Our goal
We want every family to get what their child needs so that they can play, go to school, and grow up to become a healthy adult. We want parents and siblings to thrive too.
We identify children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and get them the support they need. This helps them reach language and other developmental milestones.
We want every family to get what their child needs so that they can play, go to school, and grow up to become a healthy adult. We want parents and siblings to thrive too.
Language milestones serve as benchmarks. They help us monitor and evaluate how a child develops. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing often need help reaching these milestones. By tailoring support and intervening when needed, we can help them gain strong language skills.
We help states, territories, families, and providers to develop coordinated systems of care.
We improve public health systems by:
Children have a greater chance to meet their language milestones.
Age | Step |
---|---|
1 month old | Screen |
3 months old | Diagnose as deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) |
6 months old | Enroll in early intervention |
Ongoing | Provide access to services, including family support |
Before 1993, healthcare professionals screened fewer than 1 in 10 newborns in the US for hearing loss. Now they screen more than 98% of all newborns.
This recent study found that in the years since universal newborn hearing and early hearing screening detection and intervention started, DHH children in one school district demonstrated progressively better outcomes in reading proficiency:
We award grants to 59 U.S. states and territories who improve the system through:
The NTRC trains and guides state and territory EHDI programs. It:
The NTRC identifies and explores proven and new practices that improve the EHDI system. For example, they look at how to better coordinate between family centered medical homes and early intervention services.
We awarded a cooperative agreement to the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM). NCHAM serves as the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, National Technical Resource Center (EHDI NTRC).
Families are experts in their own care. This program aims to increase family engagement, leadership, partnership, and strengthen family support.
What does the FL3 Center focus on?
A cooperative agreement with Hands & Voices supports the FL3 Center.
The LEND program trains future leaders in a variety of disciplines.
The HRSA EHDI program also supports LEND pediatric audiology trainees.
What are the LEND’s audiology program’s goals?
This program provided supplemental funding to 12 LEND programs to support training for pediatric audiologists.