Maryland’s Largest Newspaper Highlights Work to Help Break Down Language Barriers to Services The Baltimore Sun and Tiempo Latino shone a spotlight on disparities in access to disability services for Hispanic Marylanders and efforts to improve it. This news coverage is a result of a review of government data by a coalition of organizations, led by Jubilee, working to improve… Read More »
Coalition Calls on Lawmakers to Take Action Hispanic Marylanders have unequal access to disability services, according to a new analysis of recently released statewide data. In light of these findings, members of the Enriqueciendo Vidas (“enriching lives”) coalition called on Governor Wes Moore’s administration and elected officials across the state to take action in a letter on October 23, 2023.… Read More »
Dayana Ramos has a passion for makeup artistry and is a young mom. In the best of times, it can be a lot to juggle. It’s even harder when you have a disability, and your support network has limited English speaking skills. Dayana was told she had to be in a day program to get disability services—even though it wasn’t… Read More »
Register for Next Session Thursday, November 9 Maria* applied for disability services for her daughter, but when a coordinator from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) called her to schedule an interview at her house Maria declined. In her culture, inviting a stranger to her home felt uncomfortable. Understanding how cultural differences impact people’s choices can make a difference for… Read More »
Being able to effectively communicate is key to accessing and providing high-quality care for people with disabilities. We know that language barriers are one reason people from Asian and Hispanic backgrounds have trouble applying for services. It stands to reason those same issues will apply once they begin receiving services. Disability service providers in Maryland are obligated to provide language… Read More »
Kevin’s story as told by his mother Nery Gonzalez My son Kevin can’t speak at all, and my English is limited. I don’t understand everything in English, and I definitely did not understand that my Kevin would lose government funding for services if we missed the timeframe for young adults finishing high school to transition to adult services. We were… Read More »
How to Collect Racial, Ethnic and Language Data Collecting data on the race, ethnicity and language of adults with developmental disabilities currently supported by agencies will help achieve our shared goal of helping more people from underserved communities. Racial and ethnic data provide crucial information on where we are now and where we want to be. “With data, we can… Read More »
Seeking caring people interested in making a difference in the lives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Come and learn more about working as a direct support professional (DSP) at the Breaking Barriers Job Fair. Ten agencies will be at the job fair, and all are hiring! Job training is provided to all new hires. Bilingual language skills are… Read More »
Program Connects Underserved Communities to Services Since launching in the Fall of 2021, Jubilee’s innovative Breaking Barriers program works to ensure that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities from Hispanic and Asian communities can easily access support services. In just one year, the program has brought together more than a dozen agencies providing services and the DDA. The groups collaborate… Read More »
Helping Asian and Hispanic Communities Access Support Services Navigating the process of securing disability services is a challenging process. For many in Hispanic and Asian communities, it’s overwhelming. Jubilee’s new program Breaking Barriers aims to significantly increase the number of adults of Hispanic and Asian descent who receive services in the county. Data shows that here in Montgomery County, DDA… Read More »