2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
2/26/2017 | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Inside, Outside, Upside Down; Infusing The EHDI System with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Partners and Parents | Hanover D
Inside, Outside, Upside Down; Infusing The EHDI System with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Partners and Parents
EHDI is all about Early Identification and Intervention for Babies and Toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing. The vast majority of parents, screeners, Audiologists, Early Interventionist, Speech and Language Therapists and other experts involved in this young child’s journey mostly likely have grown up with normal hearing. Meet several Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults who were identified as young children and work in EHDI systems or Early Intervention programs. Do they turn things upside down or right-side up? The average age of identification for the panelists was 5 years and EHDI was not available to their families. Find out how their unique perspectives of being deaf or hard of hearing add to their programs. What inside connections and insight do they have that other experts might not have? What additional voice can they bring to EHDI and EI services? How does their personal history and experience impact and affect change in their EHDI systems? How can EHDI and Hands & Voices work together to increase earlier availability of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Partners to families? Are parents given information about DHH partners in a timely manner and are they given the opportunity to decide when to meet DHH partners? What kind of expectations can we have for today’s children identified and obtaining EI services sooner than previous generations? What does this type of support do for today’s parents? How can states collaborate with deaf and hard of hearing adults and parents support systems to ensure the wisdom and experience they bring to the table is available to all parents and professionals in the EHDI system?
- Attendees will understand the importance of including a deaf or hard of hearing staff member to their work team.
- Attendees will gain the perspective of deaf and hard of hearing adults on how they can positively impact EHDI systems.
- Attendees will be able to integrate the needs of parents and the availability of D/HH adults in their lives.
Presentation:
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Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Karen Hopkins
(), The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, karen.hopkins@mecdhh.org;
Karen Hopkins is the Executive Director of The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the principle investigator of Maine's HRSA grant. Karen oversees early intervention and statewide educational programming for children who are Deaf or hard of hearing birth to age 22. throughout the state of Maine. She serves on the Hands & Voices HQ Board of Directors, the Maine Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Board, The Percival Baxter Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Board, was a founding member of Maine’s Hands & Voices chapter and has served on the National EHDI meeting planning committee. Karen has presented at several national conferences and internally at the FCEI conference in Austria and the FCEI conference in China. Karen is a Deaf adult who has three children, one of whom is hard of hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary,Grants for Management position from HRSA Maine Educational Center for the Deaf.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Stephanie Olson
(), Hands & Voices, Headquarters, stephanie@handsandvoices.org;
Stephanie Olson currently works as the Co-Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infusion with Hands & Voices Headquarters and is the Family Consultant at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She previously worked for the Colorado Home Intervention Program as a family facilitator. During 2009, she was part of a team from Children’s Hospital Colorado that traveled to London, South Africa, Brazil and New Zealand and presented on best practices in supporting families. Stephanie has presented at the International Family-Centered Early Intervention (FCEI) Austria, in 2012, 2014,2016, and 2018. She participated in the U.S. and Russian cultural exchange in 2015 and 2016 with Hands & Voices to increase the understanding and impact of Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the parenting journey and professionals who work with those families.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Nan Asher
(), Michigan EHDI, ashern@michigan.gov;
Nan Asher was diagnosed with a bilateral severe hearing loss at age four and has one sibling with a profound hearing loss. She has worked/volunteered in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing field for much of her professional career, Past President of Michigan Coalition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People and past Executive Director of Michigan Association for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She’s a member the Advocacy committee with the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan. Nan graduated from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) with a Masters in Liberal Arts in Interdisciplinary Technology, and received her BA with honors in Health Administration, also at EMU. After graduation, Nan owned her own business in Hearing assistive technology and taught classes on adapting to hearing loss, assistive technology and speechreading to people of all ages. In addition, Nan spoke on Capitol Hill on Entrepreneurs with Disabilities hosted by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. As the Program Consultant for MI-EHDI, which she had previously served on their Advisory board for a few years, Nan has frequent contact with medical providers, midwives and parents, encouraging appropriate and timely follow-up. She spearheaded the Michigan Midwives Project, now currently in its 5th year. Nan is a strong advocate for finding communication modes that work for each individual and getting each person to reach for the stars.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Karen Putz
(), Hands & Voices , karen@handsandvoices.org ;
Karen Putz is a deaf mom of three deaf and hard of hearing kids. She worked in early intervention as a Deaf Mentor for 13 years and is the Co-Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infusion for Hands & Voices. Karen is the author of several books, including
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Lisa Kovacs
(), Hands & Voices , lisakovacs@handsandvoices.org ;
Lisa Kovacs is the Director of Programs for Hands & Voices Headquarters and the Director of the Family Leadership in Language and Learning (FL3) Center. She and her husband Brian have four young adult children including her son who is hard of hearing/deaf. Lisa was the 2019 Antonio Brancia Maxon Award for EHDI Excellence recipient. Her professional interest include; Parent Advocacy; Implementation of parent participation and engagement in systems building; Parent to Parent support; Deaf Education Reform; IDEA, ESSA, Part C and Part B Training to Parents, and Parent Leadership Training and Development.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Melinda Meyers
(), Maine Educational Center for the Deaf, melinda.meyers@mecdhh.org;
Melinda Smith Meyers received her Bachelor of Social Work from Gallaudet University and studied Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Maine. She has worked as a home based early interventionist for deaf children, ASL Family Trainer, and family case manager. She worked for The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH) in the preschool, parent infant and Deaf Mentor programs. Melinda is currently the Deaf Mentor and ASL for Families Coordinator at MECDHH where she supports children and families in the Parent Infant, Preschool and Early Childhood and Family Services and Outreach programs. Melinda is married to a deaf man, and has two hearing grown children and three granddaughters in Maine.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -