18th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 3-5, 2019 • Chicago, IL
2/26/2017 | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Inside, Outside, Upside Down; Infusing The EHDI System with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Partners and Parents | Hanover D
Inside, Outside, Upside Down; Infusing The EHDI System with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Partners and Parents
EHDI is all about Early Identification and Intervention for Babies and Toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing. The vast majority of parents, screeners, Audiologists, Early Interventionist, Speech and Language Therapists and other experts involved in this young child’s journey mostly likely have grown up with normal hearing. Meet several Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults who were identified as young children and work in EHDI systems or Early Intervention programs. Do they turn things upside down or right-side up? The average age of identification for the panelists was 5 years and EHDI was not available to their families. Find out how their unique perspectives of being deaf or hard of hearing add to their programs. What inside connections and insight do they have that other experts might not have? What additional voice can they bring to EHDI and EI services? How does their personal history and experience impact and affect change in their EHDI systems? How can EHDI and Hands & Voices work together to increase earlier availability of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Partners to families? Are parents given information about DHH partners in a timely manner and are they given the opportunity to decide when to meet DHH partners? What kind of expectations can we have for today’s children identified and obtaining EI services sooner than previous generations? What does this type of support do for today’s parents? How can states collaborate with deaf and hard of hearing adults and parents support systems to ensure the wisdom and experience they bring to the table is available to all parents and professionals in the EHDI system?
- Attendees will understand the importance of including a deaf or hard of hearing staff member to their work team.
- Attendees will gain the perspective of deaf and hard of hearing adults on how they can positively impact EHDI systems.
- Attendees will be able to integrate the needs of parents and the availability of D/HH adults in their lives.
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Presenters/Authors
Karen Hopkins
(), The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, karen.hopkins@mecdhh.org;
Karen Hopkins is the Executive Director of The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf and the principal investigator of Maine's HRSA grant. She brings over 30 years of experience as a collaborative teacher of the deaf, special educator, early interventionist and educational administrator to her work with Deaf and hard of hearing children. Her work with families, coupled with her own personal experience as a Deaf adult and parent of a daughter who is hard of hearing have inspired her to create systems that empower families. Karen oversees early intervention and statewide educational programming for children who are Deaf or hard of hearing birth to age 22 throughout the state of Maine. She is active in many organizations and boards in Maine, the Hands & Voices HQ Board of Directors and is involved with international FCEI programming including the Deaf Leadership International Alliance. Karen is the Board President of Hands & Voices Headquarters. Karen's current research as she finalizes her doctoral journey is focused on perspectives of family empowerment in early intervention systems for Deaf and hard of hearing children.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Stephanie Olson
(), Children's Hospital Colorado, stephanie.olson@childrenscolorado.org;
Stephanie Olson, B.A., is the Family Consultant for the Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing at Children’s Hospital, Colorado. Stephanie has been in this position for 18 years and serves as a liaison between families and the audiology health care system. Previously she worked with families and children from birth to three through the Colorado Home Intervention Program and for Hands and Voices Headquarters.
Stephanie has traveled to Northern China, London, South Africa, Brazil and New Zealand and St. Petersburg, Russia, and FCEI Austria- Family Centered Early Intervention in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022. Stephanie’s passion is to increase the understanding and impact of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the parenting journey and with the professionals who work with those families. Stephanie was identified deaf/hard of hearing at the age of three and brings a variety of perspectives into her work and presentations.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Nan Asher
(), Michigan EHDI, ashern@michigan.gov;
Nan Asher was diagnosed with a bilateral severe hearing loss at age four and has one sibling with a profound hearing loss. She has worked/volunteered in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing field for much of her professional career, Past President of Michigan Coalition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People and past Executive Director of Michigan Association for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She’s a member the Advocacy committee with the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan. Nan graduated from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) with a Masters in Liberal Arts in Interdisciplinary Technology, and received her BA with honors in Health Administration, also at EMU. After graduation, Nan owned her own business in Hearing assistive technology and taught classes on adapting to hearing loss, assistive technology and speechreading to people of all ages. In addition, Nan spoke on Capitol Hill on Entrepreneurs with Disabilities hosted by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. As the Program Consultant for MI-EHDI, which she had previously served on their Advisory board for a few years, Nan has frequent contact with medical providers, midwives and parents, encouraging appropriate and timely follow-up. She spearheaded the Michigan Midwives Project, now currently in its 5th year. Nan is a strong advocate for finding communication modes that work for each individual and getting each person to reach for the stars.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Karen Putz
(), Hands & Voices , karen@handsandvoices.org ;
Karen Putz is a deaf mom of three deaf and hard of hearing kids. She worked in early intervention as a Deaf Mentor for 13 years and is the Co-Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infusion for Hands & Voices. Karen is the author of several books, including
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Lisa Kovacs
(), Hands & Voices , lisakovacs@handsandvoices.org ;
Lisa Kovacs is the Director of Programs for Hands & Voices Headquarters and the Director of the Family Leadership in Language and Learning (FL3) Center. She and her husband Brian have four young adult children including her son who is hard of hearing/deaf. Lisa was the 2019 Antonio Brancia Maxon Award for EHDI Excellence recipient. Her professional interest include; Parent Advocacy; Implementation of parent participation and engagement in systems building; Parent to Parent support; Deaf Education Reform; IDEA, ESSA, Part C and Part B Training to Parents, and Parent Leadership Training and Development.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Melinda Meyers
(), Maine Educational Center for the Deaf, melinda.meyers@mecdhh.org;
Melinda Smith Meyers received her Bachelor of Social Work from Gallaudet University and studied Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Maine. She has worked as a home based early interventionist for deaf children, ASL Family Trainer, and family case manager. She worked for The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH) in the preschool, parent infant and Deaf Mentor programs. Melinda is currently the Deaf Mentor and ASL for Families Coordinator at MECDHH where she supports children and families in the Parent Infant, Preschool and Early Childhood and Family Services and Outreach programs. Melinda is married to a deaf man, and has two hearing grown children and three granddaughters in Maine.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -