Parents of children with developmental disabilities often encounter frustrating barriers when searching for the right services and resources. For members of New York’s Spanish-speaking community, language and cultural differences compound these obstacles. According to the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, about 20 percent of New York state residents with disabilities are Latino/a.

In order to empower these families with necessary resources and information, the YAI Network held its Sixth Annual Latino Health Care Conference, co-sponsored by The Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center today at the CUNY Graduate Center. The free, one-day conference was conducted entirely in Spanish and provided more than 300 attendees with information on behavioral issues, stress management and strategies on accessing health care and other services.

“Being a mother of a child with a developmental disability is unpredictable. This conference is a way for families to come together, to learn and support one another,” said Linda, a parent who attended last year’s conference. “It provides us with a great deal of information, which many Latino families don’t have access to, and even more so, the encouragement we need.”

“Many of our attending families don’t travel to Manhattan often, but they make a point to come to this conference,” says Jennifer Shaoul, Senior Coordinator of YAI’s LINK Department.

While the conference is focused on families, many professionals also find it helpful. Dr. Fabricia Balcazar, Ph.D, traveled from the University of Illinois at Chicago to speak on cultural competency for Latinos working in the field of developmental disabilities. Author Mariela Dabbah and NYC Councilman Dr. Fernando Cabrera were the conference's two keynote speakers.