Eulogies and tributes in general paint deceased people in an overwhelmingly flattering light. For some reason, people hold fast to “don’t speak ill of the dead”, at the expense of being honest and realistic.

As a therapist, I want to normalize that human relationships and grief can be complicated. Just because someone has died does not mean that they were saints throughout their lifetime. I believe it is important to be able to be authentic and speak our truth.

In Memoriam: Reflecting on a Complicated Father-Daughter Relationship

With a mix of emotions, I announce the passing of my father, Stephen Frederic McCullough, on January 12, 2024, at the age of 77.

Despite becoming a father to me unexpectedly at 19 years old, Dad did his best to meet his parental responsibilities. He left high school before graduating and went to work as a printer to support our family, providing us with a stable life.

One of the advantages of having a young (and sometimes immature) father was having a buddy always ready to throw a football, ride rollercoasters without becoming sick, or cruise around the neighborhood and nearby sand dunes in our blue 1970’s flower-decaled dune buggy. Dad shared the joys of camping, snow skiing, and waterskiing, an appreciation for nature, and passed on his love for boating to me.

Dad made sure that as a girl, I knew I could do anything. He taught me woodworking, how to change tires and spark plugs, and many other tasks that were considered “man’s work”. I remember spending hours with him in his immaculate garage.

One of my favorite stories: After giving me a 30-second rundown on how to operate a stick shift, Dad sent me out alone in my newly purchased Volkswagen, without a backwards glance. Needless to say, it was not a smooth ride, with the car stalling at every red light, and I found my self back home shortly. Dad imparted another 30-second lecture on proper use of the clutch when stopping. From Dad, I learned not to be afraid of anything or anyone.

In the complicated and messy way that life unfolds, the strong and principled feminist I grew up to be eventually lost patience with Dad’s constant disrespectful behaviors toward women. Through infidelity, he caused pain to all the women he shared his life with, repeating a pattern of disloyalty in both of his marriages and his other relationships.

Our relationship strained under the weight of this, leading to a 25-year estrangement. Three years ago, Dad extended a plea for reconnection, a gesture that seemed to come from a place of regret as he confronted the brevity of time while dealing with lung cancer.

During our in-person reunion at a pickleball tournament, Dad spent hours sitting next to me each day, trying to make up for lost time. We both knew there was no undoing what was already done. I found peace in understanding that his flaws came from his wounds – language deprivation in his early years, low-self-esteem, and becoming a parent before he had matured. It was bittersweet and freeing. I could see that Dad was proud to be my father and my daughter’s grandfather. He was looking forward to a road trip next fall to visit my family and enjoy a boat ride at our lake home.

Unfortunately, the visit did not happen because Dad’s health took a turn for the worse. My biological brother, who lived closer to Dad, was apparently threatened by our reconciliation. He abused his medical power of attorney by preventing me from visiting Dad in his final days. He did this despite Dad already having named me his second medical POA and expressing his desire to talk with me when I saw him briefly in the hospital last month. Although it made sense to name my brother, who lived closer, as the primary POA, Dad sadly did not understand the implications of this, nor did he realize that sibling grudges would surface, resulting in the POA being abused by my neurodivergent brother.

In honoring Dad’s memory, I choose to hold onto the blessing of our reconnection and its significance in the broader tapestry of our lives. May the warmth of this and other happy moments endure, and may they serve as a reminder that, even in the face of complexities, there is always room for healing and shared moments of connection.

References:

https://getcarefull.com/articles/how-to-prevent-power-of-attorney-abuse

https://www.choosingtherapy.com/narcissistic-sibling

https://siblingestrangement.com

https://deafcounseling.com/when-narcissists-use-children

https://llcn.sdsu.edu/team/stephen-mccullough-ph-d/

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ASL Sign for Quarantine

What sign do you use for “quarantine”? Deaf returning citizen, Jason, discusses why a certain commonly used sign does not accurately describe what “quarantine” means, and how it can be triggering for people who have actually experienced being imprisoned. .

Jason is standing in front of a red brick building with a black door, signing his story.

ASL Semantics – Quarantine vs. Jail

During the coronavirus outbreak, I have noticed the semantics of some words and gestures, such as the sign for “quarantine” (shows sign using both hands in the 2-shape, facing the signer, while touching the back of the right 2-hand onto the left 2-hand). This sign means “jail” and (shows same sign using both hands in 4-hand shape) and this sign means “prison”.

Are “jail” and “quarantine” the same? No. Jail comes from an old French word, “jaiole”, which means “cage”, and an old Latin word, “gabiola”, which also means “cage”. Does “quarantine” mean “cage”? 

While you are in jail, can you go out grocery shopping, do your errands, and then go back to jail? Obviously not. While you are quarantined, you can. There’s no cage. There’s a difference. 

My Feelings as a Returning Citizen

I was once imprisoned 25 years ago for 4 ½ months. Now I’m a returning citizen. This means someone who should be regarded in a positive light, empowered, and given encouragement and support in seeing what potential they have in their second chance at life, all of which are important. Instead, returning citizens get an onslaught of negativity, verbal attacks, put-downs, contempt, judgement, and outright rejection. That is not a solution. 

A More Appropriate and Less Triggering ASL Sign

A better sign for “quarantine” is “stay home” (shows right hand signing “stay”, moving to position under left hand which is in 5-position facing down like a roof, and “home”; also shows both hands signing “stay” and “home”) These are better signs to use than “prison” (shows both hands using the 2-shape as described above), which can be triggering.

Disclaimer: The videos featured by Deaf Counseling Center (DCC) are contributed on a purely voluntary basis by community members. DCC is not responsible for the content or accuracy of the videos. Our sharing the video does not imply our view or endorsement. Deaf Counseling Center – www.deafcounseling.com

Resources:

https://deafcounseling.com/deaf-mans-trauma-in-virginia-prison/

https://deafcounseling.com/californias-deaf-prisoners-stuck-behind-bars/

https://deafcounseling.com/take-no-deaf-prisoners-unfairly/

https://audismnegatsurdi.com/2020/05/01/using-non-deaf-returnees-to-speak-for-deaf-returnees-no-no/

The post Returning Citizen on ASL sign for Quarantine appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

Korean-American Deaf Adoptee Shares Her Story

Kami tells her story as a Korean-American Deaf adoptee, recounting the touching moment her mother identified her out of a group of newly arrived babies. She also covers a few other adoption-related issues.

Each Adoption Experience is Different

Hi, my name is Kami and I’m a Korean-American Deaf adoptee. I was asked to share about my adoption experience. Every adoption experience is different – some are good, some are bad, some adoptees want to return to their home country. I’m blessed to have a wonderful family and great parents. I also have a sister – both of us were adopted from Korea, but we are not biologically related.

Korea Didn’t Allow Deaf Parents to Adopt

Going back to how all of this started, my parents had wanted to adopt a baby for a long time. After they connected with Catholic Charities, they saw my name and picture on a flyer. At that time, my name was Hye-Mee Park, which the Korean orphanage had given to me. Once my parents let the adoption agency know they were interested in me, the adoption process started. This involved a social worker visiting their home to make sure it was a suitable and good home, then interviewing my parents. Everything went well and they were approved. Next, more tests were run to confirm that I was Deaf, because at that time Korea didn’t allow Deaf parents to adopt hearing babies. They held the view that Deaf parents couldn’t raise hearing babies, which is obviously not true.

Korean-American Deaf Adoptee Was Mistaken for a Hearing Child

On the day of the test, I was 10 months old. It happened that I looked in the direction of a phone that rang at the same time, which caused everyone to think they had been mistaken and I was actually hearing. Remember, the technology for testing hearing was not as advanced back then. My parents were heartbroken when the agency informed them that they probably couldn’t adopt me. To their great relief, however, more tests were run and it was confirmed that I was Deaf after all. Interestingly, a blood test that I took years later showed that I carry the Connexin 26 gene, which is a Deaf gene. This means that one of my biological relatives is Deaf or carries the Deaf gene.

First Encounter with Adoptive Deaf Parents in Chicago

Anyway, on the day I flew to Chicago, my parents also flew there to meet me. Only one of them was allowed to go into the airplane, so my mother went in. She saw all the babies sitting in the airplane and tried to figure out which one was me. Her instincts told her that one particular baby must be me, because out of all the crying and distracted babies, I was the only one sitting there quietly. When she checked the name on my wristband, she discovered that she was right!

Korean Diet and US Citizenship

My parents brought me home and fed me a Korean diet for a while, so as not to upset my stomach by introducing different foods too soon. Some of the food I was fed included strawberries with rice and soy milk. When I was three years old, I became an American citizen. My parents paid $50 for this, while today it costs $700-800 to become a US citizen. Since I was too young to take the citizenship test in court, the judge asked my mother the questions instead. She answered them easily because she used to be a social studies teacher. There were questions like “Who was the first U.S. president?”, so of course, my mother aced the test, and I was pronounced a U.S. citizen.

Bullying Experience as Korean-American Deaf Person

After this, I started my education at a Deaf school. This was a tough experience for me. Back then, most of the teachers hadn’t received the right training or been given the resources to teach children. Most of my peers and teachers and staff at the school were white. My peers would make racist slant-eyed gestures and call me stupid. That was when I was between 5 –  9 years old. Of course, I would arrive home from school crying. I wondered why it was wrong to be different. I even wanted to become white and didn’t understand why I had to be born Korean. Now, in contrast, I love being Korean and my identity is strong. People are much more accepting of diversity and we have more diverse people today. Teachers have better training on how to work with children and the curriculum and resources are improved. Times are different now.

Deaf Parents Open about Adoption

While I was growing up, my parents were always very open about my adoption experience. They explained everything to me and showed me the forms that my birth mother filled out for the orphanage. Both of my parents’ full names were on them, their ages, and the reason I was given me up for adoption. My mother was 20 and my father was 21 at the time My father was 5’ 10” tall, while my mother was only 4’ 8” tall. I’m 5’4” tall, right in the middle. Both had ended their relationship before they knew my mother was pregnant. Because they felt they were too young to become parents and raise a child, and Korean culture looked down upon single mothers, they decided to give me up for adoption. It has been a blessing for me to live here in the U.S. While it would be nice to meet my birth parents one day, this isn’t something that I have an extremely strong desire to do. I’m very content with my life right now.

Politically Incorrect Signs for China, Korea, and Japan

I’d like to share a few things that I seem to run into quite often. I often see some of my friends and other people still signing “China” like this (shows two index fingers pointing to outside of eyes; two C-hands on either side of eyes), “Korea” (shows two K-hands on either side of eyes), “Japan” (shows two J-hands on either side of eyes, shakes head “no”). This is pretty offensive. Use signs such as “China” (shows index finger moving across chest and down), “Korea” (shows bent B-hand touching top and bottom of side of head), and “Japan” (shows open and closed index fingers and thumbs moving away from each other). Don’t use the old signs.

Korean-American Deaf Adoptee asked Inappropriate Questions

Second, I get this question often: People ask me, “Where were you born?” or “Are you from far away?” They assume I’m a foreigner. Some Korean people are born in the U.S. and are Americans. Not all are born in Korea.  White people don’t ask other white people where they were born. It’s important to think about how you frame your question.

Another question I get often is from straight people who are curious about gay couples having children. They ask, “How do you plan to have children?” or “Will you use IVF or IUI?”. That’s a personal question. Some gay couples feel comfortable and open about sharing this type of information. It’s okay if a close friend asks me, but it’s a different story if someone who isn’t a close friend asks. Most people wouldn’t ask a straight couple how they plan to have children or if they would use IVF/IUI. There are so many different ways to make babies. Straight couples do use IVF/IUI, but they don’t get asked that same question. Again, be conscious about how you frame that question.

Third, people often ask me if I’m from North or South Korea. If I had been born in North Korea, I would be stuck there because no one can leave unless they sneak out. If they are caught, they will be sent off to a forced labor camp. It’s really a blessing to live here. Thank you for watching!

Video description: Kami is sitting on a white sofa with a blanket over the back, and wooden shelves and a window behind her. She is wearing a black top and signing her story.

Resources:

https://deafcounseling.com/deaf-hispanic-adoptee-treeans-story/

https://deafcounseling.com/deaf-adoptee-shares-her-experience/

https://adoptionnetwork.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-an-adoptee

The post Korean-American Deaf Adoptee: Kami’s Story appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

Experience of a Deaf Adoptee

Cynthia opens up about being a Deaf adoptee, sharing some experiences she had that are common among adoptees.

Deaf Parents Started with Being Foster Parents

Hi, I’m Cynthia. I’ve watched the recent video series on adoption, which has featured parents who have adopted children. Now I’d like to share my story as an adoptee. I’ll start with my Deaf parents. Since they couldn’t have children themselves, they started out by applying to become foster parents for the state. They did care for one Deaf boy. Later, however, they found out that he was not eligible for adoption because it seems that the family who had originally adopted him had decided not to keep him, instead, abandoning him with the state, which didn’t have a file on him and only knew his name and birth date. Some time later, there was a Deaf girl, but the Catholic Church was required to give permission for the adoption and they denied this. The Deaf boy grew up, graduated, and left the foster home, while the girl went back to her biological family. 

Biological Mother Didn’t Sign the Parental Rights Waiver for the Deaf Adoptee

I came into my parents’ lives when I was 18 months old. When my parents were informed that they could adopt me, they were thrilled because they had wanted to adopt their own child. They soon learned, to their dismay, that only my father had signed a waiver of his parental rights, while my mother had not. Two detectives then began searching for my biological mother, Janet. Her name showed up in the police database as she had just been arrested. The detectives went to see her in jail and informed her that she needed to sign a waiver of parental rights. My mother was thrown off guard because she thought my biological father was taking care of me, while my brother had gone through a private lawyer for a placement. She refused to sign the waiver. The detectives strategized by coming to my home and taking pictures of me with my toys and dolls and other things, then they brought the pictures to show my biological mother. Most importantly, they asked her if she could communicate with me like my Deaf parents could. My biological mother paused for a moment, then went ahead and signed the papers. At that point, I was eligible to be adopted. 

