2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/16/2026 | 1:55 PM - 2:25 PM | Creating and sustaining powerful partnerships with Early Hearing Detection and Intervention in Ohio: Planting Seeds of Change | City Terrace 7
Creating and sustaining powerful partnerships with Early Hearing Detection and Intervention in Ohio: Planting Seeds of Change
This presentation will provide a brief introduction to the Ohio Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program. Next, we will discuss families with babies and children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) are at the center of our work. Many disciplines, agencies, and community partners support families and children during these early years. Often times, care and coordination may be intentionally compartmentalized. Now is the time to bring various partners together using care coordination efforts to effectively change the experience for families and children. The goal of this presentation is to examine and effectively create sustainable partnerships keeping families and children at the center of our work. Laying the foundation for powerful partnerships and coordinating efforts will improve outcomes and are transferable across multiple domains of service delivery for children who are DHH and their families.
- Describe the key principles of the Ohio Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program.
- Create opportunities for child and family-centered service delivery across disciplines, agencies, and parent groups.
- Discuss how to create a collaborative approach for coordination of care within the EHDI system and beyond.
Presentation:
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Transcripts:
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Presenters/Authors
Reena Kothari
(Primary Presenter), Ohio Department of Health, Reena.Kothari@odh.ohio.gov;
Reena Kothari, Au.D. is currently a Public Health Audiology Consultant for The Ohio Department of Health in the Infant Hearing Program and the newborn hearing screening contact. Reena has spoken both nationally and statewide about Ohio’s EHDI program. She has developed many public awareness materials in several formats for the Ohio Department of Health’s Infant Hearing Program. Reena was the team lead for the National Initiative on Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) and is a member of several committees in Ohio. Her previous experience includes newborn hearing screening, clinical and dispensing services for adults and pediatrics. Reena has a strong background in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) and is interested in continuous quality improvement for successful outcomes for children identified with hearing loss and deafness.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from The Ohio Department of Health.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with The Ohio Department of Health.
Nature: Reena Kothari and December West are employed by the Ohio Department of Health.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
December West
(Co-Presenter), The Ohio Department of Health, December.West@odh.ohio.gov;
December West has been married to her husband, Tarik West, for 20 years. Together, they are the proud parents of five children, three of whom have special healthcare needs. Their oldest son has been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, their youngest daughter lives with a rare kidney disease that impacts her vision, hearing, and kidney function, and their youngest son has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
These personal experiences have inspired December to become a passionate advocate for children with complex medical and developmental needs, as well as for families navigating similar challenges. She has taken on leadership and advisory roles with her community, including serving on the Akron Children’s Hospital Parent Advisory Council, the Complex Medical Help Parent Advisory Committee, the Akron Council of Parent Teachers Association for Akron Public School, the Akron Children’s Health Collaborative, the Alport Syndrome Foundation, and the Ohio Rare Disease Advisory Council.
Currently, December serves as a Parent Consultant for the Ohio Department of Health, where she continues to use her voice and lived experience to support and empower families across the state.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Ohio Department of Health.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Ohio Department of Health.
Nature: .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.