Project Description:
JFK Partners Pediatric Audiology LEND (AUD LEND), a collaboration of JFK Partners LEND program and the Marion Downs Center (MDC), serves children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities (ASD/DD) and their families through training and systems capacity building.
Needs Addressed: Infants and young children with hearing loss and co-morbidities including ASD/DD, and their families, need culturally/linguistically competent pediatric audiology leaders, skilled in interprofessional collaboration, to address health disparities and to deliver timely, family-centered, evidence-based screening, diagnoses and intervention services in coordinated Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) systems.
Population Groups Served: Infants and young children who are DHH with/at risk for ASD/DD and their families.
Proposed services: JFK AUD LEND focuses on screening, treatment, and follow-up in children (0-3) who are DHH with/at risk for ASD/DD. AUD LEND equips pediatric audiology trainees with interdisciplinary leadership skills, ASD/DD knowledge, and clinical expertise to deliver the specialized care required by the target population. During 2021-2026, at least 10 long-term (LT) trainees (>300 hours), 10 medium-term (MT) trainees (149-299 hours), & 40 short-term (ST) trainees (<40 hours) will be trained. The training menu includes didactic courses, clinical practica/practice guidelines and EHDI systems experience, community-based service, research, and professional presentations. The curriculum instills knowledge and skills in interdisciplinary leadership, ASD/DD (and co-occurrence with hearing loss), disability policy, social determinants of health, telehealth, family support/engagement, and emerging MCH issues. Audiology/EHDI-specific content will be shared with other LEND disciplines. M/STs may select experiences from the AUD LEND menu. AUD LEND also will increase the EHDI workforce and system capacity to serve the target population by a) conducting at least 2 continuing education (CE) events each year, and b) delivering technical assistance (TA) to at least 6 organizations providing EHDI services, including the Colorado EHDI program, through collaboration and problem-solving for systems of care. Faculty and trainees identify and address CE and TA needs collaboratively with local, state, regional/national MCH/EHDI stakeholders in DHH/ASD/DD. AUD LEND disseminates new curricular materials, educational resources, and research findings to LEND and other CARES Act and MCHB -funded interests.
Collaborators include MDC; Colorado EHDI; Wyoming EHDI; Colorado and Wyoming Hands and Voices; Childrens Hospital Colorado; University of Colorado Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences (SLHS) Department; The Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind (CSDB); PacWest Consortium; AUCD and others.
Program Evaluation, within the overall LEND evaluation, monitors and supports AUD LEND workplan implementation and QI (quality improvement), and assesses trainee, CE and TA satisfaction and outcomes to facilitate required federal reporting (e.g., HRSA MCHB, CARES).
Keyword(s):
Mental/Behavioral Health – Autism, Clinical Care, Developmental Disabilities, Early Childhood – Developmental Health (including developmental screening), Early Childhood – General, Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Special Health Care Needs
Core Function(s):
Training Trainees, Performing Direct and/or Demonstration Services, Developing & Disseminating Information, Continuing Education/Community Training
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote, Specific Groups
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Single-County, Mulit-County
