Hands United offers community-centered events and professional trainings, and educational resources to support immigrant families with Deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Proceeds from paid events and store purchases directly fund free multilingual ASL resources, family programs, and accessibility initiatives.
Not sure where to start or have questions? Contact us and we’ll help you find the right program or service.
A 10-week online citizenship preparation course taught in American Sign Language. Participants will study U.S. civics, practice the naturalization interview, and prepare for the citizenship exam. Contact us to express interest.
Hands United is planning a series of free virtual technology workshops designed to help community members feel more confident using everyday technology. Workshops will be offered in ASL, English, and Spanish.
We are currently asking community members which topics they are most interested in so we can plan future workshops based on community needs.
Possible Workshop Topics:
Format: Virtual
Cost: Free
Languages: ASL, English, and Spanish
Dates: To be announced based on community interest
Which workshops should we offer? Complete the interest survey to vote for the technology topics you would most like to see.
Manos Unidas está planeando una serie de talleres virtuales de tecnología gratuitos para ayudar a miembros de la comunidad a sentirse más seguros usando la tecnología de todos los días. Los talleres estarán disponibles en ASL, inglés y español.
Actualmente estamos preguntando a la comunidad cuáles temas les interesan más para poder planificar los próximos talleres según sus necesidades.
Los posibles temas incluyen computadoras Mac y Windows, Internet, correo electrónico, ciberseguridad, dispositivos Android y Apple, códigos QR, videoconferencias y ciudadanía digital para adolescentes y preadolescentes.
Formato: Virtual
Costo: Gratis
Idiomas: ASL, inglés y español
Fechas: Se anunciarán según el interés de la comunidad
Workshops and trainings to help the Deaf community better understand immigration and help the legal community better understand Deaf.
Hands United is collaborating on a virtual training specifically accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing mental health professionals who want to learn how to conduct diagnostic evaluations for immigration cases.
Participants will learn how to conduct immigration diagnostic evaluations for USCIS and Immigration Court, prepare professional evaluation reports, understand common immigration case types, work with attorneys, maintain appropriate ethical boundaries, and develop the skills needed to testify as an expert witness.
Topics include evaluations related to asylum, VAWA, U Visas, T Visas, Extreme Hardship Waivers, and Cancellation of Removal, as well as the use of clinical interviews, collateral information, behavioral observations, assessment tools, and DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria.
Dates: September 19–20, 2026
Location: Virtual
Language Access: ASL interpretation provided
CE Hours: 7.5 CAMFT-approved CE hours
Cost: $1,000
Payment Option: Two payments of $500
Training fees are paid directly to the trainers. Hands United does not receive any proceeds from this training.
Immigration evaluations are typically private-pay services, with clinicians commonly charging approximately $800–$2,500 per evaluation depending on experience, location, and the type of evaluation.
Interested but want to learn more before committing? Join a free virtual information session to learn more about the training and ask questions.
Date: Saturday, August 22
Time: 4 PM Pacific | 7 PM Eastern
Location: Zoom
Language Access: ASL interpretation provided
Meeting ID: 852 7011 9917
Passcode: DHH
Join the Free Information Session →
There is a growing need for mental health professionals who understand the linguistic, cultural, and accessibility needs of DHH immigrants. This training is designed to help expand the number of DHH professionals prepared to provide these important evaluations.
Workshops designed for interpreters, educators, and professionals working with Deaf and multilingual communities. Many events offer CEUs.
Join Hands United for a three-part training focused on accessible communication and navigation when supporting Deaf immigrant communities.
This training is designed for current and prospective Hands United volunteers, other community volunteers, and professionals who want to strengthen their skills when working with Deaf immigrants.
Participants will build foundational skills for providing accessible communication, helping individuals navigate resources and systems, and supporting Deaf immigrants through community-based hotline services.
Dates: August 24, 27 & 28
Time: 4–6 PM Pacific | 7–9 PM Eastern
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Language: Presented in ASL; interpretation available upon request
Length: 3 sessions / 6 hours
CEUs: 0.6 CEUs available
Cost:
Hands United volunteers — FREE
Other volunteers — $15
Non-volunteers — $60
Interested in volunteering with Hands United? This training is a great opportunity to develop the foundational skills needed to provide accessible support to Deaf immigrant communities.
Our first 8-week Around the World series has wrapped up, and we are now planning the next round! This upcoming series will focus on signed languages and Deaf cultures throughout Central and South America.
The series will provide opportunities to learn directly from Deaf presenters about their countries, signed languages, Deaf communities, cultural norms, and communication practices.
Before we finalize the schedule, we want to hear from you! Complete our interest survey to tell us which countries and signed languages you are most interested in learning about and help us plan the next Around the World series.
Focus: Central & South America
Format: Virtual
Dates: Coming soon
Registration: Coming soon
Hands United is planning our next round of Deaf-accessible permit classes for October! Classes provide accessible, visual instruction to help Deaf and hard of hearing students prepare for the written permit test and better understand driving laws, road signs, and safe driving practices.
We are currently gathering interest for two class options. Each class will be offered if we have at least 10 students registered for that class period.
Month: October 2026
Class Options: Wednesdays or Fridays
Format: Virtual
Minimum Enrollment: 10 students per class period
Registration: Coming soon
Interested in joining the next class? Complete the interest form and let us know which class period works best for you. We will use the responses to determine which October classes have enough students to move forward.