Thanks, Nancy and Ellen! Our refugee communities are really suffering... we have some great people working with those communities but I'm heartened to see we've finally hit the national news!

Hello everyone I am Heidi (She, Her) from the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Gretchen --- please feel free to reach out to me if you need anything. I can be contacted at eyinwycoff@nnedv.org. I have some extensive experience working with refugee communities as well.

Welcome everyone! If you have any questions or comments you'd like to share during today's webinar, please feel free to use this chat box.

Here is the link again if you wish to access closed captioning in a separate web browser! https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=NNEDV

Able SC has done a needs assessment for SCCADVASA and our member orgs.

DeafLEAD in Missouri

The most recent formal needs assessment that was done in 2016-17 only included identified victim service organizations; it was apparent in the disparity between the answers "mainstream" organizations gave about their level of accessibility versus the anecdotal data from community members regarding their services being NOT ACCESSIBLE

With the Movement for Black Lives being brought into focus, it has become obvious that Deaf communities struggle with the same issues as hearing communities; they center the experiences of white Deaf individuals. The same level of resistance to change and accountability for racial harm we've seen in communities at large is present in our Deaf communities as well. Important to keep that in mind when engaging and recruiting.

AND PAY THE INTERPRETERS APPROPRIATELY! I'm still seeing so many organizations asking for volunteer interpreters.

These are all amazing and important points and things to keep in mind. Thanks so much Gretchen!

Hi Gretchen. I'm curious how funding accessibility projects such as this look like in your state. It's not something we struggle with too much as an organization but the cost for translation services here is placed on each individual program out of their individual funds.

It's not a large problem for our larger programs, in more urban areas, but the more rural programs have been struggling with it quite a bit here.

Also realizing I neglected to include interpreters.

As funders, we try to tell the programs that they really, no joke, no fooling around, NEED TO INCLUDE A LINE ITEM in their budget for interpretation and translation. To the point of telling people that if they don't, while it may not be an official point off, it's definitely putting them at disadvantage.

That's a proactive thing, though, and doesn't help in the moment, I realize.

We've just had to help them be creative in shuffling money sometimes, just like any other crisis that comes up. Our office has been fairly flexible in that we've been able to allow people to shift money from, for example, staff costs for positions they aren't able to fill because of COVID-19- to translation.

Thank you.

I would love to say, "oh, there's this pot of money over here to pay for interpretation and translation!" :( I know it's a struggle.

That would certainly be ideal.

Not a solicitation, but I am proud of the language our director inserted in our most recent job postings that highlighted DHH people and people with disabilities being encouraged to apply

AMEN AMEN AMEN

We cover costs for language access for our members - so I am unsure of what each org budgets .. but it seems like 0. Frustrating.

I explain that it is required by law all the time, and many still don't..

One caveat I will put out there: In Iowa, we are struggling a LOT with a shortage of qualified ASL interpreters, partially because all of our interpreter training programs have closed (except for one that doesn't provide the minimum qualifications). And we have zero certified Deaf interpreters in Iowa.You need to know this because many interpreters and agencies will charge portal-to-portal and if interpreters are coming from another state... the costs mount fast.

We will send this out in our follow up email as well, but here’s the evaluation link for today’s webinar. All feedback is appreciated!https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D7YHBGZ

We will also host a follow-up Coaching Call next week so you can have an opportunity to connect with your peers and the Vera Institute to ask questions and share/discuss the webinar series presented by the Vera Institute. It's an opportunity to do a deeper dive on addressing the accessibility needs within your state. We'll be sending out the registration info for the Coaching Call after today's webinar.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can also contact us at NNEDV at capacity_ta@nnedv.org

Thanks so much!

Deafta.org

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you.

Thank you!