This state chapter of a national/international organization was started in 2015 by two moms who saw the need for Michigan families of children who are deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind to have access to unbiased support when making decisions about language and education for their children. Families often may not have opportunities to learn from multiple perspectives when making decisions for their children's language and communication access. MIHV provides access to 1) parents who have had similar experiences and 2) adults who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. Both are trained to provide unbiased support to new families. Learning from multiple perspectives helps families choose a language approach (ASL, listening and oral language, cued speech, etc.) for their child, and sometimes get comfortable with the new reality of raising a child with different realities than what may have been expected.
Additionally, as families begin to access assistance through the school systems, they may encounter difficulties navigating the educational laws. MIHV provides trained lay-advocates to assist families in these instances as well as training to build self-resiliency.
Finally, MIHV hosts more than 40 events per year around the state and online to allow families opportunities to meet each other and build their communities so families and children can get to know others like them.
Serving hundreds of families a year, MIHV is an important resource for every family of a child who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. Donations are always appreciated to cover staff and training costs and provide scholarships for families to attend events and workshops.
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