Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Program

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This announcement solicits applications for the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Program. The purpose of this program is to develop a comprehensive and coordinated statewide Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) system of care targeted towards ensuring that newborns and infants are receiving appropriate and timely services, including screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and early intervention (EI). This purpose will be achieved by focusing efforts on: 1) increasing health professionals’ engagement within and knowledge of the EHDI system, 2) improving access to EI services and language acquisition, and 3) improving family engagement, partnership, and leadership within the EHDI programs and systems. Recipients will be required to: • Engage health care professionals and families in learning communities to assure participants have information on how to effectively contribute to the health care system as it relates to deaf or hard of hearing children and their families; • Develop and foster collaborative partnerships with EI programs to ensure that children who are deaf or hard of hearing have access to the necessary referral(s), care coordination, and pertinent services that will support language acquisition; and • Address the importance of families within the EHDI system by incorporating family members within the learning communities as well as facilitating partnerships between families and various professionals and programs within the EHDI system. A public health approach to systems alignment for improving and protecting community health and well-being will be important. A strong state EHDI system should be aligned with other public health and/or service programs within the state (i.e., partnering and collaborating with Maternal and Child Health programs such as MCH Title V Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Program, newborn bloodspot screening program, home visiting, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Early Head Start, Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, etc.).

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