The Possibility of Judge Not Approving Adoption by Deaf Parents 

Although my parents were thrilled, the lawyer cautioned them that a Deaf couple adopting a Deaf child might not go over well with a conservative judge. They had to hope for a less conservative judge to take the case. On the final day of the adoption case, they went into the courtroom and found that the judge was Chinese. The judge reviewed the file, then asked me – I was four years old at the time – some questions through the interpreter. The judge saw that I was able to answer the questions directly, which showed that there were no communication issues to be concerned about. The judge then asked my parents some questions, noted that they had stable lives, held jobs, and had a house. Seeing that there was no reason to rule against them, the judge approved the adoption. My parents were elated that the adoption was finalized!  

Time for The Deaf Adoptee Talk

When I was seven years old, I told my parents that my classmate looked just like the mother, which made me wonder why I didn’t resemble either of my parents. My mom and dad realized that it was time for The Talk. We all sat down and they told me that I was adopted. When I learned this, I was so upset that I ran out of the house, my head full of all kinds of thoughts. I remember on that day wondering what had happened, why I wasn’t wanted, and what was wrong with me. This is a typical reaction for many adoptees. When I went back inside and asked my mother why I was given away for adoption, my mother explained that my parents had been teenagers when I was born and they weren’t ready to raise a child. I replied that I had seen teen parents before and they were fine, but my mother told me that each situation was different. It took a while to process all of this information, but my upset feelings eventually subsided.   

Feeling Grounded After Meeting Biological Father

When I was a teenager though, I found myself looking around and thinking about how it was possible for a teenager to raise a child. I couldn’t imagine giving away my own child. These thoughts went through my mind for a while, then faded. When I was 35, I finally met my biological father, Bob. He and I shared the exact same personality and sense of humor. He showed me picture of Janet, my biological mother, whose face looked just like mine. What happened then was that I finally felt grounded. Up until then, I had always felt a sense of disconnect, because I didn’t know where I came from. This is another common experience of adoptees. This doesn’t mean that all of a sudden my life centered around my biological parents. My adoptive parents are the ones who raised me, made me who I am today, loved me, and all of that. My biological parents only gave me my genes. I call my adoptive parents, my parents. I gave my father’s name, Rue, to my son, who also gave the name to his daughter, so my father’s name lives on. Thank you for watching!

Video: Cynthia is outside on a windy day, with a tree and hilly view in the background. She is wearing a sleeveless top and signing.

https://adoptionnetwork.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-an-adoptee

https://deafcounseling.com/tag/adoption/

The post Deaf Adoptee Shares Her Experience appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

Deaf Lesbians’ Systemic Barriers to Adoption

Ella and Judy discuss the challenges they faced as first-generation lesbian mothers dealing with systemic barriers to adoption.

Domestic Violence Led to Move

Judy: I had five children who I brought with me to Kansas from Oklahoma due to domestic violence that caused a breakdown in spiritual growth, as well as physical, emotional and verbal abuse. I moved to protect my children from this. We lived in a shelter for a long while. 

Ella: Just before she left Oklahoma, we both had met and fell in love. Because of this situation with her husband, I supported them the best I could, visiting from time to time. On each visit, I spent time with the children, and got to know them. They were quite young then, the oldest around 8 – 9 years and youngest around 2-3 years old. That was during 1983-1984.

Search for Housing Suitable for Five Children

Judy: Finding our own place with five children was next to impossible. Thanks to a friend in the Vocational Rehabilitation Division, who helped us locate a townhouse that was part of a coop. With that, we finally settled a bit.

Ella: Judy filed for divorce…and after one year, what happened?

Judge Rules in favor of Lesbian Mother

Judy: I got my (maiden) name back. I also got full custody of my children. I was thrilled! My lawyer knew that I was a lesbian and was worried that the judge’s ruling would prejudice against me. However, to our great relief, the judge ruled in my favor! 

No Child Support From Former Husband

Ella: A blessing indeed! At that hearing, the judge also ruled that Judy’s ex-husband must pay monthly child support. How much was that?

Judy: $200.

Ella: Only $200 for five children.

Full Custody Gave Mother Freedom to Take Children to Another State

Judy: When I got full custody, I could then take my children anywhere we wanted to move. 

Ella: So they all moved to California, joining me. Not one penny of the $200/monthly child support came from her ex-husband. Luckily, we both managed to find jobs and places to rent. It wasn’t easy, but we scraped by and eventually, we bought a house. The whole time, we worked together as a family. 

Blended Family Means Multiple Relationships

Oh, one important point, before Judy and the children moved here, I told several people about falling in love with her and that she had five children. One friend told me that since Judy had five children, I am not having a relationship with only one person but with six people altogether. That hit me hard. It is not right to focus on Judy alone and ignore the children. All the children were as important as Judy and need to be seen as a part of my relationship with Judy (Family picture showing Ella and Judy at top left, with four boys and one girl, all smiling). 

Without Adoption, Unrecognized Status as Nonbiological and Non-adoptive Mother

Judy and I shared finances and childcare, but problems existed because of my unrecognized status. Even though my insurance covered all of the children, to ensure they would be taken care of, I had no rights when it came to the children. For example (turns to Judy), do you want to share this incident?

Unable to Make Decision during Medical Emergency without Adoption

Judy: One time I flew to North Carolina for something job-related. That night I arrived, as I was getting ready for the first day of work, someone pressed the light flasher at the door. I opened the door and was told that there was an emergency at home. My son had an infected appendix, necessitating surgery, and I had to fly home before I could start my work there.

Ella: The reason for this was…even though my insurance covered that boy and along with the fact that he lived with me – when the hospital found out that I wasn’t his legal mother, they kicked me out. I explained to them that his mother was in NC for work for the weekend, but they just went “sorry” and made the boy wait for Judy’s appearance and permission before they could operate on him. I had no choice but to call her in North Carolina and tell her to fly back home. At that point, it was very clear that I had zero legal relationship to the children. 

Barriers to Adoption When Children Under 18 Years of Age

Judy: That’s what started us thinking about adoption. We did our homework, researched how adoption would work in our case, what would be expected of us, what our house would need to be like, what the requirements would be, and so on. We learned that it would be extremely expensive.

Ella: That’s right, because they were under 18 years of age, plus we were two women. Back in 1983, that was a big deal – although nowadays it can be challenging, it’s much easier – However, back then, it was much harder. So figuring out what would work best was a struggle. Also, since the children’s father was still alive, he could use his privileged status to block any adoption effort on our part. If Judy died, the children would go back to their father instead of staying with me. It was a complicated situation. But, out of the blue, things took a turn….what happened?

Death of Ex-Husband Makes Adoption Easier

Judy: My ex-husband died.

Ella: Our youngest was 12 at that time.

Judy: I was now free to marry again. I could share my children with Ella. She had been fully involved in raising my children and I felt it was not right to limit her. I wanted to share my children with her because I loved, respected and truly appreciated her hard work and the fact that she accepted the children as her own and took on the responsibility of caring for them. She deserved to be recognized as a good mother.

