Kaila
Redmond
May 4, 2008
THE FOSTER
CARE SYSTEM & THE DEAF COMMUNITY
Foster care
youth are the lost voices of society but what adds to their misery,
their feelings of hurt and abandonment by family, their world of
silence; is the fact that they truly have been thrown in the dark by
society who has been appointed to take care of and to protect them.
Unfortunately, the problems of the deaf foster care youth have not
been addressed by legislation or applied by the agencies that have
been empowered to implement them. The misconception is that they are
being addressed because of the Americans with Disabilities Act have
been implemented when dealing with children with more visible
disabilities that are physical and/or emotional that can be
addressed by medication, physical therapy, and does not involve
almost everyone that the foster youth comes in contact with like
being deaf requires everyone to know ASL or have an interpreter
present to effective communicate with others.
There are many injustices that deaf foster youth, as well as their
parents who may be a part of the deaf culture, have to deal with on
a daily basis. Although many are not publicized, some have been
brought to the forefront, which are causing many public agencies to
re-evaluate the care they are providing for the deaf foster care
youth. One, such case one a civil rights victory in October 2002,
when a deaf mother Lee Larson of Wyoming Michigan had her children 2
boys Kyron and Christian, removed from her care and placed in a
foster care home and the children were said to be behind there
classmates, where most children had cochlear implants, so ASL was
not a mode of communication even though this is what was used in
there home. The school as well as the foster care agency felt the
boy should have the implants to effectively communicate with the
hearing world. The agency felt they had a right to petition the
court although the mother had not lost her parental rights of her
boys, although she was at great risk because of missed appointments
with counseling and visitation, which the mother attributed to the
lack of interpreter assistance for her to be able to communicate
with officers of the court and others involved in her case
(Newsflash, 2002) . Another case that shows the atrocities to the
deaf community is a case in Milwaukee, when absolutely no court
appointed interpreters were provided for a deaf couple that were in
jeopardy of loosing there children (Zahn, 2007). Everyone, no matter
what language they speak is entitled to a fair trail, which shall
include and is not limited to an interpreter to ensure they
understand any and all legal proceedings.
These court proceedings show just how much the deaf community is
kept in the dark and silenced because someone has not taken stand
for the foster youth, let alone the deaf community in the foster
care system. Although, the system as a whole is not taking a
proactive role, but some agencies and communities are listening.
There have been a several new group homes that have begun making a
difference in the deaf community. They are making these youths the
priority in giving them a chance at life. The Connecticut Department
of Children and Families (DCF) have set the ball rolling on
understanding and implementing the Federal Rehabilitation Act of
1973 by inacting a state statuette the Connecticut Public Act 97-272
which specifically addresses the deaf and hearing-impaired children
(Impact, 2006). Not only is Connecticut paying attention but Tampa
Bay, Florida and Chula Vista, CA. Tampa Bay has erected “The Group
Home at Tampa Bay Academy” that offers an intensive residential
program for up to 12 residents that unable to return home. It offers
consistency and staff members that can share in the experience of
being in the deaf community (The Deaf Program, 2008). The foster
care home in Chula Vista, CA is a much smaller scale but it is
providing some of the same resources as the group home in Tampa Bay.
The foster care home has 4 residents and the home has been totally
renovated for its deaf residents, like flashing lights for the
doorbell, flashing lights and video for the phone, beds that vibrate
for the alarm; these are just some of the renovations that allow
these teens to lead a normal life in their world (Gustafson, 2007).
Foster care youth are the lost voices of society but what adds to
their misery, their feelings of hurt and abandonment by family,
their world of silence; is the fact that they truly have been thrown
in the dark by society who has been appointed to take care of and to
protect them. Unfortunately, the problems of the deaf foster care
youth have not been addressed by legislation or applied by the
agencies that have been empowered to implement them. The
misconception is that they are being addressed because of the
Americans with Disabilities Act have been implemented when dealing
with children with more visible disabilities that are physical
and/or emotional that can be addressed by medication, physical
therapy, and does not involve almost everyone that the foster youth
comes in contact with like being deaf requires everyone to know ASL
or have an interpreter present to effective communicate with others.
There are many injustices that deaf foster youth, as well as their
parents who may be a part of the deaf culture, have to deal with on
a daily basis. Although many are not publicized, some have been
brought to the forefront, which are causing many public agencies to
re-evaluate the care they are providing for the deaf foster care
youth. One, such case one a civil rights victory in October 2002,
when a deaf mother Lee Larson of Wyoming Michigan had her children 2
boys Kyron and Christian, removed from her care and placed in a
foster care home and the children were said to be behind there
classmates, where most children had cochlear implants, so ASL was
not a mode of communication even though this is what was used in
there home. The school as well as the foster care agency felt the
boy should have the implants to effectively communicate with the
hearing world. The agency felt they had a right to petition the
court although the mother had not lost her parental rights of her
boys, although she was at great risk because of missed appointments
with counseling and visitation, which the mother attributed to the
lack of interpreter assistance for her to be able to communicate
with officers of the court and others involved in her case
(Newsflash, 2002) . Another case that shows the atrocities to the
deaf community is a case in Milwaukee, when absolutely no court
appointed interpreters were provided for a deaf couple that were in
jeopardy of loosing there children (JS Online, 2007). Everyone, no
matter what language they speak is entitled to a fair trail, which
shall include and is not limited to an interpreter to ensure they
understand any and all legal proceedings.
These court proceedings show just how much the deaf community is
kept in the dark and silenced because someone has not taken stand
for the foster youth, let alone the deaf community in the foster
care system. Although, the system as a whole is not taking a
proactive role, but some agencies and communities are listening.
There have been a several new group homes that have begun making a
difference in the deaf community. They are making these youths the
priority in giving them a chance at life. The Connecticut Department
of Children and Families (DCF) have set the ball rolling on
understanding and implementing the Federal Rehabilitation Act of
1973 by enacting a state statuette the Connecticut Public Act
97-272, which specifically addresses the deaf and hearing-impaired
children (Impact, 2006). Not only is Connecticut paying attention
but Tampa Bay, Florida and Chula Vista, CA. Tampa Bay has erected
“The Group Home at Tampa Bay Academy” that offers an intensive
residential program for up to 12 residents that unable to return
home. It offers consistency and staff members that can share in the
experience of being in the deaf community (The Deaf Program, 2008).
The foster care home in Chula Vista, CA is a much smaller scale but
it is providing some of the same resources as the group home in
Tampa Bay. The foster care home has 4 residents and the home has
been totally renovated for its deaf residents, like flashing lights
for the doorbell, flashing lights and video for the phone, beds that
vibrate for the alarm; these are just some of the renovations that
allow these teens to lead a normal life in their world (Gustafson,
2007).
The foster care system and the deaf community are intertwined at a
unique intersection, it is time that some one pays attention to the
situation, to ensure the silenced youth are not left behind.
Although some have paid attention it is time for these examples to
be headed by the rest of society as a whole!
REFERENCES
Newsflash. (2002) The Grand Rapids Case, retrieved: ???
http://www.cochlearwar.com/newsflash/003a.html
????
http://www.deafprogram.com/group_homes.asp
Zahn, Mary. (2007, Dec 4). Court Leaves Deaf Parents in the Dark. JS
Online:
News: Milwakee: Retreived 3 May 2008:
Rivera, William and Wixted, Diane. (2006). Supporting Deaf and Hard
of
Hearing Children and Parents in Connecticut. Impact: Retrieved 3 May
2008:
http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/191/prof10.html
Gustafson, Craig. (2007, Dec. 24) Permanent Housing is First of its
Kind in Area.
Union-Tribune: Retrieved 3 May 2008:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071224-99999-1m24deaf.html