10 Situations Where a CDI Is Essential 

 CDI stands for Certified Deaf Interpreter. A commonly misunderstood but crucial piece within the accessibility ecosystem, CDIs play pivotal roles in providing language access. A CDI may be used for situations that include variations of sign language, emotionally charged exchanges, or complex/technical content. Often teamed with a Certified Hearing Interpreter (CHI) for voicing, CDIs act as an extra layer of true native interpretation to promote highly accurate translation. The following situations/contexts below outline essential uses of CDIs and may help to inform your wholistic grasp of language access for ASL users. For more information about CDIs and their roles, check out this brief video! 

https://youtu.be/S3WNYxUEGME?si=udxjfuB2vCf6c5yX

10 Situations/Contexts  

1. Medical Emergencies – When a Deaf patient arrives in the ER under stress, shock, or disorientation, a CDI can bridge communication gaps more effectively than a hearing interpreter alone. 

2. Mental Health Settings – In therapy, psychiatric evaluations, or crisis intervention, a CDI helps capture nuanced communication styles and cultural context critical for accurate assessment. 

3. Legal Proceedings – Court hearings, depositions, or police interviews often require a CDI to ensure full understanding of complex legal language and proceedings. 

4. Immigration and Asylum Cases – CDIs are skilled at working with Deaf individuals from diverse backgrounds who may use international sign languages, non-standard ASL, or home signs. 

5. Children’s Services – For Deaf children who may not yet have full ASL fluency, a CDI can interpret their developing language or home signs for accurate communication with providers. 

6. Deaf Plus Situations – Deaf individuals with additional disabilities (e.g., intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, or limited mobility) may communicate in unique ways best understood with CDI involvement. 

7. Forensic or High-Stakes Interviews – When testimony, statements, or interviews must be precisely understood (e.g., abuse investigations), a CDI provides clarity and accuracy. 

8. Elder Care – Older Deaf individuals may have limited language access or use regional/historical sign variations that a CDI is trained to interpret. 

9. Community or Cultural Events – CDIs may be needed to interpret situations with non-standard ASL use, such as storytelling, religious services, or ceremonial contexts. 

10. Educational Assessments – In schools, a CDI may support accurate communication between evaluators and Deaf students, especially when language acquisition has been delayed or is non-standard. 

Commonly Asked Questions & Vital Answers 

• Why do I need a CDI for my appointment or meeting? 

A CDI may be needed for your appointment or meeting for a variety of reasons such as technical content, delayed language acquisition of your consumer, unique needs or age of your consumer, or complex emotional context. Ultimately, the purpose of a CDI is always to uphold the integrity of the accuracy of the communication. CDIs and their role help to ensure the communication to and from the Deaf consumer is accurate. Whether requested by the Deaf consumer or recommended by your ASL agency, a CDI provides a truly authentic cultural and lingual representation for your Deaf consumer.  

• When should I request a CDI instead of a standard ASL interpreter? 

Often triggered by the preference of a consumer or the recommendation of the agency, the use of a CDI most commonly is that hand in hand with a CHI. This team of interpreters provides both the authentic Deaf translation as well as the voicing via the CHI.  

• How does a CDI help me in high-stakes situations like medical or legal settings? 

CDIs play a powerful role in minimizing risk in high-stakes situations by guaranteeing accurate interpretation and translation as it is coming from the Deaf consumer’s first language of ASL. While CHIs are fluent in ASL, Deaf users can have a deeper understanding of subtle nuances and inflection that come inherently versus that of hearing users. This in-depth representation preserves crucial communications in high-stakes settings.  

• What makes a CDI different from other interpreters I’ve used before? 

A CDI is a Certified Deaf Interpreter where in the past you may have used a Certified  Hearing Interpreter. Differing from their counterpart, CDIs offer in-depth lingual and  cultural knowledge the aid in high-stakes interpretation situations.  

• How can I access a qualified CDI through an agency? 

Nationwide agencies like Deaf Services Unlimited have large pools of qualified  interpreters including CDIs. Simply state this need on your request form or  communicate it to your coordinator as soon as possible so these needs can be  accommodated.  

Visit our website to learn more about CDI services and how we can help reach your access goals!