Adoption of Two Oldest Children

Ella: Two things: yes, it would mean the world to me to be recognized as the children’s legal mother…and also, there was the issue of what would happen if Judy died – where would the children go? Even though they had lived with us – with me – all those years, if Judy were to die, they would be taken away from me immediately and probably become wards of the state. That was a terrifying thought. However, adoption was expensive and there was great bias in the system. 

Importance of LGBT-Friendly Lawyer for Adoption Process

The year when our youngest was 12, the two oldest were 18 and 19, we found a good lawyer who was a lesbian herself and specialized in handling lesbian and gay adoptions, and met with her. She told us that adopting the two oldest children would be easy because they were adults, and could consent to the adoptions on their own. Adopting the younger children was more complicated because it would involve home study, transfers, and other things. 

When I asked the two older children if they wanted me to adopt them, they both responded with an enthusiastic “yes!”. It was a heartwarming moment. With the lawyer’s help, we filed for the adoptions and everything went smoothly. It was such a special and breathtaking feeling at the moment when the adoptions were finalized. We felt even more connected. For the younger three children, though, we decided to wait until our financial and home situation was better. However, after that, life went on, and lots of things happened throughout the years. We were very fortunate that nothing very serious happened though, and that we all stayed together. The adoption idea for the three younger children was put on the back burner.  

Adoption of Remaining Three Children

We became grandparents, and life went on…until our daughter developed some health issues and had to check about applying for social security benefits. She learned she could not get her father’s social security due to his debt. She wondered if she could apply under my social security. “That would be fine” I said, “Sure, we could look into that.” However, in order to do this, we needed proof that she was my daughter. That’s when we realized that we should revisit adopting the three younger children.

Judy: Yes, right. We discussed with the three older children –

3/3 Ella: – the three younger children.

Judy: They were all over 18 by then.

Ella: Oh, ok. 

Judy: … and they all said “why not?” to the adoption idea. So, we went ahead…and then what happened?

Through Adoption, A Fully Recognized and Legal Family at Last

Ella: We contacted that same lawyer who helped us with the two older children. To help us save money, she gave us tips on how to properly prepare forms to submit to the court. Everything worked out and a court date was scheduled. How many people came with us to court that day?

Judy: We had a full line-up of people – some grandchildren came, even our nephew, Tim. We all went to court, the whole family was there to celebrate, and even Ella’s mother went.

Ella: It was really nice and touching. The judge, who was a man, went through everyone’s names and other details, then asked each child if they agreed to the adoption. When our third child said “Yes, I do agree”, my heart melted. After that, our fourth and fifth children gave their consent. The judge turned to me and asked me if I wanted to adopt all of them and be their mother. I replied, “of course”. The judge pounded his gavel and proudly announced that the adoptions were finalized. Judy and I looked at each other, beaming. We were now a fully recognized and legal family, bound not only by love, but by law, too. That was a powerful feeling (picture of Ella standing in the courtroom with three adult children and judge, all smiling, with their arms around each other). The beaming judge said he thought we had a beautiful story, which meant a lot to us. It was nice to see people’s attitudes slowly changing throughout the years, from strong resistance and negativity to full acceptance and support.

First-Generation Deaf Lesbian Mothers

Judy: I think it’s important to note two things. First, when we moved here, we were pioneers. There were hardly any Deaf lesbians who had children in California. There were quite a few hearing lesbians with children, but no Deaf ones that we knew of that time. If we had problems and needed help, there was hardly anybody for us to turn to. It was tough and we felt alone – 

Ella: Our support system was quite nonexistent. 

Prior Experience with Stepmother Role Critical

Judy: – it was awful. Ella’s side of the family had a hard time accepting me. We suffered through it. Second, I think Ella was very lucky that I had experience being a stepmother to two children from my first marriage, the person who died. I took on raising my ex-husband’s two children and learned how to be a stepmother. Now, when Ella was one to my children, I knew how important it was to support her.

Ella: She was very good.

Co-Parenting as a Team

Judy: When there were conflicts with the children, it was hard, but it was important for us to stand strong together, and for the children to see me, their mother, in alliance with Ella. It was also important that we discussed any conflicts between the two of us in private – 

Ella: It wasn’t easy, but…

Judy: – discuss until we came to an agreement, then come out and talk with the children. The children always knew we worked together, always. That was an important lesson. 

Ella: Yes. That’s our story (picture of Ella and Judy in front, with all five adult children standing behind them, smiling, with orange leaves on the trees in background).

Video description: Judy (l) and Ella (r) are seated on a sofa with a few plants behind them. Both are wearing short-sleeved shirts, glasses, and signing their story.

Resources:

https://deafcounseling.com/adoption-a-deaf-adoptive-parent-kyms-story/

https://deafcounseling.com/deaf-adoption-unwanted-medical-advice-story/

https://deafcounseling.com/deaf-indian-adoption-maureens-story/

https://deafcounseling.com/deaf-transracial-and-trans-country-adoption/

https://awaa.org/blog/adopting-a-deaf-child-meet-levi/

The post Adoption Barriers Faced by Deaf Lesbians appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

Complicated Grief after Murder of Deaf Young Man

Deaf Counseling Center’s Dr. Candace McCullough and Sharon Duchesneau share some thoughts on the complicated nature of grief after murder of Grant Whitaker by Mavrick Martin Fisher and offer support to the national Deaf community in the form of pro bono counseling sessions to those who may be directly impacted by the situation, yet lack insurance to access therapy.

Candace: Sharon and I would like to share some thoughts after this past week’s news about Grant Whitaker’s alleged murder by Mavrick Martin Fisher.

Different Grief Process

Sharon: The grief process following a death by murder is very different and more complicated than that of a death by natural causes such as a heart attack or illness.

Anger as Normal Reaction

Candace: This is because the death is caused by another person, and not simply a natural cause. Anger is a normal reaction and it is okay to feel angry. To add to the complexity, many people in the Deaf community may know one or both of the people involved. For example, we know Grant, with whom we traveled to China on a Deaf school trip with our daughter, and we all have memories of a wonderful time with him. We also know Mav, whom we met with his dad at a national Deaf Academic Bowl reception back when he was young. I’m sure that many people are impacted by this situation, including teachers, friends, and family members. The fact that Mav was well-known on a national basis for his vlogs in which he shared his dreams with the community makes this hit even closer to home for many people.

Danger of Assumptions

Sharon: The public nature of this situation adds to the complexity of grief in the community. People have been sharing their opinions, perspectives, stories, and assumptions online – and these can be difficult for family members and friends of the men to see. None of us have all the information about exactly what happened and the history behind this. Some people have shared concerns that the Deaf community should have been able to prevent this from happening somehow. Again, we can’t assume anything. It’s possible that help was offered or that Mav sought help in the past. We just don’t know, so it’s important that we be mindful of what we say in public, especially online.

Duty of Confidentiality of Professionals

Candace: It’s also interesting that if Mav did get help, those professionals are not able to say so, due to confidentiality reasons.

