EHDI National Goals
National Goals, Program Objectives, and Performance Measures for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Tracking and Surveillance System
Goal 3. All infants identified with hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services before 6 months of age (medical, audiologic, and early intervention).
| Program Objectives | Performance Indicators** |
| 3.1 Medical services. All infants identified with hearing loss will receive appropriate medical services, such as primary care, visual screening, genetic services, and counseling before 6 months of age. | a. Number and percent of infants with hearing loss who received appropriate medical services before 6 months of age from: primary care, otolaryngologists, ophthalmologists, and geneticists/genetic counselors. |
| 3.2 Early intervention services. Each state will ensure that all infants and children with documented hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services from Part C or other state approved intervention services. Service coordination will be provided to eligible children. | a. Number and percent of infants with hearing loss who were enrolled in an intervention program before 6 months of age b. Number and percent of infants and children with hearing loss who received family support information about early intervention services. c. Number and percent of eligible infants and children categorized by hearing loss who have a signed IFSP or an equivalent intervention plan. d. Number and percent of infants who are lost to follow-up after identification. e. Number and percent of infants with hearing loss eligible for Part C services with mild hearing loss, moderate hearing loss; moderately-severe hearing loss, severe hearing loss, or profound hearing loss. |
| 3.3 Audiologic services. All infants identified with hearing loss will receive appropriate audiologic services before 6 months of age. | a. Documentation that confirms that families of children with hearing loss received information on communication and amplification options. b. Documentation of plan for management of each infant's and child's assistive technology that includes, at a minimum, use of probe microphone measures and recommendations for frequency of evaluation. c. Documentation of protocols and guidelines for managing the aural habilitation or rehabilitation of each infant or child. d. Number and percent of infants fitted with personal amplification before 6 months of age. |
| 3.4 Policy statement for stakeholders. Each state will adopt and distribute as appropriate a policy regarding the rights of every family to choose the communication modes and methods that are most appropriate for their child. | a. Documentation of procedural safeguards regarding the rights of families when choosing a communication mode for their children. b. List of resources and contacts providing information about various communication options to enable families to make more informed decisions. c. Documented plans for distributing the resource list and procedural safeguards to families identified by the newborn hearing screening program. |
| 3.5 Resource guide. All states will develop a comprehensive, family-friendly Resource Guide that will include: material from a variety of sources; a list of relevant web sites; a list of state contact people. The Guide will be available in print as well as on a web site and in major languages used in the state, pending available resources. | a. Number and percent of parents and guardians of infants who have a confirmed hearing loss that reached 6 months of age within the last calendar year that received a copy of the state resource guide. b. Documentation of resource guides in any language spoken by 5% or more of the population in that state. c. The state resource guide will include a list of questions for parents to ask in assessing the philosophy and practices of programs they consider for their child. |
| 3.6 Membership of IFSP or other intervention team. All families who have a child with identified hearing loss should have an individual on their intervention team who has knowledge, experience, and expertise with the issues related to children who are deaf or hard of hearing. | a. Number and percent of intervention teams that include individuals with professional preparation and experience working with children with hearing loss. |
| 3.7 Education and training. States will provide opportunities to Part C and other intervention services to receive training on specific issues related to deafness and hearing loss. | a. Documentation of implemented and planned training sessions for Part C or other intervention service providers. |
| 3.8 Quality intervention systems. States shall make sure that high quality early intervention systems are available, including those that meet the needs of diverse populations and children with additional disabilities. | a. List of intervention services that describes available services for diverse populations. b. Documentation of services for children with hearing loss who also have other disabilities. |
3.9 Recommendations for early intervention providers. States shall develop a set of recommendations for early intervention providers who work with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families that include: -identification of objective sources of information for families to learn about communication options, -guidelines for monitoring the communication and social skill development of the child with hearing loss at 6-month intervals, -identification by each early intervention program of personnel within their staffs who are specialists in deaf and hard of hearing issues, -process for linking to family-to-family support within an early intervention system, -list of preschool program options that are particularly prepared to serve children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and inclusion of this information in the preparation of the family for transition at age 3 years. |
a. Documented distributions of a resource guide that presents balanced information on communication options. b. Documented test scores for communication and social skill development at 6-month intervals. c. Documentation of annual updated guidelines. d. Number and percent of families referred to and involved in parent-to-parent support program. |
| 3.10 Parent participation. Each state will ensure families of children with hearing loss have an opportunity to actively participate in the EHDI system. | a. Number and percent of parents involved in their child=s program planning, evaluation, or monitoring. b. Number and percent of parents on the EHDI Advisory Board. |
**Some states may need to differentiate between Part C eligible and non-eligible infants.
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Hearing Loss Team
1600 Clifton Road
MS E-87
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
