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January 2026: CDBS Connections

Upcoming Events

30th Annual Lowenfeld-Akeson Early Years Symposium: Simple but not easy: Collaborative care and coaching for young children with CVI

A young child looks closely at leaves laid upon an illuminated Light Box.

Families and professionals in the Bay Area, you don’t want to miss this special 30th anniversary symposium for families and professionals serving babies and young children who blind, low vision, or deafblind. This in-person event is co-hosted by California Deafblind Services, California School for the Blind, Lighthouse Little Learners, the SF State University Visual Impairments Program, and the California Association of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments and will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 9:00am-3:30pm at the California School for the Blind in Fremont, CA. This year’s symposium includes expert guest speakers Deborah Orel-Bixler, OD, PhD, FAAO, UC Berkeley; Emily Gorski, OD, UC Berkeley; Elizabeth Hartmann, PhD Lassell University; and Kitty Edstrand, PhD, New Mexico School for the Blind, as well as a family panel, who will share updates, tips, and perspectives on supporting young children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI).

The cost for registration is $60 for professionals and $30 for families and students and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Scholarships are available for families.

Graphic image of a laptop with thought bubbles representing the conversations shared by people in a virtual meeting.

Monthly Virtual Family Support Groups

Come join other family members at “The Family Gathering Place”, where you can connect with Myrna Medina, CDBS Family Engagement Specialist, and other families of people who are deafblind to learn about and find support for the journey forward. “The Family Gathering Place” is a 60-minute virtual discussion that will take place over Zoom once per month where family members can connect with other families, share experiences, ask questions, and gather practical resources. There is no cost to participate.

  • English Language Support Group Meeting: 2nd Tuesday of the month: Jan. 13th , Feb. 10th, March 10th, April 14th, May 12th, and June 9th at 6pm PT

  • Spanish Language Support Group Meeting: 2nd Thursday of the month: Jan. 15th, Feb. 12th, March 12th, April 16th, May 14th, and June 11th at 6pm PT

Peer Learning Community for Professionals

CDBS staff facilitate bimonthly virtual meetings with educators and related service providers serving children and youth who are deafblind to dig into topics related to educating and supporting these learners. Some sessions include presentations from experts in the field, and other sessions include case study discussions and resource sharing. This virtual group is a great way to form connections with other educators around the state who teach learners with multiple disabilities, including deafblindness, and we welcome new members.

The next meeting is Tuesday, January 27th from 4:30pm-6pm PT. If you have questions about this Peer Learning Community, contact Julie Maier, CDBS Project Coordinator, as jmaier@sfsu.edu. If you’re interested in attending these meetings, sign up below to receive notifications.

Seeking Community Input

Annual Deafblind Child Count

In November CDBS contacted local education agencies and early intervention program partners and provided information about our annual census of children and youth aged birth-to-22 years who are deafblind. Thank you to our partners who submitted their annual census report by our December deadline. We will still accept late submissions until January 16th. Thank you for your assistance in helping us conduct this annual census.

More information about our annual Child Count Census can be found here: https://cadeafblind.org/census/

Resource Corner

CDBS Fact Sheets: Did you know that our CDBS website includes a large collection of fact sheets, written by the experienced past and present CDBS staff, that are organized under a variety of deafblind topics? These practical fact sheets are filled with information and tips that a family or an educational team can put to use right away. If you are looking for information on a topic that you cannot find among our fact sheets, contact us and we will help you locate a resource that can help you.

National Center on Deafblindness: Deafblindness Overview: The National Center on Deafblindness supports the work of state deafblind projects by creating and sharing information about deafblindness and effective intervention and educational practices. This webpage “Deafblindness Overview” provides an overview and links to a variety of additional resources that explain the diversity and impact of deafblindness, profiles of children and youth who are deafblind, and common visual and auditory characteristics. It’s a good starting point for many families and professionals new to the world of deafblind intervention and supports.