2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
3/14/2022 | 12:35 PM - 1:00 PM | Interagency collaboration and data tracking increases Families enrollment into Early Intervention | Room 12
Interagency collaboration and data tracking increases Families enrollment into Early Intervention
Indiana’s Early Intervention (First Steps) State Staff and the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education staff reviewed the data shared between systems. With this collaboration we were able to see that only 41% of children identified by EHDI in Indiana were known to be enrolled in Indiana’s early intervention system (First Steps). While average age of identification was 6.1 months of age, the average age of enrollment was 12 months. To improve enrollment into First Steps, we launched a pilot project with 2 out of 9 of the system points of entry (SPOE) clusters in Indiana in January of 2019, one rural and one urban. The goal for the pilot was to reduce the amount of time it took after identification for families to get specialized early intervention services and reduce loss to follow up. We worked to improve the current system by informing families of the benefits of specialized network services during the intake process, and the importance of follow up and parent engagement in early intervention services for deaf or hard of hearing children.
The pilot protocol included Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Early Intervention Staff participating in the First Steps intake meeting and sharing information about services, as well as relevant resources for each family. Dates of intake, evaluation, and IFSP meetings were tracked. The Center also collaborates with EHDI and Indiana Hands and Voices Guide By Your Side (GBYS) Parent Guides for families in need of parent-to-parent support when they are unresponsive or need further emotional support. The result was a significant increase in the pilot clusters who were known to be enrolled in First Steps between 2019 and 2021. Protocols will be shared as well as data collected over a two-year period.
- Participants will learn how collaborative relationships among state agencies created a solution to reduce lost to follow up into Early Intervention
- Participants will learn what protocols and resources assisted families in understanding the role of specialized services
- Participants will see the impact of coordinated follow up on timely entry into Early Intervention services
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Presenters/Authors
Cindy Lawrence
(Primary Presenter), ISDH- Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education, clawrence@isdh.in.gov;
o Cindy Lawrence has a Bachelor of Science degree in Deaf Education, Master of Arts in Audiology, and participated in the Graduate Cohort in Special Education Administration, is a licensed Educational Audiologist and a former Deaf Educator, and Administrator from Indianapolis. Cindy has served as an Itinerant Teacher, Educational Audiologist, Interim Superintendent of Indiana School for the Deaf, Director of Outreach and a SKI HI Parent Advisor for Early Intervention and is currently the Early Intervention and Transition Coordinator at the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education in Indiana.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Suzanne Foley
(Co-Presenter), Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, sfoley@health.in.gov;
Dr. Suzanne Foley is a practicing pediatric audiologist who is also the director of Indiana EHDI. She has provided pediatric audiology services for over 20 years.Previously, she was a regional audiology consultant for Indiana EHDI and has been the director for two years. She is a national speaker for the Bureau of Education and Research and provides training seminars to school based personnel and has been an adjunct professor and mentors graduate students in audiology.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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AAA DISCLOSURE:
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