HANDS & VOICES TEXAS CHAPTER

GBYS - GUIDE BY YOUR SIDE (GBYS) SERVES FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF/HARD OF HEARING (DHH) FROM BIRTH THROUGH AGE 21 FOR FREE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH BY MATCHING FAMILIES WITH TRAINED PARENT AND DHH GUIDES. OUR GUIDES WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE JUST LEARNED OF THEIR CHILD'S HEARING CONDITION OR WHO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN AND ARE IN NEED OF THE UNIQUE SUPPORT THAT COMES FROM SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS WALKED THIS PATH AND CAN SHARE THEIR DIRECT EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM. DURING THE FY 2023-2024, GUIDE BY YOUR SIDE DIRECTLY SUPPORTED 147 FAMILIES THROUGH 4,705 INTERACTIONS. THE GUIDE BY YOUR SIDE PROGRAM ALSO HOSTED 19 EVENTS WITH OVER 500 ATTENDEES.

GENERAL PROGRAM - AS A CHAPTER OF A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, TEXAS HANDS & VOICES (TXH&V) OFFERS SUPPORT, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES IN AN UNBIASED MANNER TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE SINGLE-MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN PREDICTING SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES OF NEWLY IDENTIFIED BABIES WHO ARE DEAF/HH IN EARLY INTERVENTION IS THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF THEIR PARENTS. POSITIVE PARENT INVOLVEMENT RESULTS IN HIGHER READING SCORES, IMPROVED ATTITUDES TOWARDS SCHOOL AND PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PARENTS AND TEACHERS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECTS WE COLLABORATE ON AND PROGRAMS WE OFFER IS TO EMPOWER PARENTS, FOSTER JOY, AND POSITIVELY IMPACT THE STATEWIDE SYSTEMS THAT SERVE DEAF/HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN. IN FY23-24, SUPPORTED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES VIA THE EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION (EHDI) PROGRAM, TEXAS HANDS & VOICES ASSISTED WITH DEVELOPING REGIONAL NETWORKS OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT DIAGNOSE, SUPPORT, EDUCATE AND ENGAGE WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING. WE TARGETED REGIONS WITHIN THE STATE THAT REPORT HIGH RATES OF LOSS-TO-FOLLOW-UP WITHIN THE TEXAS EHDI SYSTEM. WE UTILIZED GRASSROOTS KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAMILIES SERVED IN THOSE AREAS TO HOST FOCUS GROUPS OF PARENTS (CHILDREN AGE 0-5) IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND NECESSARY SUPPORTS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOCUS GROUPS, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED A TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF CLINICAL AND INTERVENTION PROVIDERS IN THE REGIONS. BASED ON THE FINDINGS FROM THESE INITIATIVES, THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED REGIONAL INFANT HEARING LEARNING SUMMITS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND FACILITATE SUSTAINABLE NETWORKS OF SUPPORT. OUR GENERAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDED PARENT-ONLY OVERNIGHT RETREATS AND OUTINGS (PAUSE EVENTS) IN THREE CITIES TO OFFER CAREGIVERS TIME TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS WHO ARE ALSO RAISING CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF/HARD OF HEARING. TXHV PROVIDED FOOD, INFORMATION/RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN FROM THOSE WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO HOSTED THE 3RD ANNUAL DHH AWARENESS WALK IN EDINBURG, TX, BRINGING TOGETHER NEARLY 300 PEOPLE AND MULTIPLE COMMUNITY RESOURCES. IN AN EFFORT TO REACH THOSE FAMILIES IN RURAL AREAS OR THOSE WITH BARRIERS TO ACCESSING OUR IN-PERSON EVENTS, WE FACILITATED 3 VIRTUAL WEBINARS ON EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY AND SUPPORTING YOUR CHILDREN THROUGH TRANSITION PERIODS.