2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
3/20/2018 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | How Many Ways Can a Child Get From EHDI to Part C? Variations in the Referral and Eligibility Processes Across States | Capitol 6
How Many Ways Can a Child Get From EHDI to Part C? Variations in the Referral and Eligibility Processes Across States
As described in the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Guidelines, access to comprehensive early intervention systems for families of children who are DHH requires collaboration at a systems level among key administrators, particularly among EHDI and Part C early intervention. As part of the Early Intervention: Systematic Nationwide Analysis of Program Strengths, Hurdles, Opportunities, and Trends (EI SNAPSHOT) study, NCHAM conducted interviews with state EHDI and Part C coordinators from 34 states to learn about the transition of children who are DHH from newborn hearing screening to early intervention programs to understand how families are referred for diagnostics and EI. Additional data on governance of EHDI and Part C programs and eligibility criteria for early intervention services were obtained from the websites of states that did not participate in an interview.
In every state, EHDI and Part C coordinators reported dedication to ensuring that infants and toddlers who are DHH receive timely, appropriate early intervention services. We identified multiple strengths of referral systems across states including formal and informal collaboration between EHDI and Part C early intervention programs and procedures in place to ensure infants and toddlers who are DHH are referred to Part C early intervention as early as possible. We will discuss state-reported strengths and apparent keys to effective collaboration.
This presentation will include a discussion about the hurdles that EHDI and Part C early intervention programs face and how states have overcome those hurdles. Frequent hurdles include variability in early intervention eligibility criteria for infants and toddlers who are DHH, reliance on individual audiologists or primary care providers to make referrals to early intervention, and bureaucratic obstacles to sharing meaningful child data between systems. Recommendations resulting from the study including sample interagency agreements and referral procedures will be shared, and other strategies will be solicited from participants.
- To describe the differences in DHH eligibility for Part C services across states.
- To describe EHDI systems’ responsibilities for referral to early intervention.
- To evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of different referral mechanisms and processes.
Presentation:
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Presenters/Authors
Diane Behl
(), NCHAM, diane.behl@usu.edu;
Diane Behl is a Senior Faculty member at the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management. She facilitates telehealth learning communities and is a co-investigator for cost-effectiveness studies. She has expertise in evaluating the effectiveness of service coordination provided via Part C Early Intervention and Maternal and Child Health programs. Diane was a primary researcher on the EI SNAPSHOT study.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Sara Doutre
(), National CMV Foundation, saradoutre@gmail.com;
Sara Doutre is a PHD student studying sociobehavioral epidemiology at Utah State University. She has an MA in education policy studies and a BS in elementary and special education. A former special education teacher, she currently consults with state departments of education and health on special education policy. Her six-year-old daughter is deaf due to congenital cytomegalovirus.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -