THE NATIONAL DEAF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE launched a new logo (pictured) and announced new services on its website including a live chat feature making it “more accessible by offering various options for survivors, friends and family members” to reach them.

The Deaf Hotline has advocates available for crisis intervention, education, information and referrals for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled Callers.

The Patch story focuses on the progress of the agency’s new project at the site of the former Transitional Housing program in Manhattan’s East Village.

Read the article here.

Training program for women and teen girls with disabilities in NYC to advance skills in preparation for civic engagement

RespectAbility is on the front lines of advancing the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities. We are passionate about bringing intersectionality into our work, and into the nonprofit sector at-large.

We are excited to announce a new effort to raise the voices, lives and experiences of New York City’s almost 500,000 women and girls with disabilities and empower them to have a better future.

Did you know that:

• In the NYC metropolitan area, women with a disability earn on average nearly $9,000 less than women without disabilities, and $16,000 per year less than men without a disability.
• A stunning 44 percent of New York women with disabilities live below the poverty line. In raw numbers, 111,236 women living in New York City ages 21-64 with a disability have an income below the poverty level.
• In New York, only 29 percent of African American women with disabilities are employed, while only 24 percent of Latina women with disabilities have jobs.

To change these outcomes, New York women and girls with disabilities need opportunities to make their voices heard, impact their communities and change the City for the better. Thanks to the generous support of the New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF), RespectAbility is launching a Training Program for women and girls with disabilities in New York City. Our goal is to advance skills in preparation for civic engagement.

RespectAbility is working to enable NYC’s women and girls with disabilities to have access to education, training and jobs, just like anyone else. RespectAbility is doing this by recruiting and training individuals with disabilities to share their knowledge, skills and contacts with NYC funders and service providers that need to include and serve women with disabilities.

WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FROM NYC WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR TRAINING PROGRAM. Click here to go to application. 

Important Details for Applicants

• Excellent communication and organizational skills are strongly preferred, and applicants should exhibit leadership skills to complete their own projects.
• Commit to participate in one NYC training session.
• There is no tuition cost to participate.
• The trainings take place in the NYC area.
• Your application must explain why this training is of interest to you and why you believe you have the skills, focus and independent drive to make a positive difference in NYC.

This opportunity is for women, girls and gender-fluid applicants who have a visible or invisible disability. Invisible disabilities include, but are not limited to, mental health conditions, chronic pain, TBIs, and learning and attention disabilities.

Accommodations will be provided upon request.

LEARN MORE HERE. 

“What’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way.”

That’s the motto printed on the tee shirt given to all participants in the No Barriers Summit that took place in New York City on October 5 and 6.

On the back of the shirt, and in much of the No Barriers media, are listed the seven aspects to a No Barriers life: vision, reach, pioneer, rope team, alchemy, summits, and elevate. Defining and commenting on each of these would take more than this post. Instead, I will highlight some of the presentations I attended.

At the conference, I chose one of several educational tracks for the first day of the Summit, and choose the sessions within the track that I wanted to attend. Below are some highlights.

Exoskeleton Assisted Walking

Dr. Ann Spungen, a spinal cord injury researcher from New York’s Mt. Sinai Medical Center and one of her patients presented a fascinating description and demonstration of exoskeleton assisted walking for paralyzed persons (photo below).

This assistive technology has only been in use since 2010, and, as Dr. Spungen explained, “isn’t ready to replace the wheelchair just yet.”

Nonetheless, exoskeleton walking is an adjunct to wheelchair use that can enable users to stand and walk for at least short periods.  Using the device is slower than using a wheelchair.  The technology is ever-improving, and enables users, as one user put it to “look people in the eye; hug my wife, and take my kids to the park.”

Another user commented that he was able to reduce the use of pain medication since he began using the exoskeleton.

There are strict criteria for someone to be able to be trained on exoskeleton use: the person must not have excessive bone loss, contractures, or extreme fragility (these devices are heavy).

Under the terms of the FDA approval, the device must be used with crutches, and requires that an assistant be present.  As the technology improves, these restrictions may be lifted in the future. Dr. Spungen mentioned that many engineering schools are working on improved models of exoskeletons that will be lighter, smaller, and able to be used for longer periods of time.

e-Nable

Another notable presentation was given by Jen Owen, founder of e-Nable, which is an “open-source world-wide maker movement” that uses 3-D printer technology to make prosthetic hands and arms for those who have lost a hand or arm.

The starting point for e-Nable happened when a friend of Jen’s made a 3-D hand for a Steam Punk convention. The hand was notable for having working fingers.  The creator made a YouTube video which was seen by a carpenter in South Africa who had lost fingers and wanted to collaborate on making hands.

The two came up with a prototype; Jen started a blog; people began to follow the blog and began requesting prosthetics.  The first ones were metal, clunky and uncomfortable. Eventually the mass-production using 3-D printers was developed.

The prosthetics are low cost (around $50) and workable.  More information and actual downloads of the technology are available here.

Mitsy Kits 

Going from high-tech to low-tech (but in its own way genius) was the interactive presentation and demonstration given by Tammy Roussell,  founder of Mitsy Kits. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tammy over lunch and attending her presentation.

Mitsy Kits was born when Tammy’s mother, who had been a seamstress all her life, lost her sight. Tammy was looking for a way to enable her mother to continue sewing.

She developed the idea of a tactile border on the wrong side of the fabric, which would enable a seamstress to feel the straight line for the stitches.  From small beginnings, the Mitsy Kit concept now has over twenty different kits available to make everything from pillows to quilts.

As part of Tammy’s session, participants were provided with fabric with the tactile border, stuffing, needles and thread, and a blindfold (optional, to simulate visual impairment).

We made small pillows that we were allowed to take home.  Having an activity made Tammy’s session memorable for us participants and left us with a tangible reminder of the session.

These highlights give the flavor of the No Barriers Summit.   After the summit, in a follow-up e-mail transmitting the evaluation questionnaire, I learned from the organizers that the New York City Summit was the first time they’d offered a summit in an urban setting. All others had been in mountaintop locations; i.e., literal summits.  As of this writing, the 2019 schedule has not been made available.

Barrier Free Living attended the closing bell at the NY Stock Exchange on October 3, 2018 as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Cynthia Amodeo (photo above) Barrier Free Living’s Chief Program Officer was on hand at the closing bell. The NYSE welcomed Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) to ring The Closing Bell in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

The agency joined a host of other agency’s and individuals for the event. Barrier Free Living provides services and support to survivors of domestic violence with disabilities in our shelters and programs.

Learn more about Barrier Free Living.

Team members of Barrier Free Living marched in this year’s Disability Pride Parade in New York City on July 15.

Disability Pride Parades were held through the month world wide. The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, MA in 1990.

For nearly 40 years, Barrier Free Living has been working with people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and their families, at our shelters and programs.

Blog contributor Julia Alberino. Julia retired in 2011 after more than thirty years as a health care administrator in both the public and private sectors. She was a frequent speaker at professional conferences, and co-founder of an advocacy group that worked to maintain and improve services for Medicaid beneficiaries, including elderly and disabled individuals.

The first weekend in May was an exciting time for people with disabilities, their caregivers, relatives, friends, and advocates. That was the weekend that The Abilities Expo 2018 came to the New York Metropolitan Area, specifically the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey this May

Nearly 40 years old, The Expo bills itself as the “go to” source for the Community of people with disabilities, their families, seniors, veterans and healthcare professionals. The Expo features new technologies, new possibilities, new solutions and new opportunities. This year was no exception. There were close to 200 exhibitors, ranging from technology vendors, to car dealers, to equipment vendors and service agencies. Events included all-day acupressure for stress relief, an assistive climbing wall, a wheelchair repair shop, and face painting for children.

The logistics to get there from New York were a bit challenging, but on both days I met many people with mobility challenges who had braved Penn Station with its inadequate elevators to get to the Metuchen Station, which was the nearest station to the Expo.

The shuttle from the Station to the Expo had some glitches, I’m told (I used a regular taxi to not take a place on the shuttle from someone who needed it more than I did). I met one enterprising young man who told me he’d ridden his motorized wheelchair the four miles from the station to the convention center. This was scary to me, given that the road was a busy highway with no sidewalks, but he was completely undaunted. As he put it, “I just put on my headphones and off I went.” He did say he planned to take the shuttle back.

Once I arrived, my first impression of Expo was that it was overwhelming. Methodically walking the aisles with the helpful directory, and just taking it all in was quite an experience. The aisles were wide to easily accommodate wheelchairs. There were, for a change from some venues, adequate accessible restrooms and changing stations.

Besides the special events, there were the exhibits themselves, some of which were what you’d expect: wheelchairs, ramps, beds, clothing; and some of which were more surprising. I was impressed by how genuinely nice the staff were. The vendors and other exhibitors were cheerful and helpful.

On the subject of wheelchairs and mobility assistance vehicles, the ones at Expo ranged from standard to the super deluxe classic Gatsby, pictured below. At more than double the price of a standard mobility scooter, I’m not sure how obtainable this one would be for the average person who needs such a device, given that insurance tends to pay for standard versions.

Another set of products that caught my attention was a line of adaptive clothing for girls in wheelchairs. I met Barbara, the designer of the è Ispirante line. She confirmed what her publicity said, that she wants to give people more exciting and fashionable options. The clothing is indeed attractive.

