HEAR HEAR OUR OUR

VOICESVOICES

Family Centered Best Practice Family Centered Best Practice Model and the IDEAModel and the IDEA

The Parent’s Right to Receive The Parent’s Right to Receive Unbiased Information on Unbiased Information on Communication OptionsCommunication Options

WhoWhoWhat KindWhat KindStandard vs. Not Standard Standard vs. Not Standard All OptionsAll OptionsUnbiasedUnbiased

Communications OptionsCommunications OptionsHow are Current Systems Responding?How are Current Systems Responding?

FindingsFindings

• Why Disparity?• Discretionary• Multiple Persons Across Multiple

Agencies• Lack of Knowledge• Bias

Creating Best Practice ModelCreating Best Practice Model

•Support for the Model•Individuals for Disabilities Education Act, Part C Infants and Toddler•Family Centered Practices

•Family choice and decision making occur at all levels of family involvement in the intervention process.*•Information necessary families to make informed decisions is shared in a complete and unbiased manner.* (*C.J. Dunst)

Service Coordination

Competencies

Professionals provide complete and unbiased information to families and

support the family in making informed decision relating to selecting preferred

support and services…

Jeffri L. Brookfield, Ed.D.

• Standardized Resource Manual• Designated Representative

• Trained/Knowledgeable Un-biased Representative

• Inter-Agency Coordination• Mandate!!!

Best Practice Criteria

•Uniquely trained to diagnose hearing loss and provide information

•Capable of advising the physician on “Next Steps”

•In a position to counsel parents as to “Next Steps” following diagnosis

•Able to place family into service system

Why the Audiologist Should be the Gatekeeper

Uniquely Trained to Diagnose Hearing Uniquely Trained to Diagnose Hearing Loss and Provide InformationLoss and Provide Information

• Conducts a battery of tests• Differential diagnosis

• You have built in counseling time within appointment

Advise physicians as to “Next steps”

•Treatments•Additional Assessment•Additional Referrals

Counsel Parents to “Next Steps”

Description of “Process” or Expected Flow of Services

Place Family in Service Program

Part C

Part B

Provider Referrals

Current Events

• The Audiologist is faced with with “designing” his/her own protocals

for the giving of information• Often has to search for information

• Information may be biased

Best Practice willBest Practice will…

Provide the Provide the Audiologist, and Audiologist, and

other early other early intervention intervention

professionals with professionals with a coordinated a coordinated

comprehensive comprehensive systemsystem

Best Practice will…Best Practice will…

Enable the audiologist, and other early intervention professionals to

provide consistent unbiased information to each family

Best Practice…Best Practice…

Assist Audiologists and Assist Audiologists and other Early Intervention other Early Intervention

Professionals in their Professionals in their efforts to help each efforts to help each

family be “informed” family be “informed” when making decisions when making decisions

regarding regarding communication optionscommunication options

One Dream…Many Voices