skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal judge blocks AZ law that 'disenfranchised' Native voters; government shutdown could cost U.S. travel economy about $1 Billion per week; WA group brings 'Alternatives to Violence' to secondary students.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Senator Robert Menendez offers explanations on the money found in his home, non-partisan groups urge Congress to avert a government shutdown and a Nevada organization works to build Latino political engagement.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

An Indigenous project in South Dakota seeks to protect tribal data sovereignty, advocates in North Carolina are pushing back against attacks on public schools, and Arkansas wants the hungriest to have access to more fruits and veggies.

Families of People with Disabilities Get Support in MT

play audio
Play

Thursday, February 4, 2021   

HELENA, Mont. -- Families with people who have disabilities can sometimes feel isolated because of their experiences.

Siblings of people with physical, developmental or mental-health diagnoses especially have unique experiences, which include challenges and rewards.

Abbey Guza, a licensed clinical social worker who hosts "SibShops," which provide support for Montana families who have a child with a disability, said siblings sometimes feel as if some of their parents' attention is pulled away from them, but ultimately they're resilient.

"They're really proud of their ability to help that brother or sister out," Guza observed. "And I see a lot of kids who have a really incredible amount of knowledge, often times well beyond their years, about what their sibling with a disability needs."

Guza noted families can feel alienated and are even more isolated than usual because of COVID-19.

While her SibShops can't happen in person, Guza will host three virtual sessions with families over the next month, starting with a session for parents and caregivers on Feb. 22.

Grace Lee Banna, whose older sister has a neurodevelopmental disability that has slowed her capacity for picking up new skills, said there are ups and downs with her sister.

"I've learned to be more willing to help even though at first I did not want to help at all," Banna acknowledged. "But the other half of it is honestly kind of fun to be able to try new things with her and be able to teach others about her, like my friends or anyone that comes across her."

Jen Banna, Grace Lee's mother, is coordinator for the Montana Family to Family Health Information Center, based at the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, which helps families navigate health care and also help providers, state agencies and lawmakers understand the needs of families who have children with special needs.

"We believe that the health of the family, including the mental health, is improved when we provide resources that help families cope better with the special conditions that their kids have," Banna explained.

The deadline to register for Guza's SibShop, which is hosted by the Montana Family to Family Health Information Center, is Monday.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Peter Sussman is among three patients with disabilities who have asked to intervene in a lawsuit challenging California's End of Life Option Act. (Nancy Rubin)

Health and Wellness

play sound

California's medical aid-in-dying law is back in court. Three patients with disabilities and two doctors are asking to intervene in a lawsuit …


Environment

play sound

A new federal jobs program aims to mobilize tens of thousands of young Americans to address the growing threats of climate change. The American …

Social Issues

play sound

Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago says its student body and campus are growing - and so are its options for people to study in STEM fields…


The Student Assistance Program in some Ohio schools connects students with tools in order to remove obstacles to learning, and is now incorporating mental-health resources. (Rosalie Murphy/Kent State NewsLab).

Health and Wellness

play sound

By Nathalia Teixeira for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration…

Social Issues

play sound

Maine's new Office of Affordable Health Care holds its first public hearing this week, and people are being strongly encouraged to participate…

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, about one in five of the young people held in juvenile facilities is awaiting trial and has not been found guilty or delinquent. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The number of children locked behind bars in Alabama has declined, but their advocates said more needs to be done to create alternatives to …

Social Issues

play sound

This coming Saturday, North Dakotans will get a chance to see how election workers go to great lengths to ensure a safe and secure voting process…

Environment

play sound

Scientists at Purdue University have been experimenting to create adhesives designed to be easier on the environment. So many products from …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021