Disability Concerns Consultants
Disability Concerns Consultants
The questions can be overwhelming:
- Help! I need curriculum help for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
- Can you give me information about accessibility audits/checklists/surveys?
- My presbytery meets in a church that’s not accessible. Don’t they get it?
- How can our church begin a ministry with people who are deaf?
- What do I say to a child who asks, “Why me?”
Four consultants hired by the office of Social Welfare Ministries/Presbyterian Health, Education, and Welfare Association (PHEWA) are available to help the Church with questions like these.
To contact the consultants directly, the best procedure is via email. The consultants work in a variety of professional capacities and are glad to be of assistance. However, they can better serve you if given some time to focus on your question and gather information prior to calling you back or responding via email. Please leave a detailed message concerning your question or concern and how best to contact you. You may also call PHEWA at 800-728-7228, ext. 5800.
Kathy McIndoe
Consultant for Hearing
[email protected]
240-206-6144
Kathy retired from community mental health, where she provided counseling to deaf and hard of hearing individuals for over 30 years. She continues to provide this service in her private practice. She also keeps busy with walking, reading, and creating handmade cards for family and friends. Kathy is deaf and is passionate about advocating for other deaf individuals.
The Rev. Sue Montgomery
Consultant for Mobility/Accessibility
P.O. Box 16
Knox, PA 16232
814-227-6185
[email protected]
Now retired, Sue has been given the new title of “foodie.” Collecting cookbooks and learning how to use Kamado ceramic grills, sous vide, and other innovative forms of cooking is a new adventure. Sue embraces the joy of chocolate chip cookies for her four grandchildren, Caleb, Ceilidh, Holly, and Highland. The Montgomery family is unique within the PC(USA) in that there are four ordained Rev. Montgomerys — husband (HR), son (Joel), and daughter-in-law (Janis), who serve a federated PC(USA) and UCC congregation in Ohio.
Rev. Dr. Karen R Moritz
Consultant for Visual Disabilities
1307 H Street,
Lincoln, NE 68508
402-570-7827
As a “navy brat” and minister, Karen has lived all over the U.S. in the south, east, and midwest. Most recently, she served as a mission co-worker in Prague, Czech Republic. Karen lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she is serving as the pastor at First Christian Church. She loves to read and enjoys music of all types. She is a movie buff and describes herself as a “SciFi geek” and a big “Doctor Who” and “Star Trek” fan. She also enjoys learning languages. Karen is our blindness/low vision consultant.
Rachel E. Byrum
Consultant for Intellectual Disability and Neurodiversity
[email protected]
Involved in a fatal car accident at the age of 20 that resulted in a traumatic brain injury,
Rachel is been passionate about helping those with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. She has worked at Ivy Street School, a private school for those with brain
injuries as a Case Manager in a Boston suburb. She has also worked at the Seattle
Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc as a job coach for those who are blind and
have other disabilities.
Working in a group home for Services Alternatives for Washington helped her further
learn the challenges teenagers with autism and other disabilities face both in the
community, school and at home. Bridge Disability Ministries allowed Rachel to work
with families whose children with disabilities are transitioning from high school to
adulthood.
At Boyer Children’s Clinic in Seattle Rachel worked extensively with children birth to
three in early intervention services. At Lutheran Social Services in Rapid City, SD she
helped open an independent living program for young adults to manage their severe
mental health illnesses. She has also worked with adults at Oahe Incorporated both in
the home and in the community.
Rachel now resides in Pierre, SD. She received her MA from Regent College and her
MDiv from Kairos University.