Title:

Maine Newborn Hearing Screening Needs Assessment

Ideally, children’s hearing should be screened in their first month of life, diagnosed as deaf or hard of hearing by three months of age, and enrolled in Early Intervention by six months. To assess the potential gaps in reaching these goals, the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH) with assistance from Crescendo Consulting Group embarked on an assessment of needs related to the newborn hearing screening and Early Intervention for deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. Fifteen distinct needs were identified by the community survey, discussion groups and one-on-one interviews. Four categories of needs emerged: access to specialized service, equipment & providers, information dissemination, training & continuing education, and systems process improvement. The data collected will help guide policy moving forward.

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