ODHH Family Mentor Services
Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) Family Mentor Services is available to provide assistance and support to parents, caregivers and families to develop different ways to communicate and interact with children and youth.
Family Mentors are Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing and DeafDisabled adults specially trained to provide links between families of Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled or Hard of Hearing child and the community where they live. Also, they serve as positive role models to these families. To read more about these services, visit the ODHH Family Mentor Services webpage or download the postcard, Family Mentor Services
Transition Planning for High School and Beyond
The Washington DeafBlind Program provides transition services for students between the ages 14-21. Our team is here to support students and teams around the continued development of:
⇒ Communication and language
⇒ Community engagement
⇒ Self-advocacy skills
⇒ IEP transition goals
⇒ Navigation of opportunities and supports for life after HS
⇒ Vocational planning
⇒ Post-Secondary education planning
⇒ Connecting the student, family and team with transition agencies
Helpful Resources for Military Families from WA PAVE
Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment (PAVE) has a website in multiple languages, including information on the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
Visit PAVE to view this resource.
Resource: Life After High School Guide
Did you know that a guide on Life After High School is available for free, in many languages? Do you know a family of a youth (14-21) with a disability who could use a written guide in Arabic, Vietnamese, English or another language? See the Open Doors for Multicultural Families website: https://www.multiculturalfamilies.org/programs-services/youth-transition-program/transition-guide-download/
Questions about your middle or high school student? Please reach out to Sarah Godwin: sarah.godwin@wssb.wa.gov
Usher Syndrome and Peer Mentoring
Mentoring relationships can make a huge difference in children’s lives, but identifying mentors for those with Usher syndrome can be challenging. To address this issue, NCDB, the National Deaf Center, and the Usher Syndrome Coalition began a partnership a year ago to develop a peer mentoring program for children and youth with Usher syndrome.
Peer Mentoring for Children with Usher Syndrome | National Center on Deaf-Blindness (nationaldb.org)
Guidebook for Caregivers of Children with Rare and/or Serious Illnesses
Caregiving for a child who is deaf-blind or has another medically complex condition or disease can be both challenging and rewarding. The “Guidebook for Caregivers of Children with Rare and/or Serious Illnesses,” recently published by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), provides information, resources, and guidance that specifically addresses caregivers’ needs.
Assessment of Deafblind Access to Manual Language Systems (ADAMLS)
“My family is interested in learning sign language, but there is so much info out there and we don’t know where to start.”
“Our child’s school team uses signs in the classroom, but I’m not sure it’s the right kind for my son, who is deafblind. Where can I learn more?”
Some families start with ten signs, or even three signs. Using first signs consistently in routines, over time, is more important than the number of signs.
Assessment of Deafblind Access to Manual Language Systems, by Robbie Blaha & Brad Carlson
