EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021

(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)

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3/06/2012  |   1:45 PM - 2:45 PM   |  Flexibility in the Face of Change: How to be a Willow in a Forest of Oaks   |  Grand Ballroom B   |  8

Flexibility in the Face of Change: How to be a Willow in a Forest of Oaks

The world of EHDI is dynamic. The current climate has EHDI programs focusing most of their resources into ensuring children receive follow-up care and that it is documented and reported to the state program. Local, state and federal EHDI program staff are fully aware of the fiscal, legislative and programmatic repercussions that a paucity of well-documented care can have on their program’s future. As a result, EHDI programs must recognize that in order to be viable, they have to adapt to the unique circumstances found among EHDI providers, stakeholders and parents. The Texas EHDI (TEHDI) experience has shown that convincing parents of the need to follow through on care and providers to be compliant with mandates to report care can be a challenge even with a significant amount of educational and technological resources available from the state program. In effect, the TEHDI program has found the concept of “One Size Fits All” does not apply. Over the past 3 years, TEHDI in collaboration with OZ Systems has employed a variety of strategies to improve program performance. Recognition that variance in birth facility size and location impact training, performance and care provision; pediatricians, audiologists and early intervention providers do not always have access to current technology in the workplace; and outreach needs to be ongoing and tailored to the audience, has forced TEHDI to be agile. The goal of this presentation is to review the variety of strategies employed by TEHDI. Electronic and paper reporting mechanisms, policy and legislative changes for providers, outreach efforts, and use of peer-to-peer support will be covered. At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to identify strategies and tools designed to (1) improve program performance, (2) optimize targeted outreach to parents and providers and (3) promote the timely reporting follow-up care.

  • At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to identify strategies and tools designed to (1) improve program performance, (2) optimize targeted outreach to parents and providers and (3) promote the timely reporting follow-up care.

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Presenters/Authors

Mary Gwyn Allen (Primary Presenter,Author), TX Department of State Health Services, MaryGwyn.Allen@dshs.state.tx.us;
Prior to joining the Texas EHDI program as the TEHDI Coordinator, Mary Gwyn Allen, served as the Project Manager for Arkansas EHDI at the Arkansas Department of Health. She was formerly the Follow-up Consultant for the AR EHDI and a Local Health Unit Administrator for the Department of Health. Prior to this, Dr. Allen was a faculty member in the Psychology Department of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Ouachita College. She also served as Director of the Home Instruction Program for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Training and Technical Assistance Center and HIPPY USA Program Evaluator. Dr. Allen received her M.A. in Applied Psychology and a doctorate, D.Min., in interfaith ministry. She has experience in psychology, research, project and grants management, pastoral counseling and social work. She has written several publications and her biography has appeared in two volumes of Who’s Who of American Teachers.


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Mary Catherine Hess (POC,Co-Presenter,Author), OZ Systems, mhess@oz-systems.com;
Mary Catherine Hess has worked with EHDI programs since 2002. Most recently she worked for OZ Systems as an Account Manager for the Texas EHDI Program and the USVI EHDI Program. Prior to that, she was the Program Administrator for Rhode Island’s EHDI Program from 2001-2008 and co-chair of the CDC EHDI Data Committee from 2007-2008. She has presented at local, regional and national EHDI events on topics related to newborn hearing screening, data management and data reporting, and most recently standards-based messaging for EHDI programs. She achieved her MA in Linguistics from Gallaudet University and holds a BS in Communication Disorders. She is a certified ASL/English interpreter. Her interests include communication access issues in health care settings, assistive technology and long-term outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing children identified through the EHDI process. She is a yogi, pug lover and fan of NPR and folk music.


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

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Nonfinancial -