A program in California is being implemented to facilitate follow-up for infants needing diagnostic audiology evaluations. Babies who do not pass newborn hearing screening tests require immediate diagnosis and intervention. Participation in the program is by referral from the state Hearing Coordination Center. The teleaudiology program is unique because, rather than consulting
with audiologists or other clinicians at a remote location, who then
diagnose and treat the patient, the UC Davis audiologists actually
perform the hearing screening and make the diagnosis.

Link: http://www.healthcanal.com/pregnancy-childbirth/24941-New-teleaudiology-program-improve-follow--for-newborns-who-did-not-pass-hearing-screening.html

Deaf residents in Chicago are being helped out in an amazing way. The Chicago Fire department will install 200 smoke detectors designed for deaf or hard of hearing residents as part of a more than $124,000 FEMA grant that will provide 4,200 smoke detectors to Chicago city dwellers.

Link: http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2358184&spid

She was one of 15 audiologists from around the world who were chosen to travel to hearing implant company MED-EL’s headquarters at Innsbruck, in September, for a five-day training course. She said Connect Hearing also runs monthly ‘Stay Connected’ workshops which are open to anyone affected by hearing loss, directly or indirectly, and offers free hearing screenings. Read more about the training experiences that Busselton audiologist Eimear Faye has gained and how she believes cochlear implants are changing the lives of many deaf people around the world.

Link: http://www.busseltonmail.com.au/news/local/news/general/the-sound-of-progress/2400429.aspx

More than 10 percent of Americans have some form of hearing loss.
Even with a hearing aid, deciphering sounds in places like airports,
theaters and places of worship can be tough. However, a not-so-new technology, commonly used in Europe, could help change that. Read more about these T-coils and hearing loops that are beginning to spread better hearing quality for those with hearing aids or cochlear implants globally.

Link: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Hearing-Aids-Common-in-Europe-Turn-Up-Volume-in-US-135877258.html

California has been a leader on
several fronts of health care’s evolution. California innovations and
maturations in integrated delivery, managed care, stem cell research and
electronic health records often set the agenda for national trends. Now California is poised to do it again with a 21st century innovation — telehealth.

New state legislation (AB 415)
passed this fall has the potential to move two-way audio-visual
technology out of the realm of wonky oddity and into the mainstream,
according to some industry experts. Read more about the California Telehealth Advancement Act and the benefits and timing of this great law.

Link: http://www.californiahealthline.org/think-tank/2011/how-can-california-make-most-of-telehealth-law.aspx

Families often are anxious about their child’s language development. View this tele-intervention session conducted by a therapist from Wisconsin’s Center for Communication, Hearing, and Deafness. This video depicts the use of tele-intervention in coaching families and building their confidence.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/flashplayer/disclaimer.htm?file=http://www.infanthearing.org/ti-guide/videos/VID00005.mp4

View a video interview with a parent of a child with hearing loss
that describes how the Listen and Talk Early Intervention program used
tele-intervention to provide services while they were away for several
months.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/flashplayer/index.htm?file=http://www.infanthearing.org/flashvideos/teleintervention/parent_interview.mp4

The Clerc Center will offer a two-part webinar for families in January and February 2012. Part 1 will provide an overview of ASL/English Bilingual Early Childhood Education and the research supporting its positive impact on ASL and spoken language acquistion. Part 2 will discuss how families can support their child’s successful bilingual bimodal development.

Target audience: Parents of young deaf or hard of hearing children

January 12 and February 9, 2012, 7-8 p.m. (EST)

This webinar is presented by Susanne Scott, a cochlear implant bilingual specialist at the Clerc Center, and Dr. Laurene Simms, a professor of education at Gallaudet University.

Link: http://bit.ly/ASLEngwebinar

The December Edition of Probes and Tips is now available: Putting Your Hearing Screening Practices in the Spotlight! This edition includes such items as:

• A call to spotlight the high-quality hearing screening practices that are being provided to children in various programs.
• An easy way to send a simple email to colleagues telling them about OAE screening and a specific template that is encouraged to be used in creating a press release for local media to highlight your programs efforts.
• A 30-minute mini-webinar that helps to give more ideas on shining the spotlight on your programs hearing screening activities.

Link: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs073/1102782899287/archive/1108901662291.html

Link: http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/how/care_partnership_support.aspx#marketing