreters for the Central California region.
• ROCK (Reaching Out and Communicating with our Kids)
• YES! (Youth Employment Services)
• deSIGN Artists United
• Valley Deaf Festival (VDF)
• DeafBlind Support Group
• What Did You Say? (WDYS)

Products and services

• Interpreting Services of Central California (ISCC) Provides sign language interpreting services for legal, medical, interview, and other settings across Central California. Includes RID, NAD, and NIC certified interpreters as well as Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) when needed; dispatched to assignment locations with hourly minimums and mileage billing for out-of-town travel.
• Employment Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 30,000 people annually across eight Central California counties
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered significant and core.

• National Technology Institute for the Deaf (NTID)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnered in 2018 to host the first-ever STEM/vocational camp in California for Deaf and Hard of Hearing high school students, along with Department of Rehabilitation and Fresno State University.
• Fresno State UniversitysignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnered with DHHSC and NTID to host the first-ever STEM/vocational camp in California for Deaf/HH high school students.
• California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of HearingsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of regional agencies under CDSS serving Deaf/HH communities across California. Includes NorCal Services, DCARA, Tri-County GLAD, GLAD Inc, CODIE, Orange County DEAFF, and Deaf Community Services.
• America's Job Center of California (AJCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHHSC partners with America's Job Center of California to provide employment services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals through Wagner Peyser grant funding.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Sorenson Communications: Video Relay Service (VRS) provider enabling Deaf individuals to make phone calls via sign-language interpreters. Competes in the broader interpreting/communication access space and represents a technology-led alternative to DHHSC's in-person ISCC interpreter dispatch model.

Broad incumbents

• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA): National consumer organization serving Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened individuals with advocacy, education, and support. Adjacent constituency (broader hearing loss) with overlapping advocacy and community-education mandates.
• Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD): Larger national nonprofit providing interpreting, employment, and technology services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. Comparable mission and service categories, but operates at significantly greater scale across multiple states.

Direct peers

• GLAD (Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness): CDSS Deaf Access Program agency serving the greater Los Angeles region. Directly comparable as a regional nonprofit delivering the same mandated core services to Deaf/HH individuals under California state contracts.
• Deaf Community Services (San Diego): Coalition member serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in San Diego County. Provides the same seven core services as DHHSC under the same CDSS framework, with comparable government-grant revenue model.
• Tri-County GLAD: Regional Deaf Access Program agency serving three California counties. Directly comparable to DHHSC as a coalition-member nonprofit delivering the same mandated core services.
• Orange County Deaf Equal Access Foundation (OC DEAFF): Coalition peer providing Deaf and Hard of Hearing services in Orange County under the CDSS Deaf Access Program. Direct service-line overlap with DHHSC including advocacy, interpreting, and independent living skills.
• NorCal Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: CDSS-mandated Deaf Access Program agency serving Northern California counties. Directly comparable to DHHSC as a regional nonprofit delivering the same seven core services under the same California state contract framework.
• DCARA (Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency): California-based nonprofit serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals with counseling, advocacy, and referral services. Coalition peer delivering an overlapping service portfolio to a similar constituency under comparable funding models.

Others

• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID): National professional membership and certification body for sign-language interpreters. Not a direct competitor, but RID-certified credentials are the qualification standard ISCC interpreters hold — making RID an enabling ecosystem participant adjacent to DHHSC's interpreting service line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DHHSCtweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/DHHSCvideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/DHHSC
• Instagraminstagram.com/dhhsc1984

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center