EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021
(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)
3/02/2021 | 3:40 PM - 4:00 PM | Family Support Strategies during COVID-19: Creating Change for Lasting Effect | Topical Breakout
Family Support Strategies during COVID-19: Creating Change for Lasting Effect
Family support is a cornerstone of the EHDI system. During the pandemic, families who have children with reduced hearing have had added stressors and different support needs. Additional COVID-19 concerns and changes to services and programs were occurring rapidly to add to the uncertainty for these families. Traditional in-person services and programs were disrupted. Supporting families during this time was and continues to be a top priority in MA and drives daily activities and program planning. To address family needs, program changes were incorporated. Early on, the MA EHDI program partnered with a non-profit organization surveying parents and caregivers to help prioritize needs. A vetted on-line resource for families was developed. Informational videos were created with partner programs to provide information and describe resource changes. Social media efforts were expanded and allowed wide distribution of developed materials. Parent-to-parent calls were regularly scheduled to provide safe and informative places for parents to learn from invited experts and from one another. Throughout this challenging time, the focus of self-care for parents and caregivers has been highlighted. In this presentation, the parent support program changes will be described, developed resources provided, and long-lasting program changes will be discussed.
- Participants will be able to describe family support efforts in MA during pandemic
- Participants will be able to identify developed resources that may be helpful for families in other states
- Participants will discuss program changes that were developed for consideration as future family support strategies
Presentation:
23278_13585JenniferFleming.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Sarah Stone
(), MA Dept. of Public Health, sarah.stone@state.ma.us;
Sarah Stone is the Director of the Massachusetts Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. She has a hearing loss and has been with the program for over 20 years. She has developed programming for families, including social and educational events. She is a member of the state's Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Jennifer Fleming
(), MA DPH, jennifer.fleming@state.ma.us;
Jennifer Fleming is the special projects coordinator for the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. In her former career, she was an engineer working in the medical device industry. She now has two children including a 13-year-old son who is deaf. Her new passion is to serve and support deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. She is a member of the state's Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee. She recently completed her fellowship with the Shriver Center’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Disabilities Program (LEND) at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.