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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Be Part of the ECHO: What You Need to Know About Existing Early Childhood Hearing Screening Initiatives in Your State' Track: 1 - EHDI Program Enhancement Keyword(s): Loss to follow-up, periodic screening, EHDI improvement Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to describe how existing early childhood screening programs can be incorporated into current UNHS EHDI Programs, the benefits of making these linkages, and the resources available to support these collaborations. Abstract: When you think of EHDI, do you think only of universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) and the benefits of identifying hearing loss at birth? It surprises many EHDI professionals to learn that more than a million young children each year are currently being screened for hearing loss apart from UNHS efforts. The importance of these ongoing efforts in helping to reduce the 50% loss to Follow-up/Documentation from newborn screening (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20007) while also identifying additional children with late onset or progressive losses should not be undervalued. EHDI programs that focus exclusively on newborns, and remain isolated from other early childhood screening programs already in place in every state, are missing out on the powerful benefits that collaboration could bring. For example, federally-funded Head Start programs which served over a million children birth to five years of age in 2010 are required to provide all children with an annual hearing screening within the first 45 days of enrollment. EHDI programs are now expected to collaborate with existing hearing screening programs like those found in Head Start. NCHAM’s Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative has helped more than 26 state EHDI programs make significant headway in linking the UNHS EHDI effort with Head Start. This presentation will provide EHDI staff and local audiologists with an understanding of how they can be a part of the “ECHO” of best practices for periodic early childhood screening in their state. EHDI/Head Start collaborative activities, coupled with available resources from the newly funded ECHO Initiative, can result in a powerful cadre of early childhood screening programs that can dramatically contribute to the overall EHDI Identification effort. Come learn about how you and your state can be a part of the ECHO! Presentation: This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online. Handouts: Handout is not Available
PRESENTER(S) / AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION
William Eiserman - ECHO Initiative Head Start      Credentials: Ph.D. Director of Early Childhood Projects and the Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative at the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), Utah State University.       Dr. William Eiserman is the Director of Early Childhood Projects and the Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative at the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), Utah State University. Dr. Eiserman's background includes program evaluation, instructional design, project management, and training.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Jeff Hoffman - Co-Presenter NCHAM      Credentials: MS, CCC-A      Other Affiliations: NCHAM, Utah State University       Jeff Hoffman is the Outreach Coordinator for the Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative at NCHAM, Utah State University. Jeff has many years of experience serving as a state EHDI coordinator and working within Head Start. As an audiologist, Jeff's combined experience affords him to be a valuable resource to state EHDI programs and Head Start grantees as they build collaborations to support quality hearing screening and follow-up practices.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Lenore Shisler - Co-Presenter NCHAM      Credentials: MS       Lenore Shisler is a Senior Research Scientist with the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management who provides technical assistance to newborn and early childhood hearing screening programs.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Terry Foust - Co-Presenter Intermountain Health Care      Credentials: Au.D., CCC-A/SLP       Terry Foust, Au.D., CCC-A/SLP, is a consulting pediatric audiologist and speech-language pathologist with the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM). He serves as one of the NCHAM EHDI national network audiologists and as an audiology consultant to the Hearing Head Start ECHO Project with NCHAM. He also provides consultation for MCHB, HRSA and the Office of Performance Review. He is the administrator for Intermountain Healthcare's Community and School Clinics which are healthcare facilities dedicated to serving the low income, uninsured and homeless populations.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -