2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
3/19/2024 | 2:15 PM - 2:40 PM | Early Childhood Services for Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and their Families | Capitol 6
Early Childhood Services for Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and their Families
A low incidence disability, like deafness, is a disability for which few have the highly specialized knowledge and skills necessary to provide appropriate intervention services. Parents of infants and toddlers who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) face challenges in securing therapies for their child, regardless of the mode of communication they’ve chosen for their family. For families that live in rural areas, these challenges are multiplied. The team of stakeholders will share a) their experience in developing a community-based approach to systems improvements for infants and toddlers who are D/HH, b) their successes and challenges in working toward systems improvements, and c) next steps for Arizona in building capacity to improve access to service options for families of children who are D/HH.
- Participants will learn steps to developing a community-based approach to increase the accessibility of appropriate services for infants and toddlers who are D/HH and their families.
- Participants will generate steps for developing community-based approaches specific to the needs of their respective communities.
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Presentation:
3478265_16446KendraBenedict.pdf
Handouts:
Transcripts:
3478265_16446KendraBenedict.docx
Presenters/Authors
Cheryl DeConde Johnson
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), ADEvantage consulting, cdj1951@gmail.com;
Cheryl DeConde Johnson, Ed.D., provides consulting services for educational audiology and deaf education specializing in program evaluation and development and state deaf education service delivery and accountability systems through her practice, The ADE vantage. Previously she provided technical assistance and leadership in audiology and deaf education as a state consultant with the Colorado Department of Education. Cheryl has also been employed as a school-based audiologist, an early intervention provider, and a coordinator of a public school program serving deaf and hard of hearing students. She currently holds adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Arizona and Salus University. Cheryl is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors for Hands & Voices. Cheryl has many publications including co-author of the Educational Audiology Handbook, 3rd Ed., and provides workshops and consultation worldwide.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Consulting fee for Independent contractor from Ear Foundation of Arizona.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with EArFoundation of Arizona.
Nature: Honorarium.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Kendra Benedict
(Primary Presenter,Author,Co-Author), Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, kendra.benedict@asdb.az.gov;
Dr. Kendra Benedict is the statewide director of the Early Learning Program under the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB). Her program provides IDEA Part C and B services for children, birth to age five, who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deafblind. She has served in this position since 2019. Dr. Benedict also serves on the stakeholders committee for the Arizona Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program. Dr. Benedict holds principal and teacher certification from the State of Arizona, a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Special Education from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Northern Arizona University.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Wendy Steuerwald
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), Phoenix Children's Hospital, wsteuerwald@phoenixchildrens.com;
Wendy Steuerwald, AuD, is the Director of Audiology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She works with hospital leadership and audiologists to create an environment where exceptional patient care is the norm. This includes use of evidence based practice, process improvement initiatives, expansion of services offered, the addition of new locations, and hiring the best audiologists. Wendy’s overall focus is to improve the patient’s experience within audiology while providing evidence based care. Professional leadership includes committee work with the American Academy of Audiology, American Speech Language Hearing Association, and multiple state organizations. Wendy also has numerous presentations and publications. Local committee work includes participation in the interdisciplinary Stop CMV AZ partnership.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Phoenix Childrens Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Phoenix Childrens Hospital
Desert Voices School.
Nature: Phoenix Childrens Hospital employee
Desert Voices School board member.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Najwa Ghattas
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), Arizona Hands & Voices, nghattas@azhv.org;
Najwa Ghattas lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband Will and is the mom to three children including Samantha (12) and Matthew (9) both born with a bilateral profound sensioneural hearing loss. Najwa Ghattas holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and a Post Baccalaureate in Elementary Education. In 2014, Najwa became the Executive Director and Guide By Your Side Program Coordinator for Arizona Hands & Voices. Her journey led her to the EAR Foundation of Arizona where she spent two years as Lead Follow Up Coordinator for the Newborn Hearing Screening Program on behalf of the Department of Health Services working hard to meet the 1-3-6 EHDI goals. She has now transitioned into a new position as Outreach Specialist focusing her efforts on hospital and provider education. Her passion now lies in improving the messaging and family experience from the beginning, starting with the screening.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.