SAS Departments

Substance and Addiction Intervention Services for the Deaf (SAISD) provides alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) information/referral, prevention/education, intervention, cross-disability professional consultation and training and support to treatment services. The target population served includes the deaf and hard-of-hearing student population at RIT/NTID and the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Monroe County and its 15 surrounding counties in upstate New York.

SAISD interfaces with almost all NTID departments, most notably the Student Life Team, First Year Experiences, Judicial Affairs and Career Counseling. Additional collaboration happens with RIT’s Division of Student Affairs, including Center for Campus Life, Center for Campus Ministries, Center for Intercollegiate Athletics, Center for Physical Education and Recreation, Center for Residence Life and the Student Health Center. In addition, SAISD interfaces with RIT College of Liberal Arts and with RIT Campus Safety.

SAISD provides short-term needs assessment to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and to the students at RIT/NTID, coordinates referrals to appropriate services and presents workshops and training to the professional community related to substance abuse and deafness. Some of the college activities include working with the Summer Vestibule Program and Freshman Seminar classes as well as dormitory programs by conducting presentations on the dangers of experimenting with mind-altering substances. SAISD counselors have implemented BASICS, an evidence-based practice for those students who have received a judicial sanction related to alcohol or other drugs.  Educating our student population by providing drug and alcohol information and intervention when indicated proves to be an effective substance abuse prevention strategy.  We provide information on deafness and substance abuse to agencies, nationwide. Our website provides these agencies with useful tips and information related to counseling the deaf and hard of hearing. 

Contact Keven Poore
kmpsai@rit.edu
Office: August Center (23A) Rm. 2180
Videophone: 585-563-9260

Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) provides confidential and personalized services to meet the mental health needs of currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students. The CaPS office is located on the second floor of the RIT August Center building (above the Student Health Center). Our mission is to enhance the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing student potential for learning and success and to promote the emotional health and well-being of the campus community through the delivery of responsive, empirically-based and culturally competent mental health services.

Our caring team of licensed mental health professionals offer primarily individual psychotherapy, but also group counseling, crisis intervention and referrals to outside resources to help students change and thrive as they navigate the daily challenges of college life.

CaPS uses a short-term, time-limited therapy model to assist students who are experiencing concerns and needs that are interfering with their ability to be successful in school and/or with their individual personal growth, functioning and adjustment. The overall objective is not to uncover and address every issue a student may have faced in his/her life or to provide continual maintenance for chronic psychiatric disorders. Rather, our objective is to facilitate adaptation, adjustment and resilient functioning in order to enable the student to continue enrollment in college and to pursue academic, career and personal success with minimal disruption or delay.

Students can contact the CaPS office either by email, caps@rit.edu, or as a walk-in (August Center building, second floor).

The mission of the Student Behavior Consultation Team (SBCT) is to coordinate the resources of RIT to address inappropriate, disruptive or harmful student behavior in order to recommend collaborative and purposeful (and non-punitive) interventions aimed at helping students achieve success. 

In addition, the SBCT assists faculty and staff in addressing instances of student behavior that may be inappropriate, harmful, or disruptive for the RIT living and learning community.

Contact: Mary Karol Matchett
mkmnca@ntid.rit.edu
Videophone: 585-286-4854

The NTID Office of Student Financial Services plays a unique role with financial matters in assisting deaf and hard-of-hearing students as well as students enrolled in the ASL-English interpretation program and Master of Science program in secondary education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing..

Here are some of the main services we provide:

• Select recipients for NTID private and/or endowed scholarships
• Help students with eServices questions – this portal is for enrolled students, which provides individualized academic, billing, and financial aid information.
• Direct students to the appropriate departments/programs for problem resolution as necessary.

Contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) for assistance on these topics:

• How to apply for financial aid programs
• Identifying sources of financial aid to help meet the cost of attendance
• How financial aid eligibility is determined
• Requirements for financial aid programs

The OFAS is responsible for awarding as well as administration of all need-based federal, state and institutional aid (i.e. grants, loans and work-programs). The OFAS has dedicated staff members with experience in every aspect of financial aid administration and who are specifically designated for deaf and hard-of-hearing students as well as students enrolled in the ASL-English interpretation program and Master of Science program in secondary education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Contact: Barb Polle
blptso@rit.edu
Office: LBJ-2620
Videophone: 585-286-5516
Phone: 585-475-6863
rit.edu/ntid/tuition

Contact: Heather Johnson
hxjsfa@rit.edu
Office: BLC-2130
Phone: 585-475-7254
Financial Aid and Scholarships

Contact: Matthew Reynell
mjrsfa@rit.edu
Office: BLC-2120
Phone: 585-475-6282
Financial Aid and Scholarships

The NTID Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR Services) has an active role in assisting deaf and hard-of-hearing students with VR policies, consultations, and building relationships with VR agencies throughout the country.

Some of the resources that the Office of VR Services provides are:

• Managing VR support for the education of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing
• Outreach to admitted and continuing students regarding how to seek and maintain VR benefits
• Resolution of VR questions or concerns
• Provision of workshops and one-on-one consultations for RIT/NTID students on understanding their rights and responsibilities regarding VR and other pertinent topics

Contact the NTID Office of VR Services for assistance on these topics:

• How to apply for VR support services
• How VR support is determined
• Requirements for maintaining VR support

Contact: Denise Hampton
dchsfa@rit.edu
Office: LBJ 2620
Videophone: 585-286-4525
Phone: 585-475-2582

Students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing participate with hearing students in sports, recreation and wellness programs. Support services and training for deaf and hard-of-hearing RIT student-athletes competing at the varsity level are provided through the RIT/NTID Athlete Development Program. The program provides a wide range of services, covering academic support, educational workshops, personal mentoring, leadership development and more.

Contact: Skip Flanagan
spfnop@rit.edu