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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Engaging Child Health Providers in EHDI: Connecticut’s EPIC Program'
Track: 4-Medical Home
Audience: Primary Audience:
Secondary Audience:
Tertiary Audeince:
Keyword(s): pediatricians, training, outreach,
Learning Objectives: 1. develop a presentation to describe their EHDI program to primary care child health providers 2. organize an academic detailing program to bring presentations to child health providers 3. engage child health practices in connecting families to available support services

Abstract:

Child health providers play a critical role in ensuring the healthy development of young children. More than ninety percent of young children have several interactions with the health care system before their first birthday, and regular care is required for entry into many of the other systems in which children participate (e.g. child care, preschool). In recognition of the importance of child health services in early hearing detection and intervention, the Connecticut Department of Public Health CYSHCN program has invested in engaging child health providers in the state’s EHDI program. The work is designed to 1) improve connection of newborns to diagnostic follow up and intervention services, 2) ensure optimal hearing monitoring in the context of the pediatric medical home and 3) engage pediatric practices in connecting families to support opportunities. Connecticut’s Educating Practices in the Community (EPIC) Program, sponsored by the Child Health and Development Institute, uses an academic detailing model to educate practices about hearing loss, the state's EHDI program, and family support opportunities for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Trained child health experts deliver a short presentation to pediatric practice staff and engage them in discussions about caring for children with hearing loss. The presenters emphasize AAP medical home guidelines as well as the resources in the state for children who are hearing impaired and their families. Evaluation of the EPIC program has shown several positive results in terms of pediatric provider learning as well as outcomes for families. This session will review the content of Connecticut’s EPIC presentation that addresses EHDI and describe how it engages child health providers in using the program components. There will be ample time for questions as well as discussion among participants about their strategies for engaging pediatric providers in care for children with hearing loss.
Handouts: Handout is not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S):
Lisa Honigfeld - Child Health and Development Institute
     Credentials: Ph.D. Medical Sociologist
     Other Affiliations: Vice President for Health Initiatives, Child Health and Development Institute
      Lisa Honigfeld directs CHDI’s efforts to strengthen pediatric primary and preventive care. Her responsibilities include work designed to test innovations in child health services delivery, policy and systems. Lisa has more than 25 years of experience working in child health organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford and ProHealth Physician. She serves on several statewide committees related to medical home, care for children with special health care needs, family support, pediatric training and quality improvement. Her work focuses on: care coordination, developmental screening, the interface between primary care and community and services, and expanding the capacity of pediatric primary care to address mental health issues. Lisa has a BA in sociology from the University of Massachusetts and an MA and PhD, both in sociology, from the University of Chicago. She holds a faculty appointment in Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
Brenda Balch - Private Practice Pediatrician
     Credentials: Board certified pediatrician, CT AAP Chapter Champion for EHDI, Member EHDI Advisory Board
     Other Affiliations: Connecticut Children's Medical Center clinical staff
      Dr. Balch serves as the CT AAP EHDI Chapter Champion. In this role she works with the state EHDI program and child health providers across Connecticut to support the goals of early detection and intervention. Dr. Balch also is very active in efforts to provide relief to children in Haiti as well as other medical missions.
Ann Gionet - CT Department of Public Health
     Credentials: Bachelor of Business Administration, Western CT State University, Danbury, CT
     Other Affiliations: Connecticut Family Advocate for CYSHCN
      Ann Gionet Health Program Associate, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, Connecticut Department of Public Health. Staff member of the CYSHCN program for fifteen-years, knowledgeable about all aspects of program, participate in program design and execution through four major program enhancements. Responsible for integrating family/consumer involvement into the CYSHCN and Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs and policies including involvement of consumers in program planning and execution, engage families through mentoring and culturally appropriate supports, educate staff to engage consumer participation, support families in the professional setting, provide family/professional partnership presentations/workshops. Awarded federal funding for CT family/consumers to attend the Association of Maternal Child Health Program (AMCHP) National Meeting in Washington DC and attend as a Family Mentor.
 
AUTHOR(S):
Sarah Schlegel - Connecticut Children's Medical Center
     Credentials: Board certified developmental and behavioral pediatrician
     Other Affiliations: Special Kids Support Center, Connecticut Children's Medical Center; Member state EHDI Advisory Board
      BIO: Dr. Schlegel is a board certified developmental pediatrician with special expertise in children with hearing loss.
Lisa Honigfeld - Child Health and Development Institute
     Credentials: Ph.D. Medical Sociologist
     Other Affiliations: Vice President for Health Initiatives, Child Health and Development Institute
      BIO: Lisa Honigfeld directs CHDI’s efforts to strengthen pediatric primary and preventive care. Her responsibilities include work designed to test innovations in child health services delivery, policy and systems. Lisa has more than 25 years of experience working in child health organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford and ProHealth Physician. She serves on several statewide committees related to medical home, care for children with special health care needs, family support, pediatric training and quality improvement. Her work focuses on: care coordination, developmental screening, the interface between primary care and community and services, and expanding the capacity of pediatric primary care to address mental health issues. Lisa has a BA in sociology from the University of Massachusetts and an MA and PhD, both in sociology, from the University of Chicago. She holds a faculty appointment in Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
Brenda Balch - Private Practice Pediatrician
     Credentials: Board certified pediatrician, CT AAP Chapter Champion for EHDI, Member EHDI Advisory Board
     Other Affiliations: Connecticut Children's Medical Center clinical staff
      BIO: Dr. Balch serves as the CT AAP EHDI Chapter Champion. In this role she works with the state EHDI program and child health providers across Connecticut to support the goals of early detection and intervention. Dr. Balch also is very active in efforts to provide relief to children in Haiti as well as other medical missions.
Ann Gionet - CT Department of Public Health
     Credentials: Bachelor of Business Administration, Western CT State University, Danbury, CT
     Other Affiliations: Connecticut Family Advocate for CYSHCN
      BIO: Ann Gionet Health Program Associate, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, Connecticut Department of Public Health. Staff member of the CYSHCN program for fifteen-years, knowledgeable about all aspects of program, participate in program design and execution through four major program enhancements. Responsible for integrating family/consumer involvement into the CYSHCN and Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs and policies including involvement of consumers in program planning and execution, engage families through mentoring and culturally appropriate supports, educate staff to engage consumer participation, support families in the professional setting, provide family/professional partnership presentations/workshops. Awarded federal funding for CT family/consumers to attend the Association of Maternal Child Health Program (AMCHP) National Meeting in Washington DC and attend as a Family Mentor.