Sharon: I think when discussing this – of course, it’s important for us as a Deaf community to discuss how we can support people who may be dealing with difficult situations. When we say that no one helped him, however, we may be indirectly placing blame on people close to him, such as family, friends, teachers and others who were close to him and knew him well. We can’t assume they did nothing. Maybe they didn’t or maybe they did.

Deaf Mental Health Stigma

Candace: Also, it’s important to address stigma related to mental health, which is likely to be a factor here, but again, we don’t know the full story. In general, only a very, very small percentage of people dealing with mental illnesses commit crimes like murder. The majority of these people are fine and harmless – we don’t want to see the stigma about people with mental illness being blown out of proportion and spreading unnecessary fear. Let’s be careful about this.

National Legal System and Deaf People

Sharon: Yes, that’s right. Another issue that is coming up here relates to the national legal system. Now we have an alleged murder, which means we are looking at issues related to the court process, a trial, lawyers, interpreting access, fairness, individual rights – all of which are triggers for our Deaf community.

Candace: I think that Deaf people as a whole already have a difficult experience with trying navigate the legal system.

Sharon: Yes, that’s something to keep in mind with the many layers of complexity in this situation, in particular, while we are waiting for answers and things are still unknown. This makes people feel sensitive. It’s a difficult thing.

Pro Bono Deaf Counseling and Therapy Services

Candace: We’d like to offer free counseling/therapy to anyone who is directly impacted by this situation, but who may not have insurance to access counseling/therapy. Please feel free to contact us and we can discuss how we can provide support through the grief process.

Sharon: Thank you.

Candace: Good bye.

(video description: Sharon and Candace, Deaf therapists, (l-r) are seated on a sofa, signing their comments.) Deaf Counseling Center offers national Deaf therapy services.

References:

https://www.facebook.com/TheDailyMoth/videos/2205459446424784/

https://www.facebook.com/TheDailyMoth/videos/492864761281393/?v=492864761281393

https://www.facebook.com/TheDailyMoth/videos/live-mavrick-fisher-in-custody-in-mexico-for-suspected-murder-of-grant-whitakerl/293300168202592/

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/27/missing-mendocino-camper-body-found-companion-arrested-in-mexico/

https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-dc/legacy/2013/08/07/coping_after_homicide.pdf

https://victimconnect.org/learn/types-of-crime/homicide-and-grief/

https://deafcounseling.com/recommended-films/ Films on Grief/Loss

The post Grief After a Murder of Grant Whitaker appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

Hi, my name is Sandy Graham. I’m from Michigan. My son was shot when he was only 14 years old, back in 1997. He would have been 36 years old today. His name is Saleh (shows name-sign “S” shaking from side to side). What happened was that a boy named John, who was almost 16 years old, found his father’s hand gun in his parents’ bedroom closet. John’s father was a retired police officer and had three hand guns in his closet. There was no lock. John thought that it would be cool to show the gun to his friends, so he invited three friends into his car. My son was sitting in the front and the other two boys were in the back. John asked the three boys to play the Russian roulette game. He first put a bullet in the gun, then removed it. He thought the gun was empty, but there was actually one bullet already inside. He pulled the trigger and killed my son. The two boys in the back were okay.

This hit me so hard and broke my heart. He was such a young boy – he was gone already and would never come back. It was heartbreaking. It was suggested that I go to a grief support group, but I didn’t feel comfortable with that group. One of my close friends, who is hearing and knows sign, Kriya (shows name-sign K moving down right side of head), invited me to meet her friend named Smokey Rain (shows name-sign smoke-rain), who is a half Native American healer. She offered to do a ritual for my son and I accepted.

I had never experienced that Native American ritual before. She asked me to bring one of Saleh’s favorite things, so I brought a large quartz crystal from his desk. We went to the place where he was shot, at John’s parents’ house, to try to reach Saleh’s spirit through a ritual that involved chanting, and bring the spirit into the crystal. Then I brought the crystal home and asked Smokey Rain what to do next. She told me to focus on communicating with my son, so I thought it over and asked my son what he wanted me to do for him. The answer I received was to invite all of Saleh’s close friends from school over, because many of them had always come over to our house to play with my son, joke around, act funny, sign, and other things. Many kids loved him. He played both soccer and basketball. So, I reached out to one of his best friends, a boy, who agreed to come, along with 10 close friends, and my daughter, who was 11 years old at that time.

When Saleh’s friends came over, they felt better just being able to see Saleh’s things in his bedroom. Visiting helped them to feel better and heal. Many of them had been afraid to come over to my house. No one had come over to my house after Saleh died. I felt heartbroken, depressed and all alone. When his friends came over, I felt better. It helped me heal from my grief.

Next, Smokey Rain suggested that I go with her to a Native American community center to celebrate Saleh’s spirit. I went there and played the drums, felt the vibrations and it was such a beautiful ritual. I was filled with gratitude. After this, Smokey Rain suggested that we go to Saleh’s grave for another ritual, which was a truly beautiful one where we let Saleh’s spirit leave the earth and journey into the universe with the wind. I had to accept this and let him go. My grief went on and my healing happened slowly. Almost one year after Saleh died, Kriya invited me to go to a sweat lodge, which helped me feel better and heal from my grief. That was the last part of my journey. I had to go on with my life. I will always love my son in my heart forever.

(video description: Sandy is a light-skinned woman wearing glasses, and a purple top with a black jacket, standing with trees and sky behinder her, signing her story.)

Resources:

https://deafcounseling.com/grief-after-a-murder-grant-whitaker-and-mavrick-martin-fisher/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_roulette

The post Grief: Sandy’s ASL Story of Her Son Being Shot appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

National Deaf Therapy, Hit with Abuse Allegations, Is Closing. A treatment center for Deaf people that was investigated and sued over abuse allegations

Insurance Journal
Negligence or Medical Negligence? Florida Supreme Court Offers Clarity
By Janice L. Merrill
June 6, 2018

Whether a claim arises out of medical negligence and is subject to the presuit screening requirements of Chapter 766 of the Florida Statutes is a question legal practitioners and courts alike have struggled with for years.

In April 2018, the Florida Supreme Court issued an opinion which provides clarity and guidance in making this determination.

Historically, to bring a medical negligence claim in Florida, potential plaintiffs have had to incur the expense of securing an affidavit from a qualified medical professional attesting to a deviation from the standard of care, under a two-year statute of limitations. Healthcare providers largely viewed this presuit screening requirement as an important safeguard in preventing non-meritorious claims.

However, because this process requires a significant expenditure, which can far exceed that of an ordinary negligence claim, many attorneys representing plaintiffs have been reluctant to classify a claim as a medical negligence claim. This allows them to avoid compliance with the presuit screening requirements and affords a four-year statute of limitations. Moreover, conflicting appellate court decisions as to when a claim arises out of the rendering or failure to render medical care and services has only muddied the waters.

The Florida Supreme Court was called on to determine when a negligence claim arises out of the “rendering of, or the failure to render, medical care or services” in the case of National Deaf Therapy, LLC v. Townes.

