2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
3/07/2023 | 10:10 AM - 10:40 AM | Constructing the "I" in EHDI - Wyoming's Blueprints for Intervention | DECC 203/204
Constructing the "I" in EHDI - Wyoming's Blueprints for Intervention
Wyoming stakeholders will share their blueprints for constructing the “I” in EHDI. Through facilitated collaboration, leaders from the Wyoming EHDI Program, Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices, Wyoming Department of Health-Early Intervention and Education Program, Wyoming Department of Education-Outreach for Deaf/Hard of Hearing, University of Wyoming-Communication Disorders Division, The Marion Downs Center, and the Child Development Services of Wyoming developed a best practice framework for delivery of early intervention to address the unique needs of infants and toddlers who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and build statewide capacity. We would like to share the process from project conception through post construction. The efforts of this collaboration resulted in the formation of the Wyoming Early Intervention Initiative (WEII) Plus Program.
Using available resources, including existing personnel’s time within the participating agencies and organizations, this program can be replicated and scaled to a variety of other jurisdictions. WEII Plus incorporates the building blocks outlined in the twelve principles of early intervention systems identified by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing. WEII Plus presents these principles in an accessible, identifiable, and sustainable model of service delivery. This collaborative model is possible without attaching a large fiscal note making it an attractive option to state administrators.
WEII Plus was designed using resources available, including standardized developmental assessment through the Outcomes and Developmental Data Assistance Center (ODDACE) and the blueprints of the Colorado Home Intervention Program. A Core Team of highly qualified professionals (speech language pathologist, pediatric audiologist, Teachers of the Deaf, parents, and administrators) connect with families and their early intervention teams. Using training, coaching and mentoring, parents and professionals are guided and supported as they access critical information and services needed for children who are D/HH to develop to their highest potential.
- The participant will be able to identify a process for developing a best practice model of early intervention service delivery.
- The participant will be able to list three resources used to provide fidelity for early intervention services for children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing.
- The participant will be able to list three resources used to provide fidelity for early intervention services for children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing.
Presentation:
This presentation has not yet been uploaded.
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Sarah Fitzgerald
(), Wyoming EHDI Program, sarah.fitzgerald@wyo.gov;
Sarah Fitzgerald has served in various roles for the Wyoming Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program since 2005. Since 2018, she has held the position of Co-Coordinator for Wyoming EHDI. Through her work, Sarah coordinates newborn hearing screening and follow-up throughout the state to ensure that children have hearing screenings completed by one month of age, diagnosis by three months of age, and are entered into early intervention by six months of age. She collaborates frequently with Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices and other statewide entities and stakeholders including work on the Wyoming Early Intervention Initiative (WEII) for Families and Their Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Cheryl DeConde Johnson
(), Marion Downs Center, cheryl@colorado.edu;
Cheryl DeConde Johnson, Ed.D., provides consulting services for educational audiology and deaf education specializing in program evaluation and development and state deaf education service delivery and accountability systems through her practice, The ADE vantage. Previously she provided technical assistance and leadership in audiology and deaf education as a state consultant with the Colorado Department of Education. Cheryl has also been employed as a school-based audiologist, an early intervention provider, and a coordinator of a public school program serving deaf and hard of hearing students. She currently holds adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Arizona and Salus University. Cheryl is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors for Hands & Voices. Cheryl has many publications including co-author of the Educational Audiology Handbook, 3rd Ed., and provides workshops and consultation worldwide.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Nancy Pajak
(), Marion Downs Center, nanpajak@gmail.com;
Nancy Pajak graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1975 with a B.S. In Speech Pathology. She spent two years working as a speech/language therapist in Minnesota public schools before beginning her Master of Science in Audiology studies at Colorado State University. Upon completion of her Masters, Nancy accepted a position with the Colorado West Otolaryngology Practice in Grand Junction Colorado. While Nancy enjoyed the medical setting, her true love was Educational Audiology. She began work at Natrona County School District in Casper WY as the District Audiologist and enjoyed this work until moving to Seattle in 1987. It was in the Pacific Northwest that Nancy found the opportunity to spend half of her time in educational audiology settings and the other half in a medical audiology/otologist environment. Nancy blended diagnostics for all ages of patients, fitting amplification, counseling, and patient care in the medical setting and used her skills in direct intervention and case management for school age children who were Deaf/Hard of Hearing in the educational setting. Nancy worked as the Director of Outreach Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Wyoming Department of Education while keeping up her medical skills up at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie. As the importance of early hearing screening came of age, Nancy accepted the opportunity of designing and implementing the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program for the Wyoming Department of Health. She was the Wyoming EHDI Coordinator for 25 years. Nancy is utilizing her knowledge and experience in speech pathology, audiology, program management and child development/education as she serves as the Liaison/Consultant between the Wyoming Early Intervention Initiative (WEII) Program and the Marion Downs Center.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Annette Landes
(), Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices, annette@wyhandsandvoices.org;
Annette is the Wyoming Early Intervention Initiative (WEII) Plus Coordinator. Her role as coordinator is to support families who have infants and toddlers who are deaf/hard of hearing. Through this support, families are offered resources, technical assistance, and guidance as they begin their journey through early intervention. Through Annette’s experience as a speech/language pathologist and hearing coordinator in Colorado for 20 years, she understands the importance of providing complete and unbiased information to families to support them as they make decisions for their child related to their needs and hearing abilities. In addition, she mentors and guides the early interventionists who provide the specialized services for infants and toddlers who are deaf/hard of hearing. With the implementation of the WEII Plus Program, families in Wyoming have access to a comprehensive curriculum that will support the development of their infant or toddler who is deaf/hard of hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Christie Fritz
(), Wyoming Department of Education, christie.fritz@wyo.gov;
Christie Fritz is a Teacher of the Deaf/HH with 28 years of experience in the field of deaf education. She began her career serving children B-21 years who are D/HH and their families in South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Wyoming. She joined the Wyoming Department of Education’s Deaf/HH Outreach team in 2008 and continues in her role there today as a consultant providing technical assistance in the education of children with hearing loss to 48 school districts and 14 child development centers across Wyoming.
Christie is knowledgeable about amplification devices, impacts of hearing loss, IDEA, sign language, parent coaching, educational strategies, and auditory development. Christie holds Bachelor of Science Degrees in both Deaf Education and Elementary Education, from Minot State University, a Post Graduate Credential in Special Education from the University of Wyoming, and is currently completing a Masters of Education Degree in Listening and Spoken Language with a focus on family-centered practice, at Utah State University. Additionally, she holds an Advanced Plus rating on the Signed Language Proficiency Rating Scale (SLPI). Christie serves as a member of the TASK-12 National Board, Wyoming’s Statewide Transition Team for Deaf/HH, and the WEII Plus Program Core Team
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Kim Reimann
(), Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices, kim.reimann@wyo.gov;
Kim Reimann is currently the Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices, Guide By Your Side (GBYS) Program Coordinator and is a Family Educator and Second Tester at CDC+ Audiology Clinic in Casper, Wyoming. She was the former assistant director of Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices from 2011 to 2015 before stepping down to work in other roles. The oldest of her three children, Gabrielle, was born with a moderate to moderately-severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, thus starting her on the path to what she does today. As a former educator and preschool director, Kim Reimann carried her love of education and helping others into her current role of serving families. Kim’s passion is working with parents and their children by engaging the circle of support between parents and professionals (physicians, audiologists, early interventionists etc.). She helps to empower parents by sharing her story of raising a child with hearing loss, supporting families by connecting them with appropriate information, resources, and networks so that families can make informed, educated decision to help their child reach their fullest potential.
She never imagined that being a parent would lead to working with many different organizations to help children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) through connections with professionals, providing advocacy and support for families, and working to establish and maintain different programs for the benefit of children who are D/HH in Wyoming. Through the years, Kim has been grateful to be a part of the changes and growth of Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices and to work with so many amazing people.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Wendy Hewitt
(), Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices, wendy@wyhandsandvoices.org;
Wendy Hewitt is the Executive Director of Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices and lives in the southwest corner of Wyoming in the small town of Mountain View. Wendy has three children: Dallie, Ruger, and Kassidy. Ruger and Kassidy were born with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. And so, the hearing loss journey began. A path Wendy never imagined she would take. Wendy learned all about hearing aids, cochlear implants, ling sounds, speech therapy, early intervention, IEPs and more. This is just a small list that parents of children who are deaf/hard of hearing know all too well.
In May of 2006, some professionals in Wyoming talked Wendy and Deb Hovde into starting Hands & Voices in Wyoming. With the support of many organizations, Wyoming Families for Hands & Voices became an official chapter in September of 2006.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -