2025 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 9-11, 2025 • Pittsburgh, PA
DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER
| Family Engagement and Support: Creating Community Connectedness
Family Engagement and Support: Creating Community Connectedness
The New York Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (NY EHDI) Program acknowledges the importance of providing support and community connection for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This support leads to increased involvement and empowerment for families caring for their child while simultaneously creating a community of individuals with a shared experience. In 2023, the Program re-established a partnership with the New York Chapter of Hands & Voices to provide family support and engagement events across the state to families. The events provided both educational and social components to enhance the knowledge and support for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The New York Chapter of Hands & Voices held 11 events in five regions throughout New York State including rural, metropolitan, and suburban areas between November 2023 and September 2024. A total of 92 families (292 individuals) attended the events. Surveys following each event showed a positive response from families regarding helpfulness, enjoyment, knowledge building, and the ability to connect with other families with similar lived experiences while providing fun social events for their children.
- The participant will be able to list three benefits to implementing family engagement events.
- The participant will be able to identify the importance of implementing family engagement events for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- The participant will be able to identify components of a successful family engagement event.
Presentation:
3545975_18146ElizabethRialdi.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Elizabeth Rialdi
(Primary Presenter,Author,Co-Author), New York State Department of Health, elizabeth.rialdi@health.ny.gov;
Elizabeth Rialdi, MPH is the Program Coordinator for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program at the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Perinatal, Reproductive, and Sexual Health. Through this role she oversees the state EHDI Program to ensure consistent and accurate newborn hearing screening, diagnostic testing, and referral, in addition to enhancing family engagement and support throughout the state. She has been with the Bureau for 6 years since the completion of her Masters in Public Health from the University at Albany School of Public Health in 2018.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Nature: New York EHDI Program receives federal funding from the HRSA EHDI Grant. .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Cemile Antal
(Co-Author), New York State Department of Health, cemile.antale@health.ny.gov;
Cemile Antal, MPH is the Public Health Specialist II for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program at the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Perinatal, Reproductive, and Sexual Health. Through this role she oversees the training and technical assistance for all NYS providers working with the newborn hearing screening data. In addition, she monitors the EHDI Information System (EHDI-IS) and the newborn hearing screening data the program receives from across the state to ensure proper and prompt reporting. She has been with the Department of Health for a little over a year since the completion of her Masters in Public Health from the University at Albany School of Public Health in December 2022.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -