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From the Director | Announcements | Calendar | Family-to-Family Telehealth | Roadmap and Infographic | CDPHE Corner | |
I hope everyone can look forward to 2023 with hope and joy. The holidays are now behind us. And the solstice - the shortest (and very short where I live) day of the year - has passed. As the days get longer, it brings excitement and promise. I welcome 2023!
You will notice that there have been a few modifications in some Colorado EHDI activities. With the exception of the Screening Task Force, which has a list of activities to accomplish, our task forces are meeting less regularly. I think this suggests that there are parts of our Colorado EHDI system that are working well. Heather Abraham and I will be sending email communication with updates about activities when task forces do not meet. This includes issues in these four areas of our Colorado EHDI system: identification and transition to early intervention; early intervention and transition to Part B; parent-to-parent support; and DHH adult-to-parent support. In some instances, email updates are taking the place of some virtual meetings.
We have also reduced the number of newsletters we publish by going to a bi-monthly publication of The EHDItion. The Newborn Hearing Screening Monthly, however, continues to be published 10 times during the year. This, once again, reflects the number of tasks related to screening, rescreening and reducing loss to follow-up (LTF) and loss to documentation (LTD) that require ongoing attention. My thanks to Hannah Glick for her work on this creative and concise publication.
As always, please reach out to Heather Abraham or myself about any ideas, concerns, and/or suggestions you may have about Colorado EHDI.
~ Arlene Stredler-Brown, PhD, CCC-SLP, director of COEHDI
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Colorado Department of Early Childhood Newsletter
The new Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) publishes a monthly newsletter. Check out their recent publications:
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Rocky Mountain Deaf School
Rocky Mountain Deaf School’s Early Literacy Program has a few openings due to graduating toddlers. If you are interested in enrolling your child, email Stephanie Carson.
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Colorado Infant Hearing Advisory Committee
The Colorado Infant Hearing Advisory Committee (CIHAC) has two membership terms expiring. Both members are eligible to reapply and other applications are being accepted as well.
Application forms and resumes are due January 13, 2023 at 5 p.m.
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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Parent/Toddler Play Groups
Children’s Hospital Colorado has Deaf and Hard of Hearing Parent/Toddler Play Groups scheduled on a weekly basis in different locations across the metro Denver area (Broomfield, Highlands Ranch, Aurora, and telehealth). This group is designed for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, aged 18 months to 3 years of age, to help prepare them for preschool. The goal is to provide your child with an opportunity to play and explore, while providing full access to language (spoken and/or signed). You will join your child in this group, learning how to encourage and expand their language, speech, and auditory skills.
Classes are ongoing. A referral from your child’s Primary Care Provider may be required to be scheduled. If you are interested, please contact Lindsay Kendall, Program Coordinator, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Therapy/Evaluation Services at Children’s Hospital Colorado, 720-777-6416 or lindsay.kendall@childrenscolorado.org
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All COEHDI Alliance, task force, and related stakeholder meetings will be listed here. If you would like your meetings included in our monthly newsletter, contact: info@coehdi.org. |
COEHDI Events
COEHDI Diagnostic/Identification Task Force: January Meeting
January meeting TBD
February meeting TBD
This task force has been meeting in alternate months.
The Screening Task Force: January Meeting
Tuesday, January 10, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Tuesday, February 14, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
This task force continues to meet monthly on the second Tuesday of the month due to the high volume of activities.
Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Adults Task Force
Monday, February 13, from 2-3:30 p.m.
This task force meets quarterly.
Early Intervention Task Force Meetings
January meeting TBD
February meeting TBD
This task force has been meeting monthly on the third Tuesday of each month. Meeting schedule is subject to change.
COEHDI Alliance Meeting
Friday, January 20, from 10-11:30 a.m.
Friday, February 17, from 10-11:30 a.m.
The COEHDI Alliance meets the third Friday of each month. The frequency of meetings will be up for review. Meetings are open to members of the public.
Families of DHHDB Children Task Force
Monday, March 13, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
This task force meets quarterly.
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Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind Events
Virtual Early Literacy Event
Wednesday, February 1, from 10-10:30 a.m. (birth-3)
Virtual/Online
Join us to move, play and learn at our Virtual Event. This event is for families who have children birth-5 who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind.
Northern Colorado Early Literacy Event
Saturday, February 4, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
GymStarz Elite, 5636 Weld County Road 16, Johnstown, CO 80534
Join us to move, play and learn at this Northern Colorado Event. This event is for families who have children birth-5 who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind.
Pikes Peak Early Literacy Event
Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 5-7 p.m.
East Library, 5550 N Union Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Join us to move, play and learn at this Pikes Peak Event. This event is for families who have children birth-5 who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind.
Denver Early Literacy Event
Saturday, February 11, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver CO 80205
Join us to move, play and learn at the Denver Event. This event is for families who have children birth-5 who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind.
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Rocky Mountain Deaf School Events
Rocky Mountain Deaf School Early Literacy Program
8:30-11:30 a.m. on the following dates:
- Thursday, January 5
- Tuesday, January 10
- Thursday, January 12
- Tuesday, January 17
- Thursday, January 19
- Tuesday, January 24
- Thursday, January 26
- Tuesday, January 31
- Thursday, February 2
- Tuesday, February 7
- Thursday, February 9
- Tuesday, February 14
- Thursday, February 16
- Tuesday, February 21
- Thursday, February 23
- Tuesday, February 28
All meetings are held at the Rocky Mountain Deaf School Tuesdays and Thursdays (excluding holidays and school breaks). Online Registration required, first come, first served.
RMDS Toddler Program
Friday, January 6, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sensory Club of Denver: 4301 South Federal Blvd. Suite 102-103, Englewood, CO 80110
For deaf and hard of hearing toddlers aged 0-3 years and their families. Come join us at the Sensory Club of Denver, Colorado’s only publicly-accessible open sensory gym!
Friday, February 3, SAVE THE DATE!
Please RSVP by January 3, 2023 to ensure your spot and the opportunity to win a copy of our featured book!
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Other Events
CDPHE Colorado Infant Hearing Advisory Committee
Friday, February 3, from 9-11 a.m.
According to statute, the Colorado Infant Hearing Advisory Committee (CIHAC) provides recommendations to hospitals, health care institutions, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the public concerning, but not limited to, newborn hearing screening methodologies, guidelines for reporting and the means to assure that identified children receive referrals for appropriate follow-up services. They meet quarterly, and meetings are open to the public.
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Save the date!
Western Regional Early Intervention Conference (WREIC)
Tuesday-Thursday, June 13-15
Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, Wyoming
The Western Regional Early Intervention Conference (WREIC) supports professionals working with, and families of, children aged birth to five years old who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind. The theme of this year’s conference is titled Supporting Language Across Modalities: Strategies for the Home.
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The cost is $75 for pre-conference and $210 for the conference.
Contact Leslie Vanorman leslie.vanorman@wyo.gov 307-857-9296
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The Listen Foundation
The Listen Foundation provides services to children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families statewide. These services offer access to an approach called Listening and Spoken Language Therapy, or LSL. This speech, language, and listening approach promotes independence. The Listen Foundation also provides family-to-family support aimed at improving parents’ knowledge about their children’s developing listening and spoken language skills; and they connect families with one another.
Specific services and supports families may access include:
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Parent-Tot Listening Groups: Parent learn strategies to introduce sound and speech to their young child.
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Parents Listen & Connect: Parents can learn together the strategies that support listening and spoken language skills.
ASK-A-PARENT: Using this resource, parents can pose questions to other parents.
MORE INFORMATION
Listen Foundation Website
info@listenfoundation.org
303-781-9440
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The Good News and Sustaining Opportunities
The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) created a Learning Community for telehealth (also known as; tele-intervention). It was good fortune that this Learning Community started many years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, there was an opportunity to review telehealth as a potential platform to deliver early intervention long before it became commonplace in 2020.
In general, private practices and not-for-profit agencies made an early investment in telehealth. In Colorado, several practitioners in private practice and The Listen Foundation have had years of experience using telehealth.
It was supported for several reasons including:
- To continue early intervention while a family traveled.
- To continue intervention while a provider traveled.
- To continue services when children or provider were mildly sick.
- To continue services during inclement weather.
- To provide services from a provider with the requisite knowledge, skills, and experience when said provider who did not live in a family’s community.
In Colorado, Part C has been supportive of, and has promoted, telehealth for approximately 10 years.
The number of providers providing telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic grew exponentially. Now, as in-person services start to become an option, there is an opportunity to review and reflect on one’s comfort with telehealth and its outcomes. Naturally, many providers and families are pleased to be able to meet in person once again. But, the value of telehealth is not to be overlooked. A recent Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (JEHDI) focused entirely on telehealth. Two of these articles - one about parent perceptions, another about provider perceptions - are summarized here. The outcomes of both surveys affirm the benefits of telehealth.
Provider Perceptions
The article about provider perceptions had 144 provider respondents. Of those providers, 123 provided services using telehealth and 21 offered their services in person. Notably, due to the abrupt migration to telehealth during the start of the pandemic, some providers were novices with the telehealth platform. Of the 123 providers offering services via telehealth, 42 had offered telehealth for more than three months while 81 providers had used telehealth for less than three months.
Results showed that:
- Providers using telehealth for more than three months had more confidence than those who were new to telehealth.
- Providers using telehealth for more than three months were significantly more confident using coaching practices in their sessions.
- 74% of telehealth providers with more than three months of telehealth experience and 81% of in-person providers reported they felt very confident in the partnerships they had established with the families they served.
Parent Perceptions
A companion article about parents’ perceptions offered insights too. There were 66 respondents. Of those, 48 parents were receiving telehealth services and 18 were receiving services in person (before the pandemic).
The findings show:
- There were no differences between parent perceptions of telehealth and in-person services.
- There were no differences in the way coaching practices were delivered.
- There were no differences in the quality of the parent-professional partnership.
- 96% of parents were highly or mostly satisfied with their telehealth experiences.
- 90% would definitely or probably recommend telehealth to other families.
These findings provide encouragement to the users, believers, and perhaps the deniers of the value of telehealth. Users of telehealth have learned many lessons. Going forward, it is suggested that a program or a system consider several ways to capitalize on the benefits of telehealth. These considerations would include provider training (e.g., peer mentoring), messaging, guidelines, and ongoing surveys, such as the ones in this article, to understand the changing supports needed for success.
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CONTACT
For questions about this article, please contact:
Arlene Stredler-Brown, PhD, CCC-SLP
Director of COEHDI
Colorado Department of Human Services
astredlerbrown@coehdi.org
303-818-1258
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Colorado Hands & Voices, in collaboration with Colorado EHDI, has recently updated the English & Spanish versions of the Colorado Roadmap and they are ready for distribution! This updated Roadmap gives families information about the early hearing detection and intervention process from screening, to identification of hearing levels with a pediatric audiologist, family-to-family support, and the start of early intervention.
This updated roadmap has a live feed of all pediatric audiologists across the state of Colorado, listed by hospital name, which can be found by scanning the QR code for Colorado Hands & Voices Online Roadmap. You can find this resource on the Colorado Hands & Voices website.
If you have questions about the Roadmap, please contact Jami Fries, Director of Colorado Hands & Voices: jami@co-hv.org.
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Unilateral Hearing Loss Infographic | | |
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We are excited to announce that our Unilateral Hearing Loss Infographic is ready for distribution! Audiologists and CO-Hear Coordinators, please distribute this resource to the families you see. This infographic was developed with thorough input from our Diagnostic/Identification Task Force members and Colorado EHDI Alliance members.
Each year in Colorado, approximately 61,000 children are born, and ~1.5 per thousand of those children are identified as having a unilateral hearing difference. COEHDI stakeholders have identified that it is crucial for families of these children to connect with available resources, such as their Colorado Hearing (CO-Hear) Resource Coordinator, Colorado Hands & Voices Guides, and other family-to-family support resources. Ongoing monitoring of hearing acuity, by a pediatric audiologist, is recommended. At no charge, each child can have their development monitored when the parents complete a short assessment.
This infographic helps families to access all of these resources. The infographic, available in both English and Spanish, was developed for families. Please distribute this information to anyone who can help get these valuable resources to those who need it.
You can access the UHL infographic on our COEHDI website, which also includes an order form if you would like to request printed copies.
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DATA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDPHE has received the request for data related to infant hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention for infants born in the 2021 calendar year. CDPHE staff would like to remind providers entering data in HIDS to:
- Check “All Outstanding” worklists to make sure that screening and evaluation data is entered for the cases on these worklists.
- Make sure to enter audiologic evaluations in HIDS. Note that some infants born in 2021 may receive newer evaluations after some initial data entry has already occurred. Currently, there are fields in HIDS for an initial and a final evaluation.
- Make sure that fields on the Intervention page have been updated to reflect dates for major benchmarks, such as the date of the initial IFSP.
CDPHE must submit 2021 data no later than Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Please enter your data well in advance of this date so that it can be included.
We appreciate your diligence in keeping HIDS data updated!
Please note that any questions with PHI must be sent via encrypted email per the online instructions.
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CONTACT
For questions about HIDS Newborn Hearing applications, please contact:
Leanne Glenn, MA
Newborn Hearing Screening Coordinator
Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs
leanne.glenn@state.co.us
303-692-2603
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This is the EHDItion Colorado newsletter, a monthly report of news and updates from Colorado Early Hearing Detection and Intervention. You can subscribe to related topics and other newsletters using our sign-up form at the bottom of the COEHDI website.
Contact us via email at info@coehdi.org
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