*Note - this session will not be recorded for asynchronous viewing. Please register only if you plan to attend live on Thursday, September 18, 2025, 6:00pm-9:30pm ET. * This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.35 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This workshop is designed to support interpreters by using a trauma-informed approach to help recognize the impact of interpreting in stressful or traumatic situations. We’ll dive into some key psychological frameworks that shed light on physical, cognitive, and emotions stressors interpreters might face, and together we’ll explore ways to assess your own levels of burnout and compassion fatigue. You’ll also walk away with practical tools to boost your overall personal and professional wellness. Plus, in this special edition, we’ll create space to discuss the unique experiences of being an educational interpreter, providing space for discussion and peer support.

*Note - this session will not be recorded for asynchronous viewing. Please register only if you plan to attend live on Thursday, September 4, 2025, 6:00pm-9:30pm ET. * This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.35 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Developing a trauma-informed approach enables interpreters to provide more compassionate and effective support within the learning environment. In this workshop, we'll discuss how to frame our interpreting work in educational settings with a trauma-informed lens. Using the theories of the Hierarchy of Needs and the Trauma-Recovery Model, we will identify signs of stress and trauma and how they might show up in our work. We'll identify tools to incorporate into our personal and professional practice that allow us to navigate stress with empathy during the interpreting process.

"Due to the nature of the content and active participation required, these sessions will not be recorded for asynchronous learning. For those who attend the live sessions, please use a laptop or desktop computer with a camera - other smart, handheld devices are not sufficient." This three-webinar series focuses on equipping interpreters with the skills and strategies necessary to navigate complex, emotionally charged environments in educational settings. The series emphasizes the importance of understanding mental health, trauma, and stress as key factors that affect both interpreters and students, offering practical tools for professional development, personal well-being, and ethical decision-making.

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