Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in Hong Kong face serious obstacles in accessing mental health care due to a lack of trained professionals. Currently, only one counselling psychologist and one clinical psychologist are fluent in Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL), limiting access to essential services. Most professionals have little understanding of Deaf culture or how to work with interpreters, creating barriers beyond language. As a result, emotional needs often go unmet, contributing to isolation and distress. Without a culturally appropriate support system, this population remains underserved and vulnerable. The lack of inclusive training and infrastructure continues to widen the gap in mental health equity for the D/HH community.

This project addresses service gaps through a three-pronged approach. First, a pilot program will train five counselling psychologists in Deaf awareness and interpreter collaboration through workshops, supervised practice, and community-based activities. Second, we will conduct qualitative research to examine how therapy can be effectively delivered through interpreters. Third, we will run Deaf Awareness Workshops for professionals and the public to build a more inclusive service environment. Instead of teaching sign language, the focus is on creating Deaf-accessible settings and promoting cultural understanding. Together, these initiatives offer both immediate support and a foundation for long-term, evidence-based service development.

This project will establish the first group of counselling psychologists in Hong Kong trained to work with D/HH clients. It improves access to culturally appropriate therapy while promoting inclusive service models. The research findings will support future training and best practices in interpreter-facilitated therapy. Long-term, it lays the foundation for an accreditation system recognising D/HH-friendly mental health services, helping to reduce disparities and promote inclusion.

• 5 counselling psychologists receiving targeted training


• 8 Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals receiving six free therapy sessions


• Wider D/HH community participating in mental well-being workshops (~100 participants)


• Mental health professionals attending awareness workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions (~120 participants)

2025

Mental Health, Sign Language