Enhancing Knowledge Through Online Learning

Bimonthly online discussions are continuing education opportunities for mental health interpreters and clinicians who work with deaf consumers.  QMHI's are required to have 40 contact hours of continuing education per year.

You can go to this URL  https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-How-Do-I-Join-A-Meeting- for more information on how to join the webinar.  More tips for using Zoom can be found HERE

All presentations are in the form of a webinar.  Links to the webinar will be sent out the same day as the event. This year our webinars will be hosted on Zoom.  To use this platform, please read documents on the Zoom Website.

Important:  In order to ensure time to process your registration, the completed form and payment must be received 7 days prior to the event you wish to join.

The registration fee for all online discussions in the calendar year 2025 is just $35.*  

How to Register:

  • Send a check for $35.00 made out to ADARA- MHIT Fund along with the completed form to:

Shannon Reese, Services Coordinator
Alabama Department of Mental Health
Office of Deaf Services
P.O. Box 301410
Montgomery, AL  36130

* January to December.  This fee is NOT pro-rated. 

Upcoming Events

All Events run 6:00 - 8:00 PM Central Time

2026 Online Discussion Events 

May 12             Supporting Deaf Students Through Crisis: Trauma-Informed Care and Collaboration.  

Presenter: Gabe Lomas

July 14              Navigating the Radical Middle: Language Access Choices Among Caregivers of Deaf Children.        

Presenter: Krystal Werfel

September 8     Between Two Cultures: How Acculturative Stress Affects Deaf Adults’ Mental Health. 

Presenter: Aileen Aldaur

November 10    Deaf Hispanic Identity and Community: Challenges and Opportunities.  

Presenter: Jesus Barreto Abrams

             

Tyler G. James, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan. Dr. James has been working professionally with DHHDB communities since 2015, with a focus on working with people who are DeafBlind. His research focuses on systems and sociomedical issues impacting health outcomes for people who are DHHDB or blind/low vision. His research on effective communication policy for DHHDB

March 10, 2026

All discussions are conducted from
6:00 - 8:00 Central Standard Time (CST)

Presentation Flyer Available for Download HERE

"Now Showing"

"Dismantling the Monolith: Effective, Patient-Centered Communicationfor DHHDB Patients in Healthcare Environments"

Presented by:

Tyler James, Ph.D.

patients has informed in federal policy guidance for Section 504. In addition to his research, Dr. James has significant advocacy experience — volunteering on the Board of Directors for Disability Rights Florida, the protection and advocacy organization for Florida, and serving as a surrogate parent for IEPs.

The Purpose of the Training 

This discussion seeks to critically examine the complexities of communication for DHHDB individuals in healthcare environments. The traditional assumption that DHHDB patients are a monolithic group with uniform communication needs and preferences often leads to ineffective, inflexible care. We will review recent research on effective communication access for DHHDB patients. Then, we will explore powerful, real-world scenarios – including misdiagnosis in the ED, trauma-informed care during psychiatric holds, and preserving dignity in end-of-life care – identifying how a one-size-fits-all approach fails to serve DHHDB people.

The Objectives of the Training:

  • Discuss the complexity of DHHDB patient-centered care and communication. 

  • Identify the common assumptions about DHHDB patients’ communication needs.

  • Summarize research findings on effective communication access for DHHDB individuals.

  • Examine real-world scenarios to identify system, provider, interpreter, and patient factors impacting patient-centered communication. 

  • Propose actionable recommendations or strategies to improve communication approaches for DHHDB patients.

After the Training, participants will

  • Demonstrate patient-centered communication with DHHDB individuals using at least two appropriate accommodations. 

  • Identify and correct common assumptions about DHHDB patients’ communication needs. 

  • Develop a plan with at least three actionable strategies to improve communication access for DHHDB patients.

Pre-reading: NA 

Target Audience:

Interpreters in Mental Health, Community Interpreters, Mental Health Professionals, School Counselors