*This webinar, originally scheduled for August 2025, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, August 18, 2026. * This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This presentation explores the systemic barriers faced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) individuals, highlighting legal, communicative, and institutional challenges. We will examine the impact of the issues, drawing on real-life accounts. We will also delve into the multifaceted roles of interpreters who often serve beyond their role, navigating complex legal and rehabilitative systems as educators, advocates, and mental health supporters. Finally, we examine advocacy strategies to foster critical reflection on the necessity of equitable access and systemic reform.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This presentation continues this discussion regarding accessibility and communication barriers with a focus on the civil court system. While the provision of reasonable accommodations to deaf and hard of hearing civil litigants is legally required under the ADA, the decades since the passage of the ADA and other related legislation have revealed many failures to act - mirroring the barriers and failures within the criminal legal system. While the criminal legal system has the authority to take away someone’s liberty and/or life, the most serious of punishments, the impact from a civil court system should not be understated. For example, divorce and family courts have the authority to remove children from the home and/or deny visitation rights, dramatically altering many lives. When trying to understand how the civil court system impacts deaf and hard of hearing litigants it is important to recognize one complicating factor, the application of the ADA and other related legislation within the state civil court systems is far uniform. Access to accommodations and in particular interpreters can vary greatly state to state. With this in mind, this presentation will discuss key aspects of the civil court system at the federal and state level, focusing on how federal and state legislation has influenced the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing litigants. This will include a discussion of changes in policies since the early 1990s that have worked to reduce or break barriers as well as continued challenges in redressing lack of enforcement and related financial obligations in providing accommodations. Finally, this presentation will address available resources, or lack thereof, for deaf and hard of hearing individuals seeking access to or involved in the civil court system.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. There is no time like the present to engage in conversations about the relationships between law enforcement and the Deaf community. Law enforcement and their interactions with Deaf persons are at the beginning of the criminal justice system. This workshop focuses on providing information about law enforcement’s role and process in the criminal justice system and empowering interpreters with insights and tools for their work in these interpreting assignments. This workshop will open with insights about law enforcement’s role, process and goals during interactions with citizens. The co-presenters provide interpreters with a “tool kit” with concrete tips and perspectives to apply during related interpreting assignments. The workshop will also create a safe space for the co-presenters and audience to share their experiences and ideas for improving accessibility, presence, and communication between the Deaf individuals, law enforcement, and interpreters. We value the audience’s stories and constructive conversations. “Change is possible when acceptance and understanding of culture are bidirectional.”

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This workshop will help better equip interpreters to provide culturally responsive and ethically sound services to Deaf individuals with substance use issues within the criminal justice system. Often the only consistent communication bridge for Deaf individuals in complex legal and treatment settings, interpreters will explore their role in navigating access and advocacy issues. The session will address the unique challenges and access issues Deaf individuals face when navigating substance use, treatment programs, and the legal system. Participants will gain tools for more effective and ethical interpreting interactions in these complex situations through discussion of current research, case studies, updates on litigation, available resources, and needed improvements in carceral settings, as well as strategies to assist interpreters in navigating the barriers and injustices that Deaf individuals experience in these systems.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Description forthcoming

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Description forthcoming

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Deaf individuals are at a higher risk of maltreatment and trafficking than the general population due to systemic vulnerabilities. Research has shown that the severity of disability and the presence of more than one disability can increase risk factors related to maltreatment. Specifically, without culturally responsive and linguistically accessible services, Deaf individuals may struggle with reporting exploitation and receiving services for aftercare. Given the presence of significant risk factors, including social isolation, communication barriers, sexual abuse and maltreatment, and reporting barriers, deaf clients are vulnerable to multiple types of maltreatment, including CSEC. This workshop will provide evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies with a focus on human trafficking awareness building in the Deaf community.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Description forthcoming

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Description forthcoming

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This series explores the nuanced intersection of language, culture, and the law through real-life cases involving Deaf individuals across various stages of the legal system—from questioning and arrest to incarceration and probation. Led by a Deaf attorney, the presentation highlights how interpreter decisions, language dynamics, and cultural contexts can significantly affect outcomes. Interpreters serve as essential conduits in these high-stakes environments, and this session offers an opportunity to reflect on best practices, ethical considerations, and the impact of nuanced choices in legal interpreting. Attendees will deepen their understanding of how to navigate complex linguistic and cultural terrains in legal settings.