NCHAM www.infanthearing.org  
2004 State EHDI Survey > Early Intervention
 

EARLY INTERVENTION RESULTS

Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federally-funded program that assists states in providing services to infants and toddlers with disabilities. Each state is required to have an Interagency Coordinating Council to oversee the operation of Part C

13. Circle the number that shows the degree to which you feel that your state's Part C and EHDI programs are appropriately coordinated. (No response: 1 state)

Table 13.
  Excellent Coordination and Cooperative Work to No Coordination nor Cooperative Work
  1 2 3 4 5
Number of responses 15 14 14 7 0
Percentage: 30 28 28 14 0
Average: 2.26
 

14. Of all infants and toddlers identified with permanent hearing loss in your state, estimate (No response: 15 states):

 

Table 14.
   
a. The percentage who began appropriate early intervention by 6 months of age. 48.68
b. The percentage who began appropriate early intervention after 6 months of age 19.66
c. The percentage for which early intervention status is unknown 32.19

 

15. Is there someone serving on the IDEA Interagency Coordinating Council who has experience/ expertise serving infants and toddlers with hearing loss?

Table 15.
Response Number
of Sates
Yes 34
No 5
Don't Know 12
 

16. Rate the quality and availability of early intervention services in your state for infants and toddlers with varying degrees of hearing loss (No response: 6 states).
QUALITY AVAILABILITY
Table 16a. Quality
  Poor to Excellent
  1 2 3 4 5
bilateral severe/profound  
Number of responses: 0 1 11 18 15
Percentage: 0 2.2 24.4 40 33.3
Average 3.38
 
bilateral moderate  
Number of responses: 0 0 10 21 14
Percentage 0 0 22.2 46.7 31.1
Average 4.09
 
bilateral mild  
Number of responses: 1 3 14 19 8
Percentage 2.2 6.7 31.1 42.2 17.8
Average 3.49
 
unilateral  
Number of responses: 4 3 19 14 4
Percentage 9.1 6.8 43.2 31.8 9.1
Average 3.25
Not reporting: 1 state
(EI services not offered to infants with unilateral loss unless other qualifying conditions are present)
 
Table 16b. Availability
  Poor to Excellent
  1 2 3 4 5
bilateral severe/profound  
Number of responses: 0 2 14 20 9
Percentage: 0 4.4 31.1 44.4 20
Average: 3.80
 
bilateral moderate  
Number of responses: 0 0 13 23 9
Percentage 0 0 28.9 51.1 20
Average: 3.91
 
bilateral mild  
Number of responses: 2 2 14 21 6
Percentage 4.4 4.4 31.1 46.7 13.3
Average 3.60
 
unilateral  
Number of responses: 3 5 16 15 5
Percentage 6.8 11.4 36.4 34.1 11.4
Average 2.98
XYZ
 

17. At what point in time does the state EHDI program typically report a child who is identified with a (potential) hearing loss to the state IDEA Part C (early intervention) program? (No response: 1 state)

Table 17.
  Number
of States
When the baby is referred from the screening test† 9
When the child is diagnosed with a hearing loss† 35
†Two states reporting both answers
 
18. Does your state have a hearing aid loaner bank for infants and toddlers who need hearing amplification? (No response: 1 state)

Table 18.
Response Number
of States
Yes 20
No 30

 

a. Estimate the percentage of 0-3 year old children identified with permanent hearing loss in 2003 who used the services of the hearing aid loaner bank:†

  • 17.81%

†Nine states answering "Yes" citing "Unknown, just started, EI pays for amplification...", but not reporting a %.

 
b. How is the hearing aid loaner bank funded?

All responding states providing information, some with more than one type of funding

  • Grant Monies (11 states)
  • State Monies (6 states)
  • Medicaid funding (2 states)
  • Donations (public and private) (9 states)
  • Education Sources (5 states)

Comments by Respondents:

  • Some agencies have their own for the clients they see (agency funds or grants). CCSHCN is just starting one with grant funds for CCSHCN patients
  • Working to improve its existing loaner bank and have some non-profit organizations that will help with funding.

19. Are children enrolled in your Part C Early Intervention programs for reasons other than permanent hearing loss regularly checked for hearing? (No response: 3 states)

Table 19.
Response Number
of States
Yes 18
No 7
Don't Know 23
 

a. If "yes", approximately what percentage of Part C children are screened for hearing each year?

Table 19a.
  Percent
11 States 76%
Excluding Outliers (3 States)
[60%, 25%, & 50%]		 82%
7 states answering "Yes", but not providing % screened
 
Comments by Respondents:
  • All newly enrolled children have to have a hearing screening within one year of eligibility process
  • Part C does not track the number of children screened, only the numbers that are verified

b. "By Whom..." and "How is The Screening Done?" (1 state answered "Yes" to 19a, but gave no response to 19b.)

By whom:

  • Health Professionals
    • Audiologist
    • SLP
    • Nurse, Part C nurse
    • Pediatrician, Physicians
    • Private providers
    • Same providers utilized by EHDI (Part of a general evaluation)
  • Other
    • EI Therapists
    • Educators
    • Audiometric Technicians
    • ECI Staff
  • Eligibility team
  • Service Coordinators

c. And how is the screening done?

  • Formal assessment (6 states)
    Screening - most using OAEs (6 states)
    Informal protocol – assessment or questionnaires (4 states)
Comments by Respondents:
  • Children enrolled with a speech or language delay are expected to receive a complete audiological assessment by a pediatric audiologist. This state’s early intervention program has three specialty audiology centers that serves infants and children who are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Done by a different agency
  • We have an interagency team of MDH, MDE, Part C and DHS at both state level and regional (16 EHDI teams). We work together to provide services in the state.
  • Only if parent or professional concerns are present