EDD awarded nearly $2.7 million to five organizations for specialized employment services for deaf and hard of hearing Californians in selected AJCC service areas. For most WDBs, this is a referral and coordination notice: know whether the funded network serves your customers, how to make a warm handoff, and what accessibility responsibilities remain local regardless of grant coverage.
Source + trust record
Source checked as of September 18, 2026. Primary authority: EDD WSIN26-11 and EDD’s current Workforce Development Solicitations for Proposals page.
Check result: EDD reports $2,699,856.90 awarded on September 2, 2026 to five PY 2026-27 Deaf and Hard of Hearing grantees. This is an award notice, not an open solicitation. Exact service areas and grantee responsibilities are controlled by the award list and project summaries. This AI-assisted brief does not receive human legal or compliance review. Official sources control.
WDB decision strip
| Status | Action | Primary owner | Current timing | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWARDED · ACTIVE | MAP + REFER + COORDINATE | AJCC Operations + EO/Accessibility | PY 2026–27 service period | Accessibility · Specialized employment services · Referrals · Placement |
The bottom line
Specialized grant coverage adds capacity. It does not replace the AJCC’s own obligation to provide accessible services.
The DHH program adds specialized counseling, interpretation and communication support, job placement, follow-up, advocacy, and job-readiness services in selected locations. A Local Board should know whether a funded provider covers its area, build the referral into frontline workflow, and continue meeting applicable accessibility and equal-opportunity requirements whether or not the area has a DHH grantee.
What the specialized program adds
| Service | How to use it in the local system |
|---|---|
| Specialized counseling | Connect customers to employment planning that reflects DHH communication and access needs. |
| Interpretation / communication access | Coordinate effective communication across job search, service delivery, employer contact, and partner interactions. |
| Job placement | Use specialized staff and employer relationships to connect job-ready customers to unsubsidized employment. |
| Follow-up | Coordinate retention support after placement rather than ending the handoff at job start. |
| Advocacy | Address access barriers in public and private employment services. |
| Job readiness | Provide tailored preparation before referral to employers or training. |
The referral workflow
- Confirm coverage. Use EDD’s PY 2026–27 award list and project summaries to identify the grantee and service area.
- Put a named contact in the AJCC referral directory. Avoid a generic statewide link when a specific funded provider is available.
- Get customer consent for the handoff. Explain what the specialized service can add and what information will be shared.
- Make a warm handoff. Connect the customer to the receiving organization rather than simply giving a phone number.
- Keep the AJCC engaged. Coordinate WIOA, training, supportive services, employer services, and other partner resources when the customer is eligible and needs them.
- Confirm the connection. Build a simple feedback loop so frontline staff know whether the referral was received and what next step was arranged.
Required / specialized capacity
AJCC responsibility
Maintain accessible, nondiscriminatory workforce services and effective communication under applicable law and policy.
DHH grant capacity
Add specialized expertise, interpretation, placement, advocacy, and follow-up where funded. Use it as an enhancement to the integrated system, not a substitute for basic accessibility.
Operational considerations for WDBs
- Check the award list for the exact grantee, service area, and current contact.
- Add the provider to AJCC referral tools and frontline training where coverage exists.
- Define who remains responsible for WIOA eligibility, training, supportive services, and other AJCC functions after referral.
- Review communication-access procedures for customers in areas without funded DHH coverage.
- Use referral outcomes to identify recurring local access barriers that require system changes beyond the grant.
Watch out
- This is an award, not an open solicitation.
- A county without a DHH grantee does not have fewer accessibility obligations.
- Do not outsource the whole customer journey. Specialized providers and AJCC partners may need to serve the same customer together.
- Use the award documents for exact service coverage. Do not rely on an old contact list.
Source authority
- EDD WSIN26-11 — Deaf and Hard of Hearing Award, PY 26-27
- EDD Workforce Development Solicitations for Proposals — DHH PY 26-27 award materials
Status: EDD reports $2,699,856.90 awarded to five PY 2026–27 DHH grantees on September 2, 2026. This brief is a referral and coordination aid; the award documents control exact grantee coverage and services. Source status checked September 18, 2026.