Below are two letters AFA mailed re: Child Protective Services and Deaf parents and children.
Feel free to circulate and/or write your own letters to the Admin for Children and Families at the US Dept of HHS and the National Resource Center for Child Protective Services.
To see Deaf people's personal stories with the CPS system -
Keri Traver's Family ordeal (three vlogs)at Alternative Solutions Center http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=1202
Keri Traver's Family ordeal (three vlogs)at Alternative Solutions Center http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=1202
Kelley Kirschke's testimony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK8TiOU7LNo&list=UUIgMCcTsh27k8EtTOz6ZVQg&index=4
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Audism Free America's Letters about Child Protective Services (CPS)
Administration
for Children and Families
U.S. Department of
Health
and Human Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
and Human Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
28 March 2013
Greetings Acting Assistant Secretary
Sheldon:
It has come to our attention that many Deaf parents are experiencing discrimination via Child Protective Services due to a lack of language and cultural competency by case workers. Several Deaf parents have reported that their children were taken from them or they faced the threat of having their children taken from them simply because they were Deaf.
Deaf people have been able to raise children since the beginning of time. Neither speech nor hearing is needed to raise children. Federal law and the United Nations prohibit discrimination against Deaf people. In addition to the traumatic experience of having children removed from their homes unnecessarily and unwarrantably, many Deaf people report that Child Protective Services have denied them the right to an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and that CPS at times even tried to have family members and/or the children themselves act as interpreters. Deaf parents are also reporting that they have been pressured to implant their Deaf children with cochlear implants or that they have been pressured to get cochlear implants for themselves in order to “function” in the Hearing world. This is unacceptable and prejudicial.
It has come to our attention that many Deaf parents are experiencing discrimination via Child Protective Services due to a lack of language and cultural competency by case workers. Several Deaf parents have reported that their children were taken from them or they faced the threat of having their children taken from them simply because they were Deaf.
Deaf people have been able to raise children since the beginning of time. Neither speech nor hearing is needed to raise children. Federal law and the United Nations prohibit discrimination against Deaf people. In addition to the traumatic experience of having children removed from their homes unnecessarily and unwarrantably, many Deaf people report that Child Protective Services have denied them the right to an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and that CPS at times even tried to have family members and/or the children themselves act as interpreters. Deaf parents are also reporting that they have been pressured to implant their Deaf children with cochlear implants or that they have been pressured to get cochlear implants for themselves in order to “function” in the Hearing world. This is unacceptable and prejudicial.
On behalf of our community we call upon your administration to ensure that case workers are culturally competent to work with Deaf clients and their families by being trained in Deaf culture, American Sign Language and Deaf rights. All children deserve and need safe and loving homes. Removing children from Deaf parents or threatening to under false and unjust pretense is discriminatory and prejudicial.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Let Freedom Roll,
Patti Durr, Karen Christie, and Ruthie Jordan on Behalf of Audism Free America
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National
Resource Center for Child Protective Services
925
#4 Sixth Street NW
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Phone: 505-345-2444
Fax: 505-345-2626
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Phone: 505-345-2444
Fax: 505-345-2626
28 March 2013
To Whom it May Concern:
It has come to our attention that many Deaf parents are experiencing discrimination via Child Protective Services due to a lack of language and cultural competency by case workers. Several Deaf parents have reported that their children were taken from them or they faced the threat of having their children taken from them simply because they were Deaf.
Deaf people have been able to raise children since the beginning of time. Neither speech nor hearing is needed to raise children. Federal law and the United Nations prohibit discrimination against Deaf people. In addition to the traumatic experience of having children removed from their homes unnecessarily and unwarrantably, many Deaf people report that Child Protective Services have denied them the right to an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and that CPS at times even tried to have family members and/or the children themselves act as interpreters. Deaf parents are also reporting that they have been pressured to implant their Deaf children with cochlear implants or that they have been pressured to get cochlear implants for themselves in order to “function” in the Hearing world. This is unacceptable and prejudicial.
It has come to our attention that many Deaf parents are experiencing discrimination via Child Protective Services due to a lack of language and cultural competency by case workers. Several Deaf parents have reported that their children were taken from them or they faced the threat of having their children taken from them simply because they were Deaf.
Deaf people have been able to raise children since the beginning of time. Neither speech nor hearing is needed to raise children. Federal law and the United Nations prohibit discrimination against Deaf people. In addition to the traumatic experience of having children removed from their homes unnecessarily and unwarrantably, many Deaf people report that Child Protective Services have denied them the right to an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and that CPS at times even tried to have family members and/or the children themselves act as interpreters. Deaf parents are also reporting that they have been pressured to implant their Deaf children with cochlear implants or that they have been pressured to get cochlear implants for themselves in order to “function” in the Hearing world. This is unacceptable and prejudicial.
On behalf of our community we call upon your administration to ensure that case workers are culturally competent to work with Deaf clients and their families by being trained in Deaf culture, American Sign Language and Deaf rights. All children deserve and need safe and loving homes. Removing children from Deaf parents or threatening to under false and unjust pretense is discriminatory and prejudicial.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Let Freedom Roll,
Patti Durr, Karen Christie, and Ruthie Jordan on Behalf of Audism Free America
