Community Services

​​If you need help making informed choices regarding accessible housing, accessible transportation, employment resources, or state and federal benefits, we will provide the information you need to live as independently as you wish, or refer you to a resource better suited to your needs.

If you want to increase your independence, we can refer you to agencies that provide assistance with:

> financial management
> cooking
> housekeeping
> using public transportation
> social skills

Individual training may be provided on a case by case basis.

Through one-on-one peer support you can share your experiences to learn to:

> adjust to newly acquired disability
> adjust to changes in living arrangements
> use community services
> manage encountering discrimination

At DNEC, most of the staff has some type of disability – who better than another person with disabilities to help you learn what you need to live independently?

We support your right to be seen and heard. Our staff will assist you by advocating for your point of view in issues of:
> obtaining benefits
> social services
> access to public facilities
> employment, education, and communication discrimination

DNEC assists people in transitioning back into their community. Services provided may include home modification support and peer support. We also provide information and referral to other service providers, agencies, and funding that may help support the transition to community.

The DNEC Deaf Services advocate helps Deaf individuals with advocacy issues. We provide access to the five core services: Information and Referral, Independent Living Skills Training, Peer Support, Advocacy, and Transition. We have employees that are Deaf and employees fluent in ASL.

Deaf Social Group
The Deaf Social Group meets weekly. Currently via Zoom. Every week is a different presenter or topic of interest to the group.

DNEC provides interpreting services to New London County. Our interpreters are certified and registered with the state of CT.

Deaf individuals can experience obstacles when communicating with staff who may not be aware of the access needs of the Deaf community. DNEC is providing an hour-long workshop and an eight-week ASL class. These classes will help you understand Deaf culture, history, language deprivation, social deprivation, mental-health issues, and basic communication, and will help you develop strategies for staff to improve their interactions with Deaf consumers.  These classes can be customized to suit your agencies’ needs.  The awareness workshop can be taken separately, or along with the ASL class.  

​​DNEC provides services that will assist a consumer to connect with Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), navigate the internet to job search, complete employment applications, and provide support through the employment search process.

​DNEC is an Employment Network (EN) in the Ticket to Work program with the social security administration.