Communication Service for the Deaf Names Jessica Kennedy the New President of CSD Health CSD Health Division will focus on breaking down the systemic barriers that exist within the healthcare system for deaf communities.
Austin, Texas
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September 01, 2022 11:00 AM Central Daylight Time
As September’s Deaf Awareness Month celebrations begin, Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is happy to announce that Jessica Kennedy has been named the new President of CSD Health. Kennedy has previously served as CSD’s Vice President of Legal and Compliance. The new CSD health division will be the home of all the organization’s health care initiatives, with a focus on ensuring that there is equitable healthcare access for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened people whose daily lives are impacted by barriers to accessible communications options within the healthcare system.
One of the fundamental rights belonging to every human being is access to medical care. Yet, even within the United States, deaf communities are often not afforded this dignity. Changes must be made. CSD is prioritizing the healthcare space as a top issue for advocacy and change.
“We believe Jessica is the perfect person to lead our work to achieve truly accessible and equitable healthcare experiences and outcomes for our community,” said Chris Soukup, CEO of CSD. “This division will confront the challenges within the healthcare system head-on and advocate for real and lasting change.”
The current system is full of barriers that deaf communities must navigate daily. Users of American Sign Language (ASL) are at a higher risk for poor health knowledge and inequitable access to medical and behavioral care in our current health system due to cultural and language barriers. For example, miscommunication when using a third-party interpreter can result in more than simple frustration-- it jeopardizes primary care. Because of this, deaf communities often have significant health disparities and are often excluded from health outreach programs and mass media healthcare messages.
Deaf patients can embody a unique culture that is unfamiliar to most medical and mental healthcare providers. This lack of cultural and linguistic competency often results in higher rates of inaccurate evaluations, misdiagnoses, and inappropriate treatments.
To answer these concerns, Kennedy envisions the health division advocating for equitable and accessible health reform efforts, promoting innovative and transformative ideas to strengthen health care for deaf communities, bridging access in federal and state public health emergencies, and working towards culturally responsive medical providers for our communities.
“Healthcare access is critical,” Kennedy signed in ASL. “Good health is a human need that binds all humanity together. When it is not accessible, or groups get left behind, that separates us as a global community. We must and will do better."
About Communication Service for the Deaf
Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is the world's largest Deaf-led social impact organization. For more than four decades, CSD has been a leader in creating and providing accessible and innovative solutions for the Deaf community. Today, CSD continues its work to create opportunities for personal and economic growth within the Deaf community, explicitly addressing leadership and employment. For more information, please visit CSD and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Jessica Kennedy
Jessica Kennedy is an attorney and disability rights advocate. As the Vice President of Legal and Compliance for Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc. (CSD), Ms. Kennedy proudly served as part of a team dedicated to empowering people with disabilities. Previously, she was the Deputy General Counsel and Policy Director at MNsure, contributing to the implementation and overhaul of Minnesota’s health insurance exchange and the dynamic policy landscape that followed. Prior to MNsure, Ms. Kennedy served as an in-house attorney for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, advising on healthcare and privacy issues. She received her B.A in political science from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul. Ms. Kennedy currently serves as a board member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association and MNsure, as a board member representing consumers eligible for public health care program coverage.
Media Contact:
Waymon Hudson
About Communication Service for the Deaf
Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is the largest Deaf-led social impact organization in the world. For more than four decades, CSD has been a leader in creating and providing accessible and innovative solutions for the Deaf community. Today, CSD continues its work to create opportunities for personal and economic growth within the Deaf community, specifically addressing leadership and employment. For more information, please visit CSD and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Communication Service for the Deaf
Waymon Hudson
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