The South Carolina Association of the Deaf (SCAD) is a non-profit statewide organization working with and for the South Carolina Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. SCAD is the state affiliate of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).
Mission: To advocate for full accessibility and to improve the quality of life for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in South Carolina.
Core Values: Advocacy, Deaf Culture, Partnerships, Leadership, Equal Communication Access and Language Access Equality.
Vision Statement: To be the statewide leader in advocacy of rights in civic, human, linguistic, and accessibility in the lives of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in South Carolina.
- Website: sc-deaf.org
- Office: 437 Center Street, West Columbia, SC 29169
- Phone: (803) 403-9255
- Executive Director: Anita M. Steichen-McDaniel
- The SCAD office has two staff employees.
- Visitors must make an appointment; provides resources for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community statewide in SC.
- SCAD is governed by a Board of Directors elected by SCAD members every two years.
- Board members are volunteers.
- The office is staffed by two employees including the Executive Director.
- Past SCAD officers are documented in a PDF available on the SCAD website.
- President: Andrea Martinez-Johnson (Columbia, SC)
- Graduated from Texas School for the Deaf (Austin, TX) in 1984
- BA from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. (1991)
- Early Language Acquisition Specialist at Visual Language Services, SC School for the Deaf and the Blind
- Former Instructional Assistant at Richland County School District One (nearly 23 years)
- ASL Instructor at University of South Carolina in Columbia
- Volunteer: Beginnings SC and Camp Wonder Hands (Counselor and Co-Head Counselor)
- Recipient of several awards from NAD and SCAD
- Married to late husband Christopher Johnson (well-known in SC Deaf community) for 32 years
- Enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her cat, King Jax
- Vice President: Anthony Fattibene
- Upstate Member-at-Large: Tasha Goodrich
- Midlands Member-at-Large: Paul May
Full board rosters are available on the SCAD Board of Directors page.
¶ Services and Programs
SCAD provides (but does not provide interpreting or client services directly):
- Advocacy and Peer Support — Equal treatment advocacy in education, employment, legislation, healthcare
- Annual Conference — Biennial statewide gathering (most recent: 2025 SCAD Conference)
- Community Meetings — Regular gatherings throughout the state
- Information Resources — Statewide resource hub for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals
- Informative Workshops — Educational workshops on various topics
- Legislative Initiatives — Advocacy for disability rights legislation
- Social Activities — Community-building events
- Interpreter List — Directory of SC Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (SCAD does not provide interpreting services directly; individuals must hire interpreters)
- CART/Captioning Services — Captioning resource information
- Deaf/HH Communities — Regional community resources and event listings
- ASL Classes — Resource list for parents and families (via sc-deaf.org/asl-classes.html)
- ADA Effective Communication — Information for doctors, hospitals, schools, lawyers on ADA requirements (sc-deaf.org/ada-effective-communication.html)
- SCDMV Deaf/HH Notation: SCAD promotes the Deaf/Hard of Hearing notation on vehicle license plates via Form RG-004A (available at scdmvonline.com/Forms-And-Manuals) — helps police officers prepare for communication before approaching vehicles.
- VRI Wallet Card: SCAD distributes the NAD-created Video Remote Interpreting wallet card to help explain to hospitals/medical offices why VRI may not be suitable in certain situations.
¶ Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities in SC
SCAD maintains a directory of Deaf and Hard of Hearing organizations and groups throughout South Carolina for networking and community immersion. Featured organizations include:
- Converse Signing Valkyries — Facebook group
- Spartanburg Community College ASL Club — Spartanburg, SC
- USC Upstate ASL Club — Spartanburg, SC
Visit SCAD's Deaf Communities page for the full list.
- SCAD Board Road Tour 2026–2027: Statewide tour with multiple stops including:
- Kickoff: May 30, 2026 at H. Kelley Jones Park, Columbia (12:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
- Aiken Meet & Greet Cookout: Saturday, June 27, 2026
- Additional tour stops announced on the SCAD homepage and social media
- World Deaf Day Fundraiser: Co-hosted with ASDC (details via Facebook)
- No formal statewide conference scheduled for 2026.
SCAD has a long history as the NAD affiliate for South Carolina. Past SCAD conventions and conferences are documented in a PDF on the SCAD website. The organization has held numerous conferences and biennial meetings over the years, and has received awards from the National Association of the Deaf.
- Open to everyone — Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and allies
- Individual Membership: $10/year
- Couple Membership: $20/year
- Join online via the SCAD website (powered by Wild Apricot)
- Membership supports SCAD programs and advocacy work
- Only $10 a year!
Tax-deductible donations support SCAD's educational workshops, resources, and civil rights advocacy for the South Carolina Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Donate online securely via the SCAD website.
- National Association of the Deaf (NAD) — SCAD's parent organization; provides national resources
- SC School for the Deaf and the Blind — State school in Columbia; Andrea Martinez-Johnson is employed here
- RIDHH (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, HH) — South Carolina chapter
- Beginnings SC — Early intervention program for Deaf/Hard of Hearing children
- Camp Wonder Hands — SC Deaf youth camp
- DeafLEAD — 24/7 crisis intervention and mental health support for Deaf, HH, DeafBlind, and late-deafened individuals
- SC Department of Mental Health – Deaf Services: Hotline 800-647-2066, Videophone 803-339-3339, deafhotline@scdmh.org
- ASDC (American School for the Deaf Community Friends) — Partner in World Deaf Day fundraiser
- SCDMH Deaf Services Hotline: 800-647-2066 | Email: deafhotline@scdmh.org | Videophone: 803-339-3339
- DeafLEAD: deaflead.org — Crisis intervention, advocacy, case management, interpreting, and mental health support for victims of crime who are Deaf, HH, DeafBlind, or late-deafened.
- Address: 437 Center Street, West Columbia, SC 29169
- Website: sc-deaf.org
- Phone: (803) 403-9255 (appointments required)
- Interpreter contacts and resources: sc-deaf.org/resources.html
- SCAD does not provide client services — check resources page before contacting SCAD
- SCAD does not provide interpreting services — use the interpreter list at sc-deaf.org/interpreter-list.html