Visible, Diverse and United:

Introduction

55 representatives from Bay Area counties met in Oakland, California on October 30, 2006 to initiate the Bay Area Parents with Disabilities and Deaf Parents Task Force. The Task Force was convened by Through the Looking Glass (TLG) as part of a project funded by The California Endowment and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education. This report was compiled by TLG staff, and is based upon extensive minutes taken during the meeting as well as draft versions that were circulated among Task Force members and posted on TLG's website for comments.

There are over 211,000 parents with disabilities in the Bay Area. Yet, many of these parents and their children are inappropriately served by existing services and available resources. Many service systems in the Bay Area seem altogether unaware of parents with disabilities and their children. Others that do provide services often do not know the best way to serve them.

The primary goal for this meeting was to identify and prioritize problem areas and potential solutions for parents with disabilities and their children living in the Bay Area. The Task Force included diverse parents with physical disabilities, Deaf parents, parents who are blind or partially sighted as well as parents with other disabilities and medical conditions.

Featured Presentations

The Bay Area Task Force began with featured presentations on particular issues affecting a broad range of parents with disabilities and/or specific populations of parents with disabilities. Each presenter also described innovative solutions that have addressed these issues:

• Kelly Buckland. President, National Council on Independent Living
• Insuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities; Historic Legislation in Idaho

• Ella Callow, J.D. Family Law Advisor, National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities
• Issues among Parents with Disabilities; Recent Legislation in Kansas

• Christi Tuleja, OTR, Adaptive Babycare Equipment Specialist, Through the Looking Glass
• Occupational Therapist Assessment in Custody Cases

• Julie Rems-Smario, Executive Director, Deaf Hope
• o Domestic Violence and Abuse in the Deaf Community

• Brenda Smith, Parent and Beth Smith, Family Clinician, Through the Looking Glass
• Parent Support Group and Training Home Visitors

• Judi Rogers, OTR/L, Pregnancy/Birthing Specialist, National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities
• The Disabled Women's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth

• Debbie Bacon, Project Manager, National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities
• o Hands-On Parenting: A Resource Guide for Parents who are Blind or Partially Sighted

• Overall Recommendations
• Breakout Sessions
1. Breakout Session #1: Parental Rights
2. Breakout Session #2: Recreation
3. Breakout Session #3: Parents with Disabilities and Their Child's School System
4. Breakout Session #4: Transportation
5. Breakout Session #5: Programming and Systems Change