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TIPS FOR WORKING WITH HISPANIC, LATINO AND SPANISH SPEAKING FAMILIES

ToworkwiththeHLSScommunityittakes5metobuildtrustbutitisworththeextra5meandeffortinthelongrunbothforfamiliesandprofessionals.Thankyouforsuppor5ngtheHLSSdisabilitycommunity!Ø Considerculturalmeaningofdisabilitytotheindividualfamily.Askhowdisabili5esareviewedintheirethnicity.Ø Communica5ngthediagnosis–posi5vevsnega5ve:Familiesappreciatewhendiagnosisisdeliveredinaposi5veway.IEatchild’sbirth,congratula5onsonyournewbaby.Deliveringdiagnosislateraswell.ThewaythediagnosisisdeliveredandexplainedmakesahugeimpactontheHLSSfamilies.Ø Reflec5on/understandingques5onstoparentsvs.yes/noques5onswhenprovidingadiagnosisoranytypeofevalua5ons–askthefamilytosummarizetheirunderstanding(interpreterscanespeciallyhelpwiththis!)

Ø Openendedques5ons–pleasedon’taskyes/noques5ons.Manyparentswillsayyesbecausethatiswhattheythinkyouwanttohear,regardlessofwhethertheyreallyunderstood.

Ø Learnabouttheservicesavailabletokidswhoaren’tbornhere!o MayreceiveservicesthroughEarlyInterven5on(EI)andCommunityCenteredBoards

(CCB)upto18iftheymeeteligibility(Colorado–checkyourstate.)o Stayinschoolun5lage21iftheyareonIEP.(IDEA)

Ø ProvidingResources–weknowfromresearchthatduringthefirst6-12monthsofdiagnosisbothparentsareexperiencinggrievingindifferentways.HLSSfamilieswillnotac5vateini5allytobeproac5vetocontactresourcesprovided.Insteadofjustprovidingtheresources:

o Warmhandoffofreferralsvs“hereistheinfo–call”.§ Getpermissiontomakethereferraltothecommunityresourcestheyneedmost

–especiallyaaerini5aldiagnosisuptoyear.§ Referralstohelpforthosefamiliesgrieving.

DISABILITY IS NATURAL!

Tait G. Davis, Denver, CO

References

JeaneceM.Cordova,B.S.;EricJ.Moody,Ph.D.,2015,Culture&Community:BuildingPartnershiptoServeSpanish-speakingFamiliesLivingwithAu?smElGrupoVIDA;JFKPartnersatUniversityofColoradoSchoolofMedicine.

JeaneceM.Cordova,B.S.Execu5veDirectorNov.2013-Oct.2016.DataCollec5onEvalua5onsandSurveyInforma5onfromEGVEduca5onalSupportGroupsandAnnualConference.ElGrupoVIDA,Inc.

JeaneceM.Córdova,B.S.HumanCervices,PsychologyMinor.Diversity/ParentLENDFellow2016-2017.Project:BridgingtheGapbetweenHispanic,La?no,orSpanish-speakingFamilieswithChildren/YouthwithDisabili?esandProfessionals.JFKPartnersatUniversityofColoradoSchoolofMedicine.

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Ø Pointoutparent’sstrengthsandencouragethemthattheyarethemostknowledgeableabouttheirchild.ThishelpsHLSSmomsanddadsgainefficacyasaparent(anyparentwithalovedonewithdifferentabili5es!).

Ø U5lizecommunitysupportparentagenciesthatserveTheHLSSdisabilitycommunity.IEInColorado,ElGrupoVIDA,ThriveCenter,FamilyVoicesandPEAKParentCenter.Medicalprofessionalsdon’talwayshave5metoprovidesomeoftheneeded5meandsupportparentsneed,sousetheparent/familyen55estohelpyou.Theseorganiza5onseduca5onfamiliesonhowtoworkwithsystemswhichwillhelpyou!

Ø “Non-compliantparent”–HLSSfamilydynamicsaredifferentbasedonculturalexperience.Apersonmaybeconsiderednon-compliantbuttheremaybefamilyissuestoconsider.Makesuretolearnsomeofthefamilydynamics.IntheHLSScommunity,manyneverarriveon5metoevents,appointments,etc.Besurethatfamiliesunderstandtheconsequencesofnotmakinganappointment(IEitwilldelaytheevalua5on).Remindercalls/textsworkverywell.

Ø Pleasedon’tusefamilymemberstodotheinterpreta5on.RememberthattherearedifferentSpanishlanguagedialectsandgrammarusagedependingonwherethefamilyisfrom.Trytoensurethatinterpreterisprovidinginterpreta5oninasgeneralandbasicSpanishforfamiliestounderstand.