National Deaf Academy Resident Injured

In this case, a resident was injured during a restraint. The court said while the restraint was included as an intervention in the resident’s care plan, the restraint could be performed by any member of the staff. Although the resident was injured when a registered nurse performed the restraint, any member of the staff, including unlicensed staff such as a sign language interpreter trained on the restraint process, could have performed the restraint.

The court held that simply because a registered nurse performed the restraint, it did not turn the claim from an ordinary negligence claim into a medical negligence claim. The court contrasted these claims with one where an injury arose out of the application of excessive pressure while using mammographic equipment, which caused one of the claimant’s breast implants to rupture, and where a patient was injured while connected to physical therapy equipment. In each of those instances, the injury was sustained as a direct result of medical care, which required the use of professional judgment or skill.

The court held that for a claim to sound in medical malpractice, the act from which the claim arises must be directly related to medical care or services, which require the use of professional judgment or skill. The key is whether the act is one which will require expert testimony as to the standard of care as opposed to the jurors determining through common experience whether the actor breached relevant standard of care.The inquiry for determining whether a claim sounds in medical negligence is two-fold and requires the court to determine (1) whether the action arose out of “medical…diagnosis, treatment, or care,” and (2) whether such diagnosis, treatment, or care was rendered by a healthcare provider (Silva v Southwest Florida Blood Bank, Inc.).

The injury must be a direct result of receiving medical care or treatment by a healthcare provider. As the Florida Supreme Court appropriately noted, merely because a wrongful act occurs in a medical setting does not mean that it involves medical malpractice.

Examples of National Deaf Therapy Negligence

Examples of acts which constitute ordinary negligence as opposed to medical negligence include:

A nurse practitioner spilling scalding hot tea on a patient who arrived at the hospital complaining of a cough, shortness of breath, bronchitis and nasal congestion. This is an ordinary negligence claim, as the act of serving hot tea did not amount to a medical service. There was no medical standard for the serving of hot tea, and thus the claimant was not required to comply with the presuit screening requirements.
A claim arising out of an injury sustained by a dialysis patient when a hospital employee inadvertently kicked the patient’s foot in an attempt to return the foot rest of the patient’s chair to the upright position. This is also an example of an ordinary negligence claim. The testimony of a medical expert as to how to return a chair to an upright position would not be required.
A further example of this is a psychiatric hospital employee’s decision not to separate patients resulting in a patient being punched in the face.
As a result of the Florida Supreme Court’s opinion in National Deaf Therapy, LLC v. Townes, claims that do not arise out of the act of providing medical services and do not involve the use of professional judgment and skill will be treated as ordinary negligence claims. These claims are subject to a four-year statute of limitations and do not require the claimant to incur the expense of obtaining an affidavit from a qualified medical expert attesting to a deviation from the standard of care and causation.

Malpractice

We can expect to see more plaintiff attorneys attempting to characterize claims which arise in a healthcare setting as ordinary negligence opposed to medical malpractice. This will require the defense team to scrutinize the claim carefully to determine whether the act giving rise to the claim truly sounds in ordinary negligence or whether it arises out of the rendering of, or the failure to render, medical care and services and involved the use of professional judgment or skill.

Reference:
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2018/06/06/491206.htm

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/mom-please-help-fbi-probing-alleged-abuse-deaf-autistic-kids-n193846

http://uhsbehindcloseddoors.org/item/national-deaf-academy/

https://law.justia.com/cases/florida/supreme-court/2018/sc16-1587.html

https://deafcounseling.com/purchase-of-national-deaf-academy/

The post National Deaf Therapy Negligence appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

In 2016, an inmate in Corcoran, California, faced a dilemma. The parole board wanted to know whether he’d completed any self-help programs during his incarceration, a sign that he’d rehabilitated and could be trusted to go home. The inmate, whose name has been withheld for privacy reasons, said yes: At the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF), a state-run correctional center, he’d signed up for a group for people serving life sentences. The problem, he admitted, was that he was deaf, and his hearing impairment prevented him from understanding what went on during meetings. “I guess they’re waiting to get an interpreter for that group,” he explained to the board, referring to a sign language interpreter. “But I’ve been going,” he added. “I’m showing up.”

It wasn’t enough for the parole board, which denied him release. “I understand you have limitations,” one of the commissioners said, according to court documents. The commissioner scolded him for not participating in more programs. He would have to wait five years before applying for another hearing.

“With limited access to programs, deaf class members run the risk of serving longer prison sentences,” wrote attorneys at the Prison Law Office.
Under federal law, all prisons are required to provide qualified interpreters for deaf inmates to help them participate in education and self-help classes and communicate with guards. But at SATF, where most of California’s deaf inmates are housed, hard-of-hearing prisoners are regularly denied access to interpreters, according to recent court filings in a long-running disability rights case known as Armstrong v. Brown. “With limited access to programs, deaf class members run the risk of serving longer prison sentences,” wrote attorneys at the Prison Law Office in a statement filed with the court in May. Inmates say the facility has failed to offer interpreters for some Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, lifer groups, religious services, and educational and vocational programming.

In California, deaf inmates’ fight for equal rights stretches back decades. In the 1990s, the state corrections department admitted that deaf prisoners were generally expected to communicate through a combination of written notes, lip-reading, gesturing, and sometimes an informal staff or inmate interpreter. But as the corrections department acknowledged, even the best lip-readers can only understand a fraction of spoken words, and many people who rely on American Sign Language never learn to read or write English. “They are wholly different languages,” says Talila Lewis, director of the nonprofit group HEARD, which notes that ASL uses its own syntax and grammar, and that the average deaf prisoner’s reading comprehension is at about a second-grade level.

In a series of orders from 1996 to 2002, the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled in Armstrong that the state’s treatment of prisoners with disabilities, including deaf inmates, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 2013 the court found that while the situation had improved, SATF was still failing to provide interpreters at about a quarter of classes for which interpreters were needed—a level, Judge Claudia Wilken noted, that “simply does not constitute making a reasonable effort to comply with the court’s prior orders.” She told the facility to provide a qualified interpreter for any educational or vocational class that enrolled an inmate who communicated through sign language.

One inmate at SATF complained he was removed from an Alcohol Anonymous class without explanation after requesting an interpreter in 2016.
Five years later, that still hasn’t happened, the Prison Law Office told the court in its May filing. When deaf inmates try to enroll in programs, some believe they are rejected because of their special needs. One inmate at SATF complained he was removed from an Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous class without explanation after requesting an interpreter in 2016. Another inmate in the building maintenance vocational program said he struggled to understand the instructor during conversations about safety and proper equipment. “Most of the time, no sign language interpreter is provided for the safety meetings, and he relies on an incarcerated person to attempt to finger spell the instructions,” the attorneys noted. They argue that the need for interpreters increased after California voters passed a ballot initiative in 2016 that allocated more funding for rehabilitation programs in prisons and gave inmates more opportunities to earn time off their sentences by participating in them.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which hired more full-time interpreters for SATF after the 2013 order, told the court in May that its use of staff interpreters, contract in-person interpreters, and video remote interpretation provided inmates with reasonable access to programs and complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act. “We are committed to ensuring hearing impaired inmates are provided equal access to program assignments and will continue to work to provide services to hearing impaired parolees,” a spokeswoman for the department told Mother Jones. The warden at SATF last month directed his staff to draft a new policy memo for sign language interpreters and to implement training, according to Prison Law Office attorney Rita Lomio. “I am cautiously optimistic,” she says, adding that if the situation does not improve soon, her office will consider whether to seek court intervention.

California, because of its size, has more deaf inmates requiring sign language interpreters than most other states—about 75 at SATF alone, according to the corrections department. And the fact that so many are clustered at one institution creates problems, according to prisoners rights advocates, because SATF is located in a remote part of California’s Central Valley, far from the biggest pools of interpreters in metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles. “Not all of them want to drive two hours to go to a prison to translate when they could go to a school or hospital down the street from their home,” says Corene Kendrick, another attorney at the Prison Law Office.

Over the past few years, deaf inmates across the country have sued for better treatment and access to programs. In 2016, a deaf man in Washington, DC, was awarded $70,000 in damages after he was jailed for two months without an interpreter. Maryland, Kentucky, and South Carolina have also reached legal settlements to improve access to interpreter services in prisons. “Nearly all state prisons and the entire federal prison system are in violation of federal law with respect to providing [for] deaf and hard-of-hearing inmates and parolees,” writes Howard Rosenblum, CEO and director of legal services for the National Association of the Deaf.

“It’s the utmost violation of due process I can think of,” says attorney Gay Crosthwait Grunfield.
When deaf inmates leave the prison, some also struggle to access interpreters for parole meetings, especially if they live in remote areas. Between August and December 2017, for example, one deaf parolee in California allegedly did not have access to an interpreter for four out of five parole-mandated mental health appointments. He was soon rearrested, according to Gay Crosthwait Grunfeld, a partner at the law firm Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld who argues the lack of interpretation services prevented him from fully taking advantage of his treatment program and may have contributed to his recidivism. “It’s the utmost violation of due process I can think of,” she says.

In the May filing, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation argued interpretation services are not required for every parole encounter. The department’s attorneys wrote that the use of in-person interpreters could also present safety and security issues, though they did not elaborate. They noted that the parole division was exploring ways of providing interpretation services over cellphones or tablets, and that the corrections department was recently authorized to hire another interpreter at its headquarters to help parole officers in the field.

“We are not discounting how challenging it is,” says Grunfeld. “We are just saying we need to try harder.”

Reference:

https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2018/06/without-interpreters-californias-deaf-prisoners-are-getting-stuck-behind-bars/

The post California’s Deaf Prisoners Stuck Behind Bars appeared first on Deaf Counseling Center.

The purpose of this position statement is to acknowledge and emphasize the importance and need for specialized sign language interpreting services in the delivery of mental health services to deaf individuals. While direct mental health services are optimal and always preferred, such services are not always available. When there are no direct mental health services, it is critical to ensure effective communication through specialized sign language interpreting services, which must be complete with sensitivity to cultural affiliation and awareness of the dynamics involved, in the delivery of mental health services to people who are deaf.[1] The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) wishes to use this platform to increase meaningful access to mental health services by elevating the knowledge, awareness, and sophistication with respect to use of sign language interpreting by mental health professionals, healthcare delivery systems, and deaf consumers. The sections below highlight critical information for mental health providers, interpreters and the deaf community to gain a comprehensive understanding of how to better serve and support deaf individuals.

Direct vs. Interpreted Mental Health Services

The NAD recommends that individuals who are deaf be referred to specially trained providers for direct mental health services (see NAD Position Statements on Mental Health Services) whenever possible and that appropriate support services, guided by consumer choice, be made available, if necessary. In situations where it is not possible to find a service provider who is able to provide direct mental health services, or because of consumer preference, the NAD strongly recommends that service providers work collaboratively with qualified sign language interpreters who have specialized mental health interpreting expertise.

The NAD urges mental health professionals, interpreters and the Deaf Community to recognize the unique challenges faced by mental health providers and interpreters working with deaf consumers in mental health settings and to be aware that there is a need for specialized training in order to meet those challenges. The mental health care field is broad and includes both deaf and hearing service providers in the areas of psychotherapy, psychiatry, counseling and social work, psychological testing, substance abuse treatment, forensic therapy, and more. Settings may range from a client’s home, private offices, hospitals and prison facilities.

According to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf’s (RID) Standard Practice Paper on Interpreting in Mental Health Settings, “Mental health professionals depend heavily on language form and content for diagnosis and treatment. Nuances in communication, including affective tone and subtleties of language structure, may be significant for diagnosis and treatment effectiveness.” (RID, 2007). While there is great variability in ability to recognition of mental health terms in English by hearing people, a reliable study exploring cultural and linguistic barriers to mental health service access found that deaf participants’ ability varied even more widely (Steinberg, Sullivan, & Lowe, 1998). In addition to understanding terminology specific to mental health settings, interpreters face complex interpersonal dynamics stemming from the symptoms of psychological disorders, diagnostic and treatment goals specific to various mental health settings, as well as the unique communication and therapeutic objectives of each member of the mental health treatment team.

Interpreters are encouraged to adhere to high standards of ethical practice (RID, 2007), which includes ensuring that they have appropriate training in mental health interpreting prior to accepting work in such settings. Interpreters need to be prepared for a variety of group dynamics including but not limited to: hearing clinicians working directly with deaf consumers; hearing clinicians working with deaf consumers and their hearing family members or partners; and deaf mental health professionals with various interpreting needs. These scenarios present their own challenges and complications (Hauser, Finch, & Hauser, 2008) and interpreters would benefit from training and preparation in order to be qualified for such jobs.

Credentials in Mental Health Interpreting

Though the RID lists standards of practice in mental health interpreting, as of early 2012, RID does not have any specialist certification for mental health interpreting.[2] There are several independent programs focusing on mental health interpreting, but there is no uniformity in those programs. The only known certification program that provides intensive training in mental health interpreting is offered through the Alabama Mental Health Interpreter Training. (Alabama Department of Mental Health Administrative Code, 2003; Crump, 2012).

Requirements of Mental Health Interpreters:

Intrapersonal Awareness
While mental health professionals are trained to deal with patients and situations that are emotionally charged, most interpreters are not. As such, interpreters working in the mental health setting must have keen intrapersonal skills in terms of strong awareness of biases and values, triggers, limitations, and potential for countertransference. The ability of the interpreter to self-manage and remain calm during a mental health interpreting assignment is paramount to a successful mental health session for the deaf consumer. Intrapersonal skills can be developed with training, supervision, and peer support, and such skills can guide decisions on accepting jobs in this field. A few aspects of the assignment to consider prior to accepting the job would be: culture, race, gender, religious affiliation, and sexual orientation.

Expertise in Language and Culture
In order to avoid misdiagnosis in deaf consumers, it is critical that interpreters not only have receptive and expressive fluency in American Sign Language, but are extensively trained in mental health techniques. Mental health interpreters must be familiar with and able to utilize different interpreting modalities. Furthermore, the interpreter must be prepared to educate providers on the possible need for longer sessions, the need for appropriate pausing during sessions, or changes in how questions are posed. Providers may rely on interpreters for cultural information. For optimal results, the interpreter’s communication with the service provider and the consumer prior to the first session is critical (Hamerdinger & Karlin, 2003).

Some deaf consumers, especially those with a lifetime experience of mental illness, may also have limited language or information deficits. This can make it much more difficult for a provider working through an interpreter to appropriately differentiate between such deficits and symptoms of mental illness. It is important to ensure that the interpreting process does not mask the language deficits of consumers as clinicians rely on accurate interpretation to make inferences about mental processes (Crump & Glickman, 2011).

Confidentiality & Professional Boundaries
Throughout the United States, limited resources often restrict options for interpreter services. Deaf consumers may encounter the same interpreters at general life events or appointments that were present for their mental health appointments. These encounters could create some conflicts or discomfort for both the individual and the interpreter. Maintaining confidentiality becomes even more crucial.

Confidentiality in mental health interpreting requires a level of discernment and critical thinking unique to this setting. The NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct encourages interpreters to “share assignment-related information only on a confidential and ‘as-needed’ basis (e.g., supervisors, interpreter team members, members of the educational team, hiring entities)” (RID, 2005). While it is important for the interpreter to receive some information on what has been happening with a deaf consumer’s treatment, there must be strict protocols to maintain confidentiality. When communicating in writing, it is imperative that interpreters learn standards of such communication, be aware that such communication may become a part of the client’s official file and understand relevant confidentiality laws such as HIPAA and Federal Regulation 42 CFR, Part 2.

Ethics, Supervision & Peer Consultation
Mental health providers are expected to adhere to high standards of ethical practice.[3] In mental health work, there is higher risk for abuse of power, vicarious trauma, boundary crossings, and burnout. As such, providers are encouraged to engage in regular supervision and peer consultation. Interpreters working in such settings need to be held to the same standards and benefit from the opportunity to work with supervisors and/or consult with peers (Atwood, 1986; Fritsch-Rudser, 1986; Dean & Pollard, 2009, 2011; Keller, 2008; Hetherington, 2011; Anderson, 2011). In order to achieve higher standards of supervision in mental health interpreting, the NAD recommends building a pool of experienced interpreters who are qualified to perform supervision and are available to work with new mental health interpreters on a national level.

Qualified Mental Health Interpreters
The NAD recommends the following qualifications for interpreters working in mental health settings:

1. Fluency in American Sign Language;

2. Fluency in English and register choices;

3. Culturally competent;

4. Attending a comprehensive training curriculum for mental health interpreting

5. Mentoring with experienced mental health interpreters (at least 50 hours);

6. Individual or group supervision and peer consultation;

7. High standards of ethical practice; and

8. Knowledge of relevant ethical literature or decision-making models in interpreting.

The NAD recommends that a certification process for specialization in mental health interpreting be set up through nationally recognized means. Alternatively, a standardized portfolio system can be used to emphasize the individual’s specialization in mental health interpreting. It is also recommended that interpreters maintain their skills with continuing education in the area of mental health with every certification cycle (15 hours annually or 60 hours per four year RID certification maintenance program cycle). To achieve this, developing more options for seminars to meet the required 60 hours of continuing education in a four year period in the area of mental health is critical. In order to recruit more interpreters specializing in mental health interpreting, the interpreter training programs are encouraged to provide students at least one class focusing solely on mental health interpreting for a full quarter or semester to capture their interest in this specialization.

In summary, mental health interpreters are an important component in the mental health delivery system for deaf individuals with mental health needs, as they provide auxiliary services when a service provider is unable to deliver direct mental health services or when a deaf consumer requests it. While the field of mental health interpreting has aimed to set higher standards over the past decade, this position paper hopes to raise the standards by defining qualifications, expanding the credentials and requirements for mental health interpreters, as well as addressing the professional boundaries, ethics, supervision, and peer consultation in this profession.

References

Alabama Department of Mental Health. (2003). Chapter 580-3-24, Mental health interpreter standards. Retrieved from http://www.alabamaadministrativecode.state.al.us/docs/mhlth/3mhlth24.htm
Anderson, A. A. (2011). Peer Support and Consultation Project for Interpreters: A Model for Supporting the Well-Being of Interpreters who Practice in Mental Health Settings. Journal of Interpretation, 21(1), pp. 9-20.

Atwood, A. (1986). Clinical supervision as a method of providing behavioral feedback to sign language interpreters and students of interpreting. In M. L. McIntire (Ed.). New dimensions in interpreter education: Curriculum and instruction (pp. 87-93). Proceedings of the 6th national Convention of the Conference of Interpreter Trainers. Chevy Chase MD.

Crump. C. (2012). Mental Health Interpreting Training, Standards, and Certification. In K. Malcolm and L. A. Swabey (Eds.). In Our Hands: Educating Healthcare Interpreters. (pp. 54-76). Gallaudet University Press. Washington, D.C.

Crump, C. & Glickman, N. (2011). Mental Health Interpreting with Language Dysfluent Deaf Clients. Journal of Interpretation, 21(1), pp. 21-36.

Dean, R. K. & Pollard, R. Q. (2011). The importance, challenges, and outcomes of teaching context-based ethics in interpreting: A demand control schema perspective. Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 5(1), pp. 155-182.

Dean, R. K. & Pollard, R. Q. (2009, Fall). “I don’t think we’re supposed to be talking about this:” Case conferencing and supervision for interpreters. VIEWS, 26, pp. 28-30.

Fritsch-Rudser, S. (1986). The RID code of ethics, confidentiality and supervision. Journal of Interpretation, 3, pp. 47-51.

Hamerdinger, S., & Karlin, B. (2003). Therapy using interpreters: Questions on the use of interpreters in therapeutic settings for monolingual therapists. Journal of American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association, 36(3), pp. 12-30.

Hauser, P. C., Finch, K. L., and Hauser, A. B. (2008). Deaf Professionals and Designated Interpreters: A New Paradigm. Gallaudet University Press. Washington, D.C.

Hetherington, A. (2011). A Magical Profession? Causes and management of occupational stress in sign language interpreting profession. In L. Leeson, S. Wurm, M. Vermeerbergen (Eds.). Signed Language interpreting: Preparation, practice and performance (pp. 138-159). St. Jerome Publishing. Manchester, UK.

Keller, K. (2008). Demand-control schema: Applications for deaf interpreters. In L. Roberson & S. Shaw (Eds.).Proceedings of the 17th National Convention of the Conference of Interpreter Trainers: Putting the pieces together: A collaborative approach to excellence in education. (pp. 3-16). Conference of Interpreter Trainers. San Juan, PR.

Steinberg, A. G., Sullivan, V. J., and Loew, R. C. (1998). Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to Mental Health Service Access: The Deaf Consumer’s Perspective. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(7), pp. 982-984.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). (2005). NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct. Retrieved from http://rid.org/ethics/code-of-professional-conduct/

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). (2007). Standard Practice Paper on Interpreting in Mental Health Settings. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3DKvZMflFLdWmFVV2tydVRFTHM/view

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