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South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind

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Census Registration

Deaf-Blind Census Eligibility Requirements


All states are required by the federal government to maintain a census of the number of children and youth who qualify as deaf-blind. Accurate identification helps in determining support services, funding, and training for the state. Currently there are approximately 125 children and young adults whose combined vision and hearing challenges qualify them for registered on South Carolina’s Deaf-Blind Census.

SC Deaf-Blind Census Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for registration on the SC Deaf-Blind Census, an individual must:

  1. Be between birth and 21 years of age
  2. Be a resident of South Carolina
  3. Have at least one auditory and one visual impairment as described below, or have at least one condition described as "Other."

Auditory Impairments:

  1. Hearing impairment of 20 dB or greater in at least one ear
  2. Diagnosis of progressive hearing loss
  3. Medical history of chronic middle ear disease
  4. Diagnosis of central auditory processing disorder
  5. Diagnosis of auditory neuropathy
  6. Documented functional hearing impairment
  7. Inconsistent or inconclusive hearing assessments (further testing needed)

Visual Impairments:

  1. Visual acuity of 20/70 or less in the better eye with best correction
  2. Visual field of 20 degrees or less
  3. Light perception only
  4. Total blindness
  5. Diagnosis of cortical visual impairment
  6. Diagnosis of progressive vision loss
  7. Documented functional vision loss
  8. Inconsistent or inconclusive vision assessments (further testing needed)

Other:

A syndrome or medical condition that may cause deaf-blindness now or in the future, such as CHARGE syndrome or Usher syndrome.
 
SC Deaf-Blind Census Registration

To complete the registration form you will need access to:

  1. Audiological, vision, and psychological reports
  2. The Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) if the child is under three year of age
  3. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) if the child is three years of age or older

To register an individual on the SC Deaf-Blind Census, click below:

Deaf-Blind Census Registration Form

If assistance is needed, please contact the SCIDB Project staff and they will be happy to guide you through the registration process.