EHDI Resources and Information

These resources are available to parents and professionals to help connect them with organizations, agencies, and service providers.

Resources and Supports for Families of Children of All Ages who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Beginnings 

Ncbegin.org

BEGINNINGS was founded on the premise that parents, given accurate, objective information about hearing loss, could make sound decisions for their child.  

Boys Town National Research Hospital     

Babyhearing.org

Center for Childhood Deafness

Boys Town is a research center on hearing loss and related disorders.  Provides educational materials for families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. 

Hear to Learn    

heartolearn.org   

Educational resources for families and professionals including monthly free webinars about the development of Listening and Spoken Language (LSL)

John Tracy Clinic 

http://www.jtc.org

Provides parent-centered services to families of children birth through five years who have

diagnosed hearing losses.

Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center   

http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/

(202) 651-5051

Resources for parents of children of all ages. This resource focuses primarily on American Sign Language but does include some information about technology use as well.

National Center For Hearing and Management (NCHAM)

www.infanthearing.org 

NCHAM serves as a support for EHDI (early hearing detection and intervention) programs but also shares resources and supports for families. You can find webinars (live and recorded) on this page in addition to language development resources. 

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-ear-infections-deafness

Wide scope of information for families and parents regarding hearing loss/deafness, communication options, and syndromes related to hearing loss.

Early Intervention Resources

Baby Watch Early Intervention Programs

www.utahbabywatch.org

Provides early identification and developmental services for families of infants and toddlers, ages birth to three.  

Parent Infant Program (PIP)

(801) 464-2028, (800) 990-9328

www.usdb.org/pip/deafpip

Coordinated through Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, the PIP program is the Early Intervention Program in the State that specifically serves children who are deaf/hard of hearing. 

Sound Beginnings, Utah State University

www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu

Sound Beginnings of Cache Valley is an early education program that provides home and center-based services to children with hearing loss whose families want their children to learn to listen and talk.

CSHCN EHDI Program (medical home portal)

https://health.utah.gov/cshcn/programs/ehdi.html

Communication Resources:

Relay Utah

www.relayutah.gov

Relay Utah provides access to hearing assistive equipment and telephone relay services, to allow Utah citizens who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled more efficient communication.

Video/Phone Services

Videophones are used to help the deaf/hard of hearing communicate with the aid of an interpreter. These are free for individuals using ASL to communicate with. 

Sorensen Communications    

www.sorensen.com 

Purple Communication     

www.signlanguage.com 

National Cued Speech Association

www.cuedspeech.org

The National Cued Speech Association supports effective spoken communication, language development, and literacy through the use of Cued Speech (visual cueing using manual signs).

SignIt! 

https://www.infanthearing.org/signit/index.php

SignIt! is an innovative new online curriculum for learning American Sign Language (ASL). The instruction is done by professional actors (both deaf and hearing) who are fluent in ASL and is highly interactive, entertaining, and engaging. You can complete the lessons at your own pace. Built-in quizzes provide feedback about how well you are learning the material, and there is ample opportunity for practice. You’ll see video vignettes showing conversational ASL, interviews with deaf celebrities, and instructions about ASL grammar and Deaf culture. Use this link to access FREE lessons and curriculum.

ASL Nook

www.aslnook.com

ASL Nook focuses on helping to build ASL vocabulary and phrases through small, engaging skits performed by a young Deaf family. All their content is FREE

ASL University

www.lifeprint.com/asl101

An online curriculum resource for American Sign Language (ASL) students, instructors, interpreters, and parents of deaf children.

Funding Sources

Utah Department of Health, Children with Special Health Care Needs

CHAP – Children’s Hearing Aid Program  (Birth up to 6th birthday)

familyhealth.utah.gov/cshcn/chap

HARP – Hearing Aid Recycling Program  (6 – 18 years)

health.utah.gov/chap

These hearing aid programs provide hearing aids to financially eligible Utah families.

USDB Foundation

https://usdbfoundation.org/

The USDB Foundation’s mission is to support Utah children who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind. 

Olive Osmond Foundation

Hearingfund.org

The Olive Osmond Foundation raises awareness about deafness and provides opportunities for families without insurance coverage to obtain hearing aids for their child.

The Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment (Hike) Fund, International Center for Job’s Daughters  

www.thehikefund.org 

The Hike Fund helps families pay for medical expenses and equipment that aren’t covered by insurance. 

Angel’s Hands Foundation

https://angelshands.org/

For families with children who have rare or undiagnosed 

First Hand Foundation

www.firsthandfoundation.org 

The First Hand Foundation helps families pay for medical expenses and equipment that aren’t covered by insurance. 

Hear Now/Starkey Foundation

https://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/Hearing-Assistance

Starkey Hearing Foundation has provided more hearing help to people in the United States than to any other country. Hear Now is our application-based program that provides hearing aid assistance to Americans with low income and low assets.

