19th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 8-10, 2020 • Kansas City, MO
Tennessee Roadmap to a Deaf Mentor Program
Tennessee families of DHH children have requested opportunities to meet and learn from DHH individuals who are trained and experienced. Families stated they had limited contacts with trained, vetted, culturally competent, and qualified DHH adults in TN. A grassroots movement made-up of families, professionals, DHH adults, and interested community members worked together to research various resources overtime such as FL3, Hands & Voices, SKI*HI, consultation with experts and Deaf Mentor programs. Their goal was to develop and implement a program that could provide a high-quality resource to address the need for Deaf Mentor intervention services referral in TN EHDI.
A detailed description of how families, professionals, and deaf adults began to collaborate in 2010 with the objective to initiate an avenue for families with DHH children to meet and learn from deaf adults. These efforts culminated in April 2019 when the TN Legislative body passed Bills HB 567 and SB 310. These authorized a pilot study for SKI*HI Deaf Mentor implementation beginning September 1, 2019 – August 31, 2020. The details of HB 567 / SB 310 nor the TN Department of Education’s Research Design will not be included.
The focus is how this small group of stakeholders expanded and developed leadership to effect a change. Partnership was achieved with productive engagement with policy and decision makers at the TN Department of Education – Special Education, TN Newborn Hearing Screening Program – EHDI, and TN Legislative Body.
All entities worked together at various levels to enhance the development of high-quality deaf mentor program. They expanded the working relationship with TN EHDI and statewide services. In 2021, the goal is a comprehensive statewide Deaf Mentor service to interested families. This ensures confidence in the Deaf Mentors’ abilities to work with families and their children by supporting language acquisition, literacy development, and DHH experiences.
- Individuals will read / discuss the strategies and systems employed over the course of nine years leading to the TN Department of Education approving funding for a one-year pilot study .
- Individuals will read / discuss collaboration with the state EHDI system between 2010 - 2019.
- Individuals will read / discuss TN's implementation of strategies within programs to develop and sustain a Deaf Mentor program
Poster:
21060_12600TracyDuncan.pdf
Presenter: Kodi Ogle
Kodi is a parent of three children who have Auditory Neuropathy. She became involved with the TN Hands & Voices chapter in 2011 at it's inception. Kodi became the director of TN Hands & Voices in 2013.
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1991 - 1997 - Employer Representative with Marriott Foundation Bridges Program 2002 - 2004 - Career Development Associate with Montgomery County Works / Project Advance 1991 - 2007 - TransCen, Inc.: Employment Specialist / Vocational Evaluator / Case Manager / Team Leader for the Department of Rehab. Services in Rockville, MD 2007 - 2008 - ASL Instructor for TN Temple Univ., Chatt. 2007 - 2013 - Partnership, FCA/Deaf Services: Client Services Manager / Job Placement Coord. / Client Assistance 2015 - present - ASL Instructor for Piedmont International Univ. Commendations (just a few): 1987 - Employee of the Year - MD School for the Deaf 2005 - Distinguished Services Award - MD Rehab. Services
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ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Tracy Duncan, M.ED. & M.Ed. Statewide 0-5 Language & Literacy Coordinator; Educational Consultant Tracy Duncan, is serving as an Educational Consultant for the Middle & West regions of Tennessee. Previous professional employment beginning in 1970’s includes: Head Start – Child & Family Resource Program, social worker, preschool teacher, RID interpreter for the deaf, infant massage instructor, SKI*HI state & national trainer, home visitor for parent – infant home based programs for children identified with hearing concerns, TEIS Service Coordinator, classroom & itinerant teacher of the deaf for MNPS, and community planner. Tracy’s passions include collaborating with providers in order to address the needs of the child with hearing concerns within their family system by promoting language acquisition, social-emotional integrity, cognitive development, and the full realization of their self-esteem as a person.
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No relevant financial relationship exist.
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No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.