Our History

Established in 2000, NDA Behavioral Health is a one-of-a-kind residential psychiatric facility for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and Autistic children and adults.

NDA was born out of the longstanding frustration with traditional hearing environments that claimed to adequately treat Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in a “mainstream” program. In reality, these programs were unacquainted with the cultural and linguistic barriers that Deaf individuals frequently experience in their attempts to access mental health care.

NDA strives to embrace the differences that exist between hearing and Deaf individuals by creating an environment that neutralizes communication obstacles and encourages growth. American Sign Language (ASL) is the primary language on campus and all staff working with our residents are either fluent in ASL or are expected to become competent signers.

In 2006, the NDA developed a program specifically tailored to the Autistic and varying exceptionality community. Now known as Connections at NDA, this unique treatment has grown into a nationally recognized Autism program, serving children, both hearing and Deaf, who benefit greatly from being in an environment where communication access is at the forefront of treatment.