The Guaranteed Foundation Rate (GFR)

Helps families pay for medical costs/equipment that would not be covered by insurance. They provide funding through grants. It can be anything from rent, groceries, accessible vans, lifts, equipment, meds, wheelchairs, etc. Request Assistance | Guaranteed Rate

Additional Medical Resources

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) National

CMV can have varying effects on babies, and one of the most common and significant complications associated with congenital CMV infection is hearing loss. Learn how CMV can affect babies and lead to hearing loss.

familyhealth.utah.gov/cshcn/cmv

https://www.nationalcmv.org/

Medical Home Portal

Support families and professionals in working together to care and advocate for children with special healthcare needs.

medicalhomeportal.org/living-with-child

medicalhomeportal.org/living-with-child/diagnoses-and-conditions—faqs/hearing-loss-and-deafness

Transition Services

National Center for the Deaf (NDC)

https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/

The National Center for the Deaf provides resources and support for teens and youth that are Deaf/hard of hearing in their transition process from high school to college and or work. 

Transition From Early Intervention to Preschool: 

https://utahparentcenter.org/resources/eitopreschool/

Transition University

https://utahparentcenter.org/transition-to-adult-life/

Utah-Specific Resources

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (A.G. Bell) – Utah Chapter

agbellutah.org

facebook.com/utahagbell

A membership organization and information center focusing specifically on children with hearing loss and learning to speak and hear. Financial aid programs are available for children with hearing loss.

Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH)

jobs.utah.gov/usor/dhh/

Facebook:   @UtahDeafHHServices, @SoUtahDeafHHProgram

A state-funded program designed to provide resources and supports to individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing. Resources for housing, employment, interpreting services, and summer camps can be found here. 

Hearing Loss Association of America – Salt Lake City Chapter    

Hearinglossutah.com

Non-profit agency that provides resources and community events for individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing.

Parent Infant Program (PIP)

(801) 464-2028, (800) 990-9328

www.usdb.org/pip/deafpip

Coordinated through Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, the PIP program is the Early Intervention Program in the State that specifically serves children who are deaf/hard of hearing. 

Sound Beginnings

http://soundbeginnings.usu.edu

Sound Beginnings at Utah State University is an early education program that provides home and center-based services to children with a diagnosed hearing loss whose families want their children to learn to listen and talk. Sound Beginnings is located on the campus of Utah State University, Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Department in Logan, Utah.

Utah Association for the Deaf

www.uad.org

A non-profit organization dedicated to the educational, social, and economic welfare of the Deaf in the State of Utah.

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB)

www.usdb.org

USDB is the only Special Education School in the State of Utah that provides educational services for the deaf/hard of hearing who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. They do also offer educational services for Deaf/hard-of-hearing children that use Listening and Spoken Language (LSL).

Utah Assistive Technology Foundation

(435) 797-3824 

http://www.uatpat.org/financing/

Have helped thousands of Utahns with disabilities of all ages obtain loans and grants to purchase the assistive technology that allows them to be more independent, productive, and successful at home, at school, at work, and in the community.

Utah Center for Assistive Technology (UCAT)

https://jobs.utah.gov/usor/vr/services/ucat.html

A statewide resource offering information and technical services to help people with disabilities acquire and use assistive technology devices. UCAT offers free evaluations to anyone within the state of Utah.

Additonal Resources/Organizations

ASL Resources:

SignIt -Free ASL curriculum for families of newly identified children who are DHH

Front Page – American Society for Deaf Children Free One-year Membership for Utah families, use code: UTEHDI

Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH): https://jobs.utah.gov/usor/dhh/events/northerncalendar.html

ASL for Free – Gallaudet University

Reading:

The 15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children – Reading to Deaf Children; Learning from Deaf Adults

Reading Together: Tips for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss or Deafness | Reading Rockets

RMDSCO – YouTube

Social-Emotional Development:

VL2 :: Research Briefs

VL2 :: Research Briefs in Spanish

LSL Resources:

AG Bell > Families

LslLife.com – By Hearing First

My Baby’s Hearing

Language First — Language First

Hear to Learn

Audiology Resources:

The Listening Room

Baby Beats

Personal Safety:

Kidpower International | Kidpower International

American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC)

deafchildren.org

Another membership organization that provides information about signing and Deaf culture. It also provides support and encouragement to parents and families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Utah Families qualify for a FREE one-year membership. Use code: UTEHDI at registration.

Hands and Voices

http://www.handsandvoices.org

Hands & Voices is a parent-driven, non-profit organization dedicated to providing unbiased

support to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Their goal is to connect families with resources and information to facilitate informed decisions around the issues of deafness and hearing loss.

https://www.handsandvoices.org/great-start/

This resource is a fun, interactive website that has resources for families when kiddos are first diagnosed.

Utah Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program

familyhealth.utah.gov/cshcn/ehdi

This is a Utah-specific informational site on newborn hearing screening and its follow-up.  There is a specific tab for Parents on the homepage.

Utah Family Voices

www.utahfamilyvoices.org

The regional affiliate of a national advocacy group organized and operated by parents of children with special health care needs.

National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-ear-infections-deafness

NIDCD supports biomedical and behavioral research and research training in the processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language.  The Institute also conducts and supports research and research training associated with people who have communication impairments or disorders.