DeafBlind Awareness Month Highlights Accessibility Limitations

NC proclamation underscores DHHS-supported services while spotlighting practical steps communities can take to improve communication access and participation.

North Carolina is observing June 2026 as DeafBlind Awareness Month under a proclamation issued by Gov. Josh Stein, reinforcing statewide priorities around disability access, communication support systems, and equal participation in public life.

The proclamation estimates that about 84,000 residents live with combined hearing and vision loss. State leaders emphasized that existing programs administered through the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and partner agencies are intended to ensure access to education, employment, transportation, and civic services.

Those services include assistive communication technologies, support service providers, interpreter coordination, vocational rehabilitation, and specialized education supports. State policy frameworks require public agencies and many employers to provide reasonable accommodations under federal disability rights law, while North Carolina agencies coordinate implementation at the local level.

While the proclamation itself is symbolic, disability advocates say awareness months often serve as practical reminders for governments and residents to evaluate how accessible everyday systems actually are.

What local governments can do

State and federal guidelines already require accessibility, but officials at the county and municipal level can strengthen compliance and improve day-to-day inclusion by focusing on implementation details rather than minimum standards.

Local governments in Rutherford County and beyond can improve access by ensuring public meetings offer multiple communication options, including real-time captioning, assistive listening systems, and advance materials in accessible formats. It's federal law under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Training front-line staff—particularly in emergency management, parks and recreation, and customer service—can also improve interactions with residents who have dual sensory loss.

Emergency planning is another key area. Local agencies can review evacuation procedures, shelter communications, and alert systems to ensure they include non-audio, non-visual redundancy such as text-based alerts, tactile notification tools, and clear written instructions distributed in advance. 

Advocates say having materials in writing, rather than solely relying on verbal communication, and archived videos also helps citizens who may have accessibility challenges, so they may be easily referred back to when needed.

Public transportation and infrastructure planning also play a role. Even in small municipalities, wayfinding improvements, consistent signage, and predictable public information formats can reduce barriers for residents who rely on tactile or assistive navigation tools.

What residents and community groups can do

Everyday interactions often determine whether accessibility laws translate into real inclusion. Residents can support DeafBlind neighbors by using clear written communication when needed, reducing background noise in group settings, and asking individuals how they prefer to communicate rather than making assumptions.

One of the easiest ways to ensure equal access, advocates say, is to have digitally-friendly content, such as writing out images as text for those who may not be able to identify what is in a photo or flyer.

Community organizations, churches, and civic groups can also make simple adjustments—such as providing agendas in accessible formats before meetings, allowing extra response time in conversations, facing people when speaking for those who may read lips, and encouraging inclusive participation in volunteer and public events.

Volunteer programs that connect trained support service providers or communication assistants with local events can further expand access, particularly in rural areas where specialized services may be less available.

Schools, libraries, and public-facing institutions can contribute by ensuring staff are familiar with basic communication methods and by integrating accessibility planning into routine programming rather than treating it as a special accommodation.

Broader policy context

North Carolina’s approach to DeafBlind services reflects a broader state strategy of coordinating disability support through interagency partnerships, combining health services, education systems, and workforce programs under a unified accessibility framework.

While the proclamation does not change law or funding, it aligns with the ongoing implementation of federal civil rights protections and state-level service delivery programs designed to promote independence and community participation.

State officials say the goal is not only compliance, but improved quality of access across daily life—particularly in public institutions where communication barriers can prevent full participation.

The proclamation was issued on May 28. Notably, the PDF is not OCR-friendly for screenreader software. OCR-friendly refers to documents, images, or files formatted so that Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software can accurately read, extract, and convert them into editable, searchable digital text.