Slide 1: Communications Access for Deaf 
and Hard of Hearing Members
One Care Implementation Council Meeting
Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA)
January 9, 2024
Slide 2: Member Access
•	CCA serves approximately 2,600 OneCare Members with a hearing-related diagnosis.
•	CCA’s Member Service Department, as well as other teams, are prepared to communicate with members who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Note: the following information is shown in a table with arrows between each topic showing the progression from one to the other.
Member outreaches CCA
•	Teletypewriters (TTY) users can call their state relay service for free at 711 and provide CCA’s phone number
•	Members preferring video communication can indicate to CCA (via letter, email, a representative, or their care partner) their desire for CCA to outreach via this mode.
Member is identified as Deaf or Hard of Hearing
•	When members engage with CCA, a CCA team member can note in their file an alert of their American Sign Language (ASL) preference.
•	When making outbound calls to the Member, CCA can plan accordingly.
CCA team members communicate via Member’s preferred mode
•	More information on interpretative services slide related to modes and partners
Member Services addresses the inquiry or routes the call to the correct team
•	More information on interpretative services slide related to modes and partners
Note: the following footnote is on this slide and all slides going forward. “© 2024 Commonwealth Care Alliance® Confidential & Proprietary Information”
Slide 3: Interpreter Services for CCA & Network Providers
•	All teams, including Care Team and Member Services, can engage via phone, or doxy.me, a HIPAA compliant audio-video platform, utilized with Voyce interpretation. Care Team members may also be in- person.
Note: the following information is shown in a table.
Staff In-Person
•	Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) for an American Sign Language (ASL) and/or Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) interpreter
•	Department of Mental Health (on occasion)
Telelephonic
•	MassRelay TTY (teletypewriter)
Video
•	CyraCom
•	Doxy.me
o	American Sign Language (ASL)
o	Certified Deaf
o	Interpreters (CDI)
o	Certified Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
Community Providers In-Person
•	CCA supports in-person interpreting for members at home or in community doctor's offices
Slide 4: Commitment to Equitable & Appropriate Services
Training for Staff
•	Lunch & Learn w/ MA Commission for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (2023)
•	Deaf Cultural Intelligence & Competency (by Lori Siedman/ Director ofDeaf Services) (11/22 & recording)
•	Disability Awareness
•	Cultural Intelligence
•	Valuing our Differences
Shared Materials for Staff
•	Internal website focused on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards
•	Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) centrally available to staff regarding interpreters, TTY, & accommodations.
Messaging for Members
•	Member benefit information about hearing care
•	Member communications to “Make the most of your hearing benefit” (1/2023)
Note: this slide includes a screenshot from the CCA webpage “common-ground.commonwealthcare.org/clas”. The screenshot includes the following information.
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services
Knowledge Hub
•	ASL Interpretation SOP
•	Utilizing Video Remote Interpreter Services for ASL Interpretation SOP
•	Telephonic Interpreters SOP
•	Utilizing Telephonic Interpreters SOP
•	Telephonic Interpreters SOP
•	Member Engagement – Using Telephonic Interpreters SOP
•	TTY and MassRelay SOP
•	Utilizing Teletypewriters Devices for the Deaf and Mass Relay SOP
•	Alternate Formats SOP
•	Alternate Formats, Languages, and Member Accommodations SOP
CLAS Standards at CCA
The CLAS Standards are a set of 15 national standards from the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Principle Standard: Provide effective, equitable, understandable, and respectful quality care and services that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, health literacy, and other communication needs.

Learn more at National CLAS Standards
Operationalizing the CLAS Standards at CCA will:
•	Improve Member experience and engagement
•	Eliminate health disparities and advance health equity
•	Ensure language access
•	Foster effective communication and cultural intelligence
•	Promote continuous monitoring and improvement
•	Meet regulatory requirements / contractual agreements
CLAS Activities at CCA will be centered around: 
•	Ensuring Language Access
•	Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
•	Fostering Cultural Intelligence
Slide 5: Enhancing the Experience
•	Close collaboration with Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH)
•	Support for members includes assistance with devices, technology, and engagement in DHILS Programming.
•	NCQA Health Equity Accreditation pursuit for equity and disparity elimination
•	Adherence to National CLAS Standards for language access, health literacy, and culturally appropriate services
2024 Priority: Quality & Member Voices team at CCA partnering with Deaf and Hard of Hearing members. Conducting individual and/or group focus groups to enhance services and member engagement.