DEI&A Training Creates Awareness<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Recent presentations by Erica Chapin and Nancy Piersma to staff at four Catherine\u2019s Health Center locations were a great opportunity to help frontline healthcare workers better understand the Deaf.<\/p>

\u201cI love to do these presentations,\u201d she said with a smile. \u201cHopefully they empower people to know what to provide and how to understand the ADA. I enjoy meeting with people and talking about how to support them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Chapin, D&HHS Community Partnerships Manager, agreed.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cIt gives us the opportunity to educate those who are serving important needs in the community,\u201d Chapin, D&HHS community partnerships manager, said. \u201cWe want to educate so people can be prepared.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Each presentation to Catherine\u2019s was about an hour in length with time at the end for questions.<\/p>

The goal was simple: help Catherine\u2019s staff understand how to better serve the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing communities. Topics covered included appropriate accommodations under the ADA, how to schedule interpreters, how to get the attention of a Deaf patient and more.<\/p>

Chapin added that such presentations are not just for healthcare settings. She and Piersma do what D&HHS calls DEI&A (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility)<\/span> training for a variety of nonprofits and for-profits in West Michigan and beyond.<\/p>

\u201cOver the past year, we presented to banks, social service organizations, medical students and court systems,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are happy to work with any Michigan companies who\u2019d like to add a better understanding of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing communities and their cultures.\u201d<\/p>

Piersma, who is Deaf, noted that accessibility for the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing communities is often overlooked.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cWhat we offer will make your organization better equipped to work well with Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing customers and employees,\u201d she said.<\/p>

Both Chapin and Piersma said that attendees usually say they learned a lot about things they never really considered before. Jennie Knight, a practice manager for Catherine\u2019s dental clinic, attended a recent session and said that was true.<\/p>

\u201cIt was wonderful to hear Nancy explain so much about the Deaf Culture,\u201d she said. \u201cHearing it from someone in the community is vital so that we are not making assumptions. And both Nancy and Erica were welcoming and shared great information.\u201d<\/p>

Knight added that knowing how to best communicate with patients is vital, so understanding more about the Deaf Culture and the communication used will be vital to Catherine\u2019s providing them healthcare in an appropriate and respectful way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Sam\u00a0Wohlfeil, director of strategic engagement for Catherine’s Health Center, coordinated the recent sessions with Chapin and said such events are incredibly valuable to the organization.<\/p>

\u201cWe want to make sure we are doing all we can to break down barriers and provide quality and compassionate care to everyone coming through our doors,\u201d he said. \u201cSessions and education like this allow us to better serve these populations, break down those barriers and allow our staff to better understand how to best provide care and be aware and compassionate of the needs of those that often go without care because they can’t find providers that are willing to learn and give them the time needed.\u201d<\/p>

Wohlfeil added that the feedback he received from attendees was all positive with staff members appreciating Chapin and Piersma and their ability to deliver content that would be directly applicable to day-to-day work at Catherine\u2019s.<\/p>

\u201cWe really love and value our relationship with D&HHS,\u201d he said. \u201cWe’ve been working closely with them for a while now, and we look froward to continuing to partner with them moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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