Project Description:
Problem. American Sāmoa initiated universal newborn hearing screening in January 2009. But shortly thereafter in September, the territory was struck by a tsunami that severely disrupted services and compromised the capacity of the program to meet the 1-3-6 objectives. A new management approach has been undertaken to ensure that those goals will now be met.
Goals and Objectives. The following are the goals and objectives for the three-year grant.
1. Implement, enhance, and expand newborn hearing screening program to meet 1-3-6 goals.
1.1 Continuous quality improvement to reduce refer rates.
1.2 Ensure timely pediatric audiological diagnostic evaluations.
1.3 Provide high quality early intervention services for identified children.
2. Reduce loss to follow-up at all stages of the process to ensure all babies receive follow-up.
2.1 Expand early childhood hearing screening to day care and preschools.
2.2 Extend hearing screening to WIC program
2.3 Collaborate with new home visitation program to identify babies.
2.4 Coordinate with Head Start hearing screening program.
3. Utilize other resources to build a sustainable system of care for children with special needs.
3.1 Implement new newborn metabolic screening program.
3.2 Work to achieve an electronic birth certificate.
Methodology. Dedicated local staff will implement the project with management support and technical assistance from the University of Hawai?i. This arrangement has worked successfully during the third year of the project. Expertise will be recruited and contracted to provide pediatric audiology and specialized early intervention services.
Coordination. The letters of support document the coordination that has taken place over the past three years and that will continue. The project has the support of the Director of the Department of Health, the Chief Executive Officer of the LBJ Tropical Medical Center (the territory?s only hospital), and the nursery and pediatric staff. Coordination will be expanded to include day care providers, preschools, Head Start, and the new home visitation program.
Evaluation. An evaluation plan is detailed based on a logic model. This plan goes beyond monitoring the 1-3-6 goals to include results of newborn metabolic screening, and early intervention indicators.
Annotation. This project will improve, enhance, and expand the universal newborn hearing screening program to meet the 1-3-6 goals and reduce loss to follow-up at each of the stages. It will expand hearing screening to preschool populations and assist with the implementation of universal newborn metabolic screening.
Core Function(s):
Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Area of Emphasis
Education & Early Intervention, Health-Related Activities
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
State
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
