Who We Serve
What We Do | Enrollment | Contact Info | Staff
HSDC’s Parent-Infant Program (PIP) is a birth to three service providing free parental support and coaching for the families of Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing toddlers. Families in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties are eligible to receive services.
PIP uses a bilingual/bicultural approach that emphasizes language acquisition in both American Sign Language (ASL) and English. While enrolled in PIP, families will develop their ASL skills to create a nurturing, language-accessible home for their Deaf or hard of hearing toddler.
Curious about the benefits of bilingual education for deaf and hard of hearing children? Check out our Resources page or contact us with questions.
Visit the HSDC Family Room for online lessons, tips, and children’s stories in American Sign Language: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
What We Do
PIP Specialists travel to your household to engage you and your family in your natural setting. These home visits develop a child’s cognitive abilities and encourage their acquisition of essential language and literacy skills, while providing parents or caregivers with the skills they need to create a nurturing home for their Deaf, DeafBlind, or hard of hearing child. We use an evidence-based ASL-English bilingual approach that can be adapted to fit your family’s cultural and language needs.
Home visits are the core of our services, but PIP offers a variety of support for parents and families, including:
- Bilingual/bicultural Family Nights
- Parent support groups led by a professional counselor
- ASL/English playgroups for toddlers
- Celebrate Reading Nights
- Access to alternative early learning groups in Pierce and Snohomish Counties
- American Sign Language (ASL) instruction
- Preschool transition support
- Resource Library
The video is endorsed by the PIP (Parent Infant Program) and ECE (Early Childhood Education) teams here at HSDC and the ASDC (American Society for Deaf Children. The video was created by Kim Ofori-Sanzo, founder of Language 1st. It is intended for parents, and early intervention providers, to share the importance of language access from birth. Want more information? Talk to your PIP provider or your ECE teachers. For more education about the impact of language, visit Language 1st. Also worth a peek, Language 1st, new CISIGN campaign.
Enrollment
PIP services are free for families in King County, Pierce County, and Snohomish County. If you’d like to learn more, just get in touch. We’ll schedule an in-home evaluation to assess your family’s needs.
Contact
Online
Email: education@hsdc.org
Phone (voice): 206-323-5770
Fax: 206-328-6871
Staff
Click on a staff member’s picture to learn more about them.-
Savannah Hagwood, MA
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Early Language Coach
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Cassie Owens, MEd
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Early Language Coach
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Annie Utley, MEd
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Early Language Coach