I also met Robin Wearley, who has designed and markets a transfer sling for the evacuation of disabled persons from common carriers (planes, trains), fires, and other situations in which safe and efficient evacuation may be necessary. The sling is called Adapts. Robin was inspired by her experience in the travel and health care industries to identify an unmet need. As she explained:

“We’re trained to evacuate a disabled person by gripping him or her under the arms and behind the knees. That doesn’t always work, especially if the person is an amputee and/or wears a prosthetic.”

She demonstrated the sling for me, and I could see how easy and lightweight it is to use. It’s designed to be carried by two-six people, has handles on the sides, is lightweight and folds to small size. The company has just launched; as Robin told me half-jokingly in response to a question, “We’re not quite ready for Shark Tank yet.”

A device I really appreciated is the Orcam, which is an intuitive wearable (attaches to eyeglasses) device wit a smart camera. It is designed to assist people who are blind or visually impaired.

Eve Posner, who represents the company that makes Orcam demonstrated it for me. Pointing the camera at a book, the device read me a paragraph of an Agatha Christie mystery. When she pointed the camera at me, it said, “There is a woman standing in front of you.”

She also demonstrated how the smart camera identifies colors, denominations of currency, and grocery products. The only disadvantage I noted is that Orcam needs to be connected to a power source. Eve said most users put the power source either in their pocket or clipped at the waist, but she did tell me that the Orcam also comes in a more expensive Blue Tooth model as well.

These are just some of the many innovations I saw at Expo. If Expo comes to a city near you, it would be worthwhile to attend. The next three locations are Chicago from June 29-July 1; Houston from August 3-5; and Boston from 9/21-23. Expo will next be in the New York Metro area next May.

As Olympic fever heats up in Pyeonchang South Korea this month, in March the focus will be on the 2018 Winter Paralympics.

Barrier Free Living will post regular game updates. Competition includes sled hockey, snowboarding and noridic skiing.

NBC Olympics will present coverage of the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 this March, including 94 hours on television, which nearly doubles coverage of Sochi 2014. In all, NBC Olympics will present more than 250 hours of coverage across NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app, beginning with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, March 9.

As Discussed in part one of this article, going to Family Court can be part of the healing journey for victims of domestic violence, but court proceedings can also be very stressful. Victims of domestic violence who have a mental health diagnoses face even more hurdles when navigating this daunting system. Following are suggestions for advocates supporting victims of interpersonal violence who are currently involved in or may become involved with family court.

A Family Court Order of Protection Minimizes But Does Not Eliminate Police Contact.

Orders of protection in family court may be sought:

When no criminal arrest was made.

In an effort to avoid any involvement with the police.

While a family court order of protection allows a victim to avoid police contact initially the only way to enforce an order of protection when violated is by calling the police department. Some survivors of violence do not wish to contact police for a variety of reasons, including prior negative experiences with the police department or threats of increased violence by the perpetrator if they contact the police. This should not discourage a victim from applying for an order of protection if it is necessary for his/her safety. However when deciding whether or not to pursue an order of protection, if threats have been made by a perpetrator regarding a victim’s contact with the police, the victim should weigh the validity of this threat carefully and consult a professional in the field of domestic violence.

Education Helps Combat Stereotypes

One of the best ways to assist a victim of domestic violence who has mental illness is to work together with the victim to educate his/her attorney about his/her mental illness.  Educating the victim’s attorney about his/her strengths and limitations enables the attorney to accurately educate the judge who will be making the determination regarding the victim’ case.

For example, a social worker assisting an attorney and a victim  diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder may assist the attorney by providing him/her with literature on the diagnosis. The social worker and victim (keeping in mind the victim is the expert on his/her illness) may also work together to educate the attorney on how this diagnosis does/does not impact his/her daily functioning. This information will enable the attorney to better prepare for court and to portray an accurate representation of the victim’s abilities.

Send Advocacy Letters with Discretion

Victims of domestic violence are frequently asked to supply letters from their domestic violence service providers regarding their domestic violence and/or mental illness history. When a victim has an ongoing family court case, it is always in the best interest of the victim to consult with his/her attorney about the content of these advocacy letters. Well meaning advocates have inadvertently revealed information about a victim or his/her court proceedings that is not in the best interest of the victim. Such errors can be avoided by contacting the victim’s attorney (with the victim’s permission) and notifying them of plans to send advocacy letters. This is important when an advocacy letter will contain details about a victim’s mental illness history and treatment.

Develop Coping Strategies/Identify Triggers in Advance

Family court proceedings can last for months and involve numerous mandatory court dates. Understandably, many victims experience increased levels of stress and anxiety over court, and victims who have mental illness can experience heightened levels of their pre-existing symptoms.

Advocates can assist victims through the use of coping techniques such as deep breathing or muscle relaxation. These can be utilized in court to manage anxiety. It can also be helpful to speak with the victim prior to a court appearance to identify any specific topics or events which may be a trigger. Identifying triggers prior to a court appearance is helpful.

Many cities across the country have court waiting rooms for victims of domestic violence which are separate from the waiting areas for perpetrators. It is a good idea to contact family court in your area to see if such a waiting room exists; these waiting area both enhance victim safety and provide a calm environment prior to court hearings.

If your area does not provide separate waiting areas, identify a section of the court house where the victim feels more safe. If possible and if he/she is interested, attend court with her to practice coping techniques.

While this is probably not feasible for every court appearance, attending an initial court hearing can be instrumental in empowering victims to confidently navigate the system. It is also helpful to identify friends or family members that could accompany the victim to court for added emotional support.

Safety Plan

Safety planning is important in preparing a victim for court. If there is any risk that an abuser will attempt contact or follow the victim before or after court proceedings, the victims should consider changing his/her route to the court, identify locations near the court where she can seek emergency assistance if necessary, and consider varying her routine after leaving court (i.e. varying amount of time you stay in court after the hearing concludes).

Help Manage Victim Expectations

Assisting victims to understand the limitations of family court is perhaps the most crucial role an advocate can play. Atossa Movahedi, staff attorney for the Urban Justice Center’s Domestic Violence Project in Queens, New York, states:

 “Setting a client’s expectations can be very challenging.  I have found that working in collaboration with a DV advocate is extremely useful to get the client to understand the difference between what is ‘fair’ and what may be the reality in family court.”

Blog contributor Sara Eldridge, LMSW,  is a Senior Social Worker at Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House domestic violence shelter. Sara is a licensed social worker who received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2015.  Sara has been a social worker at Freedom House since 2015, where she provides individual and group counseling to adults, children and adolescents. Prior to Freedom House she worked with youth in alternatives to detention and incarceration programs, student veterans and crime victims.

Approximately 12.7 to 17.9% of American children have been exposed to domestic violence (Centers for Disease Control, Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs).

Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House domestic violence shelter, a fully accessible shelter for survivors with disabilities, offers safety to nearly 170 children per year. Freedom House has a robust children’s services team, including licensed social workers and childcare providers, to support these children and their parents.

Children who witnessed the abuse of their mother are at an increased risk for substance abuse in adolescence and adulthood, as well as chronic physical and mental health problems such as mood disorders (Webb, 2013; Jaffe, et al., 2012). They are also more likely to experience developmental delays, behavioral problems and poor school performance than those who have not been exposed to domestic violence (Woods & Sommers, 2011; Gilbert, Bauer, Carroll and Downs, 2013).

An estimated 13 to 50% of children exposed to domestic violence develop post-traumatic stress disorder (Margolin & Vickerman, 2011).

As these statistics demonstrate, domestic violence affects the whole family, not just the adult victim. Children may feel a confusing mix of anger, fear, and love for the abusive parent, while feeling a desire to protect or defend the victim (The National Domestic Violence Hotline). They may blame themselves for somehow causing the violence or not doing enough to stop it. (Office on Women’s Health). Sadly, children of domestic violence often learn that violence is a way to express love and that violence is an effective way to control situations (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

Parents who are experiencing or have survived domestic violence are often traumatized and have difficulty coping, which can make it difficult to provide the support their children need. At Freedom House, a full-time Coordinator of Family Services provides assistance in these situations. The coordinator can refer families out for therapy, early intervention assessments, parenting classes, or other programs as needed.

Unique among domestic violence shelters, Freedom House also provides in-house counseling to children between the ages of 4 and 18.

Two well-stocked play therapy offices contain art supplies, puppets, dolls, Play-Doh, and sandboxes. Children are invited to explore the office and choose the toys or activities they want to play with during their session. Social workers provide the children with a warm, nonjudgmental space to explore complicated feelings about domestic violence, previous trauma, relationships with their parents and struggles at school through art projects, pretend play, even board games.

One family with six children arrived at Freedom House after years of domestic violence and abuse. Fortunately, all of the children were able to meet with Freedom House counselors to begin processing their feelings about their experiences.

Several of the children initially struggled to engage in the counseling because they were not used to having the freedom to discuss negative emotions such as anger or sadness.

Over the months that we worked with them, they became much more enthusiastic about and invested in the counseling, drawing pictures of themselves and their families, using puppets to talk about conflict resolution and making pillows symbolically filled with their hopes and dreams.  Their mother reported that the family was communicating better, the children’s behavior had improved, and they were less worried and sad than when they arrived.

One of the teenagers found a part-time job with the assistance of his counselor. His younger brother, who initially compared himself to the Hulk because of his anger, learned to better regulate his emotions through simple techniques like breathing and visualization, leading to fewer arguments at home and at school.  Although the family continued to need therapy after leaving Freedom House, they had begun to deal with their trauma and to learn healthy coping skills.