Past Webinars

Know Your Rights: Advocacy Strategies for Parents with Disabilities

Facilitated by Robyn Powell, MA, JD

Panelists:

Morénike Giwa-Onaiwu, Julie Kegley, and Julie Petty 
  

Tuesday July 24, 2018 at 2:00-3:30pm EST

Webinar Recording

In recognition of the 28^thanniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this webinar focused on the rights of parents and prospective parents with disabilities. Presenters provided a brief overview of disability rights laws, and their application to families. Based on their own experiences, presenters shared advocacy strategies for ensuring accessibility throughout the community, such as in schools and health care facilities. Social workers, and others who support parents with disabilities, will gain an understanding of these families and their rights by learning directly from parents with disabilities about their needs and experiences.

This program was Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval #: 886742820-3476) for 1.5 continuing education contact hour.

Deaf Parents' Approaches to Parenting

Presenters: John Pirone & Mike McKee

Friday June 8, 2018 at 1:00-2:30pm EST

Webinar Recording

Deaf parents and prospective Deaf parents learned about approaches to parenting with regard to communication/language, community engagement, and technology. Deaf parents and prospective Deaf parents also learned about how to work with their child's health care providers, how to raise a healthy and happy child, considerations regarding immunizations and safety, as well as challenges and strategies. Social workers will learn about the needs and experiences of Deaf parents from experts in the field who are members of the D/HH community.

This webinar was presented in ASL. 

An ASL to English interpreter and CART services were available.

Raising Our Girls: Stories from Mothers with Disabilities and Daughters Who've Been There

Facilitated by Linda Long-Bellil, PhD, JD

Panelists:

Andrea Higgins and her daughters, Jackie Higgins Guzman & Nikki Higgins

Ellen Ladau and her daughter Emily Ladau

Tuesday May 8, 2018 at 12:00-1:00pm EST

Webinar Recording

Parents and prospective parents with disabilities learned about considerations for pursuing motherhood, strategies used by mothers with physical disabilities to raise their children, the perspectives of adult children of mothers with disabilities and resources for parenting with a disability. Social Workers learned directly from parents with disabilities about their needs and experiences. 

This program was Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886742820-8595) for 1 continuing education contact hour.

How Prospective Parents with Disabilities Can Prepare for Parenthood

Kara Ayers, Ph.D. and Erin Andrews, Psy.D., ABPP

Wednesday April 11, 2018 at 1:00-2:00pm EST

Webinar Recording

This webinar focused on strategies for prospective parents with disabilities to prepare themselves and their families for parenthood. Presenters discussed the initial considerations of conception and adoption, and explore preliminary consultation in order to identify disability affirmative service providers. Participants learned how to identify peer support among disability parenting communities to utilize for advice and support. The early identification of adaptive parenting tools and resources was emphasized.

This webinar is for people with disabilities who want to become parents. We talked about ways to prepare for parenthood, including:

• Pregnancy and adoption
• Scheduling a family planning appointment
• Finding disability-friendly service providers
• Creating a support network with disability parenting communities

Learning Objectives:

After participating in this webinar, participants will be able to

1.     Identify a variety of adaptive parenting tools and resources

2.     Research and select a disability-friendly provider

3.     Locate and access disability parenting communities and the benefits they provide

4.     Understand the advantages of family planning consultations and identify topics to discuss during the visit

Family Mental Health Begins with Parents

Joanne Nicholson, Ph.D.

Wednesday March 14, 2018 at 2:00-3:00pm EST

Webinar Recording

Many parents experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. Likewise, the majority of individuals living with mental illnesses are parents. Families are the focus of mental health promotion, mental illness prevention, treatment & rehabilitation. Social workers will learn about different types of interventions for parents with mental illness and their families, the advantages of leveraging access to mainstream resources, and the need to enhance existing practices to make them parent-informed and family-focused. Recognize the importance of parenting and families in promoting community inclusion, and the contribution of community inclusion to rehabilitation and recovery.

This program was approved by the National Association of Social Workers (approval # 886742820-6832) for 1 continuing education contact hour.

Working with Parents with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families: Strategies and Solutions for Social Workers

Robyn Powell, MA, JD

Tuesday November 14, 2017 at 3:00pm-4:00pm EST

Webinar Recording

This free webinar with Robyn Powell, MA, JD  provided information about how to best work with parents with intellectual disabilities and their families, including the definition of intellectual disabilities, background information on parents with disabilities, the application of disability law in the child welfare system, strategies for supporting families, and how to conduct accessible and appropriate parenting assessments. Continuing education credits were be provided by NASW.

Working with Parents with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families: Strategies and Solutions for Social Workers

Robyn Powell, MA, JD

Wednesday September 27, 2017 at 2:00pm EST

Webinar Recording

Learn about how to best work with parents with intellectual disabilities and their families, including the definition of intellectual disabilities, background information on parents with disabilities, the application of disability law in the child welfare system, strategies for supporting families, and how to conduct accessible and appropriate parenting assessments.

This program was approved by the National Association of Social Workers (approval # 886742820-6926) for 1 continuing education contact hour.

The ParentingWell Practice Framework: Having Conversations with Parents about Mental Health, Wellness, and Family Life

Monday June 11, 2018

Webinar Recording

Learn rationale for talking with parents about family life, mental health and recovery, common misconceptions about these topics, key questions to ask in conversations about parenting and wellness, potential challenges for implementation in your practice, and ways to overcome those challenges. 

Representing Parents with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families: Strategies and Solutions for Attorneys

Robyn Powell, MA, JD

Wednesday February 21, 2018 at 2:00-3:00pm EST

Webinar Recording

Learn about how to best work with parents with intellectual disabilities and their families, including the definition of intellectual disabilities, background information on parents with disabilities, the application of disability law in the child welfare system, recent case law, information about accessible and appropriate parenting assessments, and strategies for representing parents with intellectual disabilities and their families. 

Parents With Disabilities Face Obstacles To Keep Their Children

Thursday January 18, 2018 at 4:30pm EST

Robyn Powell was on Wisconsin Public Radio discussing the obstacles parents with disabilities face to keep their children. Listen to the interview!

From WPR: Parents with disabilities are disproportionately involved in the child welfare system compared to non-disabled parents. They're also more likely to have their parental rights terminated once involved. In October, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of five parents who feel they have been discriminated against by New York's Administration for Child Services. We take a look at the issue with our guest.

There's a lot of Pressure on Mothers to be Perfect

Robyn Powell was featured in a video by Divided States of Women in January 2018 about the pressures mothers with disabilities face in everyday life.  